The historic town drowning in sewage... and why YOUR area could be next thanks to Labour's new plans
After eight months, his Buckingham home is nearly ready for him to move back into. Yet memories of the sewage that spewed through drains outside and flooded his floors last November are not so easily fixed.
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South Wales Argus
10 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
State pension error means parents could be owed thousands
In his latest update, Money Saving Expert founder Martin Lewis is highlighting a State Pension error which saw parents and carers who took time off work between 1978 and 2010 to look after children due £100,000 or more when they retire, known as Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP). The post says: "If you cared for a child or someone with a long-term disability between 1978 and 2010, you could wrongly have National Insurance gaps that reduce your State Pension. 100,000s could be affected, and while the Govt was contacting people, it isn't any longer - as highlighted by former Pensions Minister Steve Webb. Thus the onus is on you to proactively check. The impact can be huge." State Pension error! Did you take time off work (1978 to 2010) to look after children or someone with long term disability? You could be owed £10,000s Full help to check in... In brief: 100,000s wrongly have Nat Insurance gaps that reduce your State… — Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) July 23, 2025 What is Home Responsibilities Protection? Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) was given for full tax years (6 April to 5 April) between 1978 and 2010, if any of the following were true: you were claiming Child Benefit for a child under 16 you were caring for a child with your partner who claimed Child Benefit instead of you you were getting Income Support because you were caring for someone who was sick or disabled you were caring for a sick or disabled person who was claiming certain benefits National Insurance credits for parents and carers replaced HRP from 6 April 2010. Who qualified automatically for HRP? Most people got HRP automatically if they were: getting Child Benefit in their name for a child under the age of 16 and they had given the Child Benefit Office their National Insurance number getting Income Support and they did not need to register for work because they were caring for someone who was sick or disabled If your partner claimed Child Benefit instead of you, you may be able to transfer HRP from a partner you lived with if they claimed Child Benefit while you both cared for a child under 16 and they do not need the HRP. If you reached State Pension age before 6 April 2008, you cannot transfer HRP. If you became a parent before May 2000, you may have Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) missing from your National Insurance record. This could mean you're missing out on State Pension payments. Check if you can apply for HRP below. ⬇️ — HM Revenue & Customs (@HMRCgovuk) May 19, 2025 HRP for caring for a sick or disabled person If you spent at least 35 hours a week caring for someone with a long-term illness or disability between 6 April 1978 and 5 April 2002, you may also be able to claim. They must have been getting one of the following benefits: Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate for personal care Constant Attendance Allowance The benefit must have been paid for 48 weeks of each tax year on or after 6 April 1988 or every week of each tax year before 6 April 1988. If you were getting Carer's Allowance You do not need to apply for HRP if you were getting Carer's Allowance. You'll automatically get National Insurance credits and would not usually have needed HRP, but check - just to be sure. In a post on X, HMRC said: "If you became a parent before May 2000, you may have Home Responsibilities Protection (HRP) missing from your National Insurance record. This could mean you're missing out on State Pension payments." For someone with 13 missing years, who lives for another 20 years, it can be worth as much as £100,000 or more in State Pension payments. Recommended reading: If you were a foster carer or caring for a friend or family member's child You can also apply if, for a full tax year between 2003 and 2010, you were either: a foster carer caring for a friend or family member's child ('kinship carer') in Scotland All of the following must also be true: you were not getting Child Benefit you were not in paid work you did not earn enough in a tax year for it to count towards the State Pension Married women or widows You cannot get HRP for any complete tax year if you were a married woman or a widow and had chosen to pay reduced rate Class 1 National Insurance contributions as an employee (commonly known as the small stamp), or you had chosen not to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions when self-employed
BBC News
11 minutes ago
- BBC News
Bradford City of Culture baton finishes district-wide journey
A celebratory baton designed by pupils at a Bradford school is on the final day of a four-week tour of the artwork, commissioned to commemorate the City of Culture year, was created by students at Carlton Bolling and has visited each of the district's 30 electoral journey, which began in the Keighley and Ilkley area, ends in Clayton on Thursday, and has seen hundreds of pairs of hands carry the piece since the start of Boyle, head of art at the school which came up with the design, said: "It's been named the Baton of Cohesion because the whole point of the event is to try and link all the wards together with a single event during the City of Culture year." Mr Boyle said about 20 pupils had been involved with coming up with the distinctive design which ended up resembling the Olympic torch."We've made 10 all together. Of the first four there's one left that's been taped together and is making its way around."But we've made another six in the last week-and-a-half with the idea that hopefully that will get them to the end," he each ward the baton was carried by someone from the local area, with nominations coming via Bradford Council concluding in a celebratory Boyle said: "The Baton of Cohesion has given some students the opportunity to see other parts of Bradford."And I know that seems strange; why aren't they going to other parts of Bradford? "But for some students that is a challenge." Thursday's final handover at Clayton Village will be followed by a special family fun day at Odsal Stadium on Thursday, 31 will happen to the remaining batons is still Boyle said: "I know we've got one for our school. And there are six (in total)."It could be that they're distributed to different organisations in Bradford to hold on to on a permanent basis... depending on how many are left, of course."
