My partner who is on lifetime DLA is being reassessed for PIP. Having had an uphill struggle to claim other benefits and his pension, we are well versed with their tricks by now. This morning he a received a random phonecall from someone unwilling to identify themselves, who was asking for personal information. He refused, unless the person identified themselves and gave a return phone number (it was a 'private number on the caller ID) for him to call on. They refused point blank and said "There's no point in continuing the conversation and slammed the phone down" Despite the fact my partner has had no contact from the DWP or ATOS since he filled in his form. I immediately suspected this was ATOS, fortunately I was around the corner from their assessment centre at the time and went round. When I went in the person who I saw was the person who had called my partner! However they kept refusing to discuss anything with me (which is fair enough, except confirm it was them who had called my partner), but I requested a phone no so he could call up, confirm his details but much more importantly find out when his assessment is! She refused point blank and said that's "his problem for refusing to hand over his details". Cut a long story short (which was mainly filled with lies from this person about the PIP procedure) I found out his appointment is this Friday from the main ATOS call centre. WTF! we have had no letters, no text's and most importantly this woman was refusing to tell us when it was was! Anyway we have had the appointment shifted. Some quick questions. 1) Is there any chance this lady I spoke to, will be the one who will be doing the assessment ? i.e. is it the assessor who makes that phonecall before the appointment 2) We want to record assessment, how do i get written permission ?

Prince Harry unveils the UK team for the Invictus Games 2017 READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prince-harry-unveils-the-uk-team-for-the-invictus-games-2017

READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prince-harry-meets-invictus-games-hopefuls-at-uk-trials

Hi all, I'm a young lad, I'm trying to keep things as discrete as possible with my current situation. After leaving college, I went to work with someone that I classified as a friend (Who's a lot older than me) who needed someone in-house to build websites, apps, provide customer service and help in other areas in return for a £500 work retainer. In the beginning the work flow was small and I was happy to help as and when I can. There has never been a formal agreement signed from the outset. For the £500 retainer (Which he classes as good value for money) - He currently has strict rules over me which include: - Working 11 hours per day, 5 days a week. - Provide first hand web development, online application design, mobile apps, customer service (regarding website enquiries, telephone & email based), graphic design and proof reading. - Every day, I'm required to complete a document what says what tasks I've completed, what time i'm checking in and out of work etc. - I'm being asked to multi-task on various projects throughout the day, whether that is working on multiple website development, apps or other time lengthly work related tasks during the day. - More times than not, I'm being supervised based on the work that I'm completing throughout the day. If I try to get time out during the day to focus on other prioritises, I'm constantly being reminded that the £500 retainer will stop if I don't spend work from at least 9-5pm per day, sometimes 8am whilst 5pm. There is no form of any sort of employment or contractor agreement in place. It all began as a friendship which seems to have envolved in to a controlling situation where I can't see any light at the end of the tunnel. I just feel like this is normality as this way of working has been the same for almost over 2 years now. Without blowing my own trumpet, I would say I have great talents when it comes to IT. I just feel like I'm wasting away at the moment and being paid very little for the amount of work and commitment I'm putting in. All I seem to get back in return is negativity to the point I'm being told I'm not being disciplined enough with the work I'm following through on a daily basis. I have no issues when it comes to committing to work, but I just feel like since there is no employment agreement in place, I just feel like I'm being taken fore-granted. I wanted to see what other people's thoughts are, I'm not sure if I'm going mad or whether I'm being paid a reasonable amount for the commitment I'm putting in. Thanks!

Read More Here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-invictus-games-has-begun-with-a-glittering-ceremony-in-the-us

Hi, has anyone else got a message on their Face Book saying to download Beta for the games? If you have and are using it, it is better, any good? pro's con's please Thank you Sandy xx

READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prince-harry-unveils-the-uk-team-for-the-invictus-games-2016

