Government extends potential pension-boosting deadline until April 2025
Taxpayers now have until 5 April 2025 to fill gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 that could increase their State Pension – an extension of nearly two years.
Extending the voluntary National Insurance contributions deadline until 2025 means that people have more time to properly consider whether paying voluntary contributions is right for them and ensures no-one need miss out on the possibility of boosting their State Pension entitlements.
The original deadline was extended to 31 July 2023 earlier this year, and tens of thousands of people took advantage to pay voluntary contributions to HM Revenue and Customs as a result. The revised deadline is expected to enable tens of thousands more to do the same.
Victoria Atkins, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “People who have worked hard all their lives deserve to receive their State Pension entitlement, and filling gaps in National Insurance records can make a real difference.
“With the deadline extended, there is no immediate rush for people to complete gaps in their record and they will have more time to spread the cost.”
Laura Trott, Minister for Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions, said: “I am pleased to see so many people taking steps to review their State Pension, which is why we have extended the deadline for customers to add extra years to their National Insurance record.
“This extension means thousands more people will have time to check their entitlement, and in many cases, increase the amount they receive when they retire.”
The extension means that taxpayers have a longer period to enable them to afford to fill any gaps if they choose to do so. All relevant voluntary National Insurance contributions payments will be accepted at the rates applicable in 2022 to 2023 until 5 April 2025.
Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase your State Pension. Before starting the process, eligible individuals with gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 onwards should check whether they would benefit from filling those gaps.
They can find out how to check their National Insurance record, obtain a State Pension forecast, decide if making a voluntary National Insurance contribution is worthwhile for them and their pension, and how to make a payment on GOV.UK.
Vulcan Trust gets new Chief Executive
Marc Walters has been named as Chief Exec of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust as the charity confirms the iconic aircraft will remain in Doncaster until the end of the year.
After many years working with the Trust, has taken up the role that has remained unfilled since the death of founder Dr Robert Pleming in January 2021.
During the interim period, Michael Trotter, development director, has led the charity and worked closely with Marc to broker the extension of the lease with Peel Holdings for the iconic XH558 aircraft to remain in situ until the end of the year as options for a permanent home are fully explored. Michael will remain involved in the charity in an advisory role.
Marc said: “I’ve had the pleasure of working for the VTST for seven years, sadly I joined after XH558 had stopped flying, but I have been lucky enough to work closely with Robert, Michael, and our amazing
volunteers.
“This is a very exciting time to take over as CEO and lead the charity through this extremely important period.
“During my time with the Trust I’ve witnessed the huge adoration for the aircraft. Having talked to many supporters over the years about times they’ve seen her fly I know there’s a lot of emotional attachment to the Vulcan and particularly XH558.
“My previous role saw me managing the commercial operations for the charity. I’ve seen the challenges the Trust has had to face and been a part of the journey to develop into even more of an education focussed charity, a charity that will continue to showcase Vulcan XH558 to inspire young people into STEM subjects.
“Our immediate focus is to fully explore all options regarding a permanent home for XH558. This is an opportunity for us to ensure that XH558 is located in a home where her supporters can visit and where she can continue to inspire the next generation of engineers while telling the story of the V-Force and Cold War preserving the heritage of this amazing aircraft.
“It is a real honour to be at the helm of the charity at this time and I’m looking forward to working with the volunteers and supporters to ensure that we deliver Robert’s legacy and do XH558 proud.”
Key Cleethorpes projects get the green light
Three key projects to regenerate the heart of Cleethorpes have been given the backing of North East Lincolnshire Council’s Cabinet.
The projects all derive from the Masterplan for the area, chosen to be put forward for Levelling Up Funding as important strategic development locations, and deliverable within the timescales required by the fund.
The Masterplan was developed by Hemingway Design and agreed in 2022, in which local people had their say about the changes they wanted to see for the resort.
