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We had the chance to see Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage at Finchingfield Church, Nr Braintree in Essex, Saterday 13th March.

Finchingfield village has an 'Olympic' sized duck pond and is known for its beauty. The Finchingfield church largely dates from the 14th century and we loved the acoustics and the atmosphere.

Some of the audience were bats we were told, but that did not stop a wonderful set.

The inclusion of a bar by the organisers of Woodfest - a festival being held in Hatfield Forest (Friday 6th - Sun 8th Sept) kept the audience supplied with the necessary!  We will feature Woodfest later. 

Image: Finchingfield is a tourist attraction known of course for its famous duck pond which is in fact a Ford.

Hannah & Ben are a joy to see and to hear and Norwich born Hannah's voice is simply amazing. At the ABC we hope to run events in the future. We like to build relationships with artists with an interest in social issues. Whilst the bands' music is not political, Ben had a few points he wanted to make about Brexit especially having just written three singles in three different European countries. There are other issues and everyone is getting a bit tired of the endless bickering. At the ABC we hope we can move on and deal with more pressing social issues. 

The duo are off on a tour of Canada and the USA and you find more about their gigs and more on their website here: https://www.hannahbenmusic.com 

A new album is out called; Awake and Hannah has her own album out, produced by Ben.

Click here for more information: 

Image: Finchingfield Church as the sun sets.  

This is a bit about the artists: 

A chance meeting at their local Black Fen Folk Club in Cambridge uncovered Hannah and Ben’s shared musical passions and sympathies, that over time has developed into a unique and intimate show of American roots and English folk music. 

Huddled round a single microphone, singing intimate duets with just mountain dulcimer, dobro and guitar Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage are a folk duo that look and sound classically timeless, yet feel refreshingly unique. 

Fleetingly, they may evoke a memory of Gram and Emmylou, Shirley and Davey, or Gillian and David but their warm distilling of influences from both sides of the Atlantic produces a refined sound that is decidedly their own. 

Their unique unplugged presentation creates a widescreen, cinematic soundscape with open spaces and atmosphere, giving their beautifully pure vocals room to share the songs’ emotion and narrative. 

The material is as joyful and fun as it is intense, but the common factor is the duo’s warmth and confidence in each other; their natural ease and connection is clearly evident on the recorded music, and a genuine pleasure to witness on stage. 

‘This is folk music for everyone – a master-class in proficiency, an exercise in individuality and a declaration of love of the folk tradition from both sides of the  Atlantic’ ★★★★★ Spiral Earth 

Image: Hannah Sanders, Simon Collyer [ABC founder] and Ben Savage get into some post gig schmoozing…

We are not a music website, but we do like to promote talent and give our audience the chance to see live music. More on that later. 

A fab evening from a duo we have championed for a while. We wish them well for their gigs over the rest of the year, and at the ABC hope you can see them too. You will not be disappointed we feel. 

ABC Comment, have your say below:

The Prime Ministers remark that no one is above the law has met widespread derision. Over 120,000 people have died due to welfare cuts in the UK. Probably many more.

A few thousand people have died directly from decisions made by the DWP. More than a few on the same day as being declared ‘Fit to Work’.

Campaigners who tried to get the police to charge Iain Duncan Smith with 'Crimes Against Humanity' and 'Corporate Manslaughter' might have a different view about who is above the law and who isn’t. Either way, they were NOT successful in getting the Scottish police to act.

President Trumps memory seems to have gone a bit ‘fuzzy’ regarding Wikileaks.  No surprises there you might say.

Hero or villain you can take your choice in your opinion about Julian Assange? Without Assange would we know about little the killing of innocent civilians and journalist in Iraq. Or about torture or rendition.

Image: Theresa May UK prime minister whose remarks about Julian Assange have caused widespread criticism 

What ever your view about Assange, people like him acting as whistle-blowers has changed peoples views of those in power. The vitriol being poured on Prime Minister May today following these remarks is overwhelming.  It shows what the public really feel about their representatives.

Whether it is exposing torture in foreign lands or standing up for the rights of those who rely on state pensions and benefits we need brave folk to make a stand. So Julian Assange, we respect the personal sacrifice you have made bringing the truth to the masses. We know how hard it is. 

ABC Comment, have your say below:  

Calling Universal Credit phone lines

Now that Universal Credit has fully rolled out, the DWP are updating their phone lines for Universal Credit and legacy benefit queries.

If you need to contact the DWP by phone, check the Universal Credit guide before ringing to ensure you have up to date contact information and advice. If ringing on behalf of a claimant you will need their permission for you to act for them, see Universal Credit consent and disclosure of information.

Listen carefully to the full list of automated options as these are likely to have changed. Choosing the right option ensures you are routed to those that can help with your particular enquiry. 

Goodbye GSI

 ‘.gsi’ has been removed from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) email addresses.

From 31 March 2019 if you use any existing DWP email addresses, you will need to change these from/to

@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

to

@dwp.gov.uk

Any messages sent to a DWP ‘.gsi’ address after 31 March 2019 will continue to work for a limited period of time to help with a smooth transition. You will however receive an automated email response asking you to use the new address.

