Benefits cut of £20-a-week set to hit 1 in 11 in Penrith and The Border constituency and 1 in 7 in Carlisle District Local charity warns of increased debt and hardship if ‘lifeline’ ends in October Citizens Advice Carlisle and Eden is urging the government against a cut to Universal Credit that would impact 1 […]
You’re not alone in this – there is support available. Firstly, depending on your situation, you might be able to ask to have your Universal Credit paid differently – these are called ‘alternative payment arrangements’. This might be an option if you’re in debt or rent arrears, among other reasons. To apply for an […]
It’s normal for your energy bills to change depending on the time of year and how much gas and electricity you’re using. But if your bills seem strangely high, then it’s important to investigate why. Firstly, check your meter is working properly and your usage has definitely not gone up, even accidently. Also check […]
This must be a very frustrating situation. The law states that your landlord must provide accommodation that is safe, healthy and free from things that could cause serious harm. (This is for England – housing is devolved in Wales). You don’t say exactly what repairs are needed. If you have problems such as electrical wiring […]
Many of us will take advantage of the warmer weather and bank holiday weekends coming up to improve our homes, and it’s important to make sure the job goes well. Here are some steps you should take when choosing a trader: Find a Trading Standards ‘approved trader’ – use the internet to search for […]
Unfortunately, we’ve seen an increase in scams since the beginning of the pandemic, so it’s good to be thinking about the steps you can take to help protect friends and family. Common scams we’re seeing are about bogus testing kits, coronavirus vaccinations and government refunds or fines. You should watch out for messages about […]
If you and your neighbour disagree about a problem with a tree or hedge, it’s best to try to resolve things informally. Problems could include, for example, if you think a hedge is too high or branches from your neighbour’s tree are overhanging into your garden. If you rent your home, talk to your […]
If you think your pay is wrong or you haven’t been paid, the best thing you can do is talk to your employer to find out why. If you and your employer can’t agree on how much you should have been paid, you can challenge them. You should act quickly – it’ll be much harder […]
If you’ve reported repairs to your landlord and they haven’t done anything, you may be able to do something about it. Tenants often think that it’s unfair for them to pay rent while their home is in disrepair and want to know if they can use their rent in some way to deal with the […]
Employers have the right to monitor activities in many situations at work. Monitoring in the workplace includes: recording on CCTV cameras opening mail or email use of automated software to check email checking phone logs or recording phone calls checking logs of websites visited videoing outside the workplace getting information from credit reference agencies collecting […]
