Money News

Staff from across the Thameslink network joined forces to run, walk, jog and cycle throughout the month of June to raise money for Autism Bedfordshire.

Hailed ‘Challenge 50,’ each fundraiser had to complete 50 kilometres of their chosen form of exercise. With usual community events on hold due to the pandemic, Bernie Lee – station manager for Bedford, Flitwick and Harlington – thought it was more important than ever to raise awareness and vital funds for the charity and is thrilled that the team have beaten their £1,000 target

From today (1 July 2020) people claiming Universal Credit will begin to see a return of job-seeking requirements. These have been paused since 30 March due to COVID-19.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has said work coaches will be calling all claimants to help them prepare for work, although what people will need to do will depend on their Claimant Commitment. This is a document people need to agree to as part of getting Universal Credit.

The types of job-seeking activities people will be asked to do will vary depending on factors. Such as their health, current circumstances and which “conditionality” group they have been placed in.

There are four groups, which set out the tasks they’re expected to complete to receive their full benefit payment.

The UK’s three largest debt charities – Citizens Advice, Money Advice Trust and Stepchange – have written to the Local Government Minister to call for urgent action on council tax.

The charities are urging the government to implement simple measures that could protect millions of people from the prospect of spiralling council tax debt

Following legislation which comes into effect on Wednesday 24 June, the ban on face-to-face bailiff collection will now come to an end on 23 August.

This is the same day as protections from eviction end for people in the private rented sector and comes at a time when redundancies are expected to rise.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has announced that learners can resume driving lessons and motorcycle training in England from Saturday 4 July 2020.

The rule applies to all types of driver and motorcycle training in England, including private practice with someone you live with or in your support bubble.

Over a third of British adults (36%) have been the target of a scam since lockdown began, new research by Citizens Advice has revealed.

Polling conducted on behalf of the charity also found that certain groups were at an increased risk of being contacted by a scammer. This was often those who could least afford it:

A new EU regulation automatically extends licence from the date of expiry

Drivers with a photocard driving licence due to expire between 1 February and 31 August 2020 will be granted a 7 month extension from the date of expiry the DVLA has announced today (4 June 2020).

This will help drivers to make necessary journeys without having to get a new photograph to renew their licence.

With government guidance now stating that, for some sectors, those who cannot work from home should return to work, Citizens Advice has outlined the top six need-to-knows when it comes to your employment rights.

Citizens Advice has set out what parents and guardians can do if they’re struggling to juggle childcare and work during the coronavirus pandemic. with the launch of a new webpage – Coronavirus – if you need to be off work to care for someone.

The charity said that its frontline advisers have helped many parents who are struggling with childcare due to the closure of schools and nurseries while family and friends are unable to help.

In the last three weeks, the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU), which investigates fraud across the region, has received ten reports of people being tricked out of their money after responding to an advert to buy a puppy online.

Citizens Advice has seen record-breaking demand for advice on its website over the past month with nine million pageviews, a 39% rise on the same period last year.

Coronavirus was the most searched word on the charity’s website, followed by people looking for information on Universal Credit and the government’s furlough scheme.