Hi I have been involved in very minor car incident where I slightly touched the bumper of the car before me. This was on traffic lights and no damage was done at all (not even a scratch). But the other driver registered this incident with his insurance company and there is a claim case created with my insurance company as a result. The other driver didn’t actually claim any damage and my insurer advised that if there is still no damage claimed after 6 months I can keep my No Claim Bonus intact (the incident happened 11 months ago). Now, I received a renewal quote, which is much higher than expected and after calling them they advised that they reduced my NCB to 3 years (from 9) because of the claim. They said that I get to keep my NCB only if there is no damage claimed within 18 months (not 6 as advised previously). As a result I need pay more for the renewal, which seems very unfair to me considering there is no damage claim against me and I need to wait 18 months. Seems like money making scheme to me. Can anyone advised if there is something I can do about this? I didn’t find anything helpful on my policy T&C. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you

I left lloyds in June 2017, I was made aware that I may not receive my bonus and expected not to. I however did get paid my bonus for 2016 which I worked in full, worked my notice period in 2017 and thankfully left the bank. No one mentioned about this being paid back. Over 2 months after I left I then started receiving letters explaining I now had to pay back my bonus and that lloyds had paid it in error. Am I legally bound to pay it back seeing as they have paid it in error. As it's taken them 2 months to let me know I have now spent the money and am therefore not able to pay it back. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Where to start! We have had our car insurance with GoGirl. Someone made a fraudulent claim against us saying we'd hit them with our car, when we hadn't. Their investigators came out to inspect the car, found nothing and left. That was the last we heard of it. Until last month. Our car insurance is due for renewal, and to cut an horrendously long story short, we can't renew our insurance with our 2 years no claims bonus because of this claim. I've told GoGirl the claim was fraudulent, but they just said that because the claim wasn't followed up it was 'settled as no-fault'. However, the claim should not have existed in the first place, and they don't seem interested in following up the fraud. No insurance company will take our no claims bonus into consideration and say the onus is on us to prove that the incident didn't happen! We have 5 days to renew our insurance, but the cheapest we can get is almost £800 instead of the £350 we were quoted online, all because of this so-called claim. I was just wondering whether we had any options, apart from paying a premium for our insurance!

Posted on behalf of a family friend who is employed as a wagon driver and normally receives a monthly bonus of £500 which is due this Friday. He has been handed a letter today which he was told he had to sign to continue receiving the bonus. The letter contains conditions which he feels are unreasonable and he feels are an attempt to avoid having to pay the bonus. These conditions include: The vehicle must be in immaculate condition inside and out at all times. (The role includes delivering blocks and concrete to building sites.) Your attendance during the month must be 100%. Managers discretion may be used for genuine sickness, otherwise phoning in sick for work will result in loss of bonus for the month. You will have a flexible attitude to work to suit the needs of the business. Any incidents of not carrying out your duties as requested will result in forfeiture of monthly bonus. In the event of you giving notice to leave your employment with the company your monthly bonus will be forfeited. Can his bonus be stopped if he doesn't sign the letter and can the company impose the new conditions legally? Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi all, I'd be really grateful for some advice on the following please.. Email 'Subject to Contract' from July 2015 gist as follows: 1. Annual basic salary of £XX,XXX 2. Annual performance related bonus of £XX,XXX (providing OTE of £XX,XXX). As discussed, your first quarter's OTE of £X,XXX will be paid to you regardless of the sales achieved during this period subject to satisfactory completion of the three month probationary period. 3. Statutory holidays plus 20 days per annum vacation. Official working base XX, formally confirm acceptance of this post and a full contract of employment will be drawn up. Accepted and started the job beginning of September 2015. - No contract supplied despite the email from July 2015 and me asking for one both verbally/in writing on more than one occasion. - No performance reviews or final performance review, probationary period end was at the beginning of December 2015. First meeting late January 2016: With line manager and another senior manager, not told what it was about - titled 'review', no notice/time to prepare and not informed of right to be accompanied. Told I was not being sacked or dismissed just that my probationary period was not being extended; this was purely due to the financial position of the company - a restructure which affected other members of staff. I'd receive two weeks' notice instead of the statutory one week. I said I did not agree, that I had already passed the probationary period as I had not been told otherwise or had any performance reviews. I was then told there were business reasons for the delay (business owners compassionate leave). Got slightly heated and asked how much longer I'd be working for the company, I was told to go home and to come back the next day. Second meeting late January 2016: Told it was just a normal day then had a meeting with senior manager and someone external HR (on their side), offered right to be accompanied but as I'd only been there a short period of time I didn't ask anyone. Same position from previous day reiterated, HR told me I should have requested performance reviews myself. I asked at end of meeting for payment of my £X,XXX bonus as it wasn't dependant on sales but simply passing the probationary period and also a months notice as that would be usual for a position such as mine. The meeting was adjourned to ask the MD, was told that I had failed my probationary period due to performance reasons (the only condition on payment of the bonus and in contradiction to the previous days meeting).. - Not provided with copies of any meeting notes despite asking for them verbally. - Formally requested payment of the £X,XXX bonus via email - two week deadline - now passed. - Dismissal letter states I failed to achieve the responsibilities outlined in my job description and gives an example of failing to delivery a commercially driven strategic growth plan. - Appealed the dismissal at the beginning of February stating points above, crux was as I had not been informed I had failed the probationary period and there was no contract stating it could be extended I am deemed to have passed it and the bonus should be paid. Regarding poor performance example, I created the strategic plan in the first couple of weeks of my employment, was decided after a week I'd be responsible for less than the job description how could I deliver something I wasn't fully responsible for? Had been given a really slow old computer only sorted mid November 2015, systems not in place/being set up despite me raising this - which was taking up considerable time daily and insufficient stock of best selling products etc. I asked for further details as to why I'd failed. Attended an appeal meeting Couple of weeks later, accompanied by a colleague after great effort. Meeting consisted of the managing director asking me lots of questions and only asking me toward the end if I had any points to discuss (points from my appeal not fully discussed). They took a picture of my notes and I took one of theirs. Appeal outcome Dated same day of appeal meeting - original dismissal decision upheld, saying I did not meet the expectations and responsibilities of the role as detailed in my job description. Especially prevalent in areas of leadership, management and dealing with workplace issues and challenges. They also say I acknowledged my role did not materially differ from non-managerial junior colleagues. Just wondering how best to go about getting the bonus I was promised? I've waited a couple of weeks since the appeal to make sure I get the rest of my outstanding pay, I've had the pay slip so it should be in my bank Monday. I have spoken to acas a few times but they give differing advice.. I've been told I can go to acas early conciliation for free, if the employer refuses or it doesn't work out I could then take them to a tribunal at a cost of £400 - may be paid back to me if I win. Unfair dismissal is unlikely as I have short service, wrongful dismissal and non payment of wages may be possible but I'm told it is my word against the employers due to not having a companion in the first meeting. I've also seen online I could take them to small claims court for the £X,XXX bonus and someone else had mentioned about submitting a statutory notice for winding up (but I'm not sure if that is more for freelance people rather than employees). Is it worth making a SAR to my employer at all? Sorry for length! Thanks in advance, chaoticj

