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Dec 01
Love0
kiddies christmas

Coping at Christmas

By Christmas, Finance, Toys

by Edmond Chan, Childline Supervisor
Photography by Tom Hull – the adults and children photographed are models

Christmas can be an exciting time when families get together to celebrate. Lots of us look forward to it all year. But Christmas isn’t a magical time for everyone.

Christmas can be a difficult time for many different reasons – from family arguments to feeling lonely. Looking at social media it’s easy to believe that everyone around you is having the perfect Christmas.

And it can be hard to escape the holiday season sometimes, particularly when you don’t enjoy Christmas and everyone’s talking about it.

One 16 year old girl who contacted Childline told our volunteer counsellors: “I lost my grandad earlier this year. This is going to be my first ever Christmas without him and I Feel really alone. I don’t know how to tell my family or what to do. I’m looking for some advice – please help.”

If your child seems to be struggling with the festive period, try not to worry. We have some tips to help you support them through what can be a very challenging time.

Family problems
Christmas can be a stressful time for even the closest of families. There might be arguments, or you might have to spend time with people you don’t like. Arguments can sometimes happen because people drink too much alcohol.

Not every family spends Christmas together. If parents are divorced or separated it’s likely children will spend time with one parent but not the other. It’s important that children feel able to say who they want to spend Christmas with, and they’re not just trying to keep everyone else happy.

No matter what difficulties are happening at home, it’s important children do things that will help them to cope. Sometimes simply making some time to listen to music they enjoy or messaging their friends can help. If things ever get too much and they don’t feel they can come to you, they can always speak to Childline.

Missing someone who’s passed away or can’t be there
When someone dies, Christmas can bring up lots of memories of them, even if it’s been a while since they died. Children might feel loss more keenly at this time because they wish they could share the festivities with them.

You could also miss someone because they can’t be there. They might be in hospital, be working or not be able to be there for some other reason. If your child is struggling because they’re missing someone:
• Encourage them to talk about how they’re feeling. That could be with you or another trusted adult like an aunt or uncle. Or they could speak to a friend.
• Make sure they have time to remember the person. Talk about what they remember, perhaps write them a letter, or look at photos of them.
• Urge them not to put pressure on themselves to behave a certain way, it’s okay to show they’re upset.
• Try making new memories at Christmas, doing something you all enjoy doesn’t mean they’ll forget the person they lost, but it can help make Things easier.

Feeling lonely or isolated
There might be lots of reasons for children to feel lonely at Christmas. They might be away from family or feel like there’s nobody they can talk to. They might have had bad experiences at Christmas before.

When they’re feeling alone or down, it’s important they don’t keep it to themselves. Talking about how they feel with someone they trust will help and it means that they can get support.

Eating problems
Celebrating Christmas often involves a lot of food and drink. If your child has a problem with food or eating, this time of year might make them worried about:
• Eating too much (binge eating)
• Not wanting to eat (anorexia)
• Eating and then making themselves sick (bulimia)

If your child is worrying about the amount they eat – or you think they might have a problem with food – remind them they can talk to a Childline counsellor about it – call us free on 0800 1111.

It’s OK not to celebrate
Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Some people might not like the time of year and others might not because of their religion of beliefs.
It might seem like everyone celebrates Christmas when every advert on TV is about Christmas, and the shops are full of decorations and gifts. But even if your family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, you can still enjoy this time of year. It’s a holiday and that means you have some time to relax, enjoy yourself and see friends and family.

Whatever worries your child might have this Christmas, let them know they can speak to you or to our trained volunteer counsellors at Childline, free and in confidence, 24 hours a day – including Christmas day.

Children can phone us on 0800 1111, log in to the Childline website www.childline.org.uk for a 1-2-1 counsellor chat or send us an email via the website and we can help.

Nov 20
Love0
family finance early

Five things to tell your child about the cost of living

By family, Finance, numeracy skills, Relationships

by Brean Horne, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet

As the rising cost of living continues to stretch budgets with little signs of slowing down, it can be an extremely worrying time for many people. This is especially true for families and can create questions that are difficult for parents to answer. Parents should be setting time aside to engage in conversations with their children about the cost of living crisis in order to lessen their concerns. Below, Brean discusses how parents can tackle the topic of money when talking to children, and stay realistic about any financial sacrifices that may be needed.

Strike the balance
Honesty is always the best policy, and while ensuring your child is aware of the realities of the rising cost of living is important, it is also crucial to avoid unnecessary panic or worry, and strike the right balance between explaining the seriousness of the situation with not alarming them.

