Latest news with #LizSmith
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Irish Sun
I made my own privacy fence using our old Ikea doors & £30 ‘forest scene' Temu wallpaper that's been slashed to just £8
A DIY fan has given her garden the ultimate makeover thanks to her new privacy fence. Liz Smith took to social media to share the new addition to her Advertisement 2 Liz Smith showed off he new privacy fence Credit: Facebook/@gardenmakeoverideasonabudget 2 She used old Ikea doors and a cheap Temu buy to update her garden Credit: Facebook/@gardenmakeoverideasonabudget Sharing an image of the garden, Liz had put up a black But instead of forking out for pricey wood, she decided to upcycle old items she had lying about in her house. The DIY whizz revealed she had some old Ikea folding doors knocking about, so she decided to use them instead. Liz said: "Used old IKEA doors and sticky back plastic murals from Temu for the frieze to make a focal point" Advertisement READ MORE GARDEN MAKEOVERS The black doors were sealed shut and Liz then added the stick-on murals to each door. The cheap and effective decoration is currently on sale at Temu for £8 instead of £30. She revealed she used screws to fix the doors to the top and bottom of the brick wall to keep them upright. The gardening pro also pointed out that her plants were still growing despite the doors blocking the light out. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Exclusive "Plants still growing so the lighting will soften on the house," she said. To finish the garden makeover, she added plenty of twinkling fairy lights around the border of the doors and along the wall of the house. I made a DIY fence for £68 with pallets from Facebook Marketplace - it gives more privacy & people say it's 'fantastic' The post was shared on the Facebook group, , and people were in awe of her DIY skills. One person wrote: "Stunning, love it. What a great original idea to do that with the doors!" Advertisement Another commented: 'It's lovely I love the lights." "Beautiful," penned a third. Rules on fences and trees Fences: Height Restrictions: In most areas, fences in front gardens should not exceed one metre in height without planning permission. For rear gardens, the limit is generally two metres. Shared Fences: If a fence is shared with a neighbour, both parties are typically responsible for its maintenance and any costs associated with repairs or replacement. Building Regulations: Ensure that any new fence complies with local building regulations and does not obstruct visibility for drivers or pedestrians. Trees: Ownership: Trees located on your property are your responsibility, including any damage they may cause. Conversely, trees on a neighbour's property are their responsibility. Overhanging Branches: You are entitled to trim branches that overhang into your property, but only up to the boundary line. The cut branches should be offered back to the tree owner. Protected Trees: Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Check with your local council before undertaking any work on a tree, as unauthorised work can result in fines. Roots: If tree roots from a neighbour's tree cause damage to your property, you have the right to remove the roots. However, it is advisable to discuss this with your neighbour first to avoid disputes. Always consult your local council or a legal adviser for specific regulations and advice. Meanwhile a fourth said: "Love it and you are recycling too!" "Looks fantastic,' claimed a fifth. Advertisement Someone else added: 'This is gorgeous."
The Sun
4 days ago
- General
- The Sun
I made my own privacy fence using our old Ikea doors & £30 ‘forest scene' Temu wallpaper that's been slashed to just £8
A DIY fan has given her garden the ultimate makeover thanks to her new privacy fence. Liz Smith took to social media to share the new addition to her backyard and how she did it on a budget. 2 2 Sharing an image of the garden, Liz had put up a black privacy 'fence' and decorated it with a woodland-themed mural. But instead of forking out for pricey wood, she decided to upcycle old items she had lying about in her house. The DIY whizz revealed she had some old Ikea folding doors knocking about, so she decided to use them instead. Liz said: "Used old IKEA doors and sticky back plastic murals from Temu for the frieze to make a focal point" The black doors were sealed shut and Liz then added the stick-on murals to each door. The cheap and effective decoration is currently on sale at Temu for £8 instead of £30. She revealed she used screws to fix the doors to the top and bottom of the brick wall to keep them upright. The gardening pro also pointed out that her plants were still growing despite the doors blocking the light out. "Plants still growing so the lighting will soften on the house," she said. To finish the garden makeover, she added plenty of twinkling fairy lights around the border of the doors and along the wall of the house. I made a DIY fence for £68 with pallets from Facebook Marketplace - it gives more privacy & people say it's 'fantastic' The post was shared on the Facebook group, Garden Makeover Ideas On A Budget, and people were in awe of her DIY skills. One person wrote: "Stunning, love it. What a great original idea to do that with the doors!" Another commented: 'It's lovely I love the lights." "Beautiful," penned a third. Rules on fences and trees Fences: Height Restrictions: In most areas, fences in front gardens should not exceed one metre in height without planning permission. For rear gardens, the limit is generally two metres. Shared Fences: If a fence is shared with a neighbour, both parties are typically responsible for its maintenance and any costs associated with repairs or replacement. Building Regulations: Ensure that any new fence complies with local building regulations and does not obstruct visibility for drivers or pedestrians. Trees: Ownership: Trees located on your property are your responsibility, including any damage they may cause. Conversely, trees on a neighbour's property are their responsibility. Overhanging Branches: You are entitled to trim branches that overhang into your property, but only up to the boundary line. The cut branches should be offered back to the tree owner. Protected Trees: Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Check with your local council before undertaking any work on a tree, as unauthorised work can result in fines. Roots: If tree roots from a neighbour's tree cause damage to your property, you have the right to remove the roots. However, it is advisable to discuss this with your neighbour first to avoid disputes. Always consult your local council or a legal adviser for specific regulations and advice. "Looks fantastic,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: 'This is gorgeous."
Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of Scots on benefits could get almost £30 extra a week
The idea was blasted by the Scottish Tories BANK BOOST Thousands of Scots on benefits could get almost £30 extra a week – find out more ADULTS on benefits in Scotland could get a top-up of at least £29 a week under a £2 billion-a-year plan from experts commissioned by SNP ministers. The proposals have been floated by the Scottish Government's Minimum Income Guarantee Expert Group - set up to explore the idea of handing every adult a basic amount of money regardless of income. Advertisement 1 Thousands of Scots on benefits could pocket almost £30 extra a week Credit: Getty And in papers published today, John Swinney was also told it would cost almost £7billion to 'eliminate child poverty' altogether through mass benefits handouts. But the idea was blasted by the Scottish Tories who said the plans were 'simply unaffordable'. Social security spokeswoman Liz Smith added: 'These eye-watering, additional costs on the benefits bill are simply unaffordable. 'Economic forecasters have already exposed the big black hole in the SNP Scottish Government's welfare budget given the existing circumstances never mind additional pressures.' Advertisement Experts floated the Scottish Adult Payment as a way to get closer to a minimum income guarantee in the short term. It suggests single adults over 25 could receive £29 a week, those under 25 £48 a week, and couples over 25 £57 a week, or £87 if one person in the couple is under 25. Together with the Scottish Child Payment at its current rate for those with children, taxpayers would be forced to fork out £1.957billion to meet the cost of the plan. Ministers were told the plans could lift 170,000 Scots out of relative poverty. Advertisement But costs could spiral further after the group's February meeting minutes show it agreed to call for the Scottish Child Payment to be doubled from to £55 a week. And a reformed, higher, Scottish Child Payment linked to earnings which would cost £3.2billion to taxpayers, but is not within Holyrood's powers. Martin Lewis issues urgent warning to hundreds of thousands of pensioners missing out on 'superpower' benefit worth £3,900 a year Experts said the planned Scottish Adult Payment 'would discourage work' and require major cuts or tax hikes. David Phillips, associate director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, said income tax would have to be raised by 3.4 percentage points across the board to meet the cost. Advertisement He said: 'The main thing about all these proposals is their significant costs. The options cost £2 billion or £3 billion, even assuming no behavioural response. 'That would require significant cuts to public service spending or increases to taxation.' In a separate document, ministers were told they could eliminate relative child poverty altogether by handing out billions to lower-income Scots so they met minimum living standards. Those with three or more children would be best off according to an official Scottish Government document, which estimates families would receive an average of £15,900 per year. Advertisement And the plans would essentially eliminate child poverty, reducing it by 18 percentage points to leave just a handful of Scots suffering from a lack of cash. The document said: 'Moving all households up to 100 per cent of the Minimum Income Standard from their current levels of income, including unclaimed benefit entitlements, would reduce relative child poverty by an estimated 13 percentage points at a cost of £6.9bn in 2024-25. 'This would effectively amount to eliminating relative child poverty, albeit starting from a position of full take up of benefits. 'Overall relative poverty would reduce by 12 percentage points with a small minority of households remaining in poverty.' Advertisement In 2020 at the height of the Covid pandemic, Nicola Sturgeon said she believed lockdown 'strengthens the case' for a minimum income. She said: 'I have long been interested in the concept but the current situation strengthens the case for it immeasurably. 'It would need the UK Government's cooperation but hopefully we can have a serious discussion.' The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
Telegraph
09-04-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
SNP's ‘reckless spending' blamed for £2bn benefits black hole