The Guardian
17 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Rachel Roddy's rice salad with red peppers, celery, herbs and egg
A few weeks ago, when the weather turned boiling and the tarmac became soft, I made a bad rice salad. The principal reason for this was the overcooked rice, which was my fault for three reasons: I was using a brand I have never used before and didn't read the packet; I forgot to set the kitchen timer; and I ignored my instinct to tip it out (dog? Cake? Compost? Bin?) and start again. To my overcooked rice I added not-tasty tomatoes, tough minced parsley, extra-virgin olive oil, a bit too much vinegar, olives, capers and hard-boiled eggs; I also added an expensive tin of tuna, which did a brilliant job of making the whole thing taste better, although still not good. Everyone agreed that it was a depressing dinner, then we went out for ice-cream. The good thing about making a bad rice salad is the need to redeem and reassure myself that I am capable of making not only a good one, but a great one, though I do appreciate that today's first paragraph might make you doubt this. A good rice salad begins with well-cooked long-grain rice and involves a good balance of four vegetable elements: raw (tomatoes, red pepper, cucumber, celery, say), cooked (beans, courgettes, peas, sweetcorn), vegetables preserved in oil (peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, aubergine), and pickled or salted vegetables (dill pickles, olives, capers, caper berries). There should also be some form of protein, whether that's tuna, cheese, tofu, salami or wurstel; possibly involve (tender) herbs; be dressed with oil and a little vinegar; and always be finished with egg (slices, wedges or chopped – you decide). Just as important as the balance of ingredients is the balance of temperatures. Many people like their rice salad fridge-cold – in fact, another name for insalata di riso in Italy is riso freddo (cold rice). I prefer the rice, cooked vegetables and tomatoes to be at room temperature, and the raw and picked vegetable elements to be fridge-cold. Celery and dill pickles are particularly good chilled additions when added just before serving, then the room-temperature hard-boiled eggs can be arranged on top. A note about the herbs: I think the clean, slightly black pepper taste of parsley is great here (although taste if it has been sitting in the fridge for a while), along with a few aniseed fronds of dill, plus fresh marjoram, with its gentle pine taste and sweetness. My mother-in-law believes that a transparent bowl (plastic or glass) plays a key role in the flavour of rice salad, and I think I agree. Of course, the most important advice for rice salad is to make it in exactly the way you like it, and serve it at a temperature you like, and to ensure that there is plenty of ice-cream (cold but at scooping temperature) for afters. Serves 4 Salt and black pepper 300g long-grain rice Extra-virgin olive oil Finely grated zest of 1 lemonRed-wine or sherry vinegar (optional)1 very big handful minced herbs (parsley, marjoram, chives, mint, dill)1 350g jar preserved red peppers, drained and chopped into bits300g cooked green beans, chopped into short lengths145g (1 tin) tuna in olive oil (optional)2 celery sticks, strings pulled away and discarded, flesh finely diced A few dill pickles, diced 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges or finely chopped Bring a large pan of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the rice, cook for 10 minutes, then drain into a sieve, shake well and leave to cool for 15 minutes. In a large bowl, mix six tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, the lemon zest, a dash of vinegar and the minced herbs. Add the rice, toss gently so that all the grains are coated, then add the peppers, beans, tuna, if using, and mix again to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The salad can now sit until you are ready to eat, in or out of the fridge – you decide. Just before serving, add the celery and dill pickles, toss again, and top with the hard-boiled egg. Zigzag with little more olive oil and serve.
