Business
Immediate mileage rate rise needed
VULNERABLE people who rely on care workers are being put at huge risk as staff say they cannot afford to travel in the face of sky-high prices at the pumps, say union leaders in Wales.
UNISON, which represents thousands of workers across Wales, has heard from those who rely on their car and now say it is costing them to go to work with some staff being paid as little as 20p a mile.
Some staff are now considering looking for work elsewhere as it is costing them more to go to work than they are being paid.
UNISON is calling for an immediate rise in mileage rates for all public sector and care workers in Wales.
The union is already in talks with Welsh Government to support health workers in the face of rapidly rising fuel costs and is now calling on all local authorities and care providers in Wales to raise the mileage rate for their staff.
Mark Turner, UNISON Cymru/Wales care lead, said he and his colleagues are now being flooded with messages from care workers who use their cars for work about the cost-of-living crisis and the escalating cost of mileage.
Mark said: “We are being told, understandably, that care workers cannot afford to pay the huge increased price of petrol and diesel they need to do their jobs.
“This is a serious crisis and represents a huge risk to those vulnerable people who need and depend on care workers to survive.
“That’s why UNISON is writing to all care providers in Wales to make a plea for increased mileage rates now to enable staff to do their work.”
Lianne Dallimore, chair of the UNISON Cymru/Wales local government committee, said: “This is a crisis affecting thousands of people across Wales and throughout the UK who are now unable to carry out vital work because of rising fuel costs.
“We are calling on all 22 local authorities across Wales to take action today and ease the burden on their hard working staff by immediately raising mileage rates above their current meagre levels.”
Business
Ascona wins at the 2024 Allica Bank Vreat British Entrepreneur Awards
PEMBROKESHIRE businessman Darren Briggs, founder of petrol station operator Ascona, has been named a winner of the prestigious Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the ‘Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year – Wales’ and the inaugural ‘Randal Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year – Wales’ categories.
Now in its 12th year, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards shine a spotlight on the individuals and businesses driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping the future of the UK economy.
This year, the brand new ‘Randal Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year’ award celebrated entrepreneurs whose business embodied The Randal Foundation’s core mission – to save lives, improve life chances, and contribute positively to local communities.
Ascona has been committed to supporting local communities since its inception, having established The Ascona Foundation in 2020. The success of the Group over the years has enabled Darren and the team to support many charities in the areas in which it operates, with the Company donating over £400,000 to local, national and community organisations since 2017.
Darren Briggs, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ascona Group, commented: “It is a great honour to be recognised for such prestigious awards at this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
“I am incredibly proud of Ascona and everything we have achieved over the years. This is another milestone for our business and the recognition is a testament to everyone’s hard work, commitment, and ‘Team Ascona’s’ ethos over the years.
“However, I am most proud of our charitable endeavors and the team’s commitment to giving back. It is something that is very close to my heart. We’re committed to supporting our various charity partnerships, including the Wales Air Ambulance this year, as we continue our extensive fundraising initiatives across the Group.”
Business
Cilgerran cafe could close but a new one could open as plans submitted
A CALL to convert a Pembrokeshire village café back to a house, while another ongoing scheme in the same village seeks to convert a house to a café, have been submitted to county planners.
David McDonald, through agent Acer Town Planning, seeks permission to change the use of the ground floor of Awelfa, High Street, Cilgerran from a café to being used as part of the attached dwelling.
A supporting statement, through the agent, says Adele’s café at Awelfa, High Street was originally a dwelling but has seen mixed commercial use for decades.
“Prior to opening as Adele’s café by the applicant, the ground floor commercial use had been vacant for around two years having previously been operated as a Chinese takeaway.
“The current owners took over the rental of the property in April 2019 (purchasing in October 2020) and have operated Adele’s café from the premises between June 2019 and August 2024 whilst living in the linked dwellinghouse.
“During this period, the Awelfa, Cilgerran business has been under prolonged and sustained economic pressures from the cost-of-living crisis with the subsequent increases in utility and food costs and minimum wages.
