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YOUNG PEOPLE IN LONDON TO GET NATIONAL IDENTITY CARDS

Employers across Britain will get £1,000 for taking on a young person who is struggling to find work.

Additional free pre-employment training packages will also get young recruits off to a flying start through the Care First Careers initiative announced today by Care Services Minister, Phil Hope and Work and Pensions Minister, Jim Knight.

Care First Careers is part of the Government’s young person’s guarantee that everyone between the ages of 18 and 24 who has been looking for work for six months will get a job offer, work experience or training. It makes £75million available to fund up to 50,000 jobs.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:

“The population of Britain is ageing. For the first time we have more over 65s than under 18s. The Government is planning a new National Care Service to meet the growing demand for adult care - we need to get the next generation of care staff in place now.

“Care services offer challenging and rewarding careers, from managing care homes to supporting older and disabled people to live independently in their own homes. I hope Care First Careers will encourage more young people to consider a future in care and help give them the leg-up they need to get started.”

To support the introduction of Care First Careers, a series of 11 regional launch events will take place in January and February 2010 throughout England, Scotland and Wales. These will involve inviting adult social care employers from each region to learn more about the scheme and employing young people in general.

To find out more about these events and to learn how to apply for the subsidy, employers can visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/carefirstcareers.

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Young people aged 16 to 24 who live in London will be able to apply for a National Identity Card from 8 February, it was announced today.

The rollout to young people in the capital follows the successful uptake of cards in Greater Manchester and the North West of England.

The £30 identity card provides a secure and convenient way for people to prove their identity whether they are travelling in Europe - the cards can also be used in place of a passport for travel throughout Europe - or buying age-restricted goods.

Young people across the capital buying alcohol, computer games and DVDs, going to the cinema or to a club, know how important it is to have a recognised proof of identity which is easy to carry.

Research by the Identity and Passport Service shows that over half of lost and stolen passports belong to people under 30, and a tenth of those are lost by people using them as ID on a night out. As an ID card fits snugly into a wallet, it should help avoid the card becoming lost.

Also from next month until 30 June, people across the UK who have registered an interest through the Directgov website will be able to apply for a card. More than 16,000 people have already registered an interest in getting an identity card in this way.

Meg Hillier, the Home Office Minister responsible for identity cards said:

“The National Identity Card will prove an extremely useful tool for young people in London, whether they are opening a bank account, buying age-restricted goods such as computer games or DVDs, entering a nightclub or travelling to Europe.

“These benefits are already being enjoyed by members of the public in Greater Manchester and the North West of England and with tough new legislation being put in place clamping down on underage drinking, it will be more important than ever for young people to have access to a universally accepted proof of age.”

Richard Hurley, Communications Manager at CIFAS the UK's Fraud Prevention Service said:

“When the National Identity Card is introduced, it will be another document to help establish an individual’s identity, alongside a passport, driving licence, etc. As such, it will potentially be another ‘tool in the toolbox’ in the fight to prevent fraud.

“In time, when everyone has a National Identity Card, it may well become the ‘Gold Standard’ for establishing an individual’s identity. It may eventually replace all other documents for this purpose, and be relied upon as the sole proof of identity, but this will depend on the level of public and corporate confidence in the National Identity Card.”

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:

“Pubs work very hard to prevent underage sales, but in a busy pub environment, it can sometimes be a challenge.

“Identity cards will be another useful tool for London licensees to help avoid such sales, while at the same time making sure that legal customers are welcomed.”

Suleman Khonat, President of the National Federation of Retail Newsagents, said:

"Independent newsagents and convenience store owners are pleased that the introduction of national identity cards is to be rolled out to London.

“Any initiative that provides a means by which members of the public can confirm their identity and age and which helps to prevent sales of age-restricted goods such as tobacco and alcohol to youngsters is to be welcomed."

Individuals can get more information or make an appointment for an identity card by calling 0300 330 0000.

Further information on the National Identity Service can be found at http://www.direct.gov.uk/idsmart, and for businesses at www.businesslink.gov.uk/idsmart.


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A free online public procurement course designed to help smaller firms bid for the £220 billion of public sector contracts awarded each year was today launched jointly by Small Business Minister Lord Davies and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne.

