Tag: #GovUK

Government Tests – 3pm, Sunday 23 April

On St. George’s Day, in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, citizens will receive the following alert:

This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.
This is a test. You do not need to take any action.

Wales will receive the alert in Welsh as well as English.

All information taken from Gov.UK.

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Government’s Help To Save

Help to Save is a type of savings account. which is backed by the Government so your savings are secure. Anyone entitled to/in receipt of Working Tax Credit or receiving Universal Credit will get a bonus of 50p for every £1 they save over 4 years.

  • You can save between £1 and £50 each calendar month. You do not have to pay money in every month.
  • You can pay money into your Help to Save account by debit card, standing order or bank transfer.
  • You can pay in as many times as you like, but the most you can pay in each calendar month is £50. For example, if you have saved £50 by 8 January you will not be able to pay in again until 1 February.
  • You can only withdraw money from your Help to Save account to your bank account.
  • Bonuses are awarded at the end of the second and fourth years. They’re based on how much you’ve saved.

Your Help to Save account will close 4 years after you open it. You will not be able to reopen it or open another Help to Save account. You’ll be able to keep the money from your account.

You can close your account at any time. If you close your account early you’ll miss your next bonus and you will not be able to open another one.

How it works:

You can earn 2 tax-free bonuses over 4 years. You’ll get any bonuses you’ve earned even if you withdraw money*.
After your first 2 years, you’ll get a first bonus if you’ve been using your account to save. This bonus will be 50% of the highest balance you’ve saved.
After 4 years, you’ll get a final bonus if you continue to save. This bonus will be 50% of the difference between 2 amounts:

  • the highest balance saved in the first 2 years (years 1 and 2)
  • the highest balance saved in the last 2 years (years 3 and 4)

If your highest balance does not increase, you will not earn a final bonus.

The most you can pay into your account each calendar month is £50, which is £2,400 over 4 years. The most you can earn from your savings in 4 years is £1,200 in bonus money.
Your bonus is paid into your bank account, not your Help to Save account.

* If you withdraw money it will be harder for you to:

  • grow your highest balance
  • earn the largest possible bonuses

Withdrawing money could mean you are not able to earn a final bonus – depending on how much you withdraw and when.

Note:

  • Help to Save bonuses will not affect your Universal Credit payments.
  • Help to Save will not affect how much Working Tax Credit you get.
  • If you or your partner have £6,000 or less in personal savings, your Help to Save bonuses will not affect how much Housing Benefit you get.

You need a Government Gateway user ID and password to apply. If you do not have a user ID, you can create one when you apply.
You will be asked for your UK bank details.

Sign in to your Government gateway and go to https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/help-to-save/no-account.

All information taken from Gov.UK.

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#Community,#WestDorset,#Dorset,#2023,#HelpToSave,#GovUK,#Savings,#BeKind,#BeSafe,#StaySafe

 

 

Your Christmas Bubble

Dorset will remain in Tier 2 – High Alert.  The rules for Christmas Day 2020 are different.

It is vital that we each take personal responsibility this Christmas to limit the spread of the virus and protect our loved ones, particularly if they are vulnerable.

One in three people with Coronavirus (COVID-19) have no symptoms and will be spreading it without realising it. So the safest way to celebrate Christmas this year is with your household or existing support bubble in your home. The more people you see, the more likely it is that you will catch or spread Coronavirus.

Living in Dorset, you may see a maximum of two other households (your ‘Christmas bubble’) on Christmas Day (25 December). You cannot see anyone from a Tier 4 area. You should think very carefully about the risks and only form a Christmas bubble if you feel you absolutely need to. Wherever possible, discuss alternatives to meeting up in person.

Christmas GarlandThe rules below are law for December 25th and taken from the Government’s website:

You can only form a Christmas bubble if you do not live in a Tier 4 area. If you are permitted to form a Christmas bubble and choose to do so:

  • keep your Christmas bubble as small as possible. Two other households is a maximum, not a target
  • do not join a Christmas bubble with anyone from a Tier 4 area
  • stop all unnecessary social contact outside your immediate household as soon as possible and for at least five days before you meet other households in your bubble
  • only meet your Christmas bubble in private homes or in your garden, places of worship, or public outdoor spaces
  • only see your bubble on Christmas Day. Do not stay overnight and keep your visits as short as possible
  • stay local where possible. Avoid travelling from a high prevalence to a low prevalence area
  • if you are meeting someone who is not in your Christmas or support bubble, you can only do so outside your home or garden and in accordance with the rules in your tier (either the tier you live in, or the tier you are meeting in – whichever is stricter)

When seeing your Christmas bubble, you should keep taking steps to reduce the spread of the virus. This includes:

  • meeting outdoors where possible
  • ensuring indoor spaces get as much fresh air as possible
  • making space between members of different households wherever you can
  • washing your hands regularly and for 20 seconds
  • following rules on self-isolation if you develop symptoms or test positive for coronavirus.

You should not visit another household if you, or anyone in your household, is self-isolating. You should get a free NHS test if you have symptoms, have been asked to by your local council or your hospital, or are taking part in a government pilot project.

Christmas Garland

Christmas GarlandFor more information on forming your Christmas Bubble under various circumstances – Please click HERE.

Christmas Garland

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