[RichardCoulter]

I think the best thing that we can do is to rise above the minority of individuals who wish to disrupt this thread with their off topic negativity and spite, so that we can concentrate on the relevant issues instead.

@ DF, thanks for that, it was interesting to watch. I wonder if/hope that this intervention by those in the political arena will do anything to help.

Breaking news, further to my previous post that I thought that the Govt would be freezing benefits next year, they will now be uprated with the CPI. (They had been urged not to uprate benefits at a time when people in work are facing pay freezes* or pay cuts.)

*In my own company we have again had to freeze pay, apart from some people who will receive an extra 8p an hour.

This means that those unfortunate enough to be made redundant, who haven't found another job by next April, will now receive an increase in benefits by about 5%*, so that they keep pace with their spending power.

*Does not apply to some Tax Credits.