Hi, I am in receipt of Employment Support Allowance and I would like to run a small not for profit community project, which I would like to register as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and would volunteer running it part time ( a couple of hours per week). I understand if I’m in receipt of ESA I am allowed to do some ‘permitted work’, and that specifically includes volunteering for a CIC company. However, I cannot find any information whether you can or cannot register your own CIC and volunteer for your own CIC while in receipt of ESA. If anyone has any information on this, I’d be most grateful. x

Hi all, not posted for a while, but got a "bee in my bonnet" with Barclays of late.. It concerns their £30 "referral fee" on our business account.. Basically, money gets paid into our account every day, apart from Sun & Mon, from credit card receipts. Now, strangely, the "debits" got applied before the "credits" meaning the account would momentarily show as overdrawn occasionally, by a few £. I must add that no payments from the account have ever been "returned unpaid" and that we don't use cheques. Doing all of my banking "online" and "paperless" it wasn't until I received the first "end of year summary" last year, that I realised I had been charged not only the £6.50 per month "account fee" but also in the region of £1200 in "referral fees" of £30 each time. I made a complaint to Barclays, and they refunded the fees without protest. They also "admitted" that there was a problem with the mobile app and the way credits were applied after debits, telling me they "are working on it, but do not know when it will be resolved" They also offered me a "fee free £25 buffer" to prevent this from happening. Anyway, long story short, and I've been charged 3 times this month, so my question is - Can they charge more than their actual incurred costs for this "referral fee" I think that £30 is excessive, but do they have to tell me the actual cost? Regards Mike

On the 30 November, I appeared in Court to dispute a Council Tax Liability Order. My defence was that; 1. Hull City Council were not properly recording payments made on my account. 2. That the nature of the collection process, if performed by a private company, would be defined as extortion and prohibited. This included a specific mechanical process which has been outlawed recently after abuse by debt-collectors and bailiffs. 3. That the Council are knowingly targetting those with mental health issues as they are the least likely to challenge these suits. This being in direct opposition to their stated Equality and Diversity Strategy. This was being achieved by refusing to recognise people with mental health issues as disabled despite their own doctors and, in many cases, the DWP recognising this status. I believed that it would be sufficient to prove the first point. The case was adjourned until the first week in January. I suffer from a chronic mental health issue. I mostly find it difficult to leave the house at all. Being forced to appear in front of a courtroom full of strangers, all of whom are opposed to me even though none of them know me, pulls all of my triggers. The Council, of course, are aware of this. They are specifically required by their Equality Duty to make provisions in order that people like me are not forced to attend Court. As a result of this process, I spent the whole of Christmas avoiding people as my condition was almost unmanageable. The one friend who dared to visit me, I mortally offended. I am not happy about this. I have few enough friends I can rely on as it is and this one was particularly important. At the second hearing, I turned up with a bank statement showing that I had made a payment to the Council which had not been recorded. The Council kindly provided a statement which showed that they had not recorded this payment. Open and shut, I thought. Not so. The Court found in favour of the Council. Despite clear and irrefutable evidence. This is the second time this has happened. The exact same procedure. Christmas ruined and the Court refusing to acknowledge clear evidence and, in the first instance, an admission of fault by the Council itself. How can this be legal? The situation is now this; I am liable to pay a large sum of money to the Council that I do not believe I owe. If I pay this, the Council are under no apparent obligation to keep a record of this payment. If the Council decides that it wishes to bill me for this amount again, it is able to rely on the complicity of the Magistrates Court for enforcement. Any evidence I present to the contrary will be disregarded. It is subsequently my sincere belief that Hull City Council, with the complicity of the Magistrates Court, are running a racket against the some of the most disadvantaged members of the local community. Any suggestions on what to do next would be most welcome.

