Guernsey Electric price increases will 'overhwhelm poorest'
It comes after GEL rates increased by 13% in 2023 and by 10% in 2024.Ms Martin developed a rare blood cancer in 2023, which meant she had to stop work and undergo months of intensive chemotherapy treatment in Southampton. She said when she first heard electricity prices were set to increase she felt "really overwhelmed and scared". "I am already in debt with the electric because of being in hospital and having no family to help with that - its really overwhelming," she said. She now fears being unable to afford day-to-day living costs, and says she is left with £40 a month after paying for her electricity. She said: "There are a lot of people out there that are in a similar situation unable to work."It's not only the physical side of things but the mental aspect as well, because you worry - where will I get the extra money from?"GEL CEO Alan Bates said the increases are needed to ensure the company remains operational. "It's not about creating anything new for the future, this is just really keeping us where we are today so we don't see more power cuts or faults in the road," he told BBC Radio Guernsey.
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Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Hundreds of pupils left 'with nowhere to study' after historic £23k-a-year private school shuts - blaming Labour's VAT raid
A historic independent school has suddenly shut down, blaming economic pressures caused by Labour's introduction of VAT on school fees. Our Lady's Abingdon in Oxfordshire announced its closure with immediate effect on Monday - leaving hundreds of pupils without school places for September. Governors said Chancellor Rachel Reeves 's 20 per cent levy, as well as increases in employer national insurance contributions were the final nails in the coffin for the 160-year-old institution. The Catholic school for boys and girls aged seven to 18 had suffered a sharp drop in pupil numbers in recent months - with families priced out by the rising fees. Our Lady's Abingdon said it had been exploring a number of options to keep the school open but that talks 'broke down' last week, leaving no 'viable path forward'. Frantic parents now have less than a month to find school places for their children for next academic year. A statement on the Our Lady's Abingdon website read: 'Extensive talks took place with other schools and organisations, with the hope of securing a merger or acquisition. 'Until very recently, there was genuine optimism that a solution could be found. Sadly, those talks broke down last week, leaving no viable path forward. 'A range of economic pressures has led to this outcome, mainly the introduction of VAT on school fees, higher National Insurance contributions, the ending of business rates relief for independent schools, and rising operational costs. 'Despite every effort to limit fee increases, affordability has become a growing concern for an increasing number of families. 'This has led to a sharp decline in pupil numbers in recent months, threatening the school's short and long-term viability.' Around 360 pupils attended Our Lady's Abingdon when it closed on Monday, despite it having capacity for 540. Typical fees had reached up to £23,040 per year. Yasmine Currie, a parent who sent her 14-year-old son to the school, told the Oxford Mail: 'Parents have been told at the same time this has gone out on social media. 'It's a small school and my son loved it there – he had a lovely group of friends – now I have to tell him when he gets back from camp he has no school to go to.' Another added: 'It's going to be very difficult now to contact the local education authority during the summer break.' They said they felt like families had been left 'high and dry' and questioned why the school couldn't stay open for another term. The closure of Our Lady's Abingdon comes after the prestigious Mount St Mary's College in Spinkhill, Derbyshire, also shut with immediate effect in July. The Jesuit day and boarding school, which charged up to £21,420 a year for pupils in Years 9 to 13, had served the community for nearly 200 years. Chair of governors, Shaun Whyman, said they had taken the decision with 'profound sadness and a heavy heart' after exhausting all possible alternatives to save the school. Mount St Mary's, whose headmaster is Jack Murphy, said the impact of VAT on fees and the removal of business rates relief had hit it hard. A statement on the school's website read: 'It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the immediate closure of Mount St Mary's College and Barlborough Hall School with effect from today, 30th July 2025. 'This decision has not been made lightly, and we understand the shock and distress this news will undoubtedly bring to our entire school community. 'Mount St Mary's College and Barlborough Hall have been cornerstones of our community for nearly 200 years, providing a nurturing and faith-filled environment for generations of children. 'Since 2004, when the schools became an independent charitable trust governed by a dedicated board of trustees, we have sought to uphold the values of Jesuit education and provide an environment in which young people can grow, reflect, and flourish. 'From 2015 onwards, the schools have faced increasing financial pressures, in line with the wider challenges affecting the independent education sector in the UK, including the addition of VAT on school fees and the removal of business rates relief for independent schools. 'Despite the extraordinary efforts of staff, parents, and supporters, the schools have been unable to reach a sustainable financial position.' It went on to say: 'Since early 2025, governors and senior leadership have worked tirelessly to prevent the closure of the schools, seeking an alternative future to ensure continuity for pupils and staff. 'They engaged in complex negotiations to explore different financial models and to find a new owner who would respect the schools' ethos and build on their achievements. 'Initially, several educational organisations expressed interest, and one potential partner remained in detailed negotiations until the last few days. 'However, despite these efforts, no viable option emerged. As of the end of July, the level of debt and lack of a realistic path to financial viability mean we have no alternative but to proceed into Administration. 'We know this will be met with sadness, disappointment, and even anger by those who love these schools. 'We share that sorrow and are committed to being as open and supportive as possible in the weeks ahead. The Administrators have assured us that all options available for the future will be considered. 'Our priority now, as we process this news, is the wellbeing of our pupils, their families, and our staff. 'There will be immediate challenges as the schools enter formal insolvency procedures, during which the appointed professionals will manage the next steps. Regrettably, all ongoing activities, including the Holiday Club, will end with immediate effect.'
