Feature: Wouldn’t it be Nice – the art of buying property in France
Buying property in France involves navigating two main transaction types: purchasing existing properties through a binding promesse de vente, or buying off-plan in three stages. Costs are higher than in the UK, with stamp duty ranging from 1.2% to 5%, plus additional fees, and careful consideration of French inheritance and tax laws is essential.
Employers in line for payroll giving grants
The Home Office launched a grants programme encouraging UK employers with fewer than 500 staff to set up Payroll Giving schemes, offering cash incentives up to £500 and matching employee donations for six months. The scheme allows employees tax-efficient charitable giving directly from gross salary with up to 40% tax relief.
Skilled employees reap top pay rewards
Skilled employees are commanding higher salaries as employers struggle to retain top talent amid workforce shortages. A new salary survey reveals growing pay gaps between skilled and less-skilled workers, with regional and role-specific variations also widening significantly.
£170 per week for mums under Lib Dems
The Liberal Democrats propose a Maternity Income Guarantee providing working mothers £170 per week during 26 weeks of statutory maternity leave for their first child. This would ensure all mothers receive at least £4,420 total, significantly more than current rates.
Hewitt won’t change ‘fat cat’ rules
Patricia Hewitt rejected introducing new rules to limit executive pay, saying existing 2002 regulations have successfully improved transparency, shareholder engagement, and compliance among top British companies. A government-commissioned report found the regulations delivered substantial behavioral change, though unions criticized the decision as favoring corporate interests over workers.
Case Study: Betting on talent at William Hill
William Hill increased its job offer rate from 15% to 40% by implementing an automated telephone screening tool that identifies higher-quality candidates faster. The system reduced recruitment administration by 50% while cutting the hiring timeline from a month to next-day results.
HR is the least ‘salary sensitive’ sector
HR professionals are less motivated by salary than other sectors, prioritizing career progression, cultural fit, and opportunities instead. According to Angela Mortimer’s recruitment survey, HR candidates often change jobs for similar pay in pursuit of advancement rather than higher compensation.
HR stamp out internet abuse with web monitoring
Over half of HR professionals have deployed web monitoring software to reduce internet abuse at work, while many balance security concerns with flexible working policies. The findings reveal a growing focus on IT security and employee productivity in modern workplaces.
Failings of the education system harm business
The UK’s education system is failing to address skills shortages that harm businesses, with 135,000 vacancies unfilled in 2004 due to lack of qualified workers. The Institute of Directors calls for tax breaks for training, apprenticeship reform, and vocational qualifications aligned with employer needs.
Politicians warned ‘immigration plugs skills gap’
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development warns that immigration policies must consider significant UK skills shortages and employer recruitment difficulties. Research shows nearly one in three employers plan to recruit overseas workers to fill professional and skilled vacancies amid very low unemployment.
Member wire #83 – Bricks and mortar trap workers
Official statistics reveal employment remains high while unfilled vacancies increase, raising questions about whether high home-ownership rates are restricting worker mobility and labour market flexibility in the UK.
Opinion: Smile sheets can’t bring you true happiness
Smile sheets measure immediate satisfaction, not training effectiveness or real-world impact. Despite significant design flaws and invalid conditions, organizations continue relying on these questionnaires to evaluate trainer performance and training quality, often at the expense of meaningful learning outcomes.
Pub chain kicks the smoking habit
JD Wetherspoon will ban smoking in all 650 of its pubs by May 2006, with backing from the Trades Union Congress. The move aims to protect staff from secondhand smoke, though campaigners argue the government should mandate workplace smoking bans nationwide.
Businesses back minimum wage hike
A majority of UK businesses support the recent minimum wage increase to £4.85 per hour, with 94% backing the rise. However, nearly half believe the rate should reach £5.00, and many warn that funding increases comes from company profits rather than operational efficiency gains.
Payroll giving still not possible for most employees
Most UK employees cannot donate to charity through their salaries, with 58% reporting their employers don’t offer payroll giving schemes. These tax-efficient programs allow workers to make regular charitable donations directly from gross pay, benefiting both charities and employees through tax relief.
Payroll Tip: SSP and the percentage threshold scheme
The Percentage Threshold Scheme allows employers to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from National Insurance contributions when SSP payments exceed 13% of Class 1 NICs in a given tax month. The scheme is tested monthly and applies to all SSP payments across multiple PAYE schemes, with special rules preventing abuse through delayed payments.
Short-termism doesn’t pay off
UK companies relying on short-term staff contracts risk damaging long-term growth and employee loyalty, according to IT recruitment experts. Proposed EU legislation granting temporary workers the same rights as permanent employees after six weeks could further reshape hiring practices.
Focus On: HR Specialists – Barbara Davenport, OH Manager SW Trains
Barbara Davenport, Head of Occupational Health at South West Trains, manages fitness and safety standards for safety-critical employees across regions. Her role includes conducting drug and alcohol testing, handling medical re-deployments, and reforming hearing-safety standards that challenged outdated regulations.
Welfare benefits ‘subsidise family break-up’
A Centre for Policy Studies report claims welfare benefits create financial incentives for family break-up, with lone parents receiving substantially higher support than two-parent families. The analysis suggests state subsidies have made separation economically advantageous for some households, while costing taxpayers thousands annually per case.
The Couch?! gets grumpy
January 24th has been declared the most miserable day of the year by Cardiff University psychologist Cliff Arnall. The Couch?! team celebrates famous grumpy personalities—from Morrissey to Victor Meldrew—as a way to embrace rather than escape the winter blues.