The course, ‘Winning the Contract’, shows participants how to identify business opportunities to supply goods and services to the public sector, explains the public procurement process, and demonstrates how to submit tenders. It has helpful hints and tips to guide and inform businesses on the bidding process, and where to find public sector contract opportunities.

Trade, Investment and Small Business Minister Lord Davies said:

“Small and medium-sized businesses already sell their goods and services to the public sector, but many more could do so. Opening up public sector procurement to a wider range of suppliers provides new opportunities for small businesses as the UK economy heads towards growth.”

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liam Bryne, MP said:

"Small and medium-sized businesses are the engine-room of our economy. We want them to harness the spending power of government to grow their businesses and create jobs. This new free course will help those businesses to compete effectively for government contracts, locking in the recovery and strengthening businesses throughout the country."

Winning the Contract is a nationally available online training course which all businesses, regardless of size and sector, can access free of charge. It is part of a series of joint initiatives by the Office of Government Commerce and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills aimed at making the procurement market clearer and simpler.


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From today every young person who is unemployed for six months will be guaranteed the offer of a job, training or work experience, supported by up to 470,000 opportunities over the next 15 months through the Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee.

Latest figures show up to 100,000 unemployed young people will be eligible to benefit from the guarantee straight away. Despite last week’s welcome fall in youth unemployment Ministers believe it’s time to do more and increase the help as the economy recovers.

As the guarantee becomes available across the UK, Ministers are calling for businesses to keep Backing Young Britain by creating even more opportunities for young people. They will promise Government support to businesses who give young people a job, apprenticeship or internship.

Young people are already getting help from the major increase in education and training places this year, and the expansion of specialist help and support through job centres working with local employers. Hundreds of thousands of young people have already received help to find work, training or an education place. However Ministers believe more help is needed as the economy recovers to avoid the problem of youth unemployment continuing to rise for years after the recession has ended.

Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, told employers and young people at a breakfast event in Downing Street today that it’s critical to continue investing, saying:

“The extra investment has already been critical to keeping unemployment 450,000 lower than expected. But despite the latest welcome fall in unemployment, now is the time to increase help not cut it back. We need to make sure young people do not suffer the scarring effects of long term unemployment.

“Extra help is already available to young people and many thousands more are in work, education or training as a result. But we want to guarantee every young person the right support. That’s why this guarantee is starting now, as the school leavers and graduates of last summer who couldn’t find work because of the recession start to approach six months unemployment. It’s why it’s so important for employers and Government to continue working together to Back Young Britain.”

The new Young Person’s Guarantee will provide up to 470,000 extra job and training opportunities for young people over next 15 months. The guarantee offers:

• the opportunity to apply for new jobs created through the £1bn Future Jobs Fund;

• extra training and support to get an existing job -- with help especially targeted at key employment sectors with high levels of recruitment;

• work-focused training;

• a place on a Community Task Force;

• help with self-employment;

• internships for Graduates and non-Graduates.

To date there have been over 104,000 successful bids to create jobs through the Future Jobs Fund over the next fifteen months, with the first young people having already started work in jobs ranging from housing officers to football coaches. Over 480,000 people, including almost 100,000 18 – 24 year olds have been placed into jobs and work trials through the Local Employment Partnerships scheme. So far, 50,000 employers have signed up to work with Jobcentre Plus through this partnership.

Yvette Cooper announced that from today tailored training for a wide range of sectors is now available across the country to help young people get a foot onto the career ladder. This means that employer demands can be met across a wide range of sectors.

Yvette Cooper also confirmed that as part of the guarantee all young people who will be given access to a named Jobcentre Plus Personal Adviser. This continuity of support is really important in helping young people build an effective relationship with their adviser, so that they can get the help and support they need.

Speaking at the breakfast event, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said:

“Young people have been at the centre of Government’s response to unemployment and the recession, but we must not be complacent. Our support is an investment in our future as we build a stronger Britain."

A new taskforce also launched today will ensure skilled and motivated careers professionals give all young people high-quality advice, while three regional roadshows will encourage dozens more employers to offer more and better work experience placements.

The Careers Profession Taskforce, led by Dame Ruth Silver, chair of the Learning and Skills and Improvement Service, will report its findings to Government in summer 2010.

Schools Minister Iain Wright said:

“The Taskforce will play a key role in ensuring the next generation of careers professionals can deliver our ambition that all young people get the best advice so that they unlock their potential.

