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JOB FAIR - Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey MLA has announced a major Job Fair in Belfast this March.

The Job Fair, which will be held at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Tuesday 24 March 2020 between 11am and 4pm, has been organised by the Department for Communities in partnership with Belfast City Council. 

Minister Hargey said “At a time when levels of employment have hit a record high and employers continue to grow their business, I am delighted that my Department is working in partnership with Belfast City Council to host this Job Fair. The Department for Communities is committed to bringing local talent and our business together to ensure that people can be matched to job opportunities. The Job Fair provides a fantastic opportunity for anyone looking for a job or changing career direction to meet with employers who have available vacancies. I would really encourage anyone seeking work or employment advice to come along on the 24 March to see the opportunities on offer.”

Over 60 employers will take part in the Job Fair, including those from the care, manufacturing, construction, hospitality and financial services sectors and many more. 

Gordon Milligan, Deputy Chief Executive from Translink, one of the employers taking part in the Job Fair, said: “This is a great way to meet jobseekers and share information of the various opportunities available within Translink. It is an exciting time to join Translink with work getting underway on the Belfast Transport Hub. This project will transform public transport and offer jobs based in the heart of Belfast. We encourage those seeking a career in the transport industry to ‘get on board’ with us as we continue our journey towards making public transport the ‘first choice for travel’ for everyone in Belfast”.

The Job Fair will coincide with Belfast City Council’s 5th Festival of Learning, which runs from 23 to 29 March 2020.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Daniel Baker said “A key aspect of Council’s community plan, the Belfast Agenda, is providing access to job opportunities by tackling barriers to employment to match residents to employment opportunities right across the city. The Belfast Job Fair is a free event which will help people learn about what opportunities are out there, improve their employment prospects and hopefully will even lead to a new job or career. Practical advice and support is also available, from writing CVs to help in completing application forms and interview techniques. I’m encouraging anyone, young or young at heart, who’s interested in brushing up their CV skills or searching for their next job opportunity to come along to the Europa Hotel on 24 March and speak to the many businesses, organisations and careers experts who are there to answer questions and offer advice.”

The Department for Communities’ Job Search Services and Disability Employment Service and the Department for the Economy’s Careers Service, along with other support organisations, will also be on hand to provide advice and guidance on training and employment programmes currently available for anyone seeking to upskill or retrain.

ABC Comment, have your say below:

AVERAGE INCOMES - Median household disposable income in the UK was £29,600 in financial year ending (FYE) 2019, based on estimates from the Office for National Statistics’ (ONS's) Living Costs and Food Survey.

Growth in median income stalled between FYE 2017 and FYE 2019 growing on average by 0.4% per year, compared with 3.0% per year between FYE 2013 and FYE 2017.

Median income for the poorest fifth of people fell by 4.3% per year over the two years up to FYE 2019, following average annual growth of 3.4% over the four years leading up to FYE 2017.

Median income of the richest fifth also fell between FYE 2017 and FYE 2019 (0.4% per year), meaning that despite average annual growth of 1.7% per year between FYE 2013 and FYE 2017, average income remains lower than levels reached prior to the economic downturn in FYE 2008.

Median income for people living in retired households and non-retired households over the two years leading up to FYE 2019 increased by 0.5% and 0.3% per year respectively; this compares with the period between FYE 2013 and FYE 2017, where average annual growth for these groups was 3.1% and 2.7% respectively.

ABC Note: this clearly shows that incomes are falling for the the poorest in society. 

ABC Comment, have your say below:  

REPOSSESION'S - The latest research from letting and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the number of property repossessions seen across England and Wales over the last 12 months has dropped -2% year on year.  

The data shows that there were 7,906 repossessions across England and Wales in the last 12 months, down -2% from 8,065 in the previous 12 months.  

Repossession hotspots

However, the North West remains the biggest property repossession hotspot with 1,689 homes repossessed over the last 12 months although this figure has fallen -10% when compared to the 12 months prior.

Yorkshire and the Humber has also seen a notable level of repossessions over the last year at 1,134. 

The North East is the only other region to see repossessions exceed the 1,000 mark (1,115), while the South East (766) and West Midlands (693) are also home to some of the highest levels. 

