Latest Articles By Simon Collyer

BARNACLED WARSHIP - A Barnacled Warship is what we feel like at times battling the authorities.  Johnny Flynn is a very talented musician and actor, from Johannesburg, South Africa. Jonny recently potrayed David Bowie in a movie.  A bit of...

MENTAL HEALTH - Unemployment benefits will hit their lowest real value in more than three decades this April, a think tank has pointed out. The Resolution Foundation said the system will be worth just £77.29 a week in a “porous safety net” that has s...

MENTAL HEALTH - People are returning to the workplace and classroom (or are planning to) as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. For some, anticipating a return to normal has become a source of stress, but understanding signs of stress can help peop...

DEATH OF OUR SUPPORTER - We just want to say goodbye to Brian our neighbour and great supporter. Brian was a friend and neighbour and we regularly used to pop over and see him. Pretty much daily for some time. Brian was funny, seriously witty, and he...

CLAIMANTS HARDSHIP - According to the IFS, state aid for the poorest households must double to support them through 2022. Benefits and pensions are currently set to rise by 3.1% in April, a figure in line with the inflation rate when the decisio...

TENANCY HARDSHIP GRANT- The Welsh Government has announced that the eligibility period for the Tenancy Hardship Grant launched in July 2021 will be extended to include Covid-related rent arrears accrued up to 31 December 2021. Julie Ja...

TEMPORARY JOBCENTRES - Here is a list of temporary Jobcentres         Temporary jobcentre locations More temporary jobcentres will be added to the list when locations are confirmed. JobcentreAddress Aberdeen City Wharf, Shipr...

A GUIDE TO INHERITANCE TAX - This could be a useful read.   https://www.comparethemarket.com/life-insurance/content/a-guide-to-inheritance-tax/ This guide covers: What inheritance tax is, when it has to be paid and how an estate is valued I...

PENSIONS -  The review will consider whether the rules around pensionable age are appropriate, based on the latest life expectancy data and other evidence. The Pensions Act 2014 requires government to regularly review State Pension age, and in a...

WAGES - High Pay Centre research suggests the median FTSE 100 CEO’s earnings for 2022 will surpass the median annual wage for a full-time worker in the UK by around 09:00am on Friday 7 January. The calculations are based on a previous High Pay Centre...