News
Chancellor set to announce £5,000 vouchers to households for home improvements
Some good news…
Homeowners are set to get £5,000 worth of vouchers to insulate their homes as part of the government’s Green Scheme.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly to announce that £2 billion worth of vouchers will be sent to homeowners to allow them to insulate their homes.
The announcement will come as part of the Chancellor’s Green Scheme which sets to make 100,000 green jobs and make hundreds of homes environmentally friendly.
Having insulation or improving current insulation in your home can help reduce the households environmental impact and carbon footprint through reduced energy consumption. It can also reduce the number of chemicals released into the environment through air conditioning units.
The Green Homes Grant scheme is set to provide extra jobs for plumbers, builders and tradespeople to help the industry and economy as a whole recover.
The announcement is set to be made on July 8th, as part of the mini-budget news.
The scheme is planned to go live in September and means families will save up to £600 a year on energy bills, according to Treasury estimates.
The grants – which could be up to £10,000 for the poorest families – are part of a wider £3 billion investment into green technology as part of the UK’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The extra £1 billion is set to be spent on revamping public buildings and social housing.
“As Britain recovers from the outbreak, it’s vital we do everything in our power to support and protect livelihoods across the nation,” Mr Sunak said, speaking to The Sun.
He added: “Our Green Homes Grant will not only cut families’ bills by making their homes more energy-efficient, it will also kick-start our economy by creating thousands of green jobs and supporting those skilled tradespeople who are ready to work.”
The scheme means the government will cover at least two-thirds of the costs to homeowners as part of green improvements.
For example, a £4,000 bill for cavity wall and floor insulation for semi-detached or end-terrace house would be split as £1,320 to the homeowner and £2,680 to the government. Those on the lowest incomes will not be expected to pay anything.
Mr Sunak is expected to reveal a £50 million project that will make social housing greener and save the poorest households £200 a year in energy bills.
News of the green voucher scheme has been welcomed by businesses.
Mike Cherry, boss of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “This will offer a much-needed boost to tradespeople and others whose livelihoods were affected by the pandemic by creating green jobs, while at the same time improving energy efficiency.
“The Government must now ensure this scheme is easy to access in order to get those who need it the most back in work as quickly as possible.
“We hope this heralds similar measures to incentivise small business owners to make their premises more environmentally friendly.
“The Government will not hit its environmental targets if businesses aren’t empowered to be part of the solution.”
News
Oasis announce huge reunion tour as Liam and Noel Gallagher ‘make peace’
The news we’ve all been waiting for!
After years of will-they-won’t-they speculation, Oasis are officially BACK together for a reunion tour.
The Gallagher brothers have put aside their differences in the name of music, making thousands of fans extremely happy in the process.
The band teased the news on their socials over the weekend, posting a video on Sunday morning with today’s date (Tuesday, August 27th) and the time 8am.
And now shows have been announced for multiple dates in the UK and Ireland, with tickets going live this Saturday, August 31st.
The legendary Mancunian rockers will take to the stage next summer, with gigs in Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Dublin and, of course, Manchester.
15 years after splitting, the band confirmed they would be back for 14 shows, saying: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised”.
The gigs will be Oasis’s ‘only shows in Europe next year’, with tickets on sale this Saturday at 8am in Ireland and 9am in the UK.
The Oasis 2025 tour dates in full:
July
4th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
5th – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
11th – Manchester, Heaton Park
12th – Manchester, Heaton Park
19th – Manchester, Heaton Park
20th – Manchester, Heaton Park
25th – London, Wembley Stadium
26th – London, Wembley Stadium
August
2nd – London, Wembley Stadium
3rd – London, Wembley Stadium
8th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
9th – Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium
16th – Dublin, Croke Park
17th – Dublin, Croke Park
You can grab your tickets HERE.
News
Stagecoach hiring over 100 new bus drivers for Bee Network with £31k salaries
Fancy a career change?
Stagecoach Manchester is hiring over 100 new bus drivers to work from its Oldham depot, following the second phase of the Bee Network launch in March.
You can apply for a range of roles, from positions with no experience required to fully qualified bus drivers.
Successful applicants will receive full training as part of the job, and trainees will get paid to train. Then after only 12 months’ service at Stagecoach, drivers can expect to earn up to £16 per hour, which equates to £31.6K per year, before overtime.
As well as that, drivers that already hold a PCV licence may be eligible to receive a £1,200 joining bonus.
Stagecoach
There’s also a host of other benefits available to all Stagecoach employees, like 28 days paid holiday, generous pension and free Stagecoach bus travel for successful applicants and a companion.
Rob Jones, Managing Director at Stagecoach Manchester said: “Expanding our offering in Oldham means we’ll be investing more in the economy and supporting our local community, as well as strengthening our workforce.
“Whether you’re looking for a career change or you’re a fully qualified, experienced bus driver, there’s a role for everyone here in Oldham.
“We’re looking for personable and dedicated drivers who are ready to help us build on the success of the Bee Network and connect the people of Oldham and Greater Manchester with the places and people that are important to them.”
Stagecoach
Phil Cornwall, bus driver at Stagecoach Manchester, said: “I’ve been a driver at Stagecoach for 25 years and I couldn’t recommend it more.
“From the perks to the people to the passengers, it really is a great place to work.”
To apply, head to the Stagecoach website HERE.
Two men have now been charged with murder, following the discovery of a human torso in Kersal Dale.
As well as that, more suspected human remains were also discovered this morning, Monday April 29th, in an alleyway close to the railway lines off Worsley Road, Eccles.
This follows earlier discoveries of human remains over the past three weeks, at Kersal Dale, Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, all in Salford.
Greater Manchester Police
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski (25/04/1956) and Marcin Majerkiewicz (10/04/1982) both of Worsley Road, Eccles, have been charged with murder.
They are set to appear at Tameside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
While formal identification is still ongoing, the remains found at Kersal Dale are believed to be of a local man in his 60s. The remains found at the other three locations are still to be tested, but police are confident they belong to the same victim.
ACC Sarah Jackson said: “We have had large numbers of officers, staff and specialists working diligently on this investigation over the last three weeks. It has been very much a large, collective effort, with the victim and family at the heart of it from the outset.
“We have specially trained officers deployed to support the family as they come to terms with this tragic news. They are aware of this morning’s further discovery and will continue to be kept up to date with how we are progressing.
“Despite the charges brought today, our work is far from over.
“The scenes we already have established in Bury and Salford will remain in place for much of this week whilst our searches and enquiries continue. Local officers will continue to patrol the impacted areas to provide reassurance.
“We will continue following every line of enquiry to recover and reunite the victim with his family, bringing a dignified end to this terrible scenario.
“I’d like to thank the communities of Salford and beyond for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I know this incident has come as a shock, and the support we’ve had from those in the area is very much appreciated.”
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