Latest news with #JonathanDavies
Wales Online
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales rugby star Jonathan Davies climbs Everest as he ticks off 'bucket list' adventure
Wales rugby star Jonathan Davies climbs Everest as he ticks off 'bucket list' adventure The former Scarlets, Wales and Lions star has posted the stunning photos on social media Wales rugby star Jonathan Davies has climbed to Everest Base Camp (Image: Instagram/Jonfoxdavies ) Former Wales and British & Irish Lions centre Jonathan Davies has embarked on a trek to Everest Base Camp, marking a new chapter in his post-rugby life. The 36-year-old, affectionately known as "Foxy," is undertaking the challenging journey through the Himalayas with adventure company EverTrek. Davies announced his retirement from professional rugby in October 2024, concluding an illustrious 18-year career that included 96 caps for Wales, two Grand Slam titles and six Tests with the Lions. Since retiring, the ex-Scarlets star has been preparing for this high-altitude adventure, sharing updates on his training and experiences, alongside a burgeoning broadcasting career which has seen him become a regular on the new-look Scrum V show. In a recent LinkedIn post, Davies expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "Loving every minute of my trip to Nepal so far". Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Earlier this year, he shared his anticipation for the adventure, saying: "Looking forward to challenging myself again…. a different physical test. I'll be embarking on a journey to Everest Base Camp this year. "It as a challenging trek and one that I've had on the bucket list for a long time." A post from the EverTrek social media account on Wednesday confirmed that Davies, along with his travelling cohort, had reached Base Camp, stating: "Awesome news coming in that Yeti Rhys, Foxy and the rest of the EverTrekker team have reached Everest Base Camp! "Huge congrats to everyone! What an awesome achievement! Safe journey back down guys." Content cannot be displayed without consent Base Camp is located at an altitude of approximately 5,364 meters (17,598 feet) above sea level on the south (Nepalese) side of Mount Everest. A standard round-trip trek to Base Camp typically takes anywhere between eight to 12 days and is around 130km (81 miles) in distance. Article continues below Despite the altitude, the trek is non-technical, meaning no mountaineering experience is required, but it does demand good fitness and preparation due to its physical demands.
Wales Online
16-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
DWP update as almost half a million State Pensioners receive payment boost
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info State Pensioners over a certain age have seen a modest increase in their payments, with the UK Government confirming in Parliament the additional 25p weekly sum awarded to those on the basic State Pension when they reach 80. Those born in 1944 or earlier, as well as individuals who have turned 80 this year and are on the basic State Pension, are entitled to this slight boost. The extra payment for people in their 80s was first introduced in 1971. At that time, the State Pension stood at £6 per week, making the 25p rise a notable 4% increase. In today's terms, it amounts to an annual uplift of just £13. Despite the passage of time, ministers have not raised the additional payment since its inception, akin to the static £10 Christmas Bonus that pensioners receive during the holiday season, which has also remained unchanged since 1971. Labour MP Jonathan Davies questioned the total administrative cost of the 25p increase and whether it surpasses the amount actually given to beneficiaries. Pensions minister Torsten Bell assured that the 25p age addition is "simple to administer", stating: "Payments are made automatically as part of the person's ongoing State Pension entitlement. The administration costs are therefore negligible," reports Kent Live. However, the minister acknowledged that some expenses are incurred by the DWP in informing individuals approaching their 80th birthday about the modest pay increase. Mr Bell said: "In 2024, 474,239 letters were issued to inform people that they were now entitled to the age addition, costing £278,030 in printing and postage. "In 2024/2025, the annual cost of the 25p age addition to the State Pension for those eligible 80+ is estimated to be £50.8million. Administrative costs therefore do not exceed the total amount paid." A research briefing issued by Parliament in 2013 about the extra 25p explained the thinking behind the policy: "Pensioners aged 80 and over receive an addition of 25 pence to their State Pension. The age addition was introduced in 1971, in recognition of 'the special claims of very elderly people who on the whole need help rather more than others'. "It has never been uprated, with successive Governments either arguing that greater priority should be given to protecting the level of the basic benefits, or choosing to target additional resources at older pensioners by other means, for example, through means-tested benefits or lump sum payments, such as the Winter Fuel Payment." State pensioners received a 4.1% increase to their payments from April in line with the triple lock. This increased the full basic state pension from £169.50 a week to £176.45 a week. To receive the full basic State Pension, you generally need 30 years of National Insurance contributions. The full new State Pension now stands at £230.25 a week, up from £221.20 a week since April. You can find out your projected State Pension amount using the State Pension forecast tool on the Government's website. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Find out what's happening near you
North Wales Live
16-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
DWP update as almost half a million State Pensioners receive payment boost
State Pensioners over a certain age have seen a modest increase in their payments, with the UK Government confirming in Parliament the additional 25p weekly sum awarded to those on the basic State Pension when they reach 80. Those born in 1944 or earlier, as well as individuals who have turned 80 this year and are on the basic State Pension, are entitled to this slight boost. The extra payment for people in their 80s was first introduced in 1971. At that time, the State Pension stood at £6 per week, making the 25p rise a notable 4% increase. In today's terms, it amounts to an annual uplift of just £13. Despite the passage of time, ministers have not raised the additional payment since its inception, akin to the static £10 Christmas Bonus that pensioners receive during the holiday season, which has also remained unchanged since 1971. Labour MP Jonathan Davies questioned the total administrative cost of the 25p increase and whether it surpasses the amount actually given to beneficiaries. Pensions minister Torsten Bell assured that the 25p age addition is "simple to administer", stating: "Payments are made automatically as part of the person's ongoing State Pension entitlement. The administration costs are therefore negligible," reports Kent Live. However, the minister acknowledged that some expenses are incurred by the DWP in informing individuals approaching their 80th birthday about the modest pay increase. Mr Bell said: "In 2024, 474,239 letters were issued to inform people that they were now entitled to the age addition, costing £278,030 in printing and postage. "In 2024/2025, the annual cost of the 25p age addition to the State Pension for those eligible 80+ is estimated to be £50.8million. Administrative costs therefore do not exceed the total amount paid." A research briefing issued by Parliament in 2013 about the extra 25p explained the thinking behind the policy: "Pensioners aged 80 and over receive an addition of 25 pence to their State Pension. The age addition was introduced in 1971, in recognition of 'the special claims of very elderly people who on the whole need help rather more than others'. "It has never been uprated, with successive Governments either arguing that greater priority should be given to protecting the level of the basic benefits, or choosing to target additional resources at older pensioners by other means, for example, through means-tested benefits or lump sum payments, such as the Winter Fuel Payment." State pensioners received a 4.1% increase to their payments from April in line with the triple lock. This increased the full basic state pension from £169.50 a week to £176.45 a week. To receive the full basic State Pension, you generally need 30 years of National Insurance contributions. The full new State Pension now stands at £230.25 a week, up from £221.20 a week since April. You can find out your projected State Pension amount using the State Pension forecast tool on the Government's website.
