Work TV

 The ABC has been appointed a partner of the Electorial Commission in relation to their campaign to encorage people to register to vote on-line.

The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections. The Commission is independent of Government and answerable to Parliament.

To vote in a UK election or referendum, you must be on the electoral register. You can now register to vote online in England, Scotland and Wales at gov.uk/register-to-vote.

To register to vote in Northern Ireland, visit the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland website.

We are very excited about this development. We will be bringing you more news shortly.

To register to vote please go here: 

https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The registration deadline for the general election is Monday 20 April 2015

The general election is Thursday 7 May 2015

The good folk at the Jobcentre Plus bright ideas department, are up to it again, and this time the effects are close to home. Sanctioning Claimants is bad enough, but how mad can it get, when the JCP start sanctioning people for not job searching enough, when they have secured a position and are about to start work!

Having job searched for weeks, months and in many cases, years - you finally secure your dream position, and you are about to make your mark on the world - big time....

When BANG right before you are due to start, the JCP pullsl the rug out from under you, stopping your benefits at a time you need all the help you can get. Talk about take the biscuit....

How are you going to find the ‘King’s Ransom’ - also known as a [British] rail ticket, get some new ‘clobber’ and feed yourself for a month, before you get paid? 

Claiming people are not trying hard enough to search for a job, when you have just got a job, is a conundrum in itself? Lewis Carol the Cambridge logician who wrote ‘Alice in Wonderland’ – ‘Don’t mean what your say, say what you mean’ might struggle to understand JCP logic. We are to be frank, baffled ourselves.  

Surely isn’t this the moment to pat people on the back and say well done….and then give them all the help possible? 

Please enjoy the cartoon…..any resemblace to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental. 

Now on to the subject of people sanctioned for failing to job search on Christmas Day. And yes it is true......it has happend! 

DWP has published a State Pension Toolkit, with guidance and promotional material to help organisations and employers communicate the changes to the State Pension being introduced in April 2016.

From April 2016 the current State Pension will be replaced by the new simpler
system. The new State Pension is designed to give people greater clarity about what
they will get from the State in retirement and will affect everyone who reaches State
Pension age on or after 6 April 2016.

The toolkit brings together simple and downloadable information across all of the
State Pension changes including:

• seven fact sheets
• two videos
• six infographics and photo case studies
• an all-in-one ‘State Pension explained’ guide
• guidance for employers and trustees on the end of contracting-out

We are encouraging organisations such as trade bodies, charities, private-sector companies and the media to download and use this information to help explain the changes to their customers or employees.

Topics covered in the toolkit include: the current State Pension, the new State Pension and how it will be calculated, State Pension Top Up, deferring your State Pension, State Pension for the self-employed, contracting-out, and National Insurance.

The toolkit will be regularly updated with new products.

You can access the State Pension Toolkit at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/state-pension-toolkit

Thursday 19^th March Trade Union Unite are organising a day of protest against benefit sanctions.

Unite is angry over the way the government imposes benefit sanctions to ‘vulnerable’ claimants – leaving millions of people in poverty, debt, ill health and angry.

On Thursday 19 March, Unite is calling for trade unions, charities and community campaigners up and down the country to take part in a ‘National Day of Action’ with Unite Community Membership, as part of the campaign.

Unite head of community membership, Liane Groves, said: “It is no wonder people are angry. The government has hit millions of vulnerable people and their families with benefit sanctions – causing the rise of food bank Britain.

“Sanctions are cruel and ineffective – often handed out for no good reason.

“We want to send a message to Esther McVey and Westminster that the government is failing to support vulnerable people in our society.  More needs to be done to support us all in time of need – not make personal situations worse.

“Thursday 19 March is a national day of action to highlight the ‘shocking’ impact of government benefit sanctions – we must join forces to stop this now before more people are forced into poverty.”