The East of England (188) and London (542) have seen some of the lowest levels of repossessions in the last year.

Biggest changes

While the East of England is home to the lowest level of repossessions in the last 12 months, it has seen the largest increase when compared to the 12 months previous, up +10%.  

The South East (+9%), South West (+8%), North East (+8%) and East Midlands (+6%) and London (+0.4%) have also seen an increase.  

Wales has seen the biggest drop, down -15%. 

Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, commented: 

“An overall decline in the number of property repossessions across England and Wales is a welcome trend and one that suggests a slight boost in affordability for the average homeowner.  

This is no doubt due to low interest rates that have resulted in the cost of borrowing remaining favourable for the nation’s buyers.  

Generally speaking, the larger numbers of repossessions are in regions where low incomes will cause some to fall behind, while areas such as London where the earning potential is greater are home to a lower number. However, the flip side to this is that while these less affordable regions are seeing lower levels of repossessions, they are also home to a greater increase year on year.  

This suggests that a small proportion of homeowners are borrowing beyond their means because of the low rates of interest currently available on mortgage products, but even the slightest increase of 0.25% has caused them some financial instability.  

With this month’s budget predicted to deliver yet another rate cut, this underlying trend may continue while the number of overall repossessions continues to decline. That said, with the growing threat of the Coronavirus likely to now shuffle the chancellor’s deck, who knows what we might see announced and any unlikely but unexpected increase in interest rates could pose serious problems for a vast number of homeowners.”  

ABC Comment, have your say below:

In 2019, annual average unemployment rates decreased in 10 states, increased in 1 state, and were little changed in 39 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. Bureau of Labor

Statistics reported today. Employment-population ratios increased in 16 states, decreased in 2 states and were little changed in 32 states and the District. The U.S. jobless rate declined by 0.2 percentage point from the prior year to 3.7 percent, and the national employment-population ratio rose by 0.4 point to 60.8 percent.

Regional Unemployment

Three of the 4 census regions had unemployment rate decreases from 2018: The Northeast and South (-0.3 percentage point each) and West (-0.2 point). The South had the lowest jobless rate among the regions, 3.5 percent in 2019, while the West had the highest rate, 3.9 percent. No other region had a rate significantly different from that of the United States.

In 2019, three regions recorded new series-low unemployment rates: The Northeast (3.7 percent), South (3.5 percent), and West (3.9 percent). All region, division, and state series begin in 1976. (See table 1.)

Five of the 9 geographic divisions had over-the-year unemployment rate changes in 2019, all of which were decreases. These declines occurred in New England and the South Atlantic (-0.4 percentage point each) and the Mountain, Pacific, and West South Central (-0.3 point each). The lowest jobless rates among the divisions were in New England and the West North Central, 3.1 percent each, followed by the South Atlantic, 3.3 percent. The highest rates were in the Middle Atlantic and Pacific, 4.0 percent each. The remaining four divisions had rates that were not significantly different from that of the United States. Five divisions recorded new series-low unemployment rates in 2019: the East South Central (3.8 percent), Middle Atlantic (4.0 percent), Pacific (4.0 percent), South Atlantic (3.3 percent), and West South Central (3.6 percent).

State Unemployment

Ten states had significant unemployment rate decreases in 2019, the largest of which occurred in Alabama (-0.9 percentage point) and South Carolina (-0.7 point). Mississippi had the only over-the-year rate increase (+0.6 percentage point). The remaining 39 states and the District of Columbia had annual average jobless rates in 2019 that were not appreciably different from those of the previous year, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table A.)

North Dakota and Vermont had the lowest unemployment rates in 2019, 2.4 percent each. Alaska had the highest jobless rate, 6.1 percent. Overall, 17 states had unemployment rates significantly lower than the U.S. figure of 3.7 percent, 11 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 22 states had rates that were not substantially different from that of the nation. Eighteen states newly recorded the lowest annual average unemployment rates in their respective series in 2019: Alabama (3.0 percent), Alaska (6.1 percent) Arkansas (3.5 percent), California (4.0 percent), Florida (3.1 percent), Georgia (3.4 percent) Illinois (4.0 percent), Maine (3.0 percent), Nevada (3.9 percent), New Jersey (3.6 percent)New York (4.0 percent), North Dakota (2.4 percent), Oregon (3.7 percent), South Carolina (2.8 percent), Tennessee (3.4 percent), Texas (3.5 percent), Vermont (2.4 percent), and Washington (4.3 percent). (See table B.)