Hi, Last October my 14 yr old son was after a new game for his PS4. He found a website called G4k.me. As he wanted to pay with my Paypal he showed me the game on the site etc (as I always double check with him using my Paypal), Thing was I was on way to work, quick glance website seemed fine and said ok get it ordered. I later asked if he got game and he said yeah they send an PS4 account with the game on and I just login. Fair enough I thought seemed an odd set up but as Im not a PS4 user i thought maybe thats how it works with online purchase and company "seemed" legitimate enough. But I was a little confused he needed a new "account with the game on" The game activated fine and loaded ok etc - my son followed the activation instructions at the website. As I work away and upon my return, some 2 month later my son tells me the account just came up banned / suspended for no reason when he went to login. I kinda know my son well enough to know, he pretty sensible and wouldn't do anything to cause a ban on this extra account. He been on Playstation years with no issues at all. So as I had details of the account, emailed Playstation and queried. They advised contacting G4k.me . So I emailed their support and after many open support tickets (as they never replied) I got a response that they do not deal with banned accounts. Called PlayStation support and they said they can email reason to the account email but cant discuss on phone. But the email attached to this account is locked and cant be accessed, so basically I am stuffed. £25 lost basically. I have raised a Paypal dispute, although at this stage purely with g4k.me - hasn't escalated to Paypal as yet. Although g4k refused refund, so next step is escalating to Paypal. I may also contact my bank, its my debit card which funds Paypal. Since my dealings with this company I have searched the internet and found numerous similar situations, particularly with PS4 games. The company Facebook page is full of complaints with the exact same issue I have, as well as review websites. Its seems so many people with exact same issue to be more than just coincidence to me From what I have learned this company opens a PS4 account, buys game and then sells on, however they then charge-back the payment (which takes about two weeks so I hear to take effect) and as a result your purchased game & account are banned. A very clever money making racket from what I have read...Mind you I don't know exactly how they but these games and sell on so cheap or if a "middleman" is involved. Obviously, In hindsight, I wish i checked them out properly before my son bought it, but hey hoo.. was in rush etc.. At the end of the day its £25 - not end of world, lesson learned.... but just how many people have lost money with this company?? Just a warning to others, my advice stay well away from this company..

READ MORE HERE: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/invictus-games-launched

OK, here's one for you. My wife works in sales for a multinational. She travels extensively around the UK & Ireland and frequently clocks up business travel and accommodation expenses in excess of £1000 per month. He salary is modest and after tax etc. she takes home about £2100 per month. The company have issued her with an AmEx card which is in her name. This account, in her name, needs to be paid off at the end of every month. This means that from her £2100 take home on average £1000 is immediately paid to AMEX, if it is not then the card is frozen and she ends up having to fund expenses herself. The problem is that her employer pay her expenses up to 2 weeks after the AMEX bill is due to be paid. We are STILL waiting for November's expenses to be paid. Because of the increased expenditure around Christmas she was unable to afford to pay the November AMEX bill so AMEX cancelled her card and reported her to her employer for paying the bill late. She is now being investigated by her company accounts team for paying her company credit card late. She is continuing to rack up expenses doing her job. so - just to recap - she frequently racks up expenses that average around 50% of her take home, these are paid on an company AMEX card in her name which she has to pay off every month. Her employer usually don't settle her expenses claim (which is submitted promptly and in accordance with their rules) until 2 weeks AFTER the AMEX bill needs to be settled. In December, they didn't pay her expenses at all which resulted in her November and December AMEX bills not being paid (she has received no expense payment since November. Her employer now has the BRASS NECK to be investigating her use of the company credit card because she is unable to pay the bill. Over the next 3 weeks she has to again travel and will require around £1000 to fund this trip. She is asking me if I can lend her the money so she can go (it is an essential part of her job). I run a small company and am a one man business, I am beyond angry that she is expected to bank roll their business for 2 weeks out of every month and even more angry that they have not yet paid expenses going back to NOVEMBER. despite them being signed off and approved by the company's SAP system. Their tardiness has resulted in her company credit card being revoked and not they are expecting her (me) to bankroll their business for another month. Just to recap - this is a multi national, blue chip business. They have not given any reason why the expenses are late, both her manager and the one above her are utterly spineless in chasing to find out what the issue is. HR don't want to know. I am cynical enough to recognise that being an American business, their fiscal year ends in December. I have no idea whether or not others have had their expenses delayed but because my wife's 'patch' is the largest (Scotland North of England, Ireland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden whereas her colleagues would be 'North London') her expenses are significant because they constitute such a large chunk of her pay packet. It might be that they have simply decided to delay payment of expenses over 'x' because it was year end and management bonuses were at stake. In the face of this I am beyond frustrated. My advice to her is to simply refuse to carry out any further business travel UNTIL the company settles its outstanding expenses, re issues her AMEX card, cancels the 'investigation' and wipes her personnel record clean and agrees to pay her expense claim BY THE END OF THE MONTH they are occurred. However, because the company is going through 'restructuring' she is terrified of losing her job. we have fought about this as I am disinclined to fund the next 3 weeks which I see as bank rolling another business which I am not prepared to do when I am forced to cut my travel. I have told her that as far as I see, she doesn't have a job because this sort of existence is simply not worth it. Is there anything that we can do other than downing tools (which I still think is the only way to go with this)? Personally I am inclined to pay my wife the money she needs to fund the business and then, once her expenses claim is in, pursue her company through the invoice system, which they won't pay and which I can then escalate to the FD by hitting them with a winding up order - I can then explain why I have invoiced them. any other ideas how to confront this despicable behaviour - (all the more disingenuous because she was the only one in her team to actually make target last year)?

