News

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Under the Freedom of Information act Mind have obtained data from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) shows that there is a wide gap between the number of sanctions imposed on people suffering with mental health problems, who are not currently able to take up employment. Forty thousand people suffering from mental health issues were told they may have their Employment Support Allowance (ESA) taken from them in 2014/15. Worryingly, 73 per cent -...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Shockingly at least 40 people have died as they drown near some Greek islands. Their boats sunk taking down 17 children, who were part of the group. This has made January the deadliest on record for the death of refugees and migrants trying to make their way to Europe via boat. The boats went down overnight in the Aegean sea, off two small island. The major death toll came from a wooden sailboat that sank...

By Fabian French, Chief Executive UK Community Foundation Blow, winds and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow!* Recurring flooding shows that we need to have high quality plans in place to deal with natural disasters. UK Community Foundations need to take the lead in crisis planning for our communities rather than playing catch-up. Community Foundations in flood areas have demonstrated how quickly their adaptable and flexible procedures can be executed so that immediate and effective responses are made to alleviate the worst...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor GDP could grow in Europe due to migration through long-term boost to jobs market and greater state spending, says IMF report. It also claims that any negative effects will be short lived and won’t negatively impact on native workers in the long-term. The IMF believe the recent refugee arrivals will raise economic growth a small degree in the short-term – especially in Austria, Germany and Sweden. Also if they are integrated into the job market...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor The Home Secretary plans to cut the influx of skilled non-EU migrants by 20 per cent a year and is planning to charge firms' employing these people a £1,000 levy, as part of her proposal. It is claimed the scheme could hit the teaching and nursing professions hard. The levy would be introduced per each migrant they employ from outside Europe, costing the organisation involved £1k a time. The levy plan is part of a...

The price of petrol is likely to drop further in 2016 following the Iran nuclear deal that freed the country of sanctions. The International Energy Agency has predicted that “unless something changes, the oil market could drown in over-supply” in 2016. Over supply of crude has already resulted in prices dropping to around the $28 a barrel mark, but it could fall further. The IEA expect that higher production from Iran will lead to the market being drowned in oil, with production set to...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Students at Quwwat-Ul-Islam Girls’ School raised £1,350 for an East London homeless charity by holding a sponsored sleepout and Winter Bazaar. The Year 10 students at the school were inspired to spend a night sleeping out in the school hall after learning about homelessness from a workshop delivered by the charity Caritas Anchor House. In taking part in the sleepout, the student’s aim was to better understand the experiences of homeless people, and to raise...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor He did it again. Cameron’s recent tribute to Bowie made me cringe and his previous love of Eton Rifles, while totally missing the point of the song, are forever stitched into my mind; but he will never learn. Today he ruined the Beatles forever. Karl McCartney, Con (no relation, thank god) – said, when referring to Corbyn’s plans to mobilise nuclear submarines without warheads: "Those such as the leader of the opposition who do not...

By Natasha Benjamin - Founder & Managing Director www.freeyourmindcic.com Domestic Violence in Childhood is a major problem of our times, effecting 1.8 million children across the UK and even more alarmingly 1 in 3 will have a mental illness as a result. Since launching Free Your Mind in 2013, I have worked to create better awareness of this issue and to create a support system for children affected after realising that there was no specific service for them, only finding that...