Posts

Thank you Kip, it is having pals to share woes with that makes life so bearable. I have had a run of bad luck this past few years loosing all three of my great friends to one nasty or another. In truth I have only ever had seven close friends in my 55 years. They have all left and gone on, which kind of leaves you feeling quite empty.

My greatest friend ever (closer than close, could not possibly describe bond between us) passed 3 years ago in December; you rise above it mostly and get on, but sometimes....just sometimes it gets the better of you.

Must reassess, and figure out next move.

Chow fer now. Going to watch a good movie and tomorrow is another day.

Mike

Kevin

I do a lot of mentoring for IOSH, this helps me greatly. You are obviously talented, I feel certain there is voluntary work you could do. Youngsters would be very grateful indeed and the feeling it gives you is amazing.

I also moderate the IOSH forums, again this takes up time. When I am really stuck, I walk the dog (see Jack sighing....oh no, not again, I've been twice already!).

I have my model railway also which helps, Bonsai and gardening. I also research my profession daily to ensure I am as good as it gets.

Mike

Yes indeed, quite a ridiculous scenario as it turns out! I must now really hit the jobs market to find some income. Consultancy is SLOWWWW for certain right now.

Don't get me wrong, I have had some good contacts from my site, but, and it is a big but....I work rapidly, and will not pad work out to gain income for the sake of it. I suppose when you know your profession pretty much inside out it just flows.

Have registered with numerous agencies but if they are as efficient as the one I have just mentioned then I am not holding my breath. You probably know, I am 55 on June 2nd and have been told just this week by an agency that I am rather old for many of the positions I am interested in. Age discrimination laws are not worth the paper they were printed on...I really don't know why the Government bothered.

We have property bought and paid for, but again, I think you know, we look after Mother in the annex, so downsizing to free up some equity is really much harder than it may first seem. Thinking of looking to buy a pair of semi's and we have one, Mum the other, fit an interconnecting door and voila. This could free up up to 150K which worked carefully may last until OAP kicks in. Hugely depressed right now which is odd and out of character for me.

That is 55....going on 25 mostly, it is just the saggy bits that let me down

Mike

I would imagine Kevin...that Steve & Clive will be really chuffed.

Mike

What utterly wonderful people you are! I could not have asked for anymore. I frequently find as a registered mentor for my chartered body, that I spend quite a lot of time on papers, open exam assessments etc and seldom get a bee-bo, kiss my arm as thanks.

I am now sufficiently armed with excellent information to make the necessary steps after said TR ends up on my doormat...(need to make certain young Jack [Border Collie) does not rip it to shreds).

Again, I wish I could say more, other than thank you.

Mike

Many thanks for your time Barry. Yes I registered self employed 1st Dec 2009 the day my three months notice pay expired. revenue since then to April 5th is minimal.

Will I receive a SA form shortly do you feel?

Kind regards

Mike

Luvvving marmite, on toast, with cheese, on bread and buppy fingers for me dippy eggs, spoonful with hot water, hmmm, yummee, yep, pretty much anyway up. Oh, a teaspoonful in the spag bol sauce (ome made) works absolute wonders.

Mike

Possibly someone can assist, it is not my area of expertise.

I was made redundant in August 2009 and paid three months notice and let go. effectively then paid up to November end 2009. Registered as self employed on 1st Dec 2009 and of course earnings are very low. I was a 40% tax payer.

Question is can I apply for a rebate and if so how? And, should it or must it be prior to April 5th? Time is tight if that is the case.

I'm going to post elsewhere to cover my bases.

Mike

I'll post up additions to further advise. From the way I see it, if you have just one employee then you will be afflicted,,affected not afflicted...then again.

Mike


Automatic Enrolment – now and after 2012

The Government’s pension reforms will introduce numerous new pension rules from 2012. Prime amongst them is the necessity for an employer to contribute to a pension for their employees for the first time and also the introduction of automatic enrolment.
What does automatic enrolment actually mean?

Auto-enrolment (as it will be more commonly known) means that employees will be a member of their employer’s pension scheme unless they actively decide to opt-out. So those that choose to do nothing will stay as members. Additionally, people who opt-out will have to be re-enrolled every three years. Auto-enrolment is likely to significantly increase membership of pension schemes.
Can I use automatic enrolment before 2012?

It depends on what type of pension scheme you have. If the scheme is an occupational pension scheme, then you are able to auto-enrol employees before 2012. However, if the scheme is what as known as a contract-based scheme – such as a group personal pension, group stakeholder pension or group self invested personal pension – then you can’t.

This is because of two European directives. The Distance Marketing Directive and the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive are there to protect customers from being misled into signing up for financial services contracts without being given the opportunity to fully consider the contract terms first.

After discussions with the EU, the Government believes automatic enrolment in contract-based schemes is consistent with EU law from 2012 onwards. The new interpretation recognises the difference between an employer sponsored scheme to which the employer contributes (workplace personal pensions) and individual personal pensions which have no employer involvement.
The automatic enrolment process from 2012

The Government's pension reform changes will start to be implemented from October 2012. New regulations confirm when employers will need to automatically enrol workers into a qualifying pension scheme - which depends on their size. The tables below show the exact date (known as the ‘staging date') by which employers must fulfil their responsibilities.

The employer must enrol all qualifying workers - broadly those between age 22 and state pension age who earn above

2012 will not only be a landmark year in the UK with the arrival of the summer Olympics. From October of that year, all employers will be faced with a raft of new employer duties connected to pension reform.

Included in those duties is, for the first time in the history of UK pensions, the requirement for employers to automatically enrol millions of eligible employees in to a qualifying workplace pension scheme (QWPS).

This is a major change to UK pensions. The Government has estimated that some 7 million people are either not saving enough or not saving at all for their retirement. To deliver their aims, the Government is placing the onus on employers to help in encouraging more people to save.

And don