The weekend newsletter from the Institute of Economic Affairs has this 2-minute video about the regressive impact if indirect taxation on those with the lowest incomes. The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a think tank based in Westminster, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1955 it promotes free market economics.

Andrew Marr called the Institute "undoubtedly the most influential think tank in modern British history".

When it comes the vices metioned, this video shows what HRH gets. At least they don't tax sex - in which case our ABC staff would all get a rebate!!

Welcome to the growing number of visitors coming to the ABC website and those brave souls (just joking) who have registered as members. Early days for us to organise treats for our loved ABC members, but in time as we grow we will be making sure that our members are well looked after.  

We are growing our content and grant chasing currently; a very time consuming occupation and at times a very exasperating activity.

Next week we are meeting the Electoral Commissioners to discuss ways to get NEETS to register to vote. We have the offer and we have the ideas, and we just need some filthy loot to get to the next base.

Thank you to all our visitors. It’s off to the Project Europe Conference 2015, (Thursday 25th Feb 2015) Anglia Ruskin University, Bishops Hall Lane, Chelmsford, CM1 1SQ United Kingdom.

If you are going we may even see you their!

The government today named and shamed 70 companies that have failed to comply with Minimum Wage legislation.

The current National Minimum Wage rates are:

-adult rate (21 and over) £6.50 per hour
-18 to 20 year olds £5.13 per hour
-16 to 17 year olds £3.79 per hour
-apprentice rate £2.73 per hour

The apprentice rate applies to apprentices aged 16 to 18 years and those aged 19 years and over who are in their first year. All other apprentices are entitled to the National Minimum Wage rate for their age.

The Companies shamed are: 