Jobcentre Plus arrangements over Easter

Jobcentre Plus opening times are different over Easter:

To make sure people receive their payments on a day when Jobcentre Plus offices are open, arrangements have been made to make some payments early:

If the expected payment date is not shown, customers will get their money on their usual payment date. 

Benefits are usually paid straight into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If your payment date is on a weekend or a bank holiday you’ll usually be paid on the working day before. This may be different for tax credits and child benefit.

ABC Comment, have your say below:

Next up are Stagecoach who have kindly responded and sent us this. 

Stagecoach is one of the largest bus operators in the UK and they claim to have the lowest fares of any major bus operator. 

Get back on board - half price tickets for jobseekers

Stagecoach is proud to offer jobseeker discounts to help you get back on board and back into work.  If you’re a jobseeker who has a Jobcentre Plus travel card, you can get half price single and return tickets.

How to get your discount 

Simply show your Jobcentre Plus travel card to the driver when you buy a single or return ticket. You may also be asked to show your travel card during your journey. You’ll get 50% off the full ticket price to the nearest 5p.

Apply for a Jobcentre Plus travel card 

You can apply for a Jobcentre Plus travel card if you claim:

Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) or

Incapacity Benefit or

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or

Income Support

Universal Credit for 3-9 months (18-24 year olds) or 3-12 months (over 25s). 

and if:

you’re 18 and over

you’ve been unemployed between three months and one year

a Jobcentre Plus Advisor is helping you to find work

You’ll need to apply for a Jobcentre Plus travel card at your local Jobcentre Plus office.

When you can use your travel card 

You can use your Jobcentre Plus travel card for most single and return journeys.

You won’t be able to use your travel pass on Megabus, Supertram or Citylink services.  A few local services may be excluded and some areas don’t accept passes for return journeys. 

Contact your local Stagecoach office for more information. 

What your ticket will cost

Tell us where you’re travelling from and to, and Stagecoach can tell you how much your ticket will cost.

Remember to take 50% off the full ticket price if you have a Jobcentre Plus travel card.

Image: A Stagecoach Megabus

ABC Comment: Have your say below:

At the ABC we are currently looking at railway travel deals that help jobseekers.

The ScotRail Alliance is setting jobseekers on the fast-track to work with the offer of free travel.

Managing director Alex Hynes was at Clydebank station last year to highlight the ScotRail Alliance’s offer of:

- Two free return journeys a month for jobseekers attending an interview
- A free ScotRail travel ticket for the first month of a person’s return to work

Mr Hynes said that by supporting people back into work, the ScotRail Alliance is helping to grow Scotland’s economy.

Jobseekers are also able to take advantage of the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card - a UK government initiative which allows those who are unemployed and claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit to receive a 50% discount on selected rail tickets.

Image: Alex Hynes, ScotRail boss

ScotRail Alliance Managing Director Alex Hynes said:

“We’re building the best railway Scotland has ever had, and part of that is helping to grow the economy and create a fairer country by setting people on the fast-track to work.

“For people out of work, the cost of travelling to an interview can often be a barrier to returning to work.

“By removing that barrier and providing help with the cost, we hope to be able to support people into work and grow Scotland’s economy.

“The support we offer to jobseekers is one of the ScotRail Alliance’s best kept secrets – but I want as many people as possible to know about this opportunity.”

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Employability and Training, said:

"The ScotRail franchise is about much more than delivering a rail service - it acts as an enabler for growth by helping people access education, employment and leisure opportunities across the country.

“This offer to jobseekers does exactly that by making attending interviews and starting work more affordable.”

Criteria

To be eligible for any of these offers, the customer must have been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit for 3-9 months (18-24 year olds) or 3-12 months (over 25s).

Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card

Cardholders are entitled to a 50% discount on selected rail tickets.

Tickets for travel to interview

For jobseekers to obtain up to two free return tickets per month to attend interviews, their local Job Centre issues them with a completed authorisation form which should then be taken to a local station where staff will issue a ticket (valid only when travelling with JCP card as photographic ID).

One month ticket once employment secured

If the jobseeker secures employment and wishes to apply for a free month’s ticket, their local Job Centre will issue them with a completed authorisation form which should then be taken to a station where staff will issue a ticket (valid only when travelling with JCP card as photographic ID).

ABC Comment, have your say below:

Bailiffs should be independently regulated to put a stop to them breaking the rules to collect debts, according to a committee of MPs.

The Parliamentary Justice Committee says a regulator is required to make sure people in debt are treated fairly.

It added that debt enforcement is “under-regulated” because reforms in 2014 which ensured debt collectors were not acting aggressively were not legally-binding and there was no independent regulator to enforce them.

Image: Committee Chair Bob Neil 

Committee Chair Bob Neil said "The system is confusing, particularly for the most vulnerable people in society. Complaints are important and must be investigated properly”.

The call follows a sharp rise in the number of cases of bailiffs using intimidating behaviour and threatening to break into peoples’ home, and doing so against the law, in some instances.

Citizens Advice has recorded a 16% rise in the number of complaints regarding problem bailiffs year-on-year ending March 31. Its chief executive said the government should “introduce these reforms as a matter of urgency”. 

