Newcastle auto-enrols more pupils for free school meals
Last month, Durham County Council announced its pilot scheme had been made permanent and all eligible recipients would be contacted in the summer about the next academic year.
'Only hot meal'
About 40% of children in Newcastle are currently eligible for free meals, compared with an average 24.6% across England.But it is estimated that about one in 10 eligible pupils in England are not registered.That lack of take-up has been blamed on a variety of factors including the paperwork and bureaucracy of having to apply, barriers presented by language or literacy issues and feelings of stigma or embarrassment.A Newcastle City Council report stated: "For some children, their school meal will be the only hot meal they get that day, maybe even their only meal. "For families of primary school aged children their free school meals can save them as much as £450 a year – that's almost £40 a month - with the figures even higher for those in secondary school."Announcing the results of auto-enrolment, the council claimed the relatively low increase compared with areas like Durham was due to the authority already having a "robust" system.
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BBC News
37 minutes ago
- BBC News
Tech glitch leaves some disabled people unable to pay for care
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The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
The 7 most common neighbour disputes that knock £26k off your home's value – and why all parents need to listen up
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'The rule of thumb is, your side of the fence is your side – it should define the boundary and therefore you can paint your own side however you like,' says Daniel. 'Difficulties arise when, for example, it falls down and there is a dispute over the cost or the position of the new one. 'Maybe one person refuses to pay their share or they believe it has moved and taken more of their land.' The first step is to find out if the fence was jointly owned to start with. 'Check the title plans for both properties, which set the boundary line and whether it is a 'party wall fence' with joint ownership,' says our expert. I'm being forced to tear down my loft conversion - my neighbours call it a 'monstrosity' but I'm going to fight back If the fence is a shared responsibility and one side refuses to pay their share, you can make a civil claim to recover costs. TREE AND HEDGE WARS 7 The general rule is that branches must stay within your legal boundary. If they stray over, your neighbour is entitled to cut them back to the borderline. 'It comes down to whose property the root originates from, as that establishes ownership,' says Daniel. 'But there are environmental factors and some trees have legal protection. I'd recommend getting a tree surgeon or other expert to check before you chop.' If next door's overgrown conifer is throwing shade on your sunbathing spot, there's little you can do. 'There's no right to light outside, but there is one inside your property,' Daniel says. 'You'd need a specialist survey to prove the obstruction is resulting in a more than 50 per cent reduction into a habitable area of the home, like the living room or kitchen. 'But beware – these reports can cost between £200 and £350, maybe more. And you may need to seek a civil injunction to have the tree cut down.' Hedges can also cause headaches and action can be taken if they meet certain criteria, such as being more than 2m tall. 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The first is civil law, as defined by the council, who can deal with any infringements. 'There might be rules to ensure noise is kept to a minimum at certain times of day,' Daniel explains. Anything that strays into anti-social behaviour, like vandalism and violence, is potentially a criminal matter. 'Don't be deterred if the police, council or social housing landlord don't act initially,' he says. 'If you make three reports in six months, you can ask to trigger an Anti-social Behaviour Review (ABR), which is independent.' SNOOPING SUSPICIONS 7 Feeling like someone is snooping over the fence is unsettling, but privacy rules can be complicated. 'Everyone has the right to quiet enjoyment of their property,' says Daniel. 'But you'd need to have evidence of an interference with that, or a breach of privacy. For example, a telescope looking directly into your bedroom is pretty clear. But other things are not.' Increased use of CCTV and Ring doorbell cameras could mean you are unintentionally in breach too. 'It comes down to common sense and talking to people,' he says. 'You have to prove they are actively trying to do this.' It also comes down to appreciating the privacy – or lack of – that comes with your particular property. 'If you don't like being overlooked, a terraced house might not be for you.' KEEP THE NOISE DOWN 7 From rowdy parties to vacuuming at unsocial hours, noise intrusion can have a huge impact. 'Most rules around noise disturbance are set by your council, setting out unacceptable decibels or time restrictions, depending on what type of area you live in,' says Daniel. It needs to count as a statutory nuisance for councils to investigate, which means it must either unreasonably and substantially interfere with the use or enjoyment of a home or other premises, or injure health, or be likely to injure health. 'If there is a breach, the council can take action and serve an abatement notice, but you may also need to ask the courts for a civil injunction for a persistent problem. 'It sounds easy, but the evidence thresholds you need to attain are high, often requiring a reliable audio meter and well-timed council visits. 'This is when things like CCTV can be a big help to build a case.' BUILDING BOTHER 7 Home renovations can trigger all sorts of gripes, from an extension being too big to the noise and dust created. It is a good idea to forewarn neighbours about any disruption, so they can be prepared. Builders will be aware of local rules on what times construction can take place and should comply. 'If they don't, council enforcement can step in, but be aware that you can also be liable for action, as you are employing them,' Daniel warns. If you suspect a neighbour's extension is in breach of planning permission, contact the planning office in the first instance. 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The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Rise in people living alone in UK driven entirely by over-65s
A rise in the number of people living alone in the UK in the past decade has been entirely driven by an increase in older people residing on their own. In 2024, there were an estimated 4.3 million people aged over 65 living alone, up from 3.5 million in 2014, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. This age group accounted for just over half (51.1%) of all people living alone last year, compared with 45.5% in 2014. The statistics body said: ' People aged 65 years or over accounted in full for the increase in people living alone in 2024 compared with 2014.' There were around 4.1 million people aged under 65 years old living alone in both 2014 and 2024, the ONS said, adding that the 'increasing proportions of people living alone in older age groups reflects an ageing population'. A higher proportion of women aged 65 or over in households lived alone (40.9%) than men of the same age (27%), which the ONS said is partly because of women having a higher life expectancy than men. The latest data from the ONS estimated there were 8.4 million people living alone in the UK in 2024, up 11% from 7.6 million in 2014. Meanwhile, the proportion of young adults in the UK living with their parents has grown by almost 10% in a decade. Young men – aged between 20 and 34 years old – were more likely to be at home with their parents than women in the same age group in 2024, according to the ONS. There were an estimated 3.6 million people in this age group in a family with their parent or parents in 2024, up 9.9% from 3.3 million in 2014, the ONS said. While a third (33.7%) of men in this age group lived with parents, this compared to less than a quarter (22.1%) of women. The ONS said more young adults living with their parents at older ages is part of a 'trend of adults reaching milestones later in life' and may be 'explained by a number of factors including increased housing costs'. The latest statistics also showed that lone-parent families were less likely to contain dependent children in 2024 – 62.5%, down from just over two thirds or 66.1% in 2014. The proportion of lone parents who are fathers has grown, from 13.1% a decade ago, to 16.7% last year. While married couples still made up the largest proportion of families in the latest estimates, this has decreased to 65.1% last year from 67.1% in 2014. The ONS said this was down to more couples living together without getting married.
