New Starter Homes see zero starts
A govt plan to create 200,000 new starter homes in England has resulted in no homes being built says National Audit Office
In 2015, the plan was announced by former PM David Cameron. All were meant to have been built by end 2020 for:
First time buyers & Under 40 year olds
These were meant to be sold at a 20% discount...
SO why have none been built?
The scheme needs a law passed and planning rules. Nothing’s been presented to lawmakers in Parliament
Labour has a similar scheme in 2004:
They planned to build homes for £60,000
Some were completed...but sold at far more than pledged, as high as £231,000
First time buyer options
Help to buy:
Borrow 20% of a new build, 5 years interest free
Right to buy:
If you’re renting from the council, you can buy your home at a discount
Shared ownership:
FYI shared ownership isn’t about finding mates to take % stakes and live with them
Buy a %, pay rent on the rest
By more % up to 100%
Household income £80k or less (£90k London)
Help to buy isa:
Save £12,000, govt top up to £15,000 But Hurry! FYI scheme closes 30 Nov this year Still eligible as long as you open an account (£1) by closing date.
In order to receive the £3,000 top up the house price can be up to £250,000 or £450,000 if buying in London.
Lifetime ISA:
Long term, save £4000 every year, govt top up to £5000
Can be used to buy first home / used for retirement.
Strictly Money
The cha cha chat on what judges, celebs, pros get paid
It’s hard work, long hours, but the BBC rewards the effort.
The Celebs...
£25k - for signing up
£40k - to end of October
£60k - Quarter finals
£100k for the winner
Pro's...£25k per series even if they go home in episode 1
The judges:
The BBC says...
Craig Revel-Horwood: £150k - £200k per series
Bruno Tonioli: £200k - £250k per series
Reportedly...
Shirley Ballas: £250k per series
Motsi Mabuse: £150k - £200k per series
Are the pros paid fairly or should celebrities and pros be paid the same?
Disabled staff work '2 months of the year for free'
The disability pay gap is 15.5% meaning employers are discriminating against disabled employees on pay
They earn £3000 less annually than non-disabled staff
The TUC analysis found...
Disabled workers earn on average £10.63 per hour
Non-disabled workers earn on average £12.28 per hour
The TUC says the average person with a disability effectively works for FREE for...
57 days each year
People with a disability are also less likely to have a job
51.8% 81.6%
of disabled people are in work non-disabled
Being disabled should not exclude you from choosing to work. And it should not mean you’re put on a lower wage (Frances O’Grady, General Secretary TUC)
FYT TRIVIA
Olivia Newton-John’s Grease outfit fetched how much at auction?
$405,700
More than double the estimate!
The famous outfit marked Sandy’s transition when she sang You’re the One That I Want with Danny
MOTHERCARE AND MAMAS & PAPAS
More high street casualties
The two retailers are calling in administrators:
Mothercare couldn’t find a buyer for its 79 UK stores so is closing them. 2500 jobs are likely to go.
Mamas & Papas has closed six stores, and laid off 73 staff
WHAT IS AN administrator?
A licensed insolvency expert
A business appoints one when they can’t pay their debts
They take over running the business and act for those who are owed money