•          East Midlands Crossroads - Caring for Carers, Nottingham, neglected to pay £37,592.56 to 184 workers
•          Delcom Systems Ltd, Salisbury neglected to pay £11,731.52 to a worker
•          S Hanns LLP, Chatham neglected to pay £8,448.84 to a worker
•          The Apostolic Church trading as James Kane Nursery, London, neglected to pay £8,347.71 to 2 workers
•          Young Friends Nursery Ltd, Hove, neglected to pay £6,789.71 to a worker
•          Station Garage (Little Weighton) Ltd, Little Weighton neglected to pay £5,440.77 to 2 workers
•          KRCS (Digital Solutions) Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £5,161.85 to 5 workers
•          Mrs Shirley Elvin trading as Seaton Garage & Engineering Co, Hull, neglected to pay £4,840.31 to a worker
•          Pontcanna Hair Studio Ltd, Cardiff, neglected to pay £4,784.34 to a worker
•          Carol Ann Daker trading as Swan Hill House Residential Home, Shropshire, neglected to pay £4,395.78 to 27 workers
•          Hobby Horse Ltd, Plymouth, neglected to pay £4,049.31 to a worker
•          Fylde Coast Pizza Ltd trading as Papa Johns, Blackpool, neglected to pay £3,949.62 to 14 workers
•          Manleys Ltd, Belfast, neglected to pay £3,797.83 to 3 workers
•          J B Howard and Son Ltd, Leyland, neglected to pay £3,469.96 to 7 workers
•          Mr L Tolman & Mr S Blanchard trading as Mardi Gras Hotel, Blackpool, neglected to pay £3,206.76 to 3 workers
•          Stafforce Personnel Ltd, Rotherham, neglected to pay £3,044.79 to 63 workers
•          Best Start Ltd trading as Tiny Treasures Day Care Nursery, Birmingham, neglected to pay £2,928.95 to 2 workers
•          Maybury Automotive Ltd, Woking, neglected to pay £2,670.88 to 2 workers
•          C&R Tyres Ltd, Kelso, neglected to pay £2,261.60 to 3 workers
•          SSE PLC, Perth neglected to pay £2,233.95 to 5 workers
•          Encore Envelopes Ltd, Washington, neglected to pay £2,060.09 to a worker
•          SmileyWorld Ltd, London, neglected to pay £1,729.00 to a worker
•          Mancroft Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £1,172.97 to 3 workers
•          Kevin & Bernadette Farrell trading as Derrygonnelly Autos, Enniskillen, neglected to pay £1,690.35 to a worker
•          Delves Food & Wine Stop Ltd trading as Loco, Walsall, neglected to pay £1,152.48 to a worker
•          Webe (Chelmsford) Ltd, Chelmsford, neglected to pay £1,521.98 to 4 workers
•          Gregson Lane Garage Ltd, Preston, neglected to pay £1,431.57 to 2 workers
•          Ms Julie Ann Wright trading as The Worx, Portadown, neglected to pay £1,110.60 to a worker
•          Mr S Partridge & Ms M Shead trading as Cobblers Fine Sandwiches & Pastries, Wakefield, neglected to pay £1,003.83 to a worker
•          Mr Phillip Campbell & Mrs Lorraine Campbell trading as Supervalu Kells, Ballymena, neglected to pay £905.86 to 2 workers
•          Mr C Pask trading as Pask Hair & Beauty, Derby, neglected to pay £900.00 to 2 workers
•          J&G Salon Ltd trading as Jealousi & Garlands, Tamworth, neglected to pay £881.28 to a worker
•          Faster Fit Tyres Ltd, Scunthorpe, neglected to pay £719.30 to a worker
•          Mrs Karen Aitken trading as Angel Hair Design, Darlington, neglected to pay £703.33 to a worker
•          Clearshot Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £684.94 to a worker
•          Everest Express Ltd, Lincoln, neglected to pay £657.03 to a worker
•          Leisure Emporium Ltd trading as Brown’s Cafe Bar & Bistro, Nottingham, neglected to pay £643.86 to a worker
•          Mrs S Walker trading as Alleyways Fish & Chips, Scarborough, neglected to pay £601.59 to a worker
•          Gary & Toni Valentine trading as The Harbour Inn, Seaton, neglected to pay £584.42 to a worker
•          Shreeji Barnsley Ltd trading as Coffee Delight, Buxton, neglected to pay £555.70 to a worker
•          Rowe Sparkes Solicitors Ltd, Southsea, neglected to pay £530.96 to a worker
•          Fish Hairdressing Company Ltd, trading as Fish Hairdressing, Maidstone neglected to pay £521.82 to 3 workers
•          Mrs Deborah Adcock trading as LJ Beauty & Hair, Seaham, neglected to pay £463.60 to a worker
•          D&D Dies Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £446.37 to a worker
•          G Joynson, D Joynson and C Joynson trading as Headquarters, Withernsea, neglected to pay £430.07 to a worker
•          Matchesfashion Ltd, London, neglected to pay £375.61 to 2 workers
•          Colin Saich trading as Lindcoly Kennels, Bury St. Edmunds, neglected to pay £338.41 to 9 workers
•          Inn2inns Ltd, Middlesbrough, neglected to pay £323.10 to 2 workers
•          99p Land Ltd, Swindon, neglected to pay £315.26 to a worker
•          General Tarleton Ltd, Knaresborough, neglected to pay £300.62 to 6 workers
•          Western Computer Group Ltd, Bristol, neglected to pay £287.54 to a worker
•          Matrix Electrical Engineering Ltd, Harlow neglected to pay £286.60 to a worker
•          Honeybees Childcare Ltd, Preston, neglected to pay £276.30 to a worker
•          Mr G J Pearce trading as Sheppards Wood Service Station, Nottingham, neglected to pay £268.56 to a worker
•          The Mirrors Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £262.87 to a worker
•          A1 Techsol Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £233.47 to a worker
•          Mrs J Cole trading as Rayleigh Retreat, Rayleigh £231.73 to a worker
•          Hamlet Homes Properties Ltd, Westcliff-on-Sea neglected to pay £226.40 to a worker
•          Smartmove Property Specialists Ltd, Aldershot, neglected to pay £206.36 to a worker
•          EYFS Ltd trading as Oak Tree Day Nursery, London, neglected to pay £181.41 to a worker
•          Mr & Mrs P Munn trading as Merry Maids of the Weald, Tonbridge, neglected to pay £169.56 to a worker
•          Mr H Singleton trading as Willowbank Builders, Huddersfield, neglected to pay £163.89 to a worker
•          Professional Referral Services Ltd, Wigan, neglected to pay £156.93 to 2 workers
•          Amtec Computer Corporation Ltd, Ferndown, neglected to pay £149.64 to a worker
•          Lychgate Coffee Ltd, Wolverhampton, neglected to pay £124.39 to a worker
•          Finite International Logistics Ltd, Penarth, neglected to pay £119.92 to a worker
•          Drummonds Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £113.58 to a worker
•          Grove Mechanical Services Ltd, Magherafelt, neglected to pay £107.00 to 2 workers
•          Lin Chinese Takeaway Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent, neglected to pay £103.00 to a worker
•          Mr Assad Madani trading as Donapapa Pizza, Durham, neglected to pay £101.64 a worke