“Summers 2023 and 2024 saw a significant drop in trade from both local customers and, in particular, a drop in the number of tourists visiting the area. The closure of the toilets and visitors centre at Cilgerran Castle is considered to have contributed to this reduction in visitor numbers.
“The business was closed during January due to low trade and opened again in February for three days a week and then four days a week from April. Even with reduced opening hours the business has not been viable for the applicant to continue operating. The reluctant decision was therefore made to sell the property and trading ceased on August 24.”
The statement says was put up for sale with no offers to buy despite several price reductions, with only three viewings in total.
“In order to increase the pool of buyers for the property, the applicant is now applying for the change of use of the café areas back to form part of the residential use of the main dwelling (as per the original building),” the statement adds.
It also references an unrelated application to convert The Old Post House, High Street, owned by nearby village stores Siop Y Pentre, from a dwelling to a café and flat, saying it “could act as a replacement facility for the community”.
Both applications are currently before planners and are expected to be considered at a later date.
Business
Rising living costs are increasing credit card usage
The recent cost of living crisis has affected millions of people across the UK, with 46 million people reporting that their cost of living has increased since November 2021. Costs are continuously on the rise, and unfortunately many people are struggling to pay bills on time, or at all, and afford basic necessities like food, clothes, and heating.
In order to get by, more and more people are using alternative methods to make ends meet. This includes buy now, pay later schemes, relying on credit cards, or taking out personal loans. Whilst this can work for some in the short term, it has the possibility of leading to long term implications like debt and a bad credit rating.
Increased reliance on credit cards
When used responsibly, credit cards can be a great tool for spreading costs and could help with building a better credit score. However, the pressures of inflation has led to a significant growth in credit card usage, with a 0.8% rise in total credit card spending year-on-year in the UK.
More people are having to use credit cards to get by on a day-to-day basis which is leaving some people in debt. In fact, outstanding credit card debt reached £70.1 billion – an increase of 7.02% in the year to April 2024.
Once you’re in debt it can be incredibly difficult to get out of it. You need to have enough income to cover your living costs and day-to-day expenses as well as your debt in order to start reducing it. Unfortunately, the inflated living costs are making it even more difficult for people to break the cycle of debt, and are leading to poor credit scores.
How a bad credit score can affect you
Carrying a lot of debt or failing to make payments on time could affect your credit rating. This, in turn, can lead to several complications regarding some financial products or your ability to rent.
You are less likely to be accepted for mortgages and loans
Bad credit makes you look less appealing to mainstream lenders, who will be less likely to offer you a loan or accept a mortgage application as they view you as high risk. Similarly, a landlord or estate agent may be unlikely to consider a rent application for the same reason.
Qualifying for a credit card may be difficult
Like with loans, lenders will check for debt and a low credit rating. If your credit score is poor and you have a significant amount of debt, it’s much more likely that your credit card application will be refused.
Getting car finance can be tricky
Getting car finance is another difficulty when you have bad credit. Lenders will be much less inclined to offer you car finance if you have higher risk factors such as debt and a history of missed payments.
Fortunately, there are still ways to finance a car with bad credit. It’s important to note that whilst it is possible to get car finance even with a bad credit score, you do need to be sensible about it. Always do your research around which car would be suitable for you and what will match your budget.
You might face larger interest rates
If you do get accepted for a loan, mortgage, or credit card whilst you have bad credit, it’s not unusual for your repayments to be much higher than that of someone with a good credit rating. Lenders do this as a way to better protect themselves since the risks they are taking are higher when someone has a poor credit history.
Your car insurance premiums could be higher
A bad credit score could lead to higher auto insurance premiums. Whilst it’s unlikely you’ll ever be rejected for insurance based on your credit score, it is likely you will have less available options and the premiums on offer could be much more costly.
Financial products can still be beneficial
When used correctly, credit cards, loans, and other financial products can be advantageous in helping you make larger purchases such as cars or houses. However, it’s important to note that whilst they can be a good tool for spreading costs, it’s essential to conduct thorough research when considering a financial product as you are responsible for your own credit.
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