“Good work experience is vital if young people are to discover what the world of work is all about and become really excited by a career. The road-shows will focus on quantity and quality – more employers offering more and better work placements.”


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A new £125m ‘super fund’ was officially launched today (Friday 22 January) aimed at supporting hundreds of businesses which will help lead the North East’s economic recovery.

The Finance for Business North East Fund was unveiled by Rosie Winterton MP, Minister for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination, to scores of businesses at an event at Ramside Hall Hotel, Durham.

The new fund - formerly called JEREMIE - will underpin the growth of business start-ups, technology-based companies and growing smaller businesses, helping to create jobs and prosperity for the region through targeted loans and equity investments.

Over the next five years, it will support up to 850 small and medium-sized North East companies, with the aim of creating more than 5,000 jobs.

Rosie Winterton MP said: "I am delighted to formally launch the North East ‘super fund’.

“The recent economic situation has had a significant impact on the people and businesses of the North East. This venture capital fund is a key part of getting critical help to small and medium sized businesses to invest in the recovery. Along with other Government support measures, this will help ensure the region’s economic prosperity, helping hundreds of businesses and creating thousands of new jobs.”

Senior representatives from both the European Investment Bank and European Commission will also address the audience, outlining the importance of their investment into the first fund of its type in England.

The European Investment Bank is committing £62.5m into the fund, with £44.25m coming from the European Regional Development Fund 2007-2013 and £18.25m from regional development agency One North East.

Finance for Business North East comprises six separate funds and businesses in the audience will have the opportunity to speak with the newly-appointed fund managers about how to access the finance available.

The fund management firms leading the six funds that will comprise JEREMIE are:

· NorthStar Equity Investors, an active early stage fund management company established in Newcastle since 2004, who will manage the £15m Technology Proof of Concept Fund and the £20m Seed Fund.

· IP Group, which operates on a nationwide basis, who will run the £25m Technology Fund from offices in Newcastle.

· Rivers Capital Partners – a new joint venture between leading technology investment firm E-Synergy and local business advisors Finance Tree of Newcastle - who will manage the £7.5m Angel Match Fund.

· FW Capital, a specialist in regional investment, who will manage the £20m Growth Plus Fund through their new North East office.

· NEL Fund Managers, of Newcastle, who will run the £20m Growth Fund.

Malcolm Page, One North East Deputy Chief Executive, said: “The creation of the Finance for Business North East Fund has been led by One North East and will underpin the companies that will help lead the growth of the North East economy as it emerges from recession.

“The fund represents an exciting new era in publicly backed venture capital in our region and the support of the European Investment Bank and European Commission is a real vote of confidence in our regional economy.”

Stephen Langley, Administrator and Venture Capital Loan Fund Co-ordinator, UK Unit, European Commission, said: “I very much welcome the fact that the North East partners have seized European Union funding opportunities to set up a range of financial instruments of such value and significance for the regional economy.

Nick Brown MP, Minister for the North East, said: “The North East is well served by our regional development agency. The effort undertaken by One North East to launch the fund demonstrates this. I welcome this practical support for business and the opportunities for job creation.”

City of Durham MP Roberta Blackman-Woods said: “I am really pleased that the European Investment Bank, European Regional Development Fund and the regional development agency have come together to provide these much-needed funds for business development in the North East.

“I know this fund will be of enormous interest to businesses in my constituency and throughout the North East.

“It seems particularly appropriate that the fund is being launched in Durham as it has an emphasis on growing smaller businesses, including technology based companies, and I hope Durham University’s spin-out companies can benefit from it too. It should, of course, help create jobs for Durham and for the region.”

Andrew Mitchell, Chief Executive of North East Finance which will oversee the day to day running of the fund, said: “These funds will provide local entrepreneurs and ambitious businesses with access to venture capital and expert fund managers right here on their doorstep.”

Companies interested in accessing fund finance can register their details now at http://www.onenortheast.co.uk/financeforbusinessnortheast/index.cfm and they will be contacted by a fund manager or go to http://www.northeastfinance.org/

For further information contact Gordon Arnott, PR Manager at One North East, on Tel: 0191 229 6309, mobile: 07713 317883 or gordon.arnott@onenortheast.co.uk

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Thousands of people who lost pensions when their employers went bust will get at least 90 per cent of their pensions guaranteed, as the final phase of the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) regulations are put before Parliament. The Government will pay out £3.5 billion to around 150,000 people.