The Sea Road project, creating the landmark building on the former Waves site opposite the entrance to the historic pier, will now be developed to provide a new tourism destination. It will include state-of-the-art public amenities and changing facilities, as well as commercially lettable space across all floors of the building, which may include different providers in retail and hospitality. This scheme received planning permission in 2020, but work on the scheme was delayed due to the pandemic.
The Pier Gardens scheme will redevelop the existing linear park to incorporate various new activities, including elements that will make it more family orientated as well as quiet areas for reflection, whilst retaining its historic nature. The aspiration is to create an environment accessible for a wide range of users, which will provide activities for residents and visitors alike, whilst also increasing biodiversity within the resort.
The rejuvenation of Cleethorpes’ historic Market Square will add space for social interaction, reconnecting the busy seafront and town centre, creating jobs, and boosting the economy. This scheme proposes major improvements to the square and reintroduction of a functioning historic marketplace.
The Cabinet voted unanimously to accept the Levelling Up Fund money from Government in order to take the three projects to the next stage.
Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of the council, said: “Cleethorpes is already a thriving resort and these key projects in the heart of the resort will help to diversify the offer and extend the season, something we all want for Cleethorpes, both to support the local economy and local people.
“In terms of the other areas identified in the Masterplan, like North Prom and the Southern end of the resort, we will be looking for opportunities to bring these forward where we can, but more work needs to be done on these with landowners and other parties before we can put forward funding bids.”
The three schemes will now be developed further through the summer, including local engagement for the Pier Gardens and Market Place schemes in particular, while commercial operators are sought for the Sea Road scheme.
Sunny Bank Mills welcomes Leeds special school
An acclaimed Leeds special school has moved into the historic Sunny Bank Mills complex in Farsley.
The Post-16 department of the West Leeds Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (West SILC) is now based in the recently renovated Mending Rooms at Sunny Bank.
Rob Lakewood of West SILC explained: “The Post 16 department of our School has been based in Farsley at Springfield Commercial Centre for the past six years, which has been perfect for developing our pupils’ confidence, road safety and employability skills.
“The Mending Rooms represent the next step in our journey. This space is our Employability setting, developing key skills in specific job sectors that give our young people genuine opportunities to work towards employment.
“Being based in the heart of Farsley enables our pupils to take full advantage of all the amazing opportunities the village can offer our young people. Having previously worked on an exciting project with the Sunny Bank Mills Archive, we have a great insight into what Sunny Bank can offer us.
“Facilities such as the Mill Kitchen, Grumpy’s, Amity Brew and Scrap Creative have enabled us to show our students how we can give them aspirational opportunities.
“I’d like to thank John and William Gaunt, the co-owners and managing directors of Sunny Bank Mills, who have been so supportive of our school and our students. Having first spoken to John over three years ago, he was kind enough to put us in touch with the mills’ Archive and run a careers session about Sunny Bank Mills for our young people.”
John Gaunt said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome West SILC to Sunny Bank. They have played a pivotal role in our Archive project called Weaving the Web, which has created a special Online Collection. This currently features 50 unique objects from our Archive that can now be viewed from every angle, thanks to 360 degree photography.
“I am full of admiration for the innovative and ground breaking approach Rob and the West SILC team have towards preparing their young people for life beyond their school. I am happy that Sunny Bank Mills and its community can contribute to that journey. In turn, they will add a new dimension to our community and the ongoing regeneration of the mills.”
During the past ten years Sunny Bank Mills, one of the most famous family-owned mills in Yorkshire, has been transformed into a modern office and mixed-use retail and leisure complex for the 21st century, welcoming 100 new companies and creating 400 sustainable new jobs.
Flaw-free steel production earns Special Recognition Award for British Steel
British Steel’s Special Profiles business has been given a Special Recognition Award for Ongoing Engineering at the Plantworx Innovation Awards earlier this week.