At the moment, while it is not necessary for a child to be too concerned about the intricate details of budgeting and saving, it’s a good idea to make your child aware of the increase in the cost of heating, petrol, groceries, and other essential items.

Be clear with children if the current climate means you have to cut back on some of their favourite brands at the supermarket, or if you need to take them to more budget-friendly clothing stores to pick out new items. Reassure – but don’t promise – them this should
only be temporary and help them to understand how important it is to appreciate all that they do still have, rather than what they don’t.

Be realistic
In the lead-up to the Christmas period, many children may start sharing ideas with their parents of the gifts they want to see sitting under their tree come 25th December. However, this year many may struggle to create a similar festive experience for their own families whilst dealing with ongoing financial pressures.

In order to still create a fun and memorable Christmas for your children, it’s wise to prepare them sooner rather than later that certain sacrifices need to be made if they want certain Christmas presents or experiences, such as swapping pricey weekend activities like cinema trips for a day exploring local walks or visiting a local free-entry museum. Not only will this hopefully help children to realise that parents don’t have access to unlimited wealth to treat them with, it should also emphasise the magic of Christmas and how lucky they are to have a family willing to cut back so they don’t go without.

Be wary of shock value
More often than not, children will consume a lot of information from their peers or from unsourced articles shared to social media platforms written to shock and generate headlines. Both of these are notorious for exaggerating or expanding on the facts of a story or subject, and should not be the way a child is gaining knowledge of the current crisis.

Depending on their age, sit your child down for a frank and honest conversation on the issues that are most concerning to them, and try your best to reduce any panic or worry that they have heard through others or online. Point them in the direction of child-friendly websites that can outline the most pressing issues in easy to digest language, and reassure them that you are always available to answer or tackle any questions or concerns they have.

Teach them about budgeting
Parents can use the cost of living crisis as an opportunity to educate children on the importance of budgeting and saving for a rainy day. Highlighting different issues surrounding inflation, energy bills, how interest rates affect things like mortgage repayments and credit card loans, and even how inflation works, will give them a better perspective on the crisis and is something that they are unlikely to be exposed to within school settings.

For older children, this is also an opportunity to help guide them to set up their own financial accounts, such as a children’s bank card or a prepaid card. This will help them learn how to budget, manage their finances, and understand the satisfaction associated with saving up to purchase something for themselves.

While some children are simply given pocket money or a weekly/monthly allowance, now is a great opportunity to give children age-appropriate chores in order to earn some money themselves.

Involve children in making cost-effective savings around the house
Budgeting doesn’t have to be boring, and there are a multitude of useful and fun ways you can involve children with budgeting tasks around the house.

Set children a task to plan budget-friendly meals with a certain amount of money or ingredients you have in the fridge and cupboards as a Master Chef style challenge, or get them involved in cooking/baking large batches to freeze for a later date – a great way to save money and reduce food waste.

In order to help them understand the energy crisis a little more, it’s also worth setting them the task of ensuring no electronic devices or switches are left on unnecessarily around the house – which can of course be incentivised with rewards.

Article supplied by NerdWallet www.nerdwallet.com/uk/current-accounts/

Nov 01
Love0
divorce

Separation and divorce: What should we tell the children?

By Finance, Legal, Mental health, Relationships

In this issue of the magazine, Jennie Apsey, Solicitor in the Family Department at Dean Wilson LLP, looks at the best way for parents to tell their children that they are separating and how to come to agreement in respect of Child Arrangements.

We have decided to separate but have not yet told the children. How do you advise we should do this?
Every situation and child is different so there is no one answer to this question. Of course, much will depend on the age and emotional maturity of the children concerned. Pre-school children need simple, concrete explanations and are unlikely to be able to articulate their feelings. You as their parents are their whole world and they will not have the ability to think about the future. They will need reassurance about where they will live, who will look after them and how often they will see the other parent. Six to 11 years olds will be more able to understand and think and talk about their feelings, however they do still tend to see things in black and white and will have a limited understanding of complex adult issues like separation and divorce. Secondary school age children will have a far greater capacity to understand these issues and are likely to ask more questions and challenge parental authority and decision making.

