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Civil Rights campaigners the; Association of Pension & Benefits Claimants CIC, simply called the ABC for short, has asked the Shadow Deputy Education Minister Angela Rayner MP and Colchester MP Will Quince to ask Trading Standards and the HMRC Minimum Wage Unit to examine the affairs of online tuition provider EBS Systems Limited, trading as Exemplar Education. We have also been talking to John Swinneys office, the Scottish Education Minister.

The ABC is also requesting a review of sister Company’s such as The Student Support Centre, that provides the Maths and English courses on video & DVD.

Exemplar Education provides home tuition courses via the Internet and claims the courses are…a highly structured, user-friendly, online teaching system, specifically created to support the UK National Curriculum.  However, critics point out that the system features very dated looking videos from Australia, and through the Company claims there are 6,000,000 million questions online, the ABC are keen to find out if the system really does meet the standards of the National Curriculum?

Most controversial of all is that sales lead for the company are provided by school children taking home leaflets with a very modest administration payment to their school, promoting an appointment, with what can be a high-pressure, commission driven, salesman, called a Course Adviser. 

There has been a stream of complaints from families locked into loans they cannot easily get out of, despite changing circumstances. The ABC - an organization that assists people on low incomes are concerned that families hoping for a better life for their children are getting locked into burdensome finance agreements. Children it has been pointed out could become bored due to the jaded, tired and very dated looking ‘Australian’ presentation. Migrant workers and that less Internet savvy, are more likely to purchase courses without doing any background research, say the ABC.

Image: Exemplar Educations dated presentation featuring Australian videos. 

Mums Net, and Money Adviser have received a substantive number of complaints and the Guardian and Telegraph newspapers, have published damming articles about, The Student Support Centre Exemplar educations sister organization. This alone ought to flag up concerns says ABC founder, Simon Collyer. Parents naturally assume that if a child’s school is promoting this offer it must be checked out in some way, even though the accompanying letter denies any endorsement.  

Before Head Teachers use school children as ‘bait’ to help Exemplar sell these courses, there needs to be due diligence carried out, say the ABC. The use of school children in this manner is questionable? The ABC is hoping that Exemplar Education and the 35 other Companies the founder is a director of are given official scrutiny, and the practise of using school-children in this manner is stopped.

Complaint articles:

Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2011/may/10/parents-protest-promotion-home-tuition

Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/money-saving-tips/9018047/The-2700-tuition-hard-sell.html

Mums Net: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/primary/1612237-Has-anyone-any-experience-of-The-Student-Support-Centre

ABC Note: We have been speaking to the Editors of NUT magazine and Headteacher Update and we hope to bring you more on this matter later. Last year we battled Right2Improve Ltd and sister Company Enviroglaze. We understand that following a Police/Trading Standards raid both companies have gone into liquidation (SEE HERE): https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/trading-standards-leading-major-investigation-774299

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Commenting on the news today (Monday) that the government is set to ban restaurant owners from taking a share of tips from their staff, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: 

Image: TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady 

“This decision is long overdue and is a victory for union campaigning. For too long managers have got away with stealing tips from staff. 

“These new rules must be introduced quickly so that restaurant workers get what they’re owed.”

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Today kicks off the 6th Annual Challenge Poverty Week. 

This year looks to be the biggest yet with over 100 activities happening across Scotland, with upcycling classes and family fun days to workshops on innovative alternatives to foodbanks all sharing a common goal of solving poverty in Scotland.