ABC Comment, have your say below:

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) is hosting a ‘Recruitment and Information Expo’ event at The Tower Hotel, Waterford on Thursday, 18 April from 11:00am to 3:30pm.

This free event brings employers, educators and jobseekers together under one roof to showcase the opportunities available to people living in the South East Region. This event will be of particular interest to those who are looking for a new job, seeking to gain new skills or who need career advice.

There will be CV advice clinics available on the day along with an opportunity to meet with employers who are recruiting in the areas of hospitality, construction, healthcare, agrifoods, manufacturing, retail, service and financial sectors. There will also be a range of training providers available to provide advice and support to those in attendance looking to upskill.

Image: The Tower Hotel, Waterford

The event is open to jobseekers and job changers, with over 30 companies such as Eishtec, Medite Smartply, Dawn Meats, Aldi, ABP Food Group, An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and many more recruiting on the day.

For further information on the ‘Recruitment & Information Expo’ event please contact Waterford Intreo Centre at 051 332017.

ABC Comment, have your say below:

HMRC are making efforts to establish citizens worldwide tax affairs – If you receive a letter we are advised, do not ignore it. Many might think that many letters like this are being widely sent out as a scaremongering tactic to convince more people to comply with tax legislation, but it is much more serious than that.

Certificates of Tax Position is part of a new project from HMRC to force disclosure of undeclared foreign income and gains. The letters that are being sent out, as part of this project, are from the Risk and Intelligence Service - a specialised team within HMRC’s Wealthy, Mid-Sized Business and Compliance Unit.

Those who receive this letter have been selected thanks to information shared on foreign bank accounts via the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). This is where HMRC are able to receive details of foreign bank accounts in over 100 jurisdictions across the world. It is important to note that most banks and financial institutions pride themselves in being CRS compliant.

If you have received this letter, it is important to respond within 30 days of when the letter is dated. By choosing to ignore the letter, you will incur unwanted further attention and investigation from HMRC, and it could seem as if you have something to hide. HMRC have provided three formal declarations for recipients to sign:

1. I need to bring my tax affairs up to date and will do so using the Worldwide Disclosure Facility
2. I do not have offshore income on which UK tax might be due
3. I have declared all of my offshore income which might be taxable in the UK. My tax affairs do not need updating and I do not have additional tax to pay

Whether or not you have tax irregularities, it is highly advisable to obtain advice and/or representation from an experienced tax investigation lawyer before responding. This is to ensure you are aware of and consider all the important issues and answer in the way that is best for you, and prevents any investigative challenge that HMRC may bring, in the belief that your case is suspicious and worth pursuing - or worse, higher penalties or criminal action.

ABC Note: Mark has specialised in tax disclosures, defending HMRC investigations and prosecutions for over 20 years. He is now a Partner of: Richard Nelson LLP.

ABC Comments, have your say below:

Anne-Marie McNally, the Social Democrats Local Election candidate for Lucan has called on Government to tackle the emergence of so-called ‘cuckoo funds’ and to introduce measures to create a vibrant and sustainable rental sector in Ireland.  Ms McNally said that the recent Savills report showing that large corporate investors purchased over 11% of all housing sold in Ireland in 2018 is a statistic that should cause significant concern.

'Cuckoo funds' are known as such because they snap up accommodation before individuals get a chance to purchase.

Ms McNally said:

“We already have a situation where rental costs are out of control and people renting have very little, if any, security of tenure. People are trying to live their lives, raise families and put down roots but have no way of knowing if they’ll be in the same place next year. It is not only stressful for those in the situation, it is damaging for wider society as it prevents people connecting with their community and making big life decisions such as family formation or even school or job choices.”

Image: Lucan, Dublin. 

“The Savills report goes on to predict that rental prices will increase by more than 17% in Dublin over the next three years. This is simply not sustainable. The current housing crisis will grow exponentially if those currently in rental accommodation continue to be priced out of their homes. Other cities across the world manage to have vibrant rental sectors where people live securely and with rent certainty – there is no reason why we can’t do the same. Policies such as the Vienna cost-rental housing model have been proven to work and it is long past time that we started looking to these proven strategies rather than deferring to these large corporate landlords who have no regard for sustainable communities or the local infrastructure that creates a healthy society and whose only concern is their profit margin.”

The UN recently criticised the practice of selling homes to investors en masse.

In a scathing assessment of the housing market, UN special rapporteur on the right to adequate housing Leilani Farha wrote to the Government, accusing it of facilitating the “financialization of housing” through preferential tax laws and through weak tenant protections, among other measures.

Image: Blackstone, Hedge Fund. 

ABC Info: The Blackstone Group L.P. is an American multinational private equity, alternative asset management and financial services firm based in New York City. As the largest alternative investment firm in the world, Blackstone specializes in private equity, credit and hedge fund investment strategies.

Ireland was one of five countries singled out by the UN. "Almost overnight, multinational private equity and asset management firms like Blackstone have become the biggest landlords in the world, purchasing thousands and thousands of units," the UN said.

ABC Comment, have your say below: