How to avoid the bankers problems and survive

1) Retail banking is protected and is being more so your wages and benefits going there are ok, savings up to £50,000 are protected under FSA guidelines (though the DWP rules that savings over £16,000 are regarded as taxable an you lose income support an have to pay for your own basic health care (dentistry, chiropody, and in England prescriptions tho...ugh there is a NHS prepayment certificate).
2) Speak to your housing benefit officer at the council and ask that in defence of your credit rating you want like the ill and elderly for your benefits to be paid in the following way:
a. Housing and council tax direct to the landlord and local authority so that you or your kids don’t overspend and end up on rent arrears.
b. Income support into a savings account
c. DLA into an account that can pay for your carer and treatment / transport where there is less concessionary travel than greater London (ie less frequent trains and buses and not the Freedom Pass) and you can ensure through the citizens advice / law centre that where they need help they and you have a contract of employment / taxi account as well.
d. Main benefit (ESA, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit) into a current or savings account with debit card to pay for utilities, food and the like.
e. Family allowance and Child benefit to the mothers account for paying for childcare and household expenditure so that the household functions.

That way the landlord can invest and maintain the property and if housing budgets aren’t raided, invest in new shared ownership properties which maintains the housing stock and allows for purchase of properties where insurance can’t meet the repairs for flood damage as part of its statutory duties (same for housing associations), you maintain day to day expenditure and can save for holidays if you don’t qualify for respite care.

3) Shares and unit trusts and other investments are regulated by the FSA / Financial services Commission (being reformed)
4) There are credit unions for lower interest on borrowing and higher for savings. These are counted in some local authorities as ‘protected assets’ which enable the council to borrow against for infrastructure (but not more current expenditure) depending on devolved assembly and government guidelines.

Special promotion by HMRC on MSN

Uma: "Tax credits will help us until I return to work"

If you have several children, tax credits can help put food on the table.

---

• Share

  26

• 0

---

Colin Gray, Photodisc, Getty Images

Life with several children can be a joy - but it also means more mouths to feed. If you're receiving tax credits to help support your large family, it's important to renew your claim - the earlier the better - to make sure you're getting the correct amount of money you're entitled to.
Uma, 26, lives in Birmingham with her husband James and her four children Joe, 8, Lillian, 6, Evie, 4 and Grace, 3.
James earns £20,000 a year as a chef. Uma has a Maths and IT degree, and is looking to return to work. The family receives around £8,000 a year in tax credits in addition to their child benefits.
A temporary solution
"Without tax credits we would really struggle to put food on the table. With six mouths to feed we need every penny just to keep things going. It would also affect the children's schooling, because without tax credits I wouldn't be able to put petrol in the car to drive them there. We live quite a long way from the nearest school, and it's a very long trip on public transport."
Uma says she would like nothing more than to start work and put her degree to good use. She says tax credits will help the family until then, and urges others to make sure they renew their claim.
Remembering to renew

The earlier you get the form in the better, because then you know you're getting the right money you're entitled to.

She says: "Claiming tax credits is just the first step really. You have to make sure you renew them each year. I put a reminder into my mobile phone to badger James to give me his P60, and then I can review the forms HMRC send me.
"I'd advise anyone struggling to provide for their children to do the same. The earlier you start, the better, because then you know you're getting the right money you're entitled to. If I have a question about the form I contact HMRC."
It's essential that you report any errors or changes in your personal circumstances to HMRC as soon as possible, otherwise you might be getting the wrong amount and could risk running up an overpayment that you'll have to pay back.
Where to get more help
All tax credits renewals need to be in by the 31st of July. To find out more about tax credits and renewing in particular, visit the HMRC website.
If you've received your tax credits awards notice, find out how to check it with HMRC's checklist.
This feature is based on a real case study although some information may have been altered.

At present the Jersey government is seeking to become totally independent from the United Kingdom if its way of earning a living (like the other crown dependant islands Guensey and Sark nearby) in terms of being a tax haven is removed by at statute at Westminster that has no representation in the elected house at present from them.

The channel islands have like other locations in the past been t...he equivilant of English Speaking Genevas who have stored and by having low taxes increased the wealth of individuals and companies so that these amounts can be withdrawn for use in their home nation for shares and businesses, the old adage of wealth being 'passed down the generations' for things such as rail infrastructure, privatised utilities and the like.

However in the past these laws have allowed for arms dealing and funding of related industries outside of lawful defence of nation states under the UN and international law that is recorded so as to prevent arms proliferation and ensure that nuclear energy is regulated by the IAEA.

As such what could happen:

1) Constitutional unity within the Channel Islands in order to stabilise those states under the Crown
2) Absorbtion into the UK as part of a federal constitution with representation

The irish peace process moves forward today as in his elected official capacity as deputy first minister the former IRA member Martin McGuinness shakes hands with the present head of state of Northern Ireland and the rest of thh UK. Both are committed to peace and reconciliation, and further improvements and demilitarisation of teh countryside in Northern Ireland.

Also One day if Sinn Fein were to get an outright majority under teh stormont constitution, they could seek reunificatuion with the Irish republic. If that is the case then as part of that Ireland could be a republic in the commonwealth (head of which is teh Uk / English monarch and head of teh Anglican church in Ireland). As such the world moves on and peace continues through compromise.

Why the uS and UK are right to offer Assad exile from Syria,

1) His country is according to UK news channels at risk of civil war and teh Un monitors are fiding it hard to do their job.
2) A peace plan which allows for fresh elections is better than a coup which if it went wrong in the 'trainsition phase' could risk their military becoming sectarian and carrying on the attrocities or launch a war on Israel over teh Golan rather than the next elected Syrian government seeking negotiations ove r teh territory and regional intergovernmental negotiation over the share of water utilities.
3) On a personal note as a member of a Syrian minority himself he and his family could be targetted.
4) At a later date he could be arrested if indited specifically by a vote at the United Nations to stand trial while in a safe country rather than being killed like the late Colonel Gadaffi.

who to contact about illegal websites and web materials www.ceop.police.uk Child exploitation and online protection agency of the government www.iwf.org.uk Internet watch foundation for abusive and explicit websites. To put it simply these two are the ones whose reports distinguish lawful use of legal minors in arts and broadcasting (such as Michael Portillos appearence in Ribena ads in the 1960s) from modern 'art forms' such as Hentai and some forms of real life Manga. Crime stoppers 0800 555 111 (UK charity) Also Victim Support and each local authorities social services departments The Home Office have a guidelines website about junk emails with these website links and what to do after reporting them to the Police. They can liase with other countries law enforcement agencies where said websites servers are hosted depending on that states legal systems and structure of jurisdictions (one magazine in teh Uk has offices registered in practically every state). Some of these websites were derived from Paper publications and other from the film industry of the 1960s onwards involving adults. However with the internet the income from them is in real terms less and is more like emotional damage from circulation on said websites. Up to date computer protection and restricted use of web cams for only online tutorials if a distance learning / part time student or someone doing apprenticeship work is advised. If you have been a victim of any kind of crime like these depict of whatever age go to a trained centre within the NHS (the GUM clinic)and speak to the UK Police at the nearest station. The number to phone if it has happenned is 999 or to get advice 101. Within the UK there are trained social workers / advocates to support in aftercare.

UN Law requires ideally for a head of state / government indited by The international Criminal Court to make a peace agreement with the other side and face trial rather than further attricities and to help humanitarian aid. For someone (say President Assad Junior) to be assassinated would only risk tit for tat civil war or the states further militarisation under a general. In that scenario said individual could be so minded to try and retake the Golan which could risk the use of battlefield WMDs which could pollute teh water table of Israel/ Palestine/ Lebanon/ Jordan and Syria itself rather than aid in talks for the disarmament of Nukes from the region.

There is a bill going through Westminster about better financial regulation within the United Kingdom. When the Financial Services Authority was set up it was designed to better regulate what had previously been industry self regulation of differing financial products and agencies within the United Kingdom so that one of them using the stock market could cause it to crash and higher inflation as p...art of a managed macro econimic policy of stable growth and low inflation. However as part of the realignment within the financial sector now that regulation is comprehensive and possible rising bills in the micro economy there is a risk from teh payday loan sector for those on low incomes, be it shops or websites. These are the equivilant of credit cards but on equal or even higher rates of interest should you default on them. The people who are in this situation unless they are on state income support and then able to get a grant from the social fund for a debt relief order or bankruptcy are in real financial problems and need to speak to the money advice service www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk and a financial advisor at the citizens advice service who can help them with claims for rent and council tax benefit, credit union support / grant through the civic centre of the local authority and where necessary help with emergency food through the Foodbank Charity based within the churches.

The trouble with the West Coasts of the two biggest islands of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland / Eire James Ware To answer ‘aw schucks West Wales has flooded’ is a little to flippant for me I’m gonna write a little history and reflective ‘interdisciplinary’ article here to deal with this. 1) What happened in summary: Specifically the West Wales Coast like its Irish and Scottish Counterparts had heavy rainfall clouds that were at high enough altitudes (which at this point in the coast has been directed from winds from the South West and North East), shaping in the wind and river flows / tides being discharged and blown back. They made the tops of the Rheidol valley causing the river and possibly the hydroelectric tunnel to overflow Eg. 1 SW Ireland having islands and estuaries in the SW running onto the mainland NE and helped by a mixture of the Republics 26 ‘remaining counties’ from Elizabeth 1sts Irish Parlaiment passing Poynings law grouped into eight ‘groupings’ since the 1990s so that the ancestral byelaws and annomolies were reserved within the Head of states office at Dublin Castle, its consultative bodies and institutions of state, and Biritish Irish Council so as to aid for transition and dialogue with the Northern Irish devolved state should its electorate seek reunification with them in a mixture of the Commonwealth and the European Union, aided in the neighbouring nations and provinces of the United Kingdom Eg 2 NW Scotland had islands formed by volcanic outcrops from when the Atlantic Ocean widened (similar to under the sea floor South of the island of Iceland to the Portugese mid atlantic islands, but to a greater extent and height owing to greater volcanic discharge at that time), since then south of these and between County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man was where the first generation (World War One period) UK and Empire / Commonwealth ammunition and defunct warships were sunk as part of its commitment to the 1919 Versailles treaty. That the fastflowing from high altitude Rheidol and Tyfi valleys had a surge to the Sea through Capel Bangor and Aberystwyth after prolonged rainfall over many weeks. Within the Rheidol Valley there is underground hydroelectric power for the National Grid generated by propelling water down post war constructed tunnels from the Valley away from the ‘visible’ tourist end of the Vale of Rheidol Railway (Devils Punch Bowl) at the opposite side of the Valley. Pylons and other tunnels take electricity cables across the Main UK grid for towns in England and South Wales (including the rest of Dyfed and North into Machynlleth) by having ‘substations / transformers’ to ‘drop current down voltage’ into the local power network (in places still delivered by telephone poles as the rural equivillant to the under street town electricity network of urban areas). However the problem with the Rheidol network is that: 1) Potential age of hydroelectric tunnels leading to blockages within or problems with the control valves so that ‘over surface water’ over runs affect the villages and caravan parks within the valley when the rain clouds reach the top of the valley and the high ground to its east which is the source of many of Ceredigions Rivers. 2) The bad location of said towns and parks by accident so that there isn’t a relief water tunnel in to the Ystwyth Valley where the Rheidol river Gradient slows with reservoir there or small reservoir instead 3) Combined rainfall in the Ystwyth Valley to the South having a combined affect in Aberystwyth town 4) Best Option being turning the University Blaendolau Playing Field into said , tidal ‘lock’ to control flow through the built up part of town within its ‘canal’ levees. 5) This results in difficulty in ever on a different route ever getting a rail line from Aberystwyth through the Hill of Pen Dinas or further East so as to get to Lampeter and Carmarthen and Swansea (Llanbedr, Carmarthen and Abertawe). Similar but smaller and more level streams from Bow Street to Clarach and into the Borth Marsh also restricted the rail line to curve and in the past from having a direct line across the river west of Machynlleth so that a direct rail service from Aberystwyth to Holyhead along the Porthmadog line and across the Lleyn Peninsular and Minai Straights. However lessons from recent line repairs near Porthmadog on its bridge may help with this. It requires Welsh Assembly and Westminster Government co-operation to establish if that is ever possible again and if not focus should be on getting a Ynslas / Aberdovey Bridge and one over the Menai through Lleyn to get a link to Holyhead, Blaenau Festiniog and Llandudno so as to help tourism. An alternative to the rail bridge at that point is that Dovey Junction further inland is rebuilt as triangle junction and at the Northern end of the Borth Marsh canal drain a Ynslas sation is built to allow changing onto a hovercraft to Aberdovey. This second option would complement the artificial Borth / Ynslas peninsular of Sand to allow a stable rail link to Machynlleth and a tourist economy so that that estuary never had a combined Ystwyth / Rheidol effect. This also had flooding behind it on its caravan parks by the hill to its south and the canal drained marsh to its north carrying water away from the windfarms to its SE. So after a period Since Christmas there has been high rainfall in West Wales. This then peaked over a few days prior to the ‘flood’ overlooks the geological, tidal, utility and meteorological trends and expertise that has developed through the United Kingdom and on lifesaving matters and weather and tidal warnings, co-operation through The RNLI, Council of the Isles and on The UK mainland the co-ordination Amber, Silver, Gold centres for responses mentioned on the BBC News 24 Coverage that allowed rescue helicopters and ground based Fire Engines within the Dyfed (Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire) part of the Mid and West Wales Area (the other bit being Powys, Brecon and Radnorshire and depending on the incident, liason with Gwynedd). These fit in with the non devolved and military liased civil contingency networks based on RAF rescue bases across the United Kingdom. Factors: Geological, as modified by Utility Fast Flowing Rheidol passing with low river banks near houses that levels out behind Aberystwyth Town, integrating with hydroelectric plant water discharge under it. Formed like this as part of a mixture of settlement, glaciers and with hard rocks, fissures as they crack due to seasonal temperatures The present town of Aberystwyth has streams of its surrounding hills: one North of Constitution Hill from the Roman Catholic School down under Alexandra Hall which keeps the Hill on the other side dry as on (and under that) is the Welsh Books Council (former and original home of the National Library of Wales) One from above and under the Student Village which flows into the drainage system and discharges via nineteenth century pipe into the Sea, roughly on the South Side of the original Rheidol Valley Lower Delta was Wells under Holy Trinity Hill (behind Yr Cwps) and the high part of town between the old Castle, St Michaels. Problem that South of the University Cricket Grounds that used to get a water supply from the stream that run through Penglais Campus is the original Town Cemetery (now full) West Of Llanbadarn Fawr. There are standard drains and normal housing and roads / paths to its North and South but prior to that the Rheidol did have a part flow on that side of the valley. Hence a question should be, is there a risk post flood of accelerated decomposition requiring action such as cremation of them in the Cyngor Syr Crematoria near Clarach or relocation of the interred to another cemetery. Tidal Risks Town Cemetery Rotting Old College Building of Uni on Sea Front having a basement that’s untreatable but a building that’s essential for the teaching of Adult Ed, Teacher Training and Administration, What is the effect of / from the rest of the square behind it that is predominantly owned by the university? Is there a post flood disease risk next academic year or should there be plans to rebuild it. Residential Insurance and financial advice by Citizens Advice Bureau and residents Banks / Mutual Societies and through Social Services, DWP Social Fund Claims for replacement furniture, carpets etc for those on Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, State Pension, Pension Credit and related benefits. South Marine Terrace is on the other man made harbour wall with residential properties on top of it. I’m guessing its water and electric could be in as bad if not worse a position as Hen Coleg. Should they and similar be reconstructed now like the Seafront Halls. Can the County Council or Welsh Assembly allow housing associations to bulk buy and adapt, especially where they have basements that might be at risk of subsidence. Said associations can bring into the town extra skilled people to do the rewiring / fusing and plumbing and also roof repairs that with historic housing might risk asbestos or wood. If I’m allowed a bit of realistic cynicism their overheads in terms of accommodation could help either the caravan park replace or the hotels and over the summer the town based halls of residence get theirs checked, thus making sure that the university doesn’t trip the towns collective electricity fusebox. Utility How quickly can Dwr Cymru, SSE, etc assist with a post event power consumption assessment on its infrastructure and in the town so as to coordinate with resident, church and faith communities and the town council to offer support for those who live there Roads and Rails Are they passable and in need of pot hole repair? Meteorological Is there a big enough repair window before Michaelmas Term 2012 in terms of dry weather? Emergency Response After handling the emergency itself is there enough of them who can as part of normal duties ensure that repair materials can get there through mountain roads? This might be a private sector matter given that since previous floods the A470 ring road and road into town and the new Police and Government Offices have been built on dried and gravel raised fields behind the nineteenth century town itself. As such to house a developing county the hill Pen Dinas (with the sharp edged hill where the rain and collapsed sea facing side through erosion has a Wellington Collumn on top (with the statue falling through the middle of it). As such there are commercial enterprises that could be contracted depending on how the Welsh Haulage sector operates and the way that post emergency reconstruction operates. Is equality with Greater London allowed in that response.