Hello Caggers Does anyone know if the Christmas Bonus of £10 has been withdrawn this year or subject to some DWP messing about with the dates it is paid? I am currently receiving Contribution Based ESA (SG) & DLA LRC & LRM I have checked back through the year and the only variant in payment was in April when the annual uprating happened of £1 per fortnight. I asked at the Post Office last week and they knew nothing about it. Last year it was paid on 1st December. I keep all the receipts. I am reticent to call the DWP as my 2 year deferral of review date is actually today. My next payment date is 28 December, if the Bonus is included then, it rather defeats the nature of it. Thank you to anyone who can shed light on this

Just a quick question, probably a simple answer. I get paid a yearly bonus, this year it was close to £3000, but I've only ended up with £1800 home. My pay is in the region of 30k. Why am I taxed so heavily? I know I'll get taxed on all of the bonus, but it seems way more than the 20% tax rate. Is it because the system is assuming I'll get paid at that rate for the remainder of the tax year, and I'll get some back next month? or what's going on??

Is it true that translation is needed as with translation the stamp of certification by the french insurer is not included, which is required for authenticity. Does anyone know the method of transference procedure or had this experience?

Hi Was just wondering if anyone has had a letter from DWP saying that they haven't paid the Christmas bonus between 2009-2013. I thought you only got one £10 per year no matter how many benefits you were on. My husband gets PIP (DLA from 2009 - 2015) and CB ESA and I'm sure we got this added into his DLA each Xmas.