Regional Employment-Population Ratios

In 2019, three census regions had significant changes in their employment-population ratio-- the proportion of the civilian noninstitutional population 16 years of age and over who are employed--all of which were increases. These increases occurred in the Northeast (+0.5 percentage point) and South and West (+0.4 point each). The Midwest had the highest ratio, 62.7 percent, while the South, at 59.6 percent, had the lowest. These two regions had the only ratios that were notably different from the national figure of 60.8 percent. (See table 2.)

Four of the 9 geographic divisions had increases in their employment-population ratios from 2018 to 2019: the East South Central (+0.7 percentage point), Mountain (+0.6 point), Middle Atlantic (+0.5 point), and South Atlantic (+0.4 point). The remaining five divisions had little or no change in their ratios over the year. The division with the highest employment- population ratio in 2019 was the West North Central, 65.8 percent, followed by New England, 64.7 percent. These two divisions, along with the Mountain and East North Central, at 62.3 percent and 61.3 percent, respectively, had employment-population ratios significantly above that of the United States. The East South Central had the lowest proportion of employed persons, 57.2 percent. The Middle Atlantic, at 59.6 percent, South Atlantic, at 59.8 percent, and Pacific, at 60.2 percent, also had ratios appreciably below the national average of 60.8 percent.

State Employment-Population Ratios

In 2019, the largest employment-population ratio increase among the states occurred in Iowa (+1.5 percentage points), followed by West Virginia (+1.2 points) and New Jersey and Tennessee (+1.1 points each). Twelve other states also had significant increases in their ratios. Hawaii and Wisconsin were the only states with over-the-year decreases in their employment-population ratios (-0.9 percentage point and -0.8 point, respectively). The remaining 32 states and the District of Columbia had ratios that were not notably different from those of the previous year, though some had changes that were at least as large numerically as the significant changes. (See table C.)

Iowa had the highest proportion of employed persons in 2019, 68.5 percent, followed by

Minnesota, 68.0 percent. West Virginia and Mississippi had the lowest employment-population ratios among the states, 52.4 percent and 52.8 percent, respectively. Overall, 22 states and the District of Columbia had employment-population ratios significantly higher than the U.S. ratio of 60.8 percent and 17 states had ratios that were appreciably below it. Alaska had the lowest employment-population ratio in its series (59.9 percent). (See table D.)

_____________

The State Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2020 is scheduled to be released on Monday, March 16, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). The Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release for January 2020 is scheduled to be released on Friday, March 20, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. (EDT).

Table A.  States with statistically significant unemployment rate changes,

2018-19 annual averages

                                |             Rate            |              

                                |---------------------------|

                                |                |               | 

                                |    2018    |    2019    |              

--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------

Alabama .......................|     3.9    |     3.0    |      -0.9

Colorado ......................|     3.2    |     2.8    |       -.4

Florida ..........................|     3.6    |     3.1    |      -.5

Georgia ........................|     3.9    |     3.4    |       -.5

Massachusetts ..............|     3.4    |     2.9   |       -.5

Mississippi ....................|    4.8    |     5.4    |        .6

Nevada .........................|    4.4    |     3.9    |       -.5

New Jersey .....................|  4.1    |     3.6    |       -.5

South Carolina .................| 3.5    |     2.8    |       -.7

Texas ..........................|      3.8    |     3.5    |       -.3

Utah ...........................|       3.0    |     2.6    |       -.4

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Table B.  States with unemployment rates significantly differ-