From my experience as a Family Solicitor I have assessed that damage to children of all ages may be limited by following some or all of the following:
1. Inform your children jointly of the decision to separate.
2. Talk to them in an environment in which they
feel comfortable, for example at home.
3. Be honest but avoid blaming each other. Avoid giving children too much information or information they do not need.
4. Emphasise that it is not the children’s fault and that both parents love them equally. They need to understand that the decision to separate is an adult decision which they didn’t cause and can’t influence.
5. Do not make children feel they have to choose between you. Tell them that their life will be different but do not give them choices – it is your job as their parents to make the decisions. Children will want to know how life will change from their point of view, not yours, so letting them know what will change and what will still be the same is important.
6. Make sure they realise that they are free to love both parents as before. Try to separate your feelings from the children’s feelings – do not confuse your child by belittling or criticising the other parent.
7. Expect your child to play one parent off against the other or even to take sides. This is very common. Do not hold what they say against them – allow them to express their feelings.
8. For contact arrangements, make them clear to the children and make them regular – children usually like routines as they feel more secure knowing where they will be, when and with whom.

We are having difficulty agreeing what is in the best interests of the children in terms of living and contact arrangements. How can we overcome this?
You may need the help of a third party to come to an agreement about Child Arrangements and a family consultant or mediator can assist with this and help you formulate a Parenting Plan to refer to moving forwards.

What is the difference between a family consultant and a mediator?
A family consultant provides therapeutic and emotional support and helps separating parents navigate a way forward in the best interests of their children. A family consultant does not focus on legal or financial matters, focussing instead on the emotional wellbeing of all the family members. It can sometimes be helpful to speak with a family consultant to prepare you for the process of mediation, or even for them to work alongside the mediator. Family consultants aim to provide an impartial ‘third-eye’ perspective to assist parents in prioritising their children’s needs and wellbeing.

A mediator is trained to listen to both parents, to assist them in their discussions and to work towards a solution that is in the best interests of the children. The mediator will ensure that both parents have the opportunity to speak and put their views forward within a neutral, safe environment. Mediators do not take sides and do not advise. Mediators are not therapists, and their role does not extend to providing therapeutic or emotional support.

Do I need a Solicitor?
A Solicitor will be able to advise you in relation to your rights and obligations which you may find helpful prior to embarking on mediation with your partner. However, Solicitor and Court intervention should be considered as a last resort. Some cases require Solicitors to negotiate on the parents’ behalf and/or the benefit of a Court Order to regulate Child Arrangements. However, in the first instance it is far better to try hard to sort difficulties direct with your ex-partner. The children will benefit most if you are able to maintain communication and establish a good co-parenting arrangement going forwards.

Dean Wilson LLP’s reputation has been built upon our ability to deliver and exceed our clients’ expectations. For over 100 years our success has been founded upon our client focused approach, backed by the knowledge and expertise of our lawyers. www.deanwilson.co.uk

As an ABC reader you can call the Family Department on 01273 249200 to arrange a no obligation telephone discussion and, if required, a fixed-fee meeting.

Jul 08
Love0

Top tips for financial literacy

By Finance

Gillean Dooney, Head of Families at Barclays, gives us her top tips for teaching children financial literacy from a young age.

1. Start pocket money young – research found that most parents start giving their child a little something from seven years old, which is a great age for them to start learning about the value of money and associating it as a reward for completing a task or behaving well.

2. Talk to them about money – having open conversations about how money helps you afford the house you live in, the food you eat and the activities you do as a family will help your child understand how money works in the adult world. This will hopefully stand them in good stead for when they have to manage their own finances.

3. Set up a home tuck shop – to provide additional real-world context, why not set up a tuck shop at home and give them a fixed amount of money to spend on snacks each week? By creating a menu with prices for each snack, such as a 10p apple and a 25p packet of crisps, they’ll need to think about how much they want to spend each day to make their money last.

4. Teach them the difference between wanting something and needing something – help them to understand why sometimes you need to prioritise things you need, such as school shoes, over things that are ‘nice to have’, such as a new computer game. This is a really important lesson so they can start to understand the importance of budgeting and prioritising purchases.

5. Make saving more visual – help them visualise how their money can build up by turning old jars into homemade piggy banks. Or for bigger items, consider opening a children’s savings account, and creating a visual plan with key milestones that they can track and tick off along the way. It’s a fun, quick and easy way to get children excited about watching their savings grow.

Mar 12
Love0

Selling online?

By Finance, Work employment

Here’s what you need to know about taxes

With online shopping becoming more and more popular, e-commerce and online business start ups are growing at a rapid rate. In fact, according to the Business Data Group, the UK’s e-commerce start-up sector is booming at levels not seen before.

Research showed that in the week before the UK’s COVID-19 lockdown was announced, more than 500 e-commerce start-ups were formed. Five weeks later, that figure had risen exponentially to almost 1,300 e-commerce start-ups per week – around 800 more than the same week in 2019.

If you own an e-commerce business, or you’re thinking about starting one, then there are special rules and regulations for operating. Here, Zoe Gibbons, partner and e-commerce specialist at Perrys Chartered Accountants, explains what you need to know about selling online.