I am very upset after reading the email from Hastings Direct Smartmiles, threatening to take £152 from my credit card and if I don't pay up, they will ruin my perfect credit history. I made the mistake of putting 8 years No Claim Bonus instead of 9 and the woman operative told me that according to the live rate this moment, I will have to pay £159.53 (£25 admin fee) on top of the £800 plus I paid last month (my son is 19). I was very shaken. I kept telling the woman that I did not inflate the figure with a view to lowering the premium. I made a genuine mistake of giving 8 years instead of 9 which is what I have. To any rational people, the common sense rule is that the more NCB years you have, the less you pay. The woman operative, a Ms Gill, kept saying that because of LIVE RATE, I actually had to pay more. Then she probably pretended to help me by running through my quote again and of course, according to her, I still have to pay. I googled the internet and found a similar amount being quoted by another person with a complaint on this site. It seems to be it is their practice to whack people with £152! My policy number : 22039TET0039072 The tone of the email is plain nasty. Please read Additional Premium £134.93 Your change caused your premium to increase Administration Fee £25.00 As stated in our Terms and Conditions Amount due £159.93 Please contact our Customer Service team. If we do not hear from you in the next 7 days we will collect this amount using your securely held card details. If we are unsuccessful your policy may be cancelled and the amount shown will be passed to a debt collection agency and your credit rating may be affected. ***** If I cancelled the policy, I would only get back £600! What a nasty company. They have no right to hit people with a genuine mistake like this - not to say I have ONE MORE YEAR OF NO CLAIM BONUS. The woman operative stuck to her gun saying that it is because of the LIVE RATE, she could not get me a lower quote! I hope anybody reading this take this as a lesson - I wish I had stayed with my previous insurer. Beware of this company. It is NO JOKE! It seems to be this company have a penchant of whacking people with £152! Would you like to deal with a nasty company like that??? Next time when you see the name, stay away or you will live to regret it!

Hi all can anyone tell me if an employer can stop a bonus for a period complete. I get a 3 monthly bonus paid for attendance and figures . my employer has written to me today and told me i will not get paid for the period oct-dec 2014 or the period jan-mar 2015 . I can tell you the bonus is not linked to my contract. They claim that their budget has not been achieved in this period .

Does anyone know anything about the £10 Christmas Bonus, as one or two people I have spoken to have not received it. I read somwhere that it had been scrapped as long ago as 2011.

I worked for the Halifax then Lloyds Bank for over 6 years. To clarify, I work in IT earning an average wage, I am not a banker crying about a 7 figure bonus or anything out of the ordinary... In 2013 my performance was such that I was awarded an annual bonus, part of it paid in March and the remainder in May 2014. Knowing that they (the bank) lack morals of any sort I specifically called HR and checked that I was still due my bonus, all I was told was that if I handed my notice in before the bonus was paid I would forfeit the award.. .. I also checked the HR bonus T's&C's which said the same thing - hand your notice in before it is paid and you don't qualify, nothing else was listed. I left the bank in June when offered another job. Now in July, on my final payslip they have reclaimed the bonus, when speaking to them they say - even though it wasn't published anywhere - that the policy is you had to be employed at the bank on June 30th to qualify for the bonus, and they say I now owe them this money. What can I do, do they have a case? Any help appreciated, I can't sleep with this hanging over me

On the 30th of June. I handed in my two week notice at work. To my surprise I was asked not to come back (after further questioning I was told it was because I was a system administrator for their database) and to also hand it my ID and door key. I was told I would be paid for the 10 days of my notice. When negotiating my salary I was told by my manager that they could not increase my salary but will offer me 2 bonuses. First installment, on the 1st of July and the second next year January. Quote from a written e-mail from my boss "Please be aware that from July 1-2014, after your training period has finished, we will offer you a one months bonus (£*,***) to be earned on top of your salary based on set targets." So i sent him this email asking for my bonus "As per agreed in my employment contract, I am due a bonus of £**** from the 1th of July after successfully completing my 3 months probation period, training period and meeting my set targets. Can you please pay me in 7-10 days including my month’s salary (plus notice period pay) and my accrued holiday pay ?" He replied Saying he disagrees that I have no right to a bonus this period. Please help and advice me. I settled for the small salary because of the extra bonus included and promised. I feel like I'm entitled, due to the fact that I met and completed all the requirements.

I've just applied for DLA for my three year old son due to his developmental problems. I'm not sure he'll qualify but my Health Visitor and his Social Worker seem confident he will be awarded something. I'm a single mum on full benefits. I get Income Support as a Lone Parent, Child Tax Credits, Child Benefit and CSA off his dad. Do I need to inform any of these that I have applied for the DLA or do I just wait to see if he is awarded anything? (His dad is aware of the application so no doubt has already informed the CSA in the hope it will reduce his payments)

Was chatting to someone online who mentioned they had not received a letter saying they would be getting the christmas bonus, I had not got that letter either, just hoping it had gone in anyway, got round to phoning the Benefits office today and yes I had not been given the bonus and they dont kbnow why, so if you think you are entitled to the £10 bonus and not received a letter saying you are getting it you should phone them up and check, i know at least 2 and maybe more who have not got it when they should have

Sorry I know this is only a minor thing, but have those entitled to this £10 received it? I get high rate DLA and in ESA Support Group but had no letter or payment.