The Independent
41 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why part-time job may not be enough for university students to meet basic standard of living
University students in England must undertake more than 20 hours of paid work a week to meet the basic standard of living, a new report has suggested. The pressures of part-time work are 'squeezing out' the other elements of a university experience such as studying, sports, societies and socialising, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) think tank. University sector leaders have suggested that cost-of-living pressures are affecting young people's choices – with more opting to stay living at home for university and more taking on part-time work alongside their studies. Hepi has called for maintenance support to be increased so that all students can reach a 'minimum socially acceptable standard of living'. The findings come as students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their A-level and Level 3 BTec results on Thursday, with many finding out if they have secured a university place. A report from Hepi, TechnologyOne and the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) at Loughborough University has suggested how much first-year students need for a 'minimum socially acceptable standard of living' that covers the basics and full participation in university life. It estimated a student in England will need around £61,000 over the course of a three-year degree, or around £77,000 if studying in London, to reach a minimum socially acceptable standard of living – all excluding tuition fees. For students in England, the maximum annual maintenance loan (up to £10,544), which is available only to people from low-income households, covers just half the costs faced by first-year students, the report said. It also found that even with the highest levels of maintenance support, students in England must work more than 20 hours per week to meet a basic standard of living. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said the government is 'looking at all of the options' for how to support university students facing costs. When asked about the cost-of-living pressures facing university students, Ms Phillipson said the government recognises that there is 'still more to do' to tackle some of the disparities that young people experience. She said: 'I do want all students to be able to get the full benefits of their time at university, to be able to take up internships, study trips (and) other work experience opportunities. 'I don't want students from less well-off backgrounds to be deterred from doing that because of having to take on more hours of paid work.' Last year, the government announced that undergraduate tuition fees in England, which have been frozen at £9,250 since 2017, will rise to £9,535 for the 2025-26 academic year. It also announced that maintenance loans will increase in line with inflation in the 2025-26 academic year to help students with their living costs. The latest report from Hepi has suggested students might be expected to undertake some part-time work, such as 10 hours of paid employment a week, but the remainder should be covered by maintenance support. It has also called for maintenance support to be 'pegged to inflation' and for the household income thresholds to be increased so parents do not need to contribute to their child's living costs until they have enough money to meet a basic standard of living for themselves. Nick Hillman, director of Hepi, said: 'Maintenance support is currently woefully inadequate, leading students to live in substandard ways, to take on a dangerous number of hours of paid employment on top of their full-time studies or to take out commercial debts at high interest rates. 'We hope our results will lead to deeper conversations about the insufficiency of the current maintenance support packages, how much the imputed parental contribution should be and whether it is unreasonable to expect most full-time students to have to find lots of paid work even during term time.' Josh Freeman, one of the authors of the report, said: 'These findings demonstrate three serious risks to UK higher education: access to higher education becomes more unequal, the quality of the student experience suffers and the sustainability of the sector is put at risk. 'The harm students currently face cannot be overstated. 'Too many students are struggling to cover their basic costs, let alone participate fully in higher education. 'It is not only good policy: there is a moral imperative to give students a fair chance of succeeding and thriving in higher education.' A spokesperson for Universities UK said: 'Going to university is an investment in your future, and no-one should have their experience of higher education limited due to financial pressures. 'Universities already offer scholarships, bursaries and hardship support for students who are struggling, but this research shows that the maintenance package just doesn't go far enough. 'This is why we are calling on the government to increase maintenance support offered to students to better track inflation and living costs, so that everyone with the potential to succeed can do so, whatever their background.'