Minister of State for Pensions Angela Eagle said:

“The Government is completing its promise to provide a just and final settlement for those who lost pension savings when their employers went bust. There can be few greater cruelties than to find the pension you have earned has suddenly disappeared through no fault of your own. That is why the Financial Assistance Scheme, which we are completing with these regulations, is so important to around 150,000 people.”

Before the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) existed to help them, thousands of employees lost their savings between 1 January 1997 and 6 April 2005 when their defined benefit pension schemes were wound up without enough funds to pay their pensions.

FAS payments have been extended to members of schemes that wound up under funded although their employer was still solvent, and those in ill health and unable to work will get early access to their pension.

The FAS now provides help that is broadly similar to that provide by the PPF - at least 90% of the defined benefit pension accrued by individuals when their scheme began to wind up, which may be subject to a cap, paid from their normal retirement age.

The £3.5 billion cost is being part funded by the Government absorbing assets remaining in the affected pension schemes.

Responsibility for the administration of the FAS was transferred from the DWP to the Board of the PPF in July 2009, to establish a single organisation with responsibility for providing financial help to members of defined benefit pension schemes.


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A major new website has been launched to the public which gives anyone who wants to use it unprecedented and free access to government data in one place.

The site called data.gov.uk contains more than 2500 sets of data from across government. All of the data is non-personal and in a format that can be reused by any individual or business to create innovative new software tools, such as applications about house prices, local amenities and services, or access to local hospitals.

Stephen Timms, Minister for Digital Britain, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web and Professor Nigel Shadbolt from the University of Southampton, worked together to launch the website.

In the run-up to today’s public launch, 2400 registered developers were given access to a preview version of the site, so they could offer feedback and start experimenting with the data.

Some of the applications developed in this preview stage include:

* a video which shows traffic flows and congestion on the motorway network over the past decade * the ‘School Finder’ website which enables parents to search for schools by location and Ofsted report * a "postcode newspaper" which details the different public services in a postcode area

So that people can continue to create new products in the future, data.gov.uk will be using a new, open licence, which allows government-owned data to be freely reused by anybody.

Today’s launch delivers on a major commitment in Putting the Frontline First: Smarter Government which the Prime Minister announced in December.

Stephen Timms, Minister for Digital Britain, said:

“Freeing up public data will create major new opportunities for businesses. By allowing industry to use data creatively they can develop new services and generate economic value from it.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for UK firms to secure better value for money in service delivery and to develop innovative services which will help to grow the economy.”

Sir Tim Berners-Lee said:

“Making public data available for re-use is about increasing accountability and transparency and letting people create new, innovative ways of using it. Government data should be a public resource. By releasing it, we can unlock new ideas for delivering public services, help communities and society work better, and let talented entrepreneurs and engineers create new businesses and services. ”

Professor Nigel Shadbolt, said:

“Today marks an important step forward in the work the Prime Minister asked us to lead. It gives data to the public and sets the groundwork for further progress. Over the next few weeks and months we will build on this by adding more functions. We are already working with departments, agencies and local authorities to release even more data all the time, and we want the release of public data to be ‘business as usual’ across public bodies as outlined in Putting the Frontline First: Smarter Government.

“We are also going to increase the use of ‘Linked Data’ standards, which allows people to provide data in a way that is as flexible and easy-to-use as possible.”


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Legislation to give Britain’s 1.3 million agency workers important new rights was laid before Parliament today.

As agreed in 2008 by the TUC and CBI, the changes will give agency workers the right to the same pay, holidays and other basic working conditions as directly recruited staff after 12 weeks in a given job.

Commenting on the Agency Workers Regulations 2010, which implement an EU directive, Business Minister Pat McFadden said:

“This change in the law is aimed at ensuring fairness for agency workers in relation to the permanent employees they work alongside. They are being implemented in line with the TUC / CBI agreement which sought to ensure fairness while maintaining flexibility for the UK labour market – a very important factor in our ability to create jobs.

“It is only by engaging in the mainstream of Europe, actively influencing proposals and securing hard won agreements that we have been able to deliver a sensible and balanced package.”