There is much excitement over the coming Star Wars film and as expected there is a new game out Star Wars Battlefront. These are the prices: For STAR WARS™ Battlefront™ Standard is £24.99 For STAR WARS™ Battlefront™ Deluxe Edition is £54.99 And for STAR WARS™ Battlefront™ Ultimate Edition is £94.98 Are these prices fair? The game will be sold in many countries. I'm not convinced this is fair pricing and even £24 is too much. Is there any way to challenge this legitimately?

The BBC will make the unemployed and low-paid workers compete against each other for a cash prize in a controversial Hunger Games-type show to find ““Britain’s Hardest Grafter”. The BBC plan to screen a "Hunger Games" style game show will make unemployed people and low-paid workers compete in a series of challenges and tasks in competition for a cash prize. Only the UK’s lowest-paid workers and the unemployed will be invited to compete. At the end of each episode, those who have produced the least will be eliminated and by the end of the process, just one worker will remain. The winner will receive in the region of £15,000 which is estimated to be a year’s living wage, outside of London. This is the next rung down the ladder in the disturbing trend of voyeuristic "poverty porn" made popular in programmes like 'Benefits Street'. Unemployment and poverty are serious social issues and should not be the subject of a cheap game show format, designed to exploit some of the most impoverished in our society for the purposes of dubious "entertainment". Not even the cheapest and tackiest of the cable or satellite channels have stooped to this level. We believe a higher standard should be expected from the BBC, a national broadcaster that is funded by public subscription in the form of the license fee. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bbc-to-pit-lowpaid-against-each-other-in-hunger-gamesstyle-show-to-find-britains-hardest-grafter-10279386.html And if you're disgusted by that: The BBC: Stop the BBC's "Hunger Games" Style Show - Sign the Petition! 384 signatures are still needed! https://www.change.org/p/the-bbc-stop-the-bbc-s-hunger-games-style-show The BBC states that its mission is... "To enrich people's lives with programmes and services that inform, educate and entertain." Now that mission apparently includes the exploitation of the poor and vulnerable members of our society as fodder for a game show. The signatories of this petition strongly object to this degrading and exploitative format and demand that the BBC abandon its plans to broadcast this programme. This poverty porn is getting out of control imo.

