Hi, I applied for a provisional driving license in October 2016. To this day (Aug 2017) I am still waiting for it. Today DVLA told me it's still in a queue for a doctor to review but would not tell me how many months or years it would take for that review to happen. DVLA refused to tell me the average or approximate time it takes for a medical review to happen. No info whatsoever...just keep waiting... Is this normal? How long does this normally take? Is there a way I could get a provisional license and my lessons as well as the actual driving license abroad and then use that here? - Sorry, this might be a silly question, but I need options. I desperately need a driving license for work/shopping/doc appointments due to bad back, and it seems it's not possible to do it in the UK due to some internal DVLA backlogs. Thank you for any suggestions x

From 1 October, several changes to the law around smoking come into force. Here’s everything you need to know: Q: What is happening on October 1? A: From that date private vehicles must be smoke free if there are passengers in it who include someone under 18. Q: Is it just the driver who faces prosecution if the law is broken? A: No. If one of the passengers lights up in the vehicle they and the driver will face prosecution. Q: What will happen to those caught? A: They will received a fixed notice penalty of £50. Q: Does the law apply to e-cigarettes? A: No it does not. Q: What happens if there is a 17-year-old who is alone in a vehicle and smoking? A: If that is the case then no-one is committing an offence. Q: What type of private vehicles does the legislation cover? A: It covers any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof. A convertible car, or coupe, with the roof completely down and stowed is not enclosed and so isn’t covered by the legislation. But a vehicle with a sunroof open is still enclosed and so is covered. Sitting in the open doorway of an enclosed vehicle is covered by the legislation. Q: Do the new laws apply to motorhomes, campervans and caravans? A: The rules apply to them when they are being used as a vehicle but don’t apply when they are being used as living accommodation. Q: How will it be enforced? A: Enforcement officers - usually the police - will use their discretion to decide whether to issue a warning or a fixed penalty notice, or whether to refer an offence to court. Q: Won’t it be difficult to enforce? A: Yes, according to some police officers, who also warn it might divert officers from other duties. It’s a point conceded by those who campaigned for the law change who hope that just the existence of the new law will deter many from lighting up in their vehicle. Q: Why is the new legislation being brought in? A: To protect children and young people from passive smoking. Those for the bans say every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke they breathe in thousands of chemicals. This puts them at risk of serious conditions, such as meningitis, cancer and respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. It can also make asthma worse. Secondhand smoke is dangerous for anyone, but children are especially vulnerable, because they breathe more rapidly and have less developed airways, lungs and immune systems.

Halloween is approaching.Can you believe this event is coming around again. I get so excited this time of year. Already i have been in shops,supermarkets going down the aisles trying masks on,putting claws on. Appearing around corners of aisles. giving friends the scare of the day. Playing with the puppet ghosts things like that. Seems to raise a smile or two in a world of serious issues. Or wondering perhaps when i will be locked up. You are never to old to enjoy these things.Not that security does not give you strange looks as a claw appears to shake their hand. But it usually ends up in a laugh.Thank goodness. If you are older remember your youth.When you were children running around. Go back there,think of those happy times,a happy place.And smile as you remember. So we are building up to this day.Saturday the 31ST october. Get your bags of goodies ready for the kids when they call round with their mums and dads. Do not turn the lights out and avoid.Do not dread this day,enjoy it.Get a Pumpkin,carve it,light it.Put it outside your door. Enjoy this event,have a laugh If you wish to,post a picture. I will, i have a nice one from a few years ago.In a while i will. If you have any recipes for this day post them.Perhaps a picture as well. Give others ideas for this tradition. Do you have a party on this day. I can feel many wanting to post,or i hope they do. If you are not a member just join us,we are a friendly lot.Life is not serious all the time we have to have fun as well. http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/register.php

Hi, I have a debt with Lloyds, due to a personal loan when I was employed by them. Of course there was PPI on there, as an employee it was required of me in order to get the loan. long story short, I had to resign from my job with them due to moving hundreds of miles into a womens refuge to escape domestic violence. They refused my ppi claim as I had resigned and wouldn't help me transfer my job to another branch. I tried to get them to agree to reduced payments, while I got sorted; again refused. As I had so much else going on, they really were the least of my worries and I ignored them. Right or wrong, I know better now and wouldn't dream of doing it again. The debt became statute barred in October 13, I've found this out through the CAB. I've been getting letters from Lowells, but having read advice on here, ignored them. My credit file was clean, the default had dropped off. I was accepted for a 'proper' bank account, and had to pass a credit check for my current job so I know it was fine. Now all of a sudden, Lowells have placed defaults on my credit file for every month from October 13, which is when I'm assuming they bought the debt. They're saying last payment was made 2009, it wasn't, it was June 2007. I obviously can't ignore them any longer, they're also threatening to take me to court, bless their cotton socks. What do I do now please? Thanks in advance!

