Author: britishbulletin.com

Labour is set to announce major welfare reforms today, focusing on changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility criteria.The reforms are expected to include £6billion in cuts to disability benefits claimed by millions of people.Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary will outline the government’s plans to reform the health benefits system this afternoon. The changes could make it harder to qualify for PIP, with around £5bn of the proposed cuts targeting the disability benefit currently claimed by 3.6 million people.Ministers had reportedly considered freezing PIP payments to prevent them rising with inflation in 2026. However, this idea has been…

Jesse Colin Young, the singer-songwriter and frontman of the 1960s folk-rock band the Youngbloods, has died at the age of 83.Young passed away on Sunday at his home in Aiken, South Carolina, according to his wife and manager, Connie Young.His publicist, Michael Jensen, confirmed that the musician died of a heart attack.Young was best known for the Youngbloods’ iconic hit Get Together, which became an anthem of the hippie era.Young has died aged 83GettyGet Together released on the Youngbloods’ 1967 debut album, initially reached No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song gained renewed popularity in 1969 after being featured…

M&S Foodhall has unveiled a new mini cake selection just in time for Mother’s Day celebrations.The collection features three varieties of squishy sponge cakes, each carefully piped and finished with delicious toppings.The treats are designed for shoppers looking to create a special Afternoon Tea experience for their mums on the big day.The mini cakes are available now in all M&S Foodhall stores and on Ocado.The mini cakes are available now in all M&S Foodhall stores INSTAGRAM / M&SThe selection includes a Victoria Sponge with sweet strawberry jam for those who enjoy a classic treat.Fans of citrus can opt for the…

John Campbell News NI economics and business editorPA MediaPIP is a benefit for people under state pension age who need help with daily activities or getting around, due to a long-term illness or disabilityThe UK government is expected to outline plans aimed at cutting spending on health and disability benefits on Tuesday. Ministers are planning to make it harder to qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).The government is looking for savings so that it doesn’t break its self-imposed tax and spending rules.The Prime Minister has said the current benefit system is discouraging some people from working which is “unsustainable, indefensible…

Paul Burnell News, CheshireHMP Styal, which occupies former buildings of an orphanage, is named as the worst for positive drug testsAn inmate at a prison where inspectors found high levels of self harm had hurt herself 400 times in one year, a report said.HMP Styal near Wilmslow, Cheshire, was named the worst in the country for positive drug tests after an inspection in December, which also highlighted low staffing levels.The number of cases of self-harm, more than 5,200, had almost doubled at the prison in three years, with a small number of women harming themselves every day, the report by…

Six days before Christmas, Jenson Brooksby took to social media to share something he had “kept quiet for his entire life”.The 24-year-old American revealed he had been diagnosed with severe autism as a young child, and was non-verbal until the age of four.The decision to go public had not been taken lightly, but was driven by a desire to help families living the same experience and any future professionals dealing with autism., external”My whole life with my parents, it wasn’t something you are very comfortable sharing because there could be consequences – especially when I was younger,” Brooksby told BBC…

Temperatures across Britain are set to skyrocket past 20C this Thursday marking the beginning of what could be an unseasonably warm spring.The Met Office forecasts highs of 21C in London, 19C from the south to the east coast, and up to 17C in the north as the season officially begins on March 20.Much of the country can expect relatively balmy mid-teen temperatures into the afternoon – though central and northern parts of Scotland are set to experience more typical seasonal temperatures of about 9-10C.The warm weather comes alongside the spring equinox, with day and night reaching equal lengths at precisely…

Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government is looking for a new low carbon chief and is offering an annual salary equivalent to £255,000, significantly more the Prime Minister’s Salary. The successful applicant, who would serve as Chair of the Low Carbon Contracts Company, is sponsored by Department for Energy Security & Net Zero and would earn and eye-watering £986 per day to work two days a week, the Government’s own website admits. The remuneration would amount to £102,500 across the year, equivalent to a full-time salary of £255,000, significantly more than Starmer’s £172,153 salary. With the appointee serving a four year…

Millions of drivers have been warned they could risk a huge car tax scam as the deadline for new payments edges closer. From April 1, electric car drivers will face Vehicle Excise Duty costs for the first time, as standard rate charges for petrol and diesel cars increase too.As drivers prepare to pay these new costs, there has been a growing risk in the rise of VED payment scams which risks impacting millions of drivers.Experts have now warned drivers to follow simple steps to ensure they avoid getting caught out in the fraudulent practice.Do you have a story you’d like…

Douglas FraserBusiness and Economy Editor, ScotlandPA MediaLiz Kendall say reforms will “ensure there is trust and fairness” in the welfare systemSignificant reforms to restrict some sickness and disability benefits will be announced at Westminster later. UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to tighten the rules on Personal Independence Payments (PIP). The knock-on effect could result in less money for Scotland and the SNP says the cuts could “haunt Labour” for the rest of its time in government. The party says there’s still time for a U-turn before they’re outlined in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement next week.PA MediaThe…