Paying benefits to landlords and letting agencies can lead to evictions, certainly right now during the pandemic. It also weakens the tenants' positions in other ways. 1. Such tenants lose the overview of how much gets paid when and to whom because they have no access to that information. This means that tenants can be getting into rent arrears without being aware of it. Mistakes are sometimes made without tenants having any knowledge of them. 2. A great deal of postal mail is currently going missing because of the pandemic and many council offices and other offices are closed. Some offices have been closed since the start of the first national lockdown in March 2020. This means that the communication between benefit-paying agencies and tenants can go awry without tenants being aware of it and this can even result in benefits having been cut without tenants being aware. 3. In practice, such tenants have to rely on their landlords and letting agents to learn about any rent arrears and the size of such rent arrears and often will have to take the landlords and letting agencies’ word for it. That is certainly often the case right now, with the pandemic hampering so many councils and other organisations. Tenants and letting agencies often only let their tenants know that there is a problem after arrears have accrued substantially as this makes it much easier to evict tenants and it makes it possible to overcome coronavirus eviction regulations. (Some landlords even have their own "guy at the council".) 4. Each of these three aforementioned points can lead to eviction notices and eviction proceedings. It is currently much harder for tenants to counter the threat of eviction, because of the pandemic. Even if the tenant is successful and manages to stop an eviction, it takes away resources from various parties including the courts. It is stressful and time-consuming for most tenants. Stress lowers disease resistance. 5. When benefit payments go to landlords and letting agents instead of to tenants, this weakens the tenants’ financial standing as the banks do not see these payments coming in to the tenants' bank accounts, which classifies tenants in a lower income bracket. This can mean that certain options are not available to tenants. It can lead to higher and additional expenses for these tenants as well as to extra paperwork. 6. Not letting tenants handle their own payments weakens their financial skills. 7. Not allowing people with lower incomes to receive their own benefits and pay their own rents is a form of socio-economic discrimination. If there are budgeting concerns, then it would be better to put such tenants in touch with budgeting consultants or pair them up with peers or others who can support such tenants if needed. All of the above applies equally to housing benefits paid by councils or the DWP and portions of Universal Credit paid by the DWP. I was evicted in 2010 when I was 50 and I became homeless back then, briefly. I was unaware at the time that my housing benefits were not going to my landlady. I found out a few years later, when I managed to repay my landlady in full. (The latter had no effect at all on my credit score, in spite of having gotten a statement from the court.) At my current address, a great deal of my postal mail goes missing or is delayed by up to as much as 12 months, sometimes. Last year (2020), one letter from the council took 5 months to arrive and many packages went missing. I don't know how many letters I have not received, but I recently found out about several important letters from the council that I never got last year. A letter from another council from which I had requested old council tax information went missing as well. I am not the only one whose mail has gone missing since the start of the pandemic; the BBC has reported on this several times, such as here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-55652461 And we all wrestle with the uncertainty that the lockdown brings with regard to what "the new normal" is. We don't know what to expect of various services, we often can't enquire in person as the offices are closed and many of us are probably heeding the request not to burden government agencies too much with our questions right now. Renewing my driving licence also took four, five months in 2020, after all, because of Covid. This pandemic is affecting us all in many ways, more than most of us are aware of. Housing benefits should always go to tenants so that when something goes wrong, tenants will be able to notice it right away.

Because single mothers need to be able to have higher education in order to help their children at home with their studies. Most children of single mothers are behind their studies because their mothers don't have the knowledge and skills to teach them at home. Single mothers may not have the means to employ private professional teachers.

North West Migrants Forum is a network of individuals working together to tackle racial inequality and prejudice in Gregory Campbell's constituency of Derry/Londonderry. They have come out strongly against these comments and we must stand behind them. North West Migrants Forum state: "Mr Campbell’s statement is not a trivial matter; it is deeply irresponsible. It is deeply worrying that Mr Campbell can confidently display such clear bias, apparently without fear of challenge or accountability. Given his role as an elected representative and public servant, Mr Campbell’s statement cannot go unchallenged; the potential costs are too high. Just weeks since the horrific attack on the Belfast Multicultural Association, it is alarming that a political leader thinks it appropriate to use this kind of race-baiting to secure some sort of perceived political advantage, regardless of the consequences." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-55970058

The branches which were unsafe have been removed but the trunk is scheduled for removal despite it being safe and the trunk could be carved for the children

The Climate Change Act (2008) was passed after 412 MPs supported an Early Day Motion in 2005. This was a ground-breaking bill, but the climate and ecological emergency has been getting steadily worse. In May 2019 the Act was amended with enhanced targets, but there is still a long way to go. The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill--the CEE Bill—would bring together a representative cross-section of British people in a Citizens’ Assembly. They would listen to experts, have thorough discussions, and report with realistic plans to limit climate change, biodiversity loss, and the injustices they cause in the world. These plans would be taken up by government. The Bill has been supported by nearly 100 MPs so far, and was due for a second reading on 26th March 2021, but is likely to be delayed after the Government suspended Friday sittings. Please join the campaign to get this law onto our statute books and to help protect life on our beautiful planet. ► Find out more at https://www.ceebill.uk/resources ► Join the Twitter storm on 26th February, the day when the second reading was previously due in Parliament

This will be better for the economy with less people receiving universal credit and more tax revenue. It will allow young to have the better working life the deserve, help their mental health. It will also allow grandparents to support with child care earlier and to have a more healthy retirement

During this pandemic convenience store workers have been at the heart of the community from before the sun rises until long after everyone is in bed to ensure that everyone in the community is not just fed but able to utilise basic services such as bill payments and cash withdrawals. They are often the invisible servants of the community who are always there to set you on your way in the morning or be there if your missing an item for your evening leisure time. You may run out of gas at 9pm but you'll be warm through the night as they can top up your meter. It's not just convenience store workers, the Act should cover all defined key workers, those who keep transport running, drivers, mechanics, engineers, communications, NHS workers, refuse collectors, post office workers, delivery drivers, those at electric and water companies, dentists any role defined as a key worker (I'm writing this up fast whilst looking after a newborn so forgive me for not mentioning other key workers, you are all hero's) one extra days holiday entitlement every year is a very small way to say thank you to all the courageous souls on the front line. Thanks for supporting, God bless you.

Systemic racism, sexism, transphobia and ableism shouldn't be allowed to stand. Let's find other ways to reward and congratulate success that don't rely on institutional approval or recognition.

That isnt even a question like this is so important because part of the reason for homophobia is because children arnt taught about being LGBT

The threat from climate change and the human impact of humans on the environment is daunting. Much like the foundation of the NHS was based on the mutual aid societies set up by ordinary people, we need to support the organisation of local grassroots initiatives to save the planet, rather than just waiting for legislation and international agreements

This coin can be another way of providing funds, but also keeping his Legacy and Memory alive. Commemorating the fight against Covid 19

This coin can be another way of providing funds, but also keeping Sir Tom's Legacy and Memory alive,