The SNP Government has been accused of creating a welfare black hole that could reach more than £2 billion by 2030 because of 'reckless spending'. The Scottish Conservatives said the SNP's budget for benefits 'far outstrips' the money it receives from the UK Government for welfare spending. They highlighted calculations by the independent Fraser of Allander Institute showing how Scotland's block grant will reduce in the coming years because of cuts announced by the UK Labour government in its Spring Statement. Analysis shows that, due to these changes, the black hole in Scotland's welfare budget by the end of the decade will jump from £1.7 billion to £2.1 billion. Liz Smith, the Scottish Tories' shadow social security secretary, described the black hole as 'completely unsustainable' and accused the SNP of 'doing nothing to rein in Scotland's enormous benefits bill'. 'The SNP's reckless spending on welfare was already set to saddle Scottish taxpayers with a colossal £9 billion bill,' she said. 'The broken election promises and budget cuts of the UK Labour Government have just made that even more unaffordable. What was a mammoth £1.7 billion black hole in the welfare budget is set to soar to over £2.1 billion. 'This black hole is completely unsustainable and yet the nationalists are apparently doing nothing to rein in Scotland's enormous benefits bill, and it's Scottish taxpayers who will pick up the tab. 'They are being hammered by two high-tax, high-spend left-wing governments. Only the Scottish Conservatives are arguing for policies that would balance the books and put money back in people's pockets.' Rachel Reeves, the UK Chancellor, announced nearly £5 billion in benefit cuts by the end of the decade to restore a narrow buffer of fiscal headroom, with £1 billion to be invested in employment support to help people back to work. The changes will hit three million families on incapacity benefits and see personal independence payments drop for 800,000 claimants. According to the Fraser of Allander Institute, Labour's budget will deduct £455 million from the Scottish budget by 2029-30. A separate analysis by the Scottish Fiscal Commission has warned that in the 20 years from 2030-31, the average annual funding gap will be 1.5 per cent, which amounts to £1.3 billion. 'Higher taxes and cuts' It has led to concerns that ministers may seek to raise taxes or impose cuts in other areas to fill the gap, although savings could be made by improving health. Shirley-Anne Somerville, the social justice secretary, said: 'Our investment in social security will provide vital assistance to enable older people to heat their homes, to help disabled people live independent lives and will keep thousands of children out of poverty. 'The Scottish Fiscal Commission's December 2024 forecasts show that our investment in social security over and above the money we get from the UK Government is projected to be less than 3.5 per cent of the total Scottish Government resource budget by 2029-30. 'By contrast, in pursuit of its self-imposed fiscal rules, the UK Government is determined to impose austerity and its own analysis estimates its welfare changes announced last month will push a further 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, into relative poverty. They should change course and abandon these cuts. 'We will publish our next medium-term financial strategy later this year, alongside a fiscal sustainability delivery plan. Those calling for cuts in Scottish social security spending should spell out exactly which groups of people they would remove help for.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Pacific plays New Mexico State in NIT matchup
New Mexico State Aggies (17-15, 10-9 CUSA) at Pacific Tigers (15-18, 11-12 WCC) Stockton, California; Thursday, 9 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Pacific and New Mexico State square off in the National Invitation Tournament. The Tigers are 11-12 against WCC opponents and 4-6 in non-conference play. Pacific has a 2-2 record in one-possession games. The Aggies are 10-9 against CUSA opponents. New Mexico State is fourth in the CUSA scoring 65.2 points per game and is shooting 42.1%. Pacific is shooting 40.7% from the field this season, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 42.2% New Mexico State allows to opponents. New Mexico State averages 5.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.5 fewer makes per game than Pacific allows. TOP PERFORMERS: Liz Smith is averaging 14.3 points, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals for the Tigers. Elizabeth Elliott is averaging 14.4 points over the last 10 games. Molly Kaiser is scoring 20.5 points per game with 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Aggies. Jaila Harding is averaging 9.7 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 34.8% over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 4-6, averaging 67.2 points, 30.9 rebounds, 14.1 assists, 9.6 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 39.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 66.4 points per game. Aggies: 6-4, averaging 65.0 points, 27.8 rebounds, 11.0 assists, 8.8 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 42.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 62.6 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