Do online sellers have to pay tax?
Setting up as an online business is a great way to keep overheads to a minimum and benefit from flexible working arrangements. However, like any other business, an e-commerce business will be subject to paying taxes.

If you are self-employed, including as an online seller, then you’ll need to complete an annual self-assessment tax return to disclose any income and expenditure and submit it online to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

However, there are some exceptions. For example, if you are selling items online and it is not part of a business activity, such as selling second-hand possessions on eBay, then you won’t need to pay tax. However, if you plan to do it regularly, this could count as a business even if you already have a job.

As of 2016, the Finance Act gave HMRC the authority to investigate the selling sites of individuals who do not appear to be declaring income. This is assessed based on the following criteria:
• Intention to make a profit as opposed to selling for fun or to raise emergency funds.
• Repetition of similar transactions over a short period of time.
• Borrowing money to fund transactions.
• Inability to prove items sold were pre-loved or used before being listed.
• Items sold at a fixed price in a similar way to other retailers.
• Limited time between purchase and selling of items.
• Modification of items in order to sell them for profit.

How much can you sell online before paying tax?
If you’re hoping to make a small amount of money from selling online, then the good news is HMRC currently allows for £1,000 to be earned in sales before any tax is payable.

However, even if you’re selling online on platforms such as eBay, Depop and Gumtree, and you’re not a registered business, once you pass the £1,000 earnings threshold you may be liable for tax as a self-employed individual.

What taxes do online businesses need to pay?
Depending on how your business is set up, the following taxes may apply:
• Income Tax
• Corporation Tax
• National Insurance
• VAT
• Employers’ PAYE
• Business rates

It is recommended that you seek the advice of a professional accountant for any e-commerce business tax related matters.

Is there an online sales tax?
In March 2020, HMRC introduced the Digital Services Tax – a 2% tax on the revenues of search engines, social media services and online marketplaces, which derive value from UK users. The majority of businesses affected by this tax are large multi-national enterprises, such as Amazon, Facebook and Google.

However, the UK Treasury is also investigating the options for introducing an online sales tax in response to the recent shift in shopping patterns and online consumer behaviour. Currently, it is considering a 2% online sales tax on e-commerce sellers and marketplaces.

This could mean that e-commerce businesses will need to pay 2% of tax on their online sales to UK customers.

Do you pay taxes when selling online to other countries?
If you sell goods online to customers who are overseas, then other considerations will apply. For example, your goods may require accompanying documentation and could be subject to customs duty and sales tax on arrival at their destination.

If you are in any doubt, then you should seek the assistance of a qualified accountant who has experience dealing with e-commerce businesses.

Nov 08
Love0

Unusual ways to make extra money

By Finance, Work employment
by Peter Watton
OddsMonkey

More and more Brits are turning to side hustles to supplement their incomes, and you might want to make some extra cash too. Here, Peter Watton from OddsMonkey picks out the side hustles that are perfect for parents.

Many families across the UK have seen their monthly income drop throughout the economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This has led more and more people to top up their income with side hustles, which are jobs you can do in your spare time. Our research has shown that some people are even earning up to £4,000 per year from their extra business – though the average amount is £230 per month.

Finding time to earn extra money can be challenging when you’re a parent, so it’s important to think about side hustles that can be done from home, or arranged around your childcare responsibilities. It’s also useful if your extra earner is easy to set up, is simple and doesn’t take up any space in your home.

This is why many online earning opportunities can be a smart way forward for parents who want some extra spending money. Below, I’ll share a few side hustles that are great for parents to fit in and do from home.

1. Dropshipping
You might have heard of dropshipping, as it’s used by sellers as big as Amazon, as well as many small online businesses. But, you might not know how to get started. Dropshipping is a way of selling items online without the need to acquire stock, meaning you don’t need to make space to keep products in your home.

Dropshippers find products, then advertise them, and order on behalf of customers from suppliers. So, you take on the public-facing duties of advertising and setting up an e-commerce website, and let the suppliers fulfil the orders.

To get started, you just need to find a product you like, and then set up a platform to advertise it. While this side hustle does require an initial investment of time, once it’s set up it can be a really good option, as you can set your own working hours and work on your business at home.

2. Matched betting
Matched betting is a way of making money that you might not know much about. This is method of betting that takes advantage of free offers from betting providers. By using these free offers, and betting on both outcomes of an event (such as a football game), you can guarantee that you’ll at least make your money back, even if you don’t make a profit.

