Latest Articles By Simon Collyer

CORONAVIRUS - This page provides information about coronavirus and claiming benefits. It will continue to be updated. Please check this page regularly for updates on the arrangements the Department for Work and Pensions is making to support...

MENTAL HEALTH - How do you know that you are feeling depressed and not just a bit glum?  There are many reasons to feel depressed at the moment and we must thank insurance company, Insurance With for sending us this handy guide. Thank's fol...

FOOD POVERTY - Despite the coronavirus pandemic the Trump administration has no plans to scrap or delay a rule change that could strip federal food assistance from a million claimants – a programme called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Progr...

COUNCIL TAX - New research from Citizens Advice finds that many people in council tax arrears can’t afford to pay their debts and have an average of just £7 left at the end of the month after covering their living costs. Some four in 10 have no money...

ECONOMY - Commenting on today’s GDP figures for the three months to January, Head of GDP at the Office of National Statistics, Rob Kent-Smith said: “The economy continued to show no growth overall in the latest three months. Growth in construction, d...

UNIVERSAL CREDIT - The government is to increase the repayment period for Universal Credit (UC) advances to 24 months from October 2021, with the maximum rate at which deductions can be made reduced from 3...

UK BUDGET - Today the reaction to the budget has been pretty uninspiring. Rishi Sunak opens the budget on the coronavirus outbreak: “I know how worried people are … what everyone needs to know is we are doing everything we can to keep this count...

BUDGET - After a terrible ten years UK public sector net debt has surged from about £1 trillion when the Conservatives came to power in 2010 to more than £1.8 trillion. Far from cutting costs by slashing the social security budget Government policy h...

SANCTIONS - SNP MP Neil Gray has urged the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to urgently publish advice for Job Centre staff and welfare claimants to avoid those affected by Coronavirus being sanctioned.   Responding to Mr Gray at Work and...

DWP OPENING HOURS - Jobcentre Plus opening times are different over Easter:         DateEaster opening times Friday 10 April Offices and phone lines are closed Monday 13 April Offices and phone lines are closed From Tuesday 14 Apr...