Laying the Regulations today delivers on the Government’s commitment to get them on the Statute Book before the end of this Parliament. It will also give agencies, hirers and agency workers time to prepare and plan before the law comes into force next year.

In 2008 the Government secured a deal in Europe on the Agency Workers Directive that allowed Britain's rules to be based on an agreement reached in the UK between the CBI and TUC.

Since then the Government has consulted extensively with stakeholders, launching policy consultations in May and November last year. Over 300 organisations took part, representing all interests – trade unions, employment agencies, business groups and employers of all sizes from both the private and public sectors. Consultation events were also held across the country, enabling the Government to hear first-hand about the issues at stake.

For the first time agency workers will be entitled to equal treatment on basic working and employment conditions, including pay and holidays, as if they had been recruited directly by the hirer after 12 weeks in a given job. The rights on pay will apply not just to the basic hourly rate, but to all pay for work done, including bonuses that are directly related to the performance of the agency worker personally. But, as set out in the Directive, they will not extend to some of the wider benefits that permanent staff can enjoy in the context of their longer-term relationship with their employer, such as occupational pensions and sick pay.

To ensure that workers are not deprived of their rights by those who would seek to avoid equal treatment the Regulations include provisions that will deal with repeat assignments designed to prevent workers acquiring equal treatment rights. Agencies and hirers will face the prospect of having to pay out up to £5,000 to the worker if an Employment Tribunal finds that these specific anti-avoidance rules have been breached. And to provide a greater deterrent in low-value cases there will be a general minimum award of two weeks’ pay, subject only to Tribunal discretion if that level of award does not seem reasonable.

Other benefits that agency workers will gain from the first day of their assignment include:

· information about internal vacancies to give them the same opportunity as other workers to find permanent employment; and

· equal access to on-site facilities such as child care and transport services.


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The 31 January Self Assessment tax return deadline isn’t far away, so if you haven’t yet sent your return to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), you need to act quickly to avoid a £100 penalty.

The 31 October deadline for paper returns has now passed, which means you must file your return online by the 31 January deadline. If you submit a paper return after 31 October, or you file online after 31 January, you could receive a £100 penalty.

More than 4m online Self Assessment returns have already been received by HMRC.

If you’re a first-time Self Assessment filer, or you are new to online filing, you’ll first need to register for HMRC’s Self Assessment Online service. Registering is simple – visit the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa and click “Register for Self Assessment Online”. Once you’ve registered, an Activation Code will be sent to you in the post – it may take up to seven days for this to arrive, so it’s advisable to register as soon as possible.

When filing online, your tax is calculated automatically, you get an online acknowledgement once you’ve filed, and it’s processed faster, so any money you’re owed is repaid more quickly.

HMRC’s Sarah Walker said:

“The 31 January filing deadline is just around the corner, so if you haven’t yet sent in your 2008-09 tax return, you need to take action now. Don’t risk a penalty – make sure you file your return online and on time.”

And don’t forget, 31 January 2010 is also the deadline for paying any tax you owe for the 2008/09 tax year.

Help is available from the HMRC website at www.hmrc.gov.uk/sa.

Self Assessment Facts & Figures:

· HMRC are expecting more than 9.5m Self Assessment returns this year.

· More than 4m online SA returns had been received by midnight on Sunday 17 January.

· Around 5.8m people filed online last year, up from 3.8m the previous year – an increase of over 50%.

· Additional help is available from the Self Assessment helpline on 0845 9000 444, which is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.


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Millions of workers today moved a step closer to getting a workplace pension for the first time as the final rules for the Government’s pensions reform were put before Parliament today.

Calling this the most radical change to workplace entitlements since the introduction of the National Minimum Wage, Secretary of State, Yvette Cooper, highlighted the fact that employers of all size would be joining employees in paying into a pension scheme for the first time.

The changes kick off in 2012 starting with the largest businesses of over 120,000 employees paying into a pension scheme from October 2012. Employers will be staged by size from largest to smallest through to 2016, with start up small business given additional time to prepare to comply.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Yvette Cooper said:

“Even during these difficult economic times, employers, industry and unions agreed with us that these reforms were vital in giving millions of people the chance to save in a pension for the first time.

“All employers will be required to pay into a pension for their workers for the first time. We have responded to the concerns of business to make the introduction of these reforms as straightforward as possible. Start-up businesses will be given valuable extra time to prepare for these changes as we come out of recession.