Today’s highlights include:

• North Ayrshire Council are kicking off their week long programme of activities, with the North Ayrshire’s Lord Provost and Leader of the Council be visiting Blacklands Primary School to discuss with pupil’s ideas on how to solve poverty.  This will be the start of a series of school visits and locality meetings to get the views of North Ayrshire residents on how they can solve poverty.  You can find out more about #MyBIGIdeaNA by clicking here.
• * Stirling University’s Centre for Child Wellbeing and Protection and NSPCC are co-hosting “Taking Action on Child Poverty”, a half day conference with will looking at the challenges faced by families living on low incomes.  For more information, click here.
• Claire Baker MP is hosting a roundtable in Kirkcaldy on holiday hunger, with representatives from Fife Council discussing the best way to support families on low incomes during the holidays.  For more information, click here.
• SPIRU and The Poverty Alliance are hosting a lecture by the best-selling author Professor Kate Pickett.  Ms Pickett, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York, is the co-author of The Spirit Level.  For more information, click here.

ABC Note: You can also keep up to date with this year's Challenge Poverty Week by following on twitter, @CPW_Scotland and by checking the hashtags #ChallengePoverty and #AyeWeCan.

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The Social Security Administration and its Office of the Inspector General (OIG) today announced three new Cooperative Disability Investigations (CDI) Units recently opened across the country. As part of the nationwide CDI Program, the new units will identify, investigate, and prevent Social Security disability fraud throughout their respective states. The new CDI units opened in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Indianapolis, Indiana.

The CDI Program is one of Social Security’s most successful anti-fraud initiatives, contributing to the integrity of Federal disability programs. CDI brings together personnel from Social Security, its OIG, State Disability Determination Services (DDS), and local law enforcement agencies to analyze and investigate suspicious or questionable Social Security disability claims, to help resolve questions of potential fraud before benefits are ever paid. CDI Unit efforts help disability examiners make informed decisions, ensure payment accuracy, and generate significant taxpayer savings, for both Federal and State programs.

“Social Security is committed to combating fraud and preserving the public’s trust in our programs,” said Nancy A. Berryhill, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “As we open the three new CDI units, let us remember the important work they do. The CDI program plays a critical role in detecting and preventing fraud, helping to ensure benefits are paid only to the people who are eligible. This collaboration between Social Security, the OIG, and local law enforcement helps save taxpayer money and ensures the integrity of our programs.”

Image: Disability parking US style.

The CDI Program consists of 43 units covering 37 states, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Social Security and OIG have opened several offices in the last few years as they work together to provide CDI coverage for all 50 states by 2022, as mandated by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.

“CDI has a long, successful track record of identifying and preventing disability fraud and abuse,” said Acting Inspector General Gale Stallworth Stone. “We’re pleased to partner with Social Security, the DDSs, and local law enforcement agencies across the country, to combat fraud and promote the integrity of Social Security’s disability programs.”

ABC Comment: Since 1997, when Social Security and OIG established CDI, its efforts have contributed to $3.9 billion in projected savings to Social Security’s programs, and $2.9 billion in projected savings to other Federal and State programs. For more information, please visit the OIG website and Social Security’s anti-fraud website at www.socialsecurity.gov/antifraudfacts/.

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DWP work coaches could see their workload quadruple as Universal Credit rolls out, expert witnesses warned Holyrood.

Currently each work coach supports 85 claimants – with that figure expected to rise to 373 by 2024-25.

The startling figure adds to fears over the impact of the Universal Credit roll-out which has been plagued by problems. 

Kirsty McKechnie of the Child Poverty Action Group warned that work coaches were already struggling with the existing number of claimants, saying:

“We already know that’s an issue with their current workload. We have people who are leaving notes in their journals for their work coaches and just not getting a response. That’s before this work load has ramped up”.

Victoria Todd of the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group added:

“We certainly have concerns as to how you would deal with that volume… What will happen when you have got the migration and the many more claimants per work coach, to consider all of the factors you’ve just outlined, it’s definitely a worry as to whether they can cope with that.”

Witnesses also warned that Universal Credit was failing to encourage people into work and had seen an increase in sanctions.

Commenting, SNP MSP Bob Doris said:

“This is just the latest warning that the Tories roll-out of Universal Credit is a complete disaster.

“Time and time again, the Tories have insisted Universal Credit is about getting people back into work. But the reality is that the DWP’s work coaches are expected to manage a massive increase in their caseloads – it’s just not credible.

