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Yesterday at the Labour Party Conferance, John Healey, the shadow housing secretary, proposed the abolition of legislation permitting private landlords to evict tenants without reason.

Section 21 notices allow a landlord to provide notice to their tenant to start the process of ending their Assured Shorthold Tenancy.

Direct of Lettings at leading lettings platform, Urban.co.uk, Adam Male, commented:

“These latest initiatives seem hell-bent on dragging the UK rental sector backwards rather than forwards by following suit with the Scottish market in abolishing the Section 21 notice.

This is yet another attempt to rebalance the scales of the rental market in favour of the tenant and a further attack on the buy-to-let sector which will be detrimental in the long run.

The plight of UK tenants is one that needs focus, but the focus needs to be on creating a harmonious landscape that works for both tenant and landlord alike.

The existing government already seems adamant that the issue lies with UK landlords and has made this clear through the continued implementation of restrictive legislation. If Mr Healey gets his way, he'll further exacerbate the issues and ironically, won't just be biting the hand that feeds UK tenants, but chopping it off altogether.”

ABC Comment: At the ABC we do not agree.  Tenants who want to get into work need stability. We meet people who have moved five times in five years. The ability to evict tenants for no reason, creates enormous uncertainty for people. A feeling of constant insecurity. Tenants who want to complain feel threatened. We don't live in the days of landlords and serfs. Tenants are not second-class citizens that deserve no rights - people need a secure home. It is the basis of all happiness and wellbeing. Shutting your door on the rest of the world is one of the greatest privileges you can have.  

Labour is going to consider scrapping the government's controversial benefit reforms, Universal Credit, which have been accused of pushing thousands of people into poverty

Asked whether she would scrap it, Ms Greenwood told The Mirror newspaper: "We're not ruling anything out, because we think it's important to be on top of all of the detail of it before making a decision."

Margaret Greenwood, the shadow work and pensions secretary, announced a major review of the "toxic" welfare system, including UC universal credit policy.

This announcement marks a shift in Labour's policy away from their official pledge to "pause and fix" universal credit, which merges six existing benefits into a single payment.

Welcome news for many Ms Greenwood in her speech at the Labour Party conference set out proposals to ban punitive sanctions for people who turn up late to benefits appointments in addition to plans to end the benefits freeze by raising rates in line with inflation. 

“I meet a lot of people in their middle years who say, 'I can't face going to the job centre because I find it too humiliating',” said the Shadow Minister for the Department of Work and Pensions.

“Well that's absolutely wrong, because those people have worked 20, 30 years – they're entitled to get support.

“They shouldn't be made to feel that somehow there's a stigma attached to them."

The Wirral West MP added: “If you talk to people working in the social security system now, I've had it described to me as the circle of hell.

 “We're not going to be squandering money on a punitive regime, which at the moment seems to have lost sight of itself. It seems to be punishment for punishment's sake.”

Ms Greenwood also went further than the party's manifesto by pledging to "end the benefits freeze".  

She told delegates: "We are ambitious for our country and for all of our people. That is why today I am promising a complete change of direction.

"We will end the hostile environment that the Tories have created by completely overhauling our social security system. We will rebuild it and restore dignity at its heart."

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Time is running out for celebrities and sports stars to avoid huge fines after they avoided tax by replacing ‘income’ with ‘loans’. 

From this Sunday, September 30, anyone who has used a ‘disguised remuneration’ scheme must arrange a settlement, or face new tax charges next April.

Cheshire-based tax expert John Whelan from My Digital Accounts said:

“Time is running out for people who have used these various loan schemes, with celebrities particularly at risk. Some of these stars have made millions and could now be bankrupted through this clampdown, so they need to seek urgent advice. This also applies to contractors who have used Employee Benefits Trust (EBT) schemes, often without knowing it.”Disguised remuneration has been used by celebrities to avoid income tax and national insurance contributions, receiving a ‘loan’ which was unlikely to ever be repaid, but now the taxman wants his cut.New legislation introduced by former Chancellor George Osborne means these loans are now subject to a charge, which can only be cancelled if a settlement is reached with HMRC.

Thousands of people have already contacted HMRC to register an interest in settling, but John Whelan says there could be thousands more to come forward.He said: “HMRC will consider allowing flexible payments over a period of time, even for celebrities earning large amounts of money. But anyone who is affected needs to act quickly.“The September 30 deadline also applies to anyone who has failed to declare all their offshore income, and those who don’t come forward to declare this kind of tax avoidance could face massive penalties or even imprisonment, so we would recommend taking advice at the earliest opportunity.“Agents and financial advisors could also be dragged into court if the stars fail to cough up.”John added:

“The taxman wants his cut so that could include seizing assets, such as houses, so a settlement with HMRC will always be the best way out. The government has proved that these tax avoidance schemes don’t work.” The government says loans or debts from a disguised remuneration scheme will be taxed as earnings if they haven’t been fully taxed or repaid on or before April 5, 2019. So far, HMRC has received more than 20,000 registrations to settle and are taking these cases through the settlement process.