“The cost to all of us of doing nothing in the face of an ageing society is too great to ignore. Currently 14 million people get no contribution from their employer towards a pension and around 7 million people are not saving enough for their retirement.

“These reforms will give everyone the chance to build up a pension. It is the biggest change to support for working people since the introduction of the minimum wage.”

The regulations have increased flexibility and removed some of the burdens that were identified, without compromising the intentions or undermining protection for individuals, such as:

- Start-up businesses created from 2012 will be given until 2016 to start enrolling staff

- Businesses employing 120,000 staff start enrolling in October 2012, with smaller businesses phased in over the next three years

- Phasing in employer contributions from 1% in 2012 to 2% in October 2016 and to the full 3% by 2017.

The regulations reflect small changes to implementation announced in December – designed to help small and start-up businesses through the recession. Auto-enrolment will begin as planned in October 2012 and will be fully phased in by October 2017.

Minister of State for Pensions and the Ageing Society, Angela Eagle, said:

“These landmark reforms, on a scale unprecedented anywhere in the world, will ensure millions of workers on low and moderate incomes will be able to save for their retirement with a guaranteed new minimum contribution from their employer, many for the first time.

“Along with our changes to the State Pension from April, we will ensure pensions are fair and sustainable in the longer term.

“It is essential we get the foundations right and continue to focus on minimising any process burdens on business. With the publication of the regulations today, we take a big step closer to automatic enrolment from 2012, moving from consulting with employers into a phase where we explain in clear and simple terms what their obligations will be.”

The Government’s aim has been to introduce effective regulation without placing unnecessary burdens on employers or the pensions industry. The changes made in response to our consultations introduce increased flexibility and remove some of the burdens that were identified, without compromising our intentions or undermining protection for individuals.

Also published today is the National Employment Savings Trust Corporation Order and the Order to establish the National Employment Savings Trust Corporation and as a consequence, the Order which will wind up the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority in July 2010.


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An extra bank holiday will be part of the celebrations to mark Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, Lord Mandelson, President of the Privy Council, announced today.

The Government is planning celebrations to mark this historic occasion which include:

· An additional bank holiday in June 2012:

The holiday will involve moving the late May Bank Holiday to Monday 4 June and adding an extra bank holiday on Tuesday 5 June to form a long weekend of celebration.

· A Diamond Jubilee Medal:



In keeping with the Queen’s Silver and Golden Jubilees, a Diamond Jubilee medal will be issued to mark the occasion. This is currently under consideration, including the likely recipients, and further details will be announced in due course.

· A competition for civic honours:

A UK-wide competition for towns to bid for city status, launching in Spring 2010. The competition will include a Lord Mayoralty or Lord Provostship.

Lord President of the Privy Council, Lord Mandelson said:

“The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II will be a truly historic occasion.

“I know the entire country will want to pay their tributes to Her Majesty and to look back with pride and great affection at the many things she has achieved during her reign.

“This special Diamond Jubilee weekend will also be an opportunity to reflect on the incredible changes that have taken place during that time, both at home and around the world.”

In addition, the Queen has agreed to confer Royal Borough status on the London Borough of Greenwich to mark the Jubilee. This rare honour is to be bestowed in recognition of the close links between Greenwich and Royalty, from the Middle Ages to the present day. It also acknowledges the Borough’s global significance as the home of the Prime Meridian, Greenwich Mean Time and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.


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Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband will today kick start a national scheme to upgrade household heating systems to cut carbon, save money on fuel bills and sustain work for the heating industry.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband will today kick start a national scheme to upgrade household heating systems to cut carbon, save money on fuel bills and sustain work for the heating industry.

Up to 125,000 households in England with working “G-rated” boilers can from today apply through the Energy Saving Trust for a voucher which will entitle them to £400 off the price of a new, modern “A-rated” boiler or a renewable heating system like a biomass boiler or a heat pump.

The Government’s Boiler Scrappage Scheme has already triggered some companies to complement, and in some cases match, the offer and it is expected others will follow suit. This will extend the scheme to many more householders and safeguard work for the heating industry. People are advised to shop around to find the best deal which suits them before applying to the Scheme.

The Government’s Boiler Scrappage Scheme will:

- Help sustain work for the 130,000 installers and over 25 UK-based boiler manufacturers throughout the economic recovery.