David Waine, Commercial Director for Special Profiles, said: “This recognition for engineering excellence is so well deserved. The work the team has done to create our bespoke solution is nothing short of ground-breaking – it’s taken a lot of dedication, creativity and determination to give both the business and our customers absolute confidence in our product quality.
“Huge congratulations to all involved, this industry recognition is a true testament to your outstanding expertise, very well done.”
The awards are sponsored by Caterpillar and are the UK’s biggest construction equipment awards. They recognise and celebrate innovative companies, products and services that have made a major impact in the construction equipment industry and are judged by a panel of independent experts. It’s not the first time the Special Profiles business has been in the running for one of these awards, having received the gold award in 2019 for the Engineering category for development of next-generation descaling technology.
The Special Profiles sectors cover a broad range of product portfolios, ranging from bulldozers to ski-lifts. Most have ultra-critical requirements for surface quality and this can be a vital factor in choosing a supplier.
Dominic Hill, Customer Quality and Technical Manager, Special Profiles, said: “The challenge we face is that these companies have parts per million requirements, so if you were to miss one flaw amongst tens of kilometres – and bear in mind this flaw might only be 0.3mm deep and 1mm across – you’ve failed.
“While our primary focus is eliminating the issue at source, it would be extremely advantageous if 100% inspection were possible. This would also be of huge benefit to customers and provide the information we need to allow root cause elimination. This technology had never been possible in online environments for our range of products until we decided to develop it ourselves.”
Over 280 jobs on the line as closure of Young’s Seafood factory proposed
Over 280 jobs are on the line following the proposed closure of a Young’s Seafood factory in Grimsby.
Plans have been unveiled to halt production at the site on Marsden Road, with an October date mooted, and move what remains to another Grimsby factory and a Scottish site.
Owner of Young’s, Sofina Foods Europe, said the factory was “no longer financially sustainable,” according to BBC reports, with a spokesperson saying 285 roles could be lost.
The company said the decision does not reflect on the teams who work there, noting that “they are a credit to the company.”
Staff and unions are set to be consulted before a formal decision on the closure.
Sofina said some new roles would be created at a site on Grimsby’s Humberstone Road and in Scotland at Fraserburgh.
Yorkshire wins share in £77m creative arts development
New plans to maximise the potential of the UK creative industries and grow the economy set out by the government include investment in West Yorkshire, named as one of four centres to share in £77m of investment.
Led by York University and based at Langthwaite Business Park near Pontefract, the centre will be a collaboration between the University, Production Park Studios, Screen Yorkshire, Vodafone, Wakefield Council, and the North Yorkshire LEP.
The investment is part of the Government’s plan to grow the creative industries by £50bn and support a million more jobs by 2030.
One of the Prime Minister’s priority sectors for economic growth, the creative industries are a global British success story growing at more than 1.5 times the rate of the wider economy over the past decade and contributing £108 billion in gross value added annually.
Employment in these industries has grown at five times the rate of the rest of the economy since 2011. Speaking at the London Tech Week conference on Monday, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that Britain’s creative industries were “going like gangbusters” and represent a “unique strength” for the country.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said: “The creative industries are a true British success story, from global music stars like Adele and Ed Sheeran to world-class cultural institutions like the National Theatre.
“These industries have a special place in our national life and make a unique contribution to how we feel about ourselves as a country.
“We want to build on this incredible success to drive growth in our economy – one of my key priorities – and to ensure that UK creative industries continue to lead the world long into the future.
“Backed up with significant new funding, this ambitious plan will help grow the sector by an extra £50 billion while creating one million extra jobs by 2030.”
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “The imagination and ingenuity of British designers, producers, content creators, writers and artists are spearheading growth right across our economy. “The government is backing our creatives to maximise the potential of the creative industries. This Sector Vision is about driving innovation, attracting investment and building on the clusters of creativity across the country. And from first days at school to last days of work, we will nurture the skills needed to build a larger creative workforce to harness the talent needed for continued success.“Working with the industry this vision is helping the UK creative sectors go from strength to strength – providing jobs and opportunities, creating world leading content and supporting economic growth across the country.”