Hi Folks, Long story short but I missed 3 payments on my car (I lost my job) the agreement with the finance company was terminated and they wanted the balance in full (I couldn't afford to pay it in full). The car was repossessed (I agreed to this and met them to take it away). The car went to auction and sold for more than £10k than what the outstanding debt/balance was. How do i stand with this? The company are saying that they are entitled to keep all the money even though they have been overpaid by over £10k on the figures they sent me via their solicitor and the court letters before the car went to auction. To add they didn't even tell me what auction it was going too and I've never had any more mail saying how much it sold for (this was 5 weeks ago). Any help would be great.

You will have seen on the news today that Tescos have suspended a number of senior managers, because they managed to over estimate half year profits by £250 million. How can any company manage to get their sums wrong by that amount ? Does it just confirm how much money these companies are involved with. Last year it was revealed that supermarkers took 58% of all retail spending. They keep building all these extra large supermarkets, as well as all the small high street stores. Perhaps they are getting too big to be able to run them properly ?

Hi, not sure whether this is in the right area.... My friend invested a third into purchasing a property with another couple. For a while they rented out the house and shared the income. The house was refurbished and put on the market for sale. The house sold with completion last month. She was hoping for her "share" this month, however the couple have stated that her money will only be available in April after his accounts has been finalized, income tax for the year. I assume he his self employed. From what she tells me, it seems she will be penalized for his tax deductions ? - which i find strange. He also stated that her name isn't on the deeds,being part of the reason he says?, however she has a signed declaration of any share. thanks, any advice grateful

Hi please help as I'm worried to death. I've just found out that I should have paid tax on my rental income over the past 5 years. I'm about to put my property on the market and am unsure about what to do? I have been told that there is an Inland Revenue form that I must fill in. Any help greatly appreciated.

Hi, I work for a not for profit organization, in the last year we have had our workforce reduced by 2, and 2 members of staff have gone part time. We were told about 6 months ago that these measures were necessary as takings were down. We have just found out that our directors (of which there are 2) awarded themselves over £400,000 in 2 years as back pay as they were not being paid enough. This they have admitted to us when a member of staff requested the details of our company from companies house. We are back up to taking the same amount of money as we were last year, albeit with less and reduced staff hours, this has caused a detrimental effect on the rest of the staff, who are finding the stress of doing more work very difficult, and also feel the running of the company is not right. Could anyone tell us the best way to approach this situation, I am thinking Acas. Also we want to join a union, would this be possible as we are non profit org. We do not have any trustees and the 2 directors have to answer too no one. Thank in advance for any help.

I've just noticed this:- Of course, it is true, they are a "not for profit" ... but at the same time, it is not true - because they are a non-independent organisation which is set up to ensure the interests of the parking industry members. The BPA is set up with the intention of fronting and protecting a highly profitable industry. There is no altruism about them. The exist for the profits of their members. Their members join them and support them in order to ensure their continuing profitability. So, "not for profit"? ... Yes - but at the same time, somehow - No.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/axemen-atos-face-40m-payday-1352958

Hi, Over the last 2 years of being with British Gas on a Pay Monthly Eco 7 meter, I've noticed that the clock has moved forward by 21 minutes. The reason why I notice this time is because the eco 7 times have crept forward by 21 mins. THis ALSO includes the DST changes so has NOTHING to do with that. I called British Gas to ask about this, and asked 'Where did this mysterious 21 minutes come from'. The lady was unable to answer and basically said 'thats impossible, the meters are on a 24 hour rotation'. Anyway, she couldn't grasp the concept that some clocks run fast and on the other hand, some run slow. I've worked it out, and looking at the amount of British Gas customers, accorging to the guardian. If this were to happen to each an every one of their customers (15.7 million of them in Feb 2012) over a 2 year period, british gas would be making: This is based on 1 unit over all the customers at the Kent ME10 area tariffs. 1) Does anyone know what the allowable discrepancy is. 2) Can this be contested or brought to anyone's attention? Thanks Adridude

I wonder if there is a law against DCA's purchasing debts from original creditors at a small percentage and then claiming we owe them the full amount or more if they then add interest. Surely this can't be legal. Has anybody managed to find a way of obtaining the purchase price and then challenged it? It can't be possible to claim outright that you owe a much higher amount if technically the original lender has sold it off cheap.