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
New DWP plans to help people with long Covid find and stay in a job
The Labour Government aims to help more people with long-term health conditions into work to achieve its 80% employment target. Reasons your Universal Credit may be cut by DWP Minister for Employment Alison McGovern has shared details on new plans to help long-term health conditions including long Covid back into work. The UK Government's 'Get Britain Working White Paper', published in November last year, sets out the biggest reforms by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to employment support for a generation and achieve an 80 per cent employment rate. In a written response to Labour MP Jonathan Davies, the Employment Minister explained how DWP's 'ambitions are to reverse the trend of inactivity, and to raise both productivity and living standards whilst improving the quality of work'. She added that the UK Government is 'committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with long covid' and have a 'range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work' The DWP Minister's comments came after the mid-Derbyshire MP asked what steps are being taken to help people with long covid into work. Ms McGovern said: 'Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. 'Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key. 'The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with long covid, and have a range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems.' Measures include joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants. The DWP Minister added: 'The Government also announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1billion of new funding.' However, she added that employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. She explained: 'The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. 'To build on this, the Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate is facilitating 'Keep Britain Working', an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.' Online consultation The DWP has published the 'Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working' consultation online at The consultation is seeking views on the approaches the UK Government should consider around reform of the health and disability benefits system and employment support. The consultation on states: 'This Green Paper is an important staging post on a journey of reform, building on the vision and approach set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper in November 2024. It sets out our vision, strategy and proposals for change.' It continues: 'We want to improve and refine our plans by consulting on certain measures as described within this paper. We are committed to putting the views and voices of disabled people and people with health conditions at the heart of everything we do.' Who can complete the consultation? The DWP is encouraging a 'wide group' of people to share their views 'in particular disabled people and people with health conditions and disability organisations'. This consultation applies to England, Wales and Scotland. All the proposals apply in England, but it's important to be aware that the proposals will only apply to the UK Government's areas of responsibility in England, Wales and Scotland. DWP will also be running a number of 'accessible virtual and face to face events' on the consultation. More information on the details of these events and on how to register can be found on here. To complete the consultation, scroll to the bottom of the page here where it says 'Ways to respond'. The consultation will close on June 30, 2025. Summary of proposed benefits changes Universal Credit The latest statistics show there were 7.57 million people on Universal Credit, a means-tested incapacity benefit, in Great Britain as of February. It is aimed at helping people on a low income or those who are out of work. The UKGovernment said it will introduce an above-inflation rise to the standard Universal Credit allowance by 2029/30 - adding £775 in cash terms annually. But the health element allowance will be almost halved for new claimants from April next year while those already claiming will have their amount frozen until 2029/2030. The Work Capability Assessment (WCA) is to be scrapped in 2028, having been described by Liz Kendall as 'complex, time consuming and often stressful for claimants'. The UK Government said it will legislate for a so-called 'right to try', which will allow people to try work without the fear their benefits will automatically be put at risk. The Government said it will consult on delaying access to the Universal Credit health element until someone is aged 22. The latest figures showed there were 109,436 people aged 16 to 21 on Universal Credit health in December 2024. PIP Nearly 3.7 million claimants in England and Wales were entitled to PIP as of the end of January, the latest figures showed - up 71 per cent on the equivalent figure five years earlier when it stood at 2.14 million. The payment is aimed at helping with some of the extra costs caused by long-term disability and ill health and is not dependent on whether someone is working or not. Some people will lose their PIP entitlement, the UK Government said, as the process to qualify is tightened in an effort to focus the disability benefit on 'those with higher needs'. The UK Government said it will bring in a new eligibility requirement for a minimum score of at least four points regarding how much help the person needs with everyday tasks on the daily living element of the benefit. No change is being proposed for the mobility element, which looks at how much help someone needs in getting around. The UK Government confirmed the change 'means that people who only score the lowest points on each of the PIP daily living activities will lose their entitlement in future'. The UK Government also committed to not putting Universal Credit claimants who have the most severe disabilities and health conditions that will never improve through the ordeal of being reassessed for benefits 'to give them the confidence and dignity they deserve'. However the UK Government said it plans to increase the number of face-to-face assessments in PIP and under the current Work Capability Assessment in a bid to 'give confidence to claimants and taxpayers that they're being done properly'. The UK Government said it will also consult on raising the age at which people can claim PIP from 16 to 18.
