News
Calls to increase state pension to £416 a week and lower retirement age to 60
Increasing the payment rate for everyone over 60 to £416 per week would result in an annual income of £21,673.60.
An online petition has been circulating calling for the UK Government to set a minimum level of weekly State Pension to £416.80 a week for every retiree, and lower retirement age back to 60 from 66, for all.
The current payment rates are worth up to £185.15 for those on the New State Pension and up to £141.85 for people receiving the Basic State Pension.
The contributory benefit is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and will increase in April by 10.1 per cent, under the Triple Lock rule, taking the New State Pension to £203.85 per week and the Basic to £156.20.
As reported in the Daily Record, the creator of the petition Michael Thompson said that increasing the payment rate for everyone over 60 to £416 per week would result in an annual income of £21,673.60.
It states that the proposed new payment level ‘should lift thousands out of poverty, give our elderly folk the power to survive and help grow the real economy, bottom up’.
The petition named, ‘Increase State Pensions to £416.80 per week and lower retirement age to 60 for all’, has appeared on the petitions parliament website and has already passed the 10,000 signature threshold – which prompts a response from the Government.
At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament, with the deadline to reach this mark being June 28th as all petitions are given six months.
On the petition it states: “British State Pensions are far too low. The Government must increase the basic state pension to £21,673.60 a year (£416.80 pw) and extend this to everyone aged 60 or over.
“This should lift thousands out of poverty, give our elderly folk the power to survive and help grow the real economy, bottom up — £416.80 per week is the National Minimum Wage from April 2023.
“A State Pension Age of 60 for all, reflects current trends in life expectancy which are downward and that health deteriorates long before people are able to claim state pension currently.
“This level of investment could be easily paid for by using more of our GNP, inline with EU neighbours and halting tax avoidance. Today’s young are tomorrow’s old, protecting pensions, defending the future of all and investing directly into the real economy.”
It suggests that this level of investment could be ‘easily paid for by using more of our GNP (Gross National Product), in-line with EU neighbours and halting tax avoidance’. Mr Thompson also previously started a similar petition last September, which received more than 111,000 signatures and so was debated by MPs in Parliament in December.
It also called on the UK Government to lower the State Pension age from 66 to 60, putting forward the same arguments for weekly increase to help older people out of poverty and give them more spending power.
Pensions Minister, Laura Trott, listened to contributions from other MPs before saying that the UK Government ‘disagrees with the petitioner’s proposed approach’ and setting out the reasons why.
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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