I work for a large company in the UK. I recently discovered that most of my departmental colleagues are part of a bonus scheme, which is part of their contract. On reviewing my own contract, there is no mention of the bonus scheme and it was never communicated to me on commencement of employment or during my 18 months with the company. It seems that the bonus scheme was excluded from my offer of employment but was included in many people in similar roles employed before and after me. Although everyone has different jobs, we all work for the same department and I don't think there are huge differences in salary, performance or effort. But because I have signed a contract without the bonus scheme section, which I knew nothing about, am I entitled to complain and ask why some people get it and I don't? Is this discrimination or is it just hard luck that my employers or HR dept gave me a non-bonus contract and my peers contracts that include bonuses? I've missed out on two bonuses during my time here - one which would have been pro-rata'd for the first 6 months of employment. Thank in advance!

Hi Hope someone can answer my question. My current insurer is asking for proof of my No Claims Bonus from my previous insurer along with Claims History for last 5 years. I am about to send off proof from my previous insurer but it only confirms number of years no claims, nothing else. I have never had a claim with any insurer so I'm hoping this is all they need! Could someone just put my mind at rest as I don't want my insurance cancelled. Thank you.

hello all, the company i work for give its employees 1 service days bonus for every 5 years worked. in my renumeration package letter in october 2012 it stated that i would now be entitled to a service bonus of 3 days pay as i have been there over 15 years. which is worth approx £360. however due to the retail downturn , the company informed all its employees in november 2012 that this would be suspended for 12 months. have i any grounds for complaint , as its regarded as a service bonus , even though it stated the bonus as part of my annual remuneration package.

This has made me:mad2: to say the least http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/how-can-the-atos-boss-get-a-bonus-of-1million-while-disabled-people-suffer-8374083.html

Hi all, I'm wondering if any of you can provide any advice. I started my new job in July as a manager for a financial services group and was told I was on a 3 month probationary period. This was fine by me and I got to work, having no issues or anything since then. One senior manager however, has made my job really difficult in that he's extremely lazy and incompetent (this is the general view of him across the office) and has used me as a crutch to get the silly jobs he doesn't want to do, done. This has affected my productivity, however nothing has ever been said to me so I assumed that the directors had no issue with the blatant using of my patience and skills by the aforementioned senior manager. That was however, until today. When asking our HR manager about my Christmas bonus, I was told that I was not getting one because my probation had been extended. Do the maths yourself and you'll understand that my probationary review was supposed to be in early October. After asking my line manager (a director) when this would happen and being fobbed off around 7-8 times, I assumed that if there were any serious issues, he'd be determined to have the meeting. I was never told by ANYONE that my probationary period had been extended so was none the wiser, getting on with mine (and the other guy's work!) as normal. The reason (although again, I've not heard this "from the horse's mouth") is that it's because the other manager has used me as a crutch and I haven't been able to do my job properly as a result. So in summary, I'm being financially and professionally penalised for something another person is responsible for. Any advice? Has anyone experienced a similar problem? I was under the impression that to extend my probation, he would have to have a meeting with me to explain why, set parameters for me to hit and have me sign the development plan to confirm I agreed to the probation extension. Needless to say, this hasn't happened. I'm not furious, upset and disheartened. I've done the work of about 4 fellow employees, plus my own, and I feel that because I'm not in the director's clique, I'm getting treated unfairly.

I am hoping to resign from my current position in the New Year to move to a new job. I get paid a bonus almost every quarter and have done for the last 10 years. The next one is due in January. This is not in my contract and depends upon how successful sales have been. Notification is via email in the form of a one liner: I’m pleased to advise that you will receive a bonus of xxx this month. If things follow previous quarters I will receive an email on the 10th of the month and the payment reaches my bank account on or before the 21st although contractually our salary doesn't have to be paid until the end of the month. Presumably if I resigned before I got the email they could withdraw the bonus. But at what stage do they have to pay it? Is it possible for them to claw it back once its reached by bank account by reducing my final months pay?

Hi everyone, good morning. Wondering if anyone can explain if no claims are transferable from overseas? I have a friend who has just bought a car and wants to start driving but the insurance companies are being difficult. She has been driving for 7 years in Spain and has 7yrs NCB, therefore can this be transfered and recoginised by English insurance companies? I would have assumed so because of EURO UNION? Look forwards to any advice Best wishes BB

when i accepted my bonus, i signed an agreement saying i would pay it back if i left the company within 3 years, (pro-rata per month). my now ex-employer has sent me an angry letter, vaguely threatening me if i don't repay the sum within 14 days. question: what can they do? can they send it direct to a collection agency, or does it have to be judged by a judge first? in my opinion, (and the reason i haven't repaid it) just because i signed the agreement (i had to or they wouldn't give me the money) doesn't mean they can reclaim it. that's my bonus - i earned it by working hard. that's a seedy practice to attempt to reclaim it, and i want this judged by a judge before offering back the money. on the other hand, i'm trying to buy a flat and i'm worried it might mess up my mortgage application. on the third hand, i think they're just trying to scare people and won't actually take action - it might be worth calling their bluff. advice?