Wales Online
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales' Japan tour squad just became clearer as uncomfortable truth now stark
Wales' Japan tour squad just became clearer as uncomfortable truth now stark Wales can't afford to go anything other than full-strength this summer Wales head coach Matt Sherratt (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) In normal circumstances a Wales tour which coincides with the British & Irish Lions travelling to the Southern Hemisphere provides the perfect opportunity to blood players. In 2009 Wales took on Canada and the USA where the likes of Jonathan Davies, Dan Lydiate and Sam Warburton, among others, began their international careers. Wales followed a similar trend in Japan in 2013 along with the tour of Samoa and Tonga in 2017. All three tours coincided with the Lions, presenting ample opportunity to assess depth and start introducing players who may have big roles to play at the Rugby World Cup in a couple of years' time, but this time it is different. Wales head to Japan on the back of a second consecutive Six Nations wooden spoon, while they have also lost a record 17 Test matches on the trot. As a result there is no injustice whatsoever in Andy Farrell selecting just the two Welshmen - Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams - to tour Australia with the Lions. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. But whereas at this stage in a World Cup cycle Wales would look to build depth, the priority against Eddie Jones' Japan this summer is to win both Tests. Article continues below Wales' wretched run of form has weakened the Welsh Rugby Union brand and while the word nadir has lost its effect given how often it has been used to describe Wales' struggles in recent times, they would spiral to new depths were they to slip to defeat in Japan. The WRU are expected to continue with Matt Sherratt as interim head coach this summer and expect the Cardiff boss to select as strong a squad as possible, with a handful of inexperienced players brought along for experience. Dewi Lake and Taulupe Faletau are two players who should be desperate to tour Japan with Wales because if the Lions were to pick up injuries in Australia both players would surely be considered as replacements. Another thing to consider is Wales are ranked 12th in the world rankings, one place ahead of Japan, meaning a defeat in the Land of the Rising Sun could have serious repercussions when the World Cup draw is made. Wales desperately need to break this cycle of failure and it has to start in Japan this summer. The likes of Ospreys backrower Morgan Morse, Scarlets centre/wing Macs Page and perhaps Ospreys second-row James Fender should be taken as part of the wider squad. There is also a strong argument Wales should move to select England U20s' World Cup winning backrower Kane James - if he is willing - because the rising Exeter Chiefs star is a player with an extremely high ceiling who the WRU need to try to prize away from the Rugby Football Union. But on the whole the strongest possible team needs to start the Tests. This should also mean a return for Bath's Archie Griffin who is perhaps the most complete tighthead available to Wales. Experienced second-row Adam Beard should also return to the boilerhouse alongside Dafydd Jenkins, with in-form Cardiff second-row Teddy Williams, Racing 92 lock Will Rowlands and the Ospreys' Rhys Davies also options. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free In the backrow Wales need Faletau, while Taine Plumtree, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright and James Botham should be too much for Japan to handle with Alex Mann also a contender to tour. Kieran Hardy needs to be recalled after getting left out of the previous two squads and should start both Tests if fit because he has been outstanding for the Ospreys over the past few months. It will be interesting to see what Wales do at number 10. Do they opt for a 34-year-old Gareth Anscombe whose experience would be invaluable in developing the next cohort of fly-halves? Dan Edwards has been the form outside-half in Wales while Sam Costelow has only recently returned from injury and Jarrod Evans received a well-deserved recall during the Six Nations. Wales needs a young outside-half to grab the jersey by the scruff of the neck and make it his. What better time for either Edwards or Costelow to do it than in Japan this summer? The likes of Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Joe Roberts, Eddie James and Owen Watkin are very likely selections but the talented Page could offer something a bit different, while he can also be employed on the wing. Article continues below In the back-three Blair Murray, Ellis Mee, Tom Rogers and Josh Adams should continue but it will be interesting to see whether Sherratt rewards the dual-qualified Gabriel Hamer-Webb for his outstanding form for Cardiff in recent weeks. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. One player who most certainly should be rewarded is Cam Winnett, who missed out on the Six Nations squad but has been consistently excellent for Cardiff this season, with Jacob Beetham another option. While a handful of selections should be done with a view ahead to the World Cup the reality is Wales must select the strongest available squad and are no longer in a position where they can select a second-string side and expect to win, even against tier-two nations.