“With our limited powers over welfare in Scotland we are building a social security agency with dignity and respect at its heart, and we are spending more than £100m a year mitigating some of the cruel welfare cuts.

“It’s time for Scotland to take complete control of the welfare system, rather than leaving it in the hands of the Tories.”

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The Chancellor Philip Hammond has announced that October 29^th will be the date of the 2018 Autumn budget, a date that was likely picked to avoid clashing with the final stages of the Brexit negotiations which are scheduled for a special European Council meeting over the weekend of November 17-19th.

While the looming spectre of Brexit will reduce the likeliness of any major economic announcements, the Chancellor is expected to have to find funding for Theresa May’s pledge to increase spending on the NHS.

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The top five jobs that 16-21-year olds wanted to do when they were older remained unchanged.

Teaching ranked in the top five jobs for 22-29-year olds in 2017.

Professions have changed over the year with IT professionals soaring by 2017, however construction took the biggest fall.

24% of people aged 16-21 felt that a high income was important to them.

Half of people aged 16-17 years old expected to earn £35,000 by the age of 30 if they had a degree.

Image: Students getting a Law Degree. 

Full time employees aged 30 earned £23,700, an overestimate of 48% if they had a degree.

In 2015-16, 71% of young people thought having an interesting job was very important and 60% of them felt job security was important as well.

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Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey today urges parents with children under 12 to ensure they receive the valuable National Insurance credits which may improve their State Pension income.

Some parents may inadvertently be missing out on retirement income to which they are entitled, the Secretary of State warned today. To ensure they receive National Insurance credits parents must submit a child benefit claim, even if they opt out of receiving any payments.

Credits can help to fill gaps in National Insurance records, and help people to qualify for some contributory benefits including State Pension.

The full new State Pension is £164.35 per week – or around £8,500 a year – however, the actual amount you get depends on an individual’s National Insurance record.

Esther McVey, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions said:

I urge everyone to check their eligibility and apply for any credits for which they qualify and are entitled to. Don’t miss out on potentially increased pay-outs from your future state pension.

The State Pension is a foundation for retirement. If you are caring for a child or a relative then you may be eligible for National Insurance credits which will strengthen this foundation.

National Insurance credits aim to ensure that someone’s State Pension is not affected if they are unable to work and pay National Insurance contributions.

People who are in receipt of Child Benefit (even if they don’t receive any payment), Carer’s Allowance, Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance and some other income replacement benefits receive National Insurance credits automatically.

People in the following circumstances may be eligible to apply for NI credits:

• looking after a relative under age 12
• foster carers
• on maternity, paternity or adoption pay
• a partner of a person in the armed forces who is serving outside the UK
• caring for someone who is elderly, unwell or disabled for more than 20 hours a week
• looking for work and not claiming Jobseekers Allowance
• ill or disabled and not claiming Employment and Support Allowance – some people on Statutory Sick Pay are also eligible for credits
• on a training course
• on jury service

Some parents may not be aware that they need to make a child benefit claim to receive the credits and some may not claim because they feel they may be subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. However, parents can choose to receive no payments once they’ve applied and that charge won’t apply.

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From 27 September 2018, the Universal Credit live service helpline will be open from Monday to Friday, between 9am and 4pm.

The change to the opening hours comes ahead of the planned closure of the live service by spring 2019. The number of people contacting the helpline is expected to reduce as the rollout of Universal Credit full service to all jobcentres nears completion.

When the live service helpline is closed, jobcentre staff should continue to use existing escalation routes for urgent or vulnerable claimant queries.

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Success for new Find a job service

Forty million job searches have been made through Find a job since it was launched in May 2018. The service lets people advertise, search and apply for jobs for free.

More than half a million jobseekers now have verified accounts on the service, and more than 2 million job applications have been submitted.

Find a Job has recently been updated to allow jobseekers to download their CVs, and employers can now select a job category when they add a vacancy.

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