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The founder of the ABC was in the new Lidl store, in Abbots Road, Colchester, this morning: 24/09/2018  A new store not more than a ten minuet walk from our base.

The person serving on the till was doing it with one hand. He was an Asian looking guy with a top-knot. He had a bloody tissue in the hand he was not using, and I said, ‘are you alright’.

A girl came out from the office with a couple of plasters. He said he had cut his hand on the bailing machine a couple of days ago and it had gone sceptic.   

This guy was checking out food at the till and I really was not impressed. Had there been proper Health and Safety in the store he would have been taken off the till and sent home to recover. Of course, we must hope he did not have HIV.

I was astonished that management was so slack. We were asked recently what we thought about the store, which is well laid out and has excellent refrigerated displays for food. However, experiences like this are bound to spoil the shopping experience. 

It was not the fault of the young chap who was soldiering on, but the management that allowed him to continue.

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The SNP has lambasted the Tories over their mismanagement of welfare, after figures showed that the number of Jobseekers’ Allowance claimants who have been underpaid has more than doubled in five years.
 
New analysis shows that the proportion of JSA claimants who have been underpaid due to official errors has risen from 0.8% to 2.1% since 2011/2012.
 
The SNP has cited these figures as further proof that Westminster is failing on welfare and reiterated demands for the full devolution of social security powers to the Scottish Parliament.

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Tuck Sleep contacted us. A organisation thats all about sleep. It is interesting what they have to say about depression and sleep. 

Troubled sleep, insomnia, and oversleeping are classic symptoms of clinical depression. While not all depressed people have sleep disorders, many do. When evaluating patients for depression, doctors typically ask about sleep patterns as part of the diagnosis.

Problematically, sleep problems worsen mood and can cause depression themselves, creating a vicious cycle.

You can learn more by clicking here:

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An AMSR video to help send you off to sleep....!!

Frank Mukahanana who built a company dubbed by the Financial Times as the ‘antidote to Wonga’ has launched the TWiCE Campaign this week, a pilot scheme designed to fight against financial illiteracy by teaching people how money works in order to reduce up to £200m of Croydon’s overall personal debt in five years.

TWiCE is a community outreach program designed to change Britain’s financial landscape, borough by borough by providing free financial education, because Frank believes that everyone deserves a fair shot at financial success.

The reality is that good, hard working people might be struggling with their money for any number of reasons. They often look to payday loans when they have expenses they can’t cover and nowhere else to turn.

In light of Wonga’s collapse, and other payday loan companies racking up thousands of customer complaints, it’s time to transform people’s relationship with money.

Frank believes everyone can start learning how money works, and how to make money work for them. TWiCE is rolling out community workshops that will teach people how to manage their finances so they can build the life they love. A streamlined online platform with Fortnightly Insights will identify constant changes in the world of finance, and how it directly affects everyday people and their money.

In recent studies carried out it was found that on average, Britons start to worry about their finances from the age of 26. Frank believes that when people have little to no margin to work with, it can often lead to feelings of entrapment. In a Guardian article from July this year, it was found that British households spent an average of £900 more than they earned – it then comes as no surprise that people are struggling in more ways than one. That’s why TWiCE community programs will create a safe and open environment to continue the conversation around mental health and personal finance.

Through financial education, TWiCE will instil healthy financial habits in the people of Croydon, turning the Borough from a debt capital to a savings capital, and reducing personal indebtedness in the area by up to £200m in the next five years – and that’s just the beginning. It all starts in Croydon, but Frank plans to roll this out nationwide and change the financial landscape of the UK.

Change starts this week, and Frank and the team will be celebrating the launch on Friday 21 September in central Croydon. The campaign is working directly with the Mayor’s office, Croydon council, and local MPs with Croydon’s main decision makers and influencers, all coming together on the evening to make positive change in the community. At the launch, TWICE will be showcasing how they are empowering the people of Croydon, and then the nation.

ABC Information: If you are interested in seeing how TWiCE is making a difference, check out our website at www.twicecampaign.org and register your interest in changing your borough for the better.

The Social Democrats today set out the party’s priorities for the new Dáil term, calling for a nationwide freeze on rents at current levels to stem the flow of low-and-middle income earners into homelessness.

Speaking ahead of the resumption of the Dáil after the summer break, the party’s co-leader Róisín Shortall TD accused the Fine Gael-led government of exacerbating the housing crisis and putting developers and private property rights ahead of the public good.

Deputy Shortall said:

"This new Dáil session coincides with the tenth anniversary of the financial crash which brought the country to its knees. Yet a decade later, this Fine Gael led government, with the support of Fianna Fáil, is continuing with the same failed policies that put the interests of private developers and land speculators ahead of workers and families.

