This week...
More austerity to come
Regarding your article ‘Sunak warns of “severe recession like no other”’ (May 19).
This is just the start of the softening up process.
If you thought the last lot of austerity measures were tough, just wait until the chancellor of the exchequer launches the new lot.
Tax rises will be the side dish to add to our woes, and the chancellor didn’t even mention the potential damage from Brexit after January if we do not get a decent deal.
It would not surprise me if HS2 is scrapped and much of this ecology and global warming stuff is put on the back burner (electric car charging points, grants for thermally efficient houses, green boilers etc).
When times are tough, luxuries get dumped first.
Harry Katz
HA7 consulting
Helping bogus claims
Regarding your article ‘CMCs given green light to sign forms for clients’ (May 18).
Last week, the Financial Services Compensation Service confirmed it would accept application forms signed by claims management companies on behalf of vulnerable and elderly clients during the coronavirus lockdown.
But the FSCS made it clear the form must also be accompanied by written confirmation from the CMC that the client has “read and understood the terms” of the completed form and has given their consent for it to be submitted and signed on their behalf.
How to make it easier for CMCs to submit bogus claims – unbelievable.
Name and address supplied
Individual impact
I am writing in response to your article on IR35 and the failure of the proposed amendment by David Davis (‘IR35 reform gets green light for April 2021’, May 20).
While a great article, it did not pick up on a key point about the unfairness of the change if implemented.
If the change is implemented a contractor doing exactly the same job as a permanent person sitting next to them will earn less (contractors are not entitled to sick pay and holiday pay) and have less employment security because most contractors can be terminated on one to four weeks notice with no reason given.
This is not fair and completely contradicts HM Revenue & Customs’ point about fairness and tax.
Additionally, a lot of contractors have breaks between contracts because new roles are not available and they have to fund this themselves because unemployment benefits cannot be claimed.
This point needs to be made so it’s clear what the impact is on individuals, not just companies.
David Brown
Robbed by the govt
I recently reread your Waspi article ‘Waspi women call for state pension access’ (Apr 21).
I am one of those women affected by the changes.
Like many others I am sure, I have the feeling of being robbed.
To say we were being given equality by having our pensions taken away was cruel in the least.