To celebrate 40 years of the 16-25 Railcard. National Rail are giving you a whopping 40% discount when you buy a 1 year 16-25 Railcard online. That means you'll pay just £18 instead of the usual cost of £30. More info on this link: http://www.16-25railcard.co.uk/40years/

Hi, On 18th October my car was in Clackett Lane (M25 services) for over two hours as the driver had returned from the US overnight and feeling very tired and not wanting to cause an accident he fell asleep and overstayed. I just received the email shown below from Debt Recovery Plus Ltd in response to my email (I wrote to CP Plus Ltd stating I would be happy to see them in court and explain before the magistrate/judge what happened. Equally I will be happy to see you in court so please don't bother sending any further correspondence unless it relates to a court date as I will not be responding.) Just wanted to check my position is OK - thanks Thank you for your email Mr Hall. Due to the content of this correspondence, I would like to clarify our position regarding this Parking Charge Notice (PCN). The site in question is subject to terms and conditions which are stated on signs throughout the area. Parking restrictions are put in place for a variety of reasons; including traffic control, congestion avoidance, etc and, as such, must be strictly enforced. As these terms were breached on 18th October 2012 (by overstaying the permitted time limit), a PCN was correctly and legitimately issued. Please find enclosed photographic evidence taken at the time of the contravention. Within the correspondence, court action has been referred to. As such, I feel obligated to inform you that, under the Pre-Action Protocol of the Civil Procedural Rules, court action must only be viewed as a last resort. I am attempting to abide by this direction by trying to settle the matter amicably without court involvement. However, if the matter does go to court it will be pointed out that, in line with The Protection off Freedoms Act 2012, you were granted a certain time within which to appeal; including to an Independent Appeals Service. I understand that this is not the desired outcome. However, unless further evidence is provided, the decision on this matter is final. Furthermore, while any further correspondence contesting the decision will be noted and filed, I cannot assure you of a response unless fresh evidence is provided that would have a bearing on the decision. As a gesture of goodwill, I will place the account of £120.00 on hold for 14 days to allow time for payment to be made. However, if no payment is received within this period, the matter will be passed on to our solicitors for further action to be considered.

hi there Sorry Im struggling to get my head round what to do in this situation I have had 1 letter which is a requisition that I attend court on the 4th Oct ( which i cant as I am working ) And I want to reply to the case stating my side So it is for no insurance on a vehicle which I, probably in my naivety, thought was sorned and okay I sent the sorn notice off in Feb, didnt get any response but to be honest never chased it. It was off road and still is, parked on private ground. I didnt know it had to be insured when sorned, and again, never took much notice to the new rules... I am not insurance dodging as i have 2 motorbikes which are insured and tax n tested. I have not received any other letters from anyone until this court letter, so didnt know anything about it....also the tax on the car runs out today and i havent had notification, so this makes me think that there is a problem in the system somewhere as surely i would have had a notification unless it was noted as sorn? As soon as I got this letter I insured the car, seeing as it has to be done so by law I have looked up the penalties and it says up to 6 points, to which this can make me unemployed as I am a bus driver which 6 points is a no no .... SOOO can anyone help/advise do i plead guilty/not guilty /write a letter in my defence ? If so can anyone help me draft a letter, pretty please Thanks in advance

Undercover: Debt on the Doorstep Duration: 30 minutes The economy is showing few signs of recovery, but one area of business is doing well: door-to-door loans. Panorama investigates the debt business, a world of cash on the doorstep and high interest rates. We go undercover to reveal the tactics of the trade: the real costs of a loan and the techniques which mean that some customers may never clear their debt. And we find victims - the vulnerable and mentally ill, who are sold loans in apparent breach of industry guidelines.

A Government consultation about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and its effect on eligibility for a Blue Badge (BB) will close on 2 October. The Department of Transport’s preferred option for bringing the process in line with new legislation is not expected to significantly affect the overall numbers of people entitled to BB. Currently, people are entitled to a BB if they receive a certain component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) that relates to mobility. The DLA is being replaced by the PIP and so the Department needs to look at the way the BB system is administered to ensure a smooth transition when the new benefits structure is introduced. The consultation outlines the options under consideration. They are: Option 1 – no legislative link between eligibility for a Blue Badge and eligibility to PIP, Option 2 – establishing a legislative link between Blue Badge eligibility and the enhanced mobility component of PIP, Option 3 – establishing a legislative link between Blue Badge eligibility and those who score 8 points or more within the ‘Moving Around’ activity within PIP. This assesses a person’s physical ability to get around. The Department’s preferred option is to ensure decisions are consistent, using the criteria in the new PIP system that most closely correspond to those currently used by local authorities to carry out their own assessments (Option 3). http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-30/