“One of the worst effects of the housing crisis is that more and more people are relying on private rental accommodation. Rents are at record levels. According to DAFT, rents nationwide have risen by 75% since 2011 and are now 27% higher than their 2008 peak.”

The party’s Political Director and Consumer Affairs Spokesperson, Anne Marie McNally added:

“Spiralling rents are at the heart of the surge in homelessness in recent years as more and more people are being priced out of their homes. It’s obvious that the existing rent caps are not working. For a start, they don’t apply to the whole country.  They also apply too high a cap and are much too easy for landlords to evade.

“The Government needs to intervene now to stop rents sky-rocketing any further. We have to end this exploitation of renters and those priced out of the housing market. That objective should start with an inescapable nationwide rent freeze now.”

ABC Note: A leading homelessness and drug support charity has warned Ireland is facing a “deepening social crisis”, as levels of homelessness continue to rise across the country. Merchants Quay Ireland (MQI) is launching its annual review for 2017 today. The review shows that there was again a rise in the number of people availing of its services across the board. 

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The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will have an information stand at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Tullamore throughout the three days of the event - Tuesday, 18 September, through to Thursday, 20 September. 

Officials from the Department will be available to answer questions on all areas of the Department’s work, from pensions, employment and education supports to entitlements for the self-employed and for employers who take on new staff. They will also have information on all of the Department’s social welfare schemes, from Maternity and Paternity Benefits to Farm Assist and the Working Family Payment.

The officials can also help people make an appointment to register for a Public Services Card and will showcase the MyWelfare.ie website which can be used to access a range of services online, including applications for certain schemes, services for jobseekers and requesting payment statements.  A range of information leaflets will also be available at the stand.

Image: National Ploughing Championships, Screggan. 

Speaking ahead of the Ploughing Championships, the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, T.D., said:

“I would urge anyone attending the Ploughing Championships who has a question on any of our social welfare schemes or their entitlements to visit our stand where our officials will be on hand to help.  For example, self-employed people can get advice on their entitlements under our Treatment Benefit Scheme (dental, optical and aural) and Invalidity Pension, while both employers and the self-employed will be able to learn about the range of employment supports available to them. With the Fuel Allowance season due to begin in October, visitors to the Department’s stand will also be able to find out more information about this scheme, including the option to receive the payment in two lump sums, which was introduced last year.”

Minister Doherty also noted that the Citizens Information Board, which comes under her Department’s remit, will also have a stand at the Ploughing Championships where staff will be available to give information and advice on a wide range of consumer services including health, housing, environment, MABS (Money Advice and Budgeting Service), justice and tax.

ABC Information: Further information - where to find them at the National Ploughing Championships

Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Stand
Block 3                 
Row 30                
Stand 625           
Unit 19-22

Citizens Information Board Stand
Block 3                 
Row 14                
Stand 297

Image: National Ploughing Championships.          

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Get Online Week will take place from 15–21 October 2018 with a range of events across Northern Ireland providing free digital training sessions for people. Sessions are happening across Northern Ireland in a range of locations including Antrim, Belfast, Derry-Londonderry, Newry, Enniskillen, Strabane and Lurgan.

During the visit Sue Gray said: “Get Online Week 2018 will provide people with a practical opportunity to get online for the first time or to enhance and improve their existing skills.

“Listening to some of the people at the session they all had different reasons for attending but a common goal, to be more digitally active. We live in a world where so many elements of our daily life require digital skills, and we must ensure no-one feels excluded or left behind. I would encourage anyone who thinks they may benefit from the range of courses taking place during Get Online Week to give it a go.”

All events are free, informal and must be booked in advance. They will provide one-to-one training with hand out training resources to take home to continue the learning. The events will cover topics such as: Email and web, Apps, social media including Facebook, online shopping, online security and online Banking.

Michelle Armstrong who participated last year said: “I highly recommend anyone who needs some help to get online to sign up for the digital courses during Get Online Week. I did and my IT skills and knowledge of the web have improved plus the courses are informal which makes the learning fun.”

Image: Libraries NI Director of Library Services Helen Osborn. 

Libraries NI Director of Library Services Helen Osborn said: “Libraries NI is delighted to host the launch of Get Online Week 2018. All libraries offer free use of computers and free Wi-Fi as well as training sessions during Get Online Week which is the perfect opportunity to showcase these services and help more people get online.”

Get Online Week is organised by the Department of Finance, in partnership with several organisations including LibrariesNI, Business in the Community, Belfast City Council, Antrim and Newtownabbey Council, Ards and North Down Council, the Department for Communities and Barclays Digital Eagles.  

For more information on all the event locations and times visit www.nidirect.gov.uk/go-on-ni or telephone the Department of Finance’s Digital Team on 028 90254 741.

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