- Save money. A household's energy bill could be cut by between £200 to £235 a year.

- Save carbon. Replacing 125,000 G rated boilers should save in the region of 140,000tCO2 per year - equivalent to taking 45,000 cars off the road

The Prime Minister said:

“Today’s announcement will slash household energy bills and carbon emissions while providing an important boost for the British heating industry. The Government’s new scrappage scheme will help to secure 250,000 jobs across the tens of thousands of small and medium businesses involved in boiler manufacture, sales and installation that form a vital component of Britain’s low carbon economy. The scheme shows how this Government continues to invest in the British industries and jobs of the future.” Ed Miliband said:

“The Boiler Scrappage Scheme will save around £200 off heating bills per year for families that are replacing their old boilers, and in total will save the same amount of carbon equivalent to taking around 45,000 cars off the road.

“The Scheme will add to the existing package of Government measures to help householders be smarter about the energy they use, leading to permanently reduced fuel bills and cutting emissions.”

Fraser Winterbottom, Chief Operating Officer, Energy Saving Trust said:

"We know that people will act on larger energy efficiency measures like replacing boilers when they are both good for the environment and cost effective for them. They also need to be able to trust the claims that are made around energy efficiency measures. The Energy Saving Trust is impartial, can provide this assurance, and can provide information to help people assess whether their boilers are eligible. If you have access to the internet you can go on line to check whether your boiler is G rated or if you prefer, our expert nationwide advice centre staff are also available to advise you over the phone. We are here to help."

Roger Webb from the Heating and Hot Water Industry Council, the trade association for the Heating industry said:

“HHIC strongly welcomes the initiative to replace old inefficient boilers. We have been campaigning diligently for a long time and given the importance of meeting the government’s emission targets this will make a significant difference. Householders are naturally reluctant to replace a working boiler even though it is wasteful on energy and so an incentive to do this is vital. We are delighted that the government is giving the green light to enable householders to replace an old inefficient boiler with a new energy efficient model and by doing so recognising that a new boiler can really improve energy efficiency. The scheme is good on many levels because householders could see a large reduction in their energy bills, the major carbon savings resulting from replacing inefficient products will help climate change and finally for UK Industry and employment because most boilers installed are actually manufactured in the UK.”


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The value of goods that travellers can personally bring into the UK from a non-EU country, or receive through the post without needing to pay customs duty, has increased.

Travellers arriving in the UK by commercial sea or air transport from a non-EU country can now bring in up to £390 worth of goods for personal use (excluding tobacco and alcohol, which have separate allowances, and fuel) without paying customs duty or VAT. Those arriving by other means, including by private plane or boat for pleasure purposes, can bring in goods up to the value of £270.

Individuals who buy goods over the internet or by mail order from outside the EU will now only be charged customs duty if the value of the package is above £135, and the actual amount of duty due is over £9.

Although the duty limits have changed, import VAT is still due on packages valued at over £18. However, if a package is received as a ‘gift’, VAT will only now be charged if its value exceeds £40.

With regard to excise duty on tobacco products, the remaining quantitative restrictions on personal imports of cigarettes from Bulgaria, Romania. Lithuania and Estonia (and smoking tobacco from Estonia) have now been lifted. This means that since 1 January 2010 private individuals travelling from these Member States can now bring back unlimited amounts of these goods for own use, thereby enjoying the same benefits as those travelling back from other Member States.


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Next year there will be 12,000 people aged 100 or over in the UK. In 10 years time this will have nearly doubled to 22,000.

In 2010 there are will be around 12 million pensioners in the UK, rising to 16 million by 2050.

And the number of people aged 100 or over will increase from around 12,000 to 280,000 in the same period.

Department of Work and Pensions Minister Lord McKenzie said:

“It is clear that in the coming years an older society offers great opportunities as well as challenges.

"Opportunities for those in retirement to continue working, learning and contributing to society, but challenges around how best to support this group. Over the last few years we have built the foundations that will allow us to respond to these challenges.

“The biggest changes to pensions for a generation will mean that millions of people will be saving for their retirement, many for the first time. While our changes to the state pension will make it fairer and sustainable for the long term.

"Along with other proposals to deal with an ageing society - in particular our vision for a new care and support system - we are already working to meet the challenges and aspirations of an older population, both now and in the years to come."


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