uktemps - temporary and part time jobs

The UK job market has hit it’s lowest level of growth in 10 months. It raises new concerns about the strength and stability of the UK employment market. The public sector and some other sectors are beginning to feel job shortages.

Although job numbers have fallen for the first time in almost a year. There are some opportunities in some sectors, such as chefs, nurses, HR, finance, engineers and internet developers where vacancies still exist and skilled workers can source employment in both permanent and temporary jobs.

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Business Secretary Vince Cable visited Darnall post office in Sheffield, which reopened last week thanks to the efforts of the local community.

Community organisation Darnall Forum, a registered charity, stepped in to reopen the branch in new premises, just over a year after its previous operator left.

Vince Cable said:

“Darnall post office is one of the first in the UK to be run by a charity - it is an excellent initiative. The community campaigned long and hard to get their post office back, and I’m delighted that has now been achieved.

“It has involved a lot of hard work from a lot of different people and shows what can happen when politicians, local authorities, the voluntary sector and the community work together.

“I’m clear that the rest of the UK can learn lessons from what has happened here in Sheffield. This can be a model for other communities and charities.

“Post Offices continue to play a vital social role in the heart of local communities and remain an incredibly important resource. I’m going to do everything in my power to support them.”

In January this year the Forum announced plans to reopen the branch and drew up a business plan to run the post office as a social enterprise, meaning any profits could be ploughed back into the community.

Sheffield Council’s East Community Assembly then awarded the Forum up to £10,000 towards the start-up cost of opening the business. Darnall Forum also raised an additional £40,000 for the project by applying for a loan from the Yorkshire Key Fund.

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An exhibition of cutting edge products was today unveiled at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to encourage a new generation of innovators, Business Minster Mark Prisk announced today.

The Government is committed to promoting manufacturing as it is critical to economic growth with responsibility for 53 per cent of UK exports and 2.8 million jobs.

With new business opportunities, such as low carbon products, emerging all the time BIS wants to work with the manufacturing industry to encourage new talent and attract new businesses to the sector.

The exhibition is the first in a planned rolling programme of themed displays demonstrating excellence in British design, engineering and manufacturing.

The theme for the opening programme is the engineering supply chain and exhibits have been provided by JCB as well as three other companies who are part of their supply chain: Craftsman Tools, Renishaw and Mazak UK.

Exhibiting products include the Union Jack painted Backhoe Loader JCB which will be placed in the forecourt of One Victoria Street.

Business Minister Mark Prisk said:

“Britain is a world leader in manufacturing but if we are to inspire future generations we must do all we can to promote UK excellence.

“As a signal of our intent we have invited shining examples of British design, engineering and manufacture to showcase their products at the department.

“I am extremely grateful to JCB, Craftsman Tools, Renishaw and Mazak UK, four leading companies in the engineering supply chain, for contributing exhibits to this event.”

To help illustrate the theme the exhibits will be displayed so that visitors from the business community can follow the supply chain through the displays in the main reception and lift lobby areas.

This exhibition will also help to raise awareness of manufacturing in the build up to the launch of a new manufacturing framework in the autumn which will detail specific plans for encouraging growth in this sector.

As an early signal of support for the manufacturing sector BIS has already redirected savings within the department to strengthen both investment in FE colleges and to create 50,000 new apprenticeships

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HM Revenue and Customs will soon be sending out letters to certain people who don’t have enough National Insurance contributions or credits for the 2008-09 tax year. If you receive this ‘Gap in your National Insurance record’ letter it means the year won’t count towards your basic State Pension and certain bereavement benefits.

What the letter is about

The letter explains how you can pay voluntary National Insurance contributions to make the year count.
In response to customer feedback the letters will be better targeted this year. So not everyone who has a gap in their National Insurance contributions record will receive a gap letter. If you have a gap in your record and don’t receive a letter you can still pay voluntary contributions.

Who will get a gap letter?

With certain exceptions, letters will be issued to people who are aged 35 or over at 6 April 2010 and who have not already built up the 30 ‘qualifying years’ needed to get a full basic State Pension.

If you don’t get a gap letter

If you think you have a gap in your National Insurance contributions but don’t get a letter, you may still want to pay voluntary contributions in some circumstances.

People who reach State Pension age on or after 6th April 2010 need only 30 qualifying years to get a full basic State Pension. Most can easily build these up without having to pay voluntary National Insurance contributions for years where they have gaps.
However, eligibility for bereavements benefits is different to eligibility for basic State Pension. Bereavement benefits are payable - if someone dies - to their spouse or civil partner, if under state pension age.

They are based on the deceased’s National Insurance contributions. So you may want to pay voluntary contributions to protect your spouse or civil partner’s entitlement to these.

If you are concerned and would like to find out more information then click to visit Directgov.

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New TUC analysis published today (Monday) of the Government’s proposed 10 per cent housing benefit cut for adults who have been claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) for more than 12 months, reveals that at least 194,000 unemployed adults will lose nearly £500 a year if the cut is introduced.

The research - which will inform the TUC’s submission to the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s consultation on housing benefit reforms - finds that the cut will have a big impact on some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

Evidence suggests that disabled workers, lone parents and people who have recent experience of homelessness are among the groups of people most likely to find themselves long-term unemployed, and therefore affected by this policy.

The TUC analysis reveals that at least 194,000 adults a year will see their housing benefit cut by 10 per cent if this cut is introduced. Those who will be hit include 102,000 adults who have been claiming JSA for 12 months or more, 68,000 lone parents (who will be moved on to JSA from other benefits) and at least 24,000 disabled people (who will be moved on to JSA from incapacity benefit). On average they will lose £489.06 a year.

The cut is unfair as it punishes people who can’t get a job by increasing their risks of debt and homelessness, says the TUC. It will have no discernible impact on fraud or work incentives but will cause significant hardship for tens of thousands of families across the UK.
With close to 2.5 million people in the UK facing unemployment, but less than 500,000 vacancies across the economy, it is clear that the main reason for unemployment is a lack of jobs - not a lack of will from long-term unemployed people, says the TUC.
As this change to housing benefit is just one of a number of benefit cuts being made by the Government, families could find themselves much worse off, the TUC warns.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘This cut in housing benefit will make a real difference to some of the poorest and most vulnerable adults and families, who will find themselves out of pocket to the tune of nearly £500 a year.

‘Long-term unemployment is not a lifestyle choice, it is a debilitating and stressful experience which puts unemployed people and their families at higher risk of poverty, poor health and relationship breakdown.

‘The long-term unemployed need help and support to get them back into the labour market. They should not to be blamed for their predicament by having vital benefits cut. This is another example of the Government making struggling families bear the cost of the recession, while the rich have been let off.’

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