ent from that of the U.S., 2019 annual averages

--------------------------------------------------------------

                State                |          Rate

--------------------------------------------------------------

United States .......................|          3.7

                                     |             

Alabama .............................|           3.0

Alaska ..............................|              6.1

Arizona .............................|             4.7

California ..........................|             4.0

Colorado ............................|           2.8

District of Columbia ................|       5.5

Florida .............................|              3.1

Hawaii ..............................|             2.7

Idaho ...............................|              2.9

Iowa ................................|              2.7

                                     |             

Kansas ..............................|            3.2

Kentucky ............................|           4.3

Louisiana ...........................|           4.8

Maine ...............................|             3.0

Massachusetts .......................|       2.9

Minnesota ...........................|           3.2

Mississippi .........................|            5.4

Nebraska ............................|           3.0

New Hampshire .......................|      2.5

New Mexico ..........................|         4.9

                                     |             

North Dakota ........................|         2.4

Ohio ................................|               4.1

Pennsylvania ........................|         4.4

South Carolina ......................|         2.8

Utah ................................|               2.6

Vermont .............................|            2.4

Virginia ............................|               2.8

Washington ..........................|          4.3

West Virginia .......................|           4.9

--------------------------------------------------------------

Table C.  States with statistically significant employment-population

ratio changes, 2018-19 annual averages

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                       |          Ratio          |              

                                      |-------------------------|   Over-the-year

             State                  |              |              |   Ratio change 

                                       |    2018  |    2019  |              

--------------------------------|------------|------------|---------------

Alabama ........................|    55.4    |   56.3    |       0.9

Arizona ..........................|    58.2    |   59.2    |       1.0

California .......................|    59.6    |   59.9    |        .3

Florida ...........................|    57.1    |   57.5    |        .4

Hawaii ...........................|    60.2    |   59.3    |       -.9

Iowa ..............................|    67.0    |   68.5    |       1.5

Maryland .......................|    65.2    |   66.0    |        .8

Massachusetts ..............|    65.2    |   65.8    |        .6

Nevada .........................|    60.5    |    61.1     |        .6

New Jersey ..................|    60.2    |    61.3     |       1.1

                                      |               |              |         

New Mexico ..................|    54.7    |    55.4    |        .7

North Carolina ..............|    58.8     |   59.2    |        .4

Pennsylvania ................|    59.9    |    60.4    |        .5

Tennessee ....................|    59.0    |    60.1    |       1.1

Virginia .........................|    63.5    |    64.3    |        .8

Washington ..................|    61.3    |    62.3    |       1.0

West Virginia ................|    51.2    |    52.4    |       1.2

Wisconsin .................... |    65.6    |    64.8    |       -.8

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Table D.  States with employment-population ratios significantly

different from that of the U.S., 2019 annual averages

----------------------------------------------------------------

                State                |          Ratio         

----------------------------------------------------------------

United States .......................|        60.8

Alabama ..............................|        56.3

Arizona ................................|        59.2

Arkansas .............................|        56.1

California .............................|        59.9

Colorado ..............................|        67.4

Connecticut ..........................|        63.9

District of Columbia .................|     67.1

Florida ..............................|            57.5

Hawaii ...............................|           59.3

Idaho ................................|            62.6

Illinois ............................|               61.9

Indiana .............................|            62.4

Iowa ................................|             68.5

Kansas ..............................|           64.6

Kentucky ............................|          56.8

Louisiana ............................|         55.8

Maryland ............................|          66.0

Massachusetts .......................|      65.8

Michigan ............................|           59.2

Minnesota ...........................|          68.0

Mississippi .........................|           52.8

Missouri ............................|            62.0

Nebraska ............................|          67.8

New Hampshire .......................|     67.3

New Mexico ..........................|        55.4

New York .............................|          58.4

North Carolina .......................|        59.2

North Dakota .........................|        67.6

Oklahoma ...............................|       58.8

Oregon ...............................|           59.4

                                     |               

South Carolina ......................|        56.8

South Dakota ........................|        66.7

Texas ...............................|             61.8

Utah ................................|              66.6

Vermont .............................|            64.5

Virginia ............................|              64.3

Washington ...........................|        62.3

West Virginia .......................|          52.4

Wisconsin ...........................|           64.8

Wyoming .............................|           62.6

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 ABC Comment, have your say below:

TESCO STORES - We have had some amazing help in 2019/20 from Tescos in the shape of an, Awards for All Grant.

Today we completed the end of project paperwork and thanked Groundworks who administered the scheme. Customers put blue buttons into a perspex voting box to help organisations win a grant. 