Hi, Here's one for you. I work as a freelancer. In June last year I agreed to work with a business, the deal was that I would sell my services through their brand and receive 60% on my billings, for months when I did not bill, I would receive a cash payment to tide me over. I signed an acceptance of offer letter with them and started working with them at the beginning of July. All went well and I quickly secured an opportunity to deliver some highly complex services to a large business I know well. I was concerned at my associates capability to support me with delivery and asked them if they wished to be involved. As the business would be worth several million over a 5 year period they readily reassured me. at this stage I pointed out that if we were going to bid for the work, it would have a significant impact on my short term sales. They told me not to worry. By Mid October, I had spent 6 weeks preparing the initial bid, the timescale with the client had slipped to early 2015 and I informed my associates, this time I offered them the choice of backing out of our relationship if they no longer wished to take the risk of supporting me whilst I bid for it. Again, they reassured me that they were very keen to remain involved and supported me 100% as well as thanking me for my excellent work. Despite this I was beginning to get some pressure to generate short term income so I started to work on a few smaller projects. This pressure increased and I began to have concerns around their capability to deal with a large and complex project especially from the financial perspective as the concerns seemed to indicate that cash flow may be an issue. On 30th November my invoice for October's work was due for payment. 3 days later the money had still not arrived so I wrote to them asking if they had processed the payment and received a cryptic reply along the lines of 'what was due to be paid has been paid'. a week later still nothing. At this point they started to demand information about my clients which was above an beyond the call of detail. I said i wold be happy to share it once their outstanding invoice had been paid. I chased it on two further occasions and was told by them that it was due to be paid and in the process. Again they asked for the detailed information, again I told them that once the outstanding invoice was paid, they would get this information. At this point they showed their true colours. I received a very aggressive email from a the other owner of their business stating that he had 'blocked the payment' because he was unhappy that I had not provided details that I was 'contractually obliged to provide' he then went onto libel me saying he had received information 'concerning me and my character' from 'anonymous individuals' . This email was shared with e 3rd party. I immediately wrote back stating that I did not respond to threats and that the email was libelous as he had not provided the information that he was party to nor had he identified the source - merely implied that it was negative and that he also shared the email with a 3rd party (which he did). I also pointed out that until Monday this week they had not shown any concerns over the quality of the work I had done to date, quite the contrary I had emails from them as well as two telephone conversations (recorded) where they praised my work to date and thanked me for it. I also pointed out that they had accepted the invoice and had been asked on 3 separate occasions where the money was and had on all those occasions been either directly reassured or reassured by implication that all was in hand. The response to this was to send me a copy of some terms of business which I had never seen and which were dated July (I had signed in June). They stated that I was in breach of contract because I had - a/ set up another similar business outwith their arrangement with the intention of 'cutting them out' (this business predates the relationship with this company and I have always been public about its existence, on twitter and on Linkedin and the business offers services that are in a similar field but completely unrelated to the business I had with the associate. Additionally the associates were well aware of the existence of the business and had never raised it as an issue in the past.) b/ in witholding the detailed client information they required I was in breach of their contract (the terms of business that I had not seen before). These state nothing about information and only state that if they deem that (unspecified) work is no carried out to their satisfaction, they can pursue me for all money paid to me prior to the date. I wrote to them informing them that I had never seen these terms before and on top of that had never been given any previous indication that my work had been substandard, in fact I had received plaudits for the quality of the work. The reply I got was to 'stop playing games' and that I had 'signed the contract and the terms in July (I actually signed it in June) and that I was bound by it. He also directly accused me of lying and shared the email with two 3rd parties. at this point I had had enough and informed them that our business relationship was over due to non payment of invoice and that I was handing the matter over to a debt collector. They wrote back again telling me to 'stop playing games' and accusing me of breach of contract and demanding that I repay them all money paid to date and returned a laptop by tomorrow (friday) or they would report me to the police for theft. - Since then (tuesday) I have received several emails asking me what I intend to do. I have not replied. - Now I did some checking up on these guys and don't like what I hear. The partner I appear to have fallen out with fancies himself as an amateur lawyer and his emails are full of faux legalese that doesn't make much sense at all. (My late father was a judge and I have a pretty good understanding of what this looks like). It appears he spends most of his time logging online claims through the small claims court so I am concerned that he is going to attempt this tomorrow. Now my reason for posting here is to get a 3rd party perspective on this. I intend to do the following: 1/ hand the debt to a debt collection business and instruct them to pursue it in writing as well as verbally 2/ I have written down the entire sorry saga as best as I can recall and tomorrow I intend to visit a commissioner of oaths and swear an oath on it and post it to myself recorded delivery 3/ pay my lawyer to write a cease and desist letter to the individual who has libeled me threatening him with action if he does it again. 4/ I am considering reporting them for fraud over the 'terms of business' which I had neither seen nor signed My main concern is 2 fold - 1/ to ensure that should he attempt an online small claims bid his claim will run into deep water quickly due to the defence I have and the counter claim. 2/ to make sure I can prove to the police (should he report me for theft) that the matter is civil, that return of the computer in question has been given an unreasonable timescale especially at this time of year (48 hrs) and that as it is a civil case and I am owed money by this business, I have a right to hold it for security and have indeed informed them that I would return it once the invoice was paid. Are my tactics sound and is there anything else I can do? I have limited funds for a fight? Research and having spoken to several people who have carried out the work I have done for them in the past shows that they are not to be trusted and I have heard similar stories. They are very foolish in acting in this way because I am very well known in the industry they work in and could make life very difficult for them in the future. I have not done so yet nor have I threatened them. thanks in advance

Congratulations to you all.