The government claims there is no alternative to the austerity agenda while failing to close a tax gap that loses the UK economy £120 billion a year. However PCS (the Public Services and Commercial Union) have launched a very interested report by Richard Murphy director of Tax Research UK for PCS reveals the true extent of tax evasion and what can be done about it, please download the Tax Gap report: tax_gap_report_2014.pdf

PCS point out that: Jobs and pay are being cut, benefits slashed and public services closed. Small businesses are strugging to survive on our high streets, while the multinationals that dominate them are allowed to pay little or no tax. The highest earners get a tax cut while low earners see their income fall below the cost of living. They want a fair tax system and are campaigning for: A closing of the tax gap, more staff in HMRC, the government department responsible for assessing, enforcing and collecting taxes - making those most able pay their fair share of taxes.

We are pleased and excited to make the acquaintance of top author Stewart Lansley. Stewart’s new book ‘Breadline Britain’ authors Stewart Lansley and Joanna Mack, one World Publishing, is currently making waves and we may well review the book in the near future if we get a free copy of course, hint, hint! (eds note).  

Shortly we are adding a Directory Category > Publications. There are some excellent publications in the field of ‘Pension and Benefits’ and we intend bringing news of these in the future.

This is one of Stewart’s previous publications.

Book - The Cost of Equality by Stewart Lansley

The book argues that the real roots of the current crisis lie in the way the gains from growing prosperity – in the UK, US and a number of other rich countries - have been increasingly colonised by a small super-rich global elite. Growing inequality had squeezed incomes, sucked the lifeblood out of the productive economy and made the British and global economy much more prone to crisis.

It provides compelling evidence that British and American capitalism has become little more than a wealth-diverting machine, geared to enriching the few at the expense of the rest. Escape from the crisis and building a sustainable recovery depends on a more equal distribution of the cake.

Stewart Lansley – in his own words.

Stewart Lansley is an economist and financial journalist. He is a visiting fellow at the Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research and has written on inequality, wealth and poverty for academic and specialist journals as well as the Guardian, Observer and Independent.

He is the author of a number of books including The Cost of Inequality (2011); Top Man (a biography of Philip Green, 2007); Rich Britain (2006) and Poor Britain (with Joanna Mack, 1985). His previous academic posts include the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, the Henley Centre and the Universities of Brunel and Reading. He is also a former executive producer in the current affairs department of the BBC.

Universal Credit (UC) will be made available at 150 additional job centres over the next two months, with all job centres due to be covered by next year.The payment replaces six different benefits, including housing benefit, JSA and tax credits, and is currently available in nearly 100 job centres.

At the moment UC is not very 'universal' and there is a long way to go before the system can cope with families and more complex social groupings.  Treasury officials admitted late last year they had still not signed off on the business case for the flagship welfare programme. The scheme will not be signed off by the Treasury with a final decision potentially not coming until 2016,