The grant enabled us to buy a Zoom F4, multi-track recorder in 2019 so we can do field recording both for film and podcasting. The product is excellent, and coupled with our Sennheiser, phantom power condenser microphones and the Shaw headphone that we added to our kit this week - move over Stephen Spielberg, we are light, sound and action – ready to take off. Well not exactly...

Image: Zoom F4, multi-track recorder. Brilliant kit, not so brilliant service.

 Zoom UK and the Zoom Corporation in Japan have the worse customer support of any company we have ever experienced. No one it seems is interested in supplying any help, support or guidance and even getting an e-mail response has proved less than successful. 

The problem it seems to us is that sound people are even nerdier than IT people, who are even worse than hobbyist photographers. You are meant to be an expert from the womb, we assume - to even get anyone to talk to you.

Having come from a sport that gets the moniker ‘snotty yachties’ which is most certainly anything but the case, in reality, people who are interested in audio, are on another level altogether of ‘aloofness’ or so it seems. Our local Mann’s music shop in Colchester has proved to be a very helpful source of information, but even here they have been struggling to understand everything about the product, how it works and what it can do. It is certainly a very powerful bit of kit in trained hands.

It was my first visit to Mann’s that has been going since the beginnings of time or at least over a hundred years. We will be calling again and found the staff very knowledgeable and very keen to help.

Contrary to what people might think of shirkers HQ, we don’t have all day to read 200 plus page manuals or watch endless YouTube videos, although we have picked up some useful information that way.

Very recently we were turned down for a SEECADS grant by Thurrock Council, EU funding that is supposed to help organisations in the South East in the film and creative field. We even changed our SIC Codes (Standard Industry Codes) to keep the box- tickers at the Council happy.

Image: Brian left gets interviewed by the ABC.  

Unfortunately, we feel that EU taxpayer’s money that was supposed to make the world a better place is getting steered towards the usual suspects, those that pay Council Tax or Rates to the Council. It is certainly not coming to the ABC.

So, we are in the ludicrous situation of having top-notch sound kit; professional low carbon lighting funded by the European Union, but no cameras.

What a total waste, when we could be doing good works. 

Sources of funding from the National Lottery have become much harder to obtain. These grantmakers have gone all ‘community’ this and that. We were told our ideas would not be backed because they were not thought of by a ‘community’. We have pointed out that neither the iPod, iPhone nor the Windows Operating system was thought of by ‘communities’ either. Revolutions are generally not started by the masses. The Russian Revolution was started by a group of people that could sit around a small table.

Community this and that may seem wonderful at first, but these organizations run on volunteers. Who pays for volunteers is an important issue, it is the taxpayers? Free workers are not free, someone has to pay for them.

The music industry has been decimated with free this and that. Great if you are an artist supported by Disney who has invested millions in your career to date, but how can bands fund themselves and develop careers in a world where everything is given away? Who needs to pay for music when there is so much free music on-line?

Somewhat frustratingly, our struggle to get our third National Lottery grant for cameras has ground to a halt here too. The great irony is it is often the poorer end of society spend their money having a weekly gamble in the hopes their lives might change. You would have thought ‘Lottery’ might consider those first, not the well-heeled?

Watching money being given to sports clubs for example with stacks of members with ample funds to lend or donate to their favourite clubs who happen to be millionaires or very well off is also very galling. It’s like watching City bankers with pension funds worth millions, getting excited about their free bus pass arriving.

Millions are paid out in bonuses to those at the top end of the DWP, yet it is claimed that 45% of DWP staff receive benefits. At the ABC we would like to see restricted bankers’ bonuses, or executive pay till all their staff can pay their way with a fair day pay for a fair day’s work. NOT as it is at the moment where those at the top cream off eye-watering wages, bonuses and benefits like share options, but their staff have to be supported by the taxpayer with Child Tax Credit or other in-work benefits.

Let the touchy-feely mob have their ‘communities’ but let’s also aim to create proper jobs where people can pay their way in life. Let’s see the ABC get the camera kit we need so we can continue our shining path and launch the exciting projects we have in mind, spreading ideas, information and enlightenment to those wanting to better their circumstances.