Hello , Some background to my problem. I have been a Sky customer for a good few years on the old " anytime " package, with daytime calls as a add on [ £5 PM]. Last week we decided that due to us both using our mobiles & not using the daytime add on we would cancel it. Called Sky & explained we did`t use it so could we cancel it, they also offered us a lower price on our BB. All well & good until we get a letter informing us that we are now on the " weekend " package, this does not include evening calls or international calls as our previous package did. We called Sky & explained that at no time were we informed that this would be the case, no one informed us that we would lose our evening calls & internationals too. Having called Sky & explained the situation they said they would listen in to the phone call regarding our call. They have contacted us & informed us that the original call contained "no wrong doing " . When i checked this new package it is as basic as it can get, we can`t even use the phone of an evening now without incurring charges, lost our international calls but we can for a for a price have all this back . We feel conned that no one informed us of this , we simply wanted to cancel the day time facility not the " anytime " package but the inclusion of the BB reduction offer has changed our package & removed another customer off this now redundant package [ the real aim here i feel] . Absolutely disgusted at this underhand trick. I have today phoned them & informed them of our displeasure & they say we can write in & complain, although that in it`s self is an assault course designed to frustrate & hopefully we will just give up. Not happy in the least. Is there any advise on this as we feel very conned. Paddy.

I really hope someone can help me here as Sigma Red and HL solicitors are driving me insane. I had a debt owed to virgin media and was referred to these two companies, fair enough I owe the money so on the 19th of March I setup a payment plan with payments place, initial payment sent of £15 with payments scheduled to go out on the 18th of each month. I had an email on the 14th of May informing me that Aprils payment was a few days late (it went out on the 23rd) the plan had defaulted and they would collect on the 18th of this month. On the 19th of this month I had an email stating that my bank did not allow them to take payment and they will try again over the next two days. On the 20th I receive an email saying thanks for the payment etc. Then I received a letter on the 23rd dated the 19th from HL solicitors saying that I haven't stuck to the payment plan and if I don't pay in full in 14 days that they will take me to court!! Just what the hell is going on here? I setup the payment plan with them, there was enough money in my account to pay on each month, it's not via a standing order or direct debit but POS so it's them that takes the money out, I have no control over that. Argh, what do I do, should I call them?

So what are your thoughts on this. I think it is in very bad tastes and what does it have to do with the ethos of the Commonwealth Games. Not forgetting all those people that had compulsory purchase orders on there properties to make way for buildings need for these games. http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/apr/03/glasgow-2014-red-road-flats-demolished-opening-ceremony-commonwealth-games

I stupidly bought this game online from EA games here is the list of problems 1 you must have a broadband connection at all times to ea game servers to play even in single player mode, that's if you can sign onto a working server, as them seem to have only 12 for the entire world to play on. 2 if you don't have a internet connection then you carnt play the game at all! and I don’t believe all those TV adverts have even mentioned that fact, so if you want children t play this game then you must give them unrestricted online access 3 when in a year or two EA bring out a replacement game they will turn off the servers and your $£40 game will now be a useless icon on your screen, unlike older games which you can continue to enjoy for years. when I tried to get a refund because the game is not fit for propos and false advertising, I was warned that if I continue to complain as I am unable to have a refund as they state its in the terms and conditions, I would have my origin account cancelled thus losing over £300 worth of games I have bought from them so they are in fact stating you don’t own any software that you buy on origin you just paid to rent them from ea. if you were looking at buying this game don’t, there is a online petitions signed by over 47 thousand users in just over 48 hours to have this drm system removed or EA give everybody full refunds https://www.change.org/petitions/electronic-arts-inc-remove-always-online-drm-from-simcity-and-future-games?utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false

The OFT has launched an investigation into whether children are being unfairly pressured or encouraged to pay for additional content in 'free' web and app-based games, including upgraded membership or virtual currency such as coins, gems or fruit. Typically, players can access only portions of these games for free, with new levels or features, such as faster game play, costing money. As part of the investigation, the OFT has written to companies offering free web or app-based games, seeking information on in-game marketing to children. The OFT is also asking for parents and consumer groups to contact it with information about potentially misleading or commercially aggressive practices they are aware of in relation to these games. The OFT investigation is exploring whether these games are misleading, commercially aggressive or otherwise unfair. In particular, the OFT is looking into whether these games include 'direct exhortations' to children - a strong encouragement to make a purchase, or to do something that will necessitate making a purchase, or to persuade their parents or other adults to make a purchase for them. This is unlawful under the Consumer Protection (from Unfair Trading) Regulations 2008. http://www.oft.gov.uk/news-and-updates/press/2013/33-13#.UWfnv6yh79s

I'm new here and hope someone can help me with train2 game. My Nephew signed up when he was desperate to make something of his life. He has just moved here from Scotland and making for the first time on his own. He has not started the course and the cooling off period has passed. He signed up for £3000 - £100 per month which is half his benifits each month. We have called Train2 gane and CDF which are non-responsive to our request to cancel. Any Ideas. He has not login yet.