Cranswick golf day boosts charity fundraising by more than £100,000
Played at at the Forest Pines golf course in Scunthorpe, the annual Charity Golf Day organised by Cranswick Country Foods Preston raised £102,000 for the charity KIDS!
The event brought together teams of Cranswick’s colleagues, suppliers and customers, many of whom have been supporting this event for several years.
In the evening 250 guests gathered for a meal accompanied by a hotly contested auction and raffle. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards to the winning golf team, Dan Food, and a talk from KIDS shedding light on the work they do around the UK providing practical, life-changing and creative support for disabled children, young people and their families.
Cranswick has been a supporter of this charity since 2007, so far raising more than £430,000 for KIDS over the years.
New hire and £75k investment at Wetherby interiors company
Richard Grafton Interiors in Wetherby will celebrate its third birthday by appointing experienced interior designer Rosie Tangi and investing £75,000 in a new look for its showroom.
Rosie, who has ten years’ experience in interior design, returns to the Richard Grafton Interiors team having spent five years working for the business before taking a career break in 2018 to have her children.
Having worked in the Harrogate showroom, Rosie moved across to Richard Grafton Interiors’ showroom in Ilkley. In her new role, she will be based at the Wetherby showroom, joining interior design specialists Donna Schofield and Karen Draper who manage the showroom, supported by Leona Connelly.
Director Charlotte Grafton said: “Having been part of the Richard Grafton team for five years, we are well-aware of Rosie’s talents and passion for interior design – we’re genuinely delighted that she has chosen to re-join us. With her experience of working with younger clients, she adds strength in depth to our Wetherby designers, and her flair for classic contemporary looks fits perfectly with the Richard Grafton style and our clients’ tastes.
“Over the last three years, our Wetherby showroom has built a loyal following from within the town and surrounding areas. We’re keen to expand our architectural design capabilities, including our kitchen, bathroom, dressing room and media cabinet offering, by growing the team here and continuing to invest in inspiring clients with the most up-to-date but classic room designs. Our ability to deliver complete, turnkey solutions, even on a large scale, is proving extremely popular with time-poor clients who are turning to us to provide all of their needs under one roof, from conception to project management. We’re even seeing Yorkshire-based clients coming to us for international projects, designing interiors for their holiday homes from France to the Caribbean!”
Rosie adds: “Returning to Richard Grafton Interiors feels like coming home. I’m exciting to be working with the fantastic team in Wetherby to develop our following here, and look forward to bringing our design expertise to a younger market who we believe will be inspired by the diverse range of installations and interior design-led products showcased in our stunning new room sets.”
Finance Yorkshire cash injection helps one Leeds agency to acquire another
Leeds-based digital marketing agency Creode Agency is expanding with a £100,000 investment from Finance Yorkshire, using the money from Finance Yorkshire’s business loans fund to support its acquisition of Blue Digital, another Leeds agency.
The acquisition will enable Creode to strengthen its service offering to clients across the Yorkshire region. The agency provides marketing, brand and website development and digital media support to B2B SMEs in professional and financial services and other sectors.
Creode employs 28 people and is managed by CEO Guy Weston, who said: “The acquisition complements our offer to clients and strengthens our broader proposition, particularly in the Google Ads and SEO space which is a growing area for us.
“The benefit for clients using an integrated agency is that we can be more efficient on their behalf – we have the overview of the different elements of work and can keep our focus where it needs to be.
“There are lots of opportunities in Yorkshire to grow,” said Guy. “Acquisition is a good way to gain additional clients and we would look to do it again beyond the next 12 months.”
Alex McWhirter, chief exec of Finance Yorkshire, said: “Digital and creative are among the fastest growing sectors in Yorkshire and particularly in Leeds. Creode has a strong track record as digital marketeers and we are pleased to support them in their growth journey.”