Film director Quentin Tarantino said it is not about knowing all about camera lenses and which one to use, you just need to be passionate about making film and the films you make.

image: Quentin Tarantino.

THANK YOU TESCO STORES but let us hope we see some support coming from Essex councils or organisations in Essex - grant makers that should be getting behind those who are prepared to do the work and get on.

ABC Comment, have your say below:

PIP GOVERNMENT REVIEW - Individuals and organisations who have information or experience of how the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment process is working in Northern Ireland are being asked to share their views as part of the second Independent Review.

The Review by Marie Cavanagh will look at the operation of the PIP assessment process.  

This call for evidence is aimed at organisations and individuals who have information that is relevant to how the PIP assessment process is working for new claims, award reviews and change of circumstances.

This is one of several methods that will be used to gather information during the review. It will be used to help inform the Independent Reviewer’s conclusions and recommendations.

More information and details of how to respond are available at www.communities-ni.gov.uk/indpipreview2

The deadline for responses is Wednesday 29 April 2020.

ABC Comments, have your say below:

REDUNDANCY- Barclays, has announced the bank is closing a major processing centre in Leeds with nearly 800 jobs lost and cutting another 345 jobs across the country.

Barclays has today informed around 800 staff in its Millshaw Court office that the centre will permanently close by the end of the year. 

In a further blow Barclays has also announced today a further 345 staff cuts across the country including 157 jobs cut in Coventry. The Barclays Coventry workforce has already faced a large number of job losses in recent years. Of this number around 15 of the roles are being transferred to India, and 20 people will work remotely from home.

ABC Comment, have your say below: 

LEGAL – US law is slightly different from UK law though both follow similar concepts. In France, Napoleon codified the law, in other words, instead of the law being developed by judges - as an example - the law is written so every possible outcome can be legislated for. Newspapers scoffed at the EU ‘bendy-bananas’ issue but this is an example of how things are done differently on the continent, where the written law seeks to cover every eventuality.

Napoleon was something of an all-round achiever and even came up with the odd’s and even’s system for numbering doors in a street. 

With common law legal systems, a precedent or authority is a legal case that establishes a principle or rule. This principle or rule is then used by the court or other judicial bodies use when deciding later cases with similar issues or facts.

For many people there only direct contact with the law might be after a death has occured. Probate is the court-supervised process of authenticating a last will and testament if the deceased made one. It includes locating and determining the value of the person's assets, paying their final bills and taxes, and distributing the remainder of the estate to their rightful beneficiaries. 

In law, a beneficiary is someone who is legally allowed to receive benefits of a contract or other agreement. A beneficiary of a will, for example, stands to inherit property or other items of value according to the instructions in the will.

In this article, for our US audience, we are going to look at Florida's beneficiary rights and try to understand them. However these concepts are worth understanding wherever you live.  

A Beneficiary Vs an Heir

A beneficiary is someone who is named in a will and might or might not be related to the owner of the will. An heir, on the other hand, is usually related to the deceased and inherits property though succession laws. Heirs usually inherit property from people who did not have a will. Both of these sets of people have different rights and can benefit differently. Because heirs and beneficiaries are usually differentiated by whether the deceased had a will or not, most people use these terms interchangeably, which we will also do.

Their Rights

Both beneficiaries and heirs have informational rights. This means that they have to be told how the administration of the estate is going and be notified when something changes. Florida laws require that a beneficiary be notified when an estate has been opened and if and when a personal representative is appointed. They must also be involved in all litigation and legal processes if there is any litigation surrounding the administration of a will.

The personal representative is also mandated to give beneficiaries an accounting of the estate. This is an inventory of all assets anywhere in the world, the value of these assets and information related to any transaction done in the name of the estate. These transactions are usually expenses and claims and any income that is collected. The beneficiary can also request an inventory of all safe deposit boxes the deceased had.

A beneficiary can launch legal proceedings if there are decisions they do not agree with. They can also ask the court for clarification in case anything in the will is not clear.

Beneficiaries must also be involved in the protection of the estate because as soon as the will is opened and they are listed in it, that property is theirs. Because of this, they can dispute any claims brought against the estate.