The Independent
41 minutes ago
- The Independent
Surge in shoplifting and abuse at pharmacies, survey finds
Almost nine in 10 pharmacies have experienced shoplifting, along with an uptick in aggressive behaviour from the public in the last year, according to a survey. Experts warned that the theft of medications like strong painkillers or drugs that slow down the way the body and brain function 'could have serious consequences for someone's health'. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) poll of 476 pharmacies in England found 88% have experienced a surge in shoplifting incidents in the last year. Some 87% also reported an increase in aggressive or intimidating behaviour towards pharmacy teams, while 22% said they had witnessed physical assaults on staff. Of those who reported these instances to police, almost three-quarters (73%) said they felt the response was insufficient. The NPA, which represents more than 6,000 independent community pharmacies, described the findings as 'unacceptable'. NPA chief executive Henry Gregg said: 'These are appalling findings and show that pharmacies are seeing a significant increase in shoplifting and other criminal behaviour. 'It is particularly concerning to hear of reports of physical assaults as well as threats towards pharmacy staff, which is totally unacceptable.' Sanjeev Panesar, a pharmacy owner in Birmingham, said there has been a 'noticeable rise' in petty theft across his sites in the past 12 to 18 months, with some people even opening filling bags with stock and walking out. He also said his staff 'can endure verbal abuse or physical intimidation, neither of which should be part of their role'. 'These are healthcare professionals, here to serve their communities and care for patients,' Mr Panesar added. 'Facing such hostility is not only disheartening but has a lasting effect on job satisfaction, morale, and feelings of safety at work.' In the past, Mr Panesar has brought in security guards and even chased offenders himself on a number of occasions. He said: 'It's incredibly frustrating to see our teams deal with this reality, despite all the preventative measures we've implemented. 'Instead of focusing on protecting our premises from theft, we should be spending our time and energy developing innovative services, supporting patient care and improving community health.' Mr Gregg added: 'Due to their accessible nature, pharmacy teams can often be more exposed to abuse and threats than their primary care colleagues. 'Although pharmacies are taking their own steps to protect their staff and premises, the police should do much more to tackle crimes like shoplifting, which is becoming increasingly commonplace. 'Theft of medication from a pharmacy, such as strong pain relief or benzodiazepines, could have serious consequences for someone's health. 'We need to do more to tackle shoplifting as well as offering pharmacies similar support to other NHS colleagues in primary care to protect their staff and their premises.' Government spokesperson said: 'The rise in shop theft across the country in recent years is unacceptable. 'This Government is removing the effective immunity that currently applies to thefts involving goods valued under £200, and this summer, more than 500 town centres are receiving additional neighbourhood patrols to strengthen action against shop theft and related offences. 'We have a zero-tolerance approach to violence or harassment directed at NHS staff and community pharmacists. Which is why we are bringing in laws to protect shop workers from violence and accepted the Social Partnership Forum's recommendations to tackle and reduce violence against NHS staff.'