The beneficiaries also have the right to be treated fairly by the personal representative. If they are not, they can ask the court to remove that person. The personal representative must always act in the best interest of all beneficiaries.

Getting a Lawyer

In case something is wrong with the administration of the estate, a beneficiary has the right to hire a lawyer who will act on their behalf. If you need one, find one who understands beneficiary rights Florida very well. As you might know, laws vary from state to state and this is no different in Florida. The lawyer should also be reasonable and act in the best interest of all parties involved. The lawyer can override the personal representative on a beneficiary’s behalf.

Conclusion

Beneficiary rights ate complicated. If you do not understand anything, it would be best to talk to a lawyer or petition a judge to explain whatever you do not understand.

In law, a beneficiary is someone who is legally allowed to receive benefits of a contract or other agreement. A beneficiary of a will, for example, stands to inherit property or other items of value according to the instructions in the will. Below, we will look at Florida's beneficiary rights and try to understand them.

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PENSIONS - One of the largest auto-enrolment pension providers in the UK has warned that millions of people saving for retirement through auto-enrolment will continue to pay a disproportionate share of the rising costs of pensions regulation unless the General Levy is reformed.

This warning from The People’s Pension comes as the Government confirms a 10 per cent increase in the cost of the General Levy on Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes, which funds The Pensions Regulator, The Pensions Ombudsman and the Money and Pensions Service.

As the Levy is calculated per member, auto-enrolment master trusts – whose members are likely to have lower earnings and multiple smaller pension pots – are left paying a disproportionate share of the charge compared to the assets they hold.

Just 10 master trusts will pay 25 per cent of the total General Levy next year, despite only holding two per cent of the assets across occupational pensions².

Following the increase, The People’s Pension - with assets under management around £9bn – estimates that it will pay around £3.1 million per year, compared to the UK’s largest fund with £60bn across 429,000 members, which will be liable for only around £430,000 in levy payments.

 The People’s Pension is urging the Government to make reform of the levy a top priority with a new system in place by April 2021.

Commenting, Gregg McClymont, director of policy at The People’s Pension, said:

“While we welcome the commitment to a structural review, it can’t come quickly enough. The starting point needs to be a clear breakdown of the rising regulatory costs by pensions sector, so it's clear why the General Levy is rising.  

“The burden of levy payments carried by auto-enrolment schemes with millions of small pots is too heavy, and, as the Government's acknowledged, could leave pension providers no choice but to pass the rising regulatory costs straight through to members."

And: The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) comments on the Department of Work and Pension’s response to the General Levy Consultation.

Craig Rimmer, Policy Lead for Master Trusts, PLSA said: “The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association is deeply disappointed the Government has decided to apply, at short notice, a 10% increase to the General Levy pensions schemes pay to fund the sector’s arms-length supervisory bodies.

“However, we are pleased the Department for Work and Pensions has listened to the industry and decided to conduct a full structural review, which should result in a more efficient and more transparent application of the levy.

“One example of this inefficiency stems from a per member charging structure, which regressively hits schemes with millions of savers with the smallest pots the hardest.

“It is vital that DWP determines the principles of any new levy structure as a first step and the PLSA looks forward to gathering the expert views of the industry to inform the review.”

ABC Note: The People's Pension is a leading, not-for-profit, master trust, with nearly five million members from 90,000 employers and more than £9bn assets under management. The ten master trusts include NEST, NOW Pensions, Smart Pension, The People's Pension, LGIM, Lifesight, Cheviot, Mercer, National Pension Trust, TPT Retirement Solutions.

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PARLIAMENT - The Work and Pensions Committee membership for the 2020 Parliament has been agreed by the House.

The usual suspects....

The Chair and Members of the Committee are:

• Stephen Timms MP (Chair) (Labour)
• Debbie Abrahams MP (Labour)
• Shaun Bailey MP (Conservative)
• Siobhan Baillie MP (Conservative)
• Neil Coyle MP (Labour)
• Steve McCabe MP (Labour)
• Nigel Mills MP (Conservative)
• Selaine Saxby MP (Conservative)
• Dr Ben Spencer MP (Conservative)
• Chris Stephens MP (Scottish National Party)
• Sir Desmond Swayne MP (Conservative)

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