There are lots of calculation websites that can help you work out what bets to take. It’s also worth noting that any earnings from matched betting are tax-free, whereas with other side hustles, you’ll need to pay income tax on any earnings over £1,000 per year. This side hustle does require investing time to learn the principles of matched betting, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s easy to do from home while watching your little ones.

3. Testing food products
Manufacturers need to do testing to see how customers will react to their new products before they hit the shops. You can get involved with this, and try some exciting new flavours while earning either money or vouchers! Plenty of food trials don’t even require you to leave your house either.

You’ll need to join a market research company as a consumer tester, as food manufacturers use these companies to get their focus group feedback. After you’ve filled out a survey to show the company what kind of demographic you fall into, they’ll send you samples to try out and give feedback on. This can be a fun, easy way to earn some extra money while also trying new things.

You should be aware however that there are some scam websites out there, so double-check that the company you find is genuine by reading reviews and contacting the manufacturer of some of the products offered for testing. They’ll be able to tell you that the market research firm is genuine, and then you can be sure you’re with a reputable company.

4. Renting out your things
You might not think of your belongings as being a potential source of income, but many people are increasingly making money by renting out their things. You can rent out everything from bicycles to musical and electrical equipment. You’ll just need to be at home for renters to pick them up and then give them back to you after use.

There are many websites where you can sign up and offer your items up for renting. A popular website for this is Fat Llama, which allows people to see items offered for renting in their area. Just take a photo of your items, set up an account, and add your town or city so people know where you are located.

5. Going on a game show
This one is the most fun out of all the potential side hustles. Lots of your favourite shows will be open to applications for contestants throughout the year and you can apply to be on them by using the BBC and ITV pages for applying to participate. Watch for when your favourite shows (or the ones you think you’ll excel at!) are open for contestants, and then try your hand at collecting some winnings.

Of course, you will need childcare as filming can’t take place at home – but this is a special occasion, so a babysitter is definitely in order. Lots of game shows are also filmed in one day, which helps when organising a babysitter or alternative activity for your children.

It can be overwhelming deciding what side hustle might work for you and lots of the advice about earning extra money doesn’t take into account the time you spend watching and looking after your children. But, these potential earners are all good for fitting in around your parental responsibilities, and working from home means you can balance them with family time too.

OddsMonkey are an industry leader in the world of matched betting, and are the original developers of the UK’s leading matched betting software.
To find out more, visit: www.oddsmonkey.com

Nov 01
Love0

Give your child the gift of precious metals

By Finance
by Hamzah Almasyabi
CEO at MintedTM

Sometimes the run up to Christmas can feel more like a marathon than a fun, festive season and it can be easy to be swayed into panic-buying armfuls of gifts that often end up unused. In a bid to cut down on clutter and help protect the environment, parents and grandparents are looking for new ways of gifting to children, virtually or otherwise. The wider market contains everything from Premium Bonds to shares but, in a climate of stock market volatility and low interest rates, could precious metals, such as gold bullion be a safer bet to gift on the big day?

Gold was one of the first precious metals to be used as a trading commodity and, to this day, remains one of the most stable and reliable investment choices. And it’s not just adults that love gold. Many children’s books tell stories of the precious metal – from pirates to royalty – and, in sport, a gold medal has always been associated with winning. From a very young age, the value of gold has been ingrained in most people’s minds.

While it undoubtedly looks attractive, perhaps the biggest selling point is that through the years, gold has served as a hedge against inflation and the erosion of major currencies. As a tangible asset, investors can handle their physical gold and store it as they wish, or even sell it if needed. Gold doesn’t just sit there gathering dust – it also gathers value. While its price may fluctuate, historically and over the long-term, it trends higher. Currently, the average growth rate per year is 9%, considerably greater than bonds or current interest rates. With this in mind, £1,000 invested in gold could be worth around £1,538 after five years – in a sense, it really is the gift that keeps on giving.

As finite resources grow in popularity, more user-friendly and flexible tech-focused routes into precious metal investment are hitting the market, making gifting much easier. For example, investment platforms like Minted make it easy for people to either purchase gold or silver with a lump sum or save set amounts every month, starting from £30. Once enough has been saved for a gold bar, for example, the physical gold can either be stored in a secure London vault or withdrawn – something any child would be proud to own.

The next generation of savings apps and platforms are now adding features, such as reward points for referring friends and family, providing even more of an incentive for parents to start building up points for their children. This means that once they get older, gold holders can connect their payment cards and automatically start receiving points when they spend money; sometimes making up to 10% return, which can be put towards physical gold, or other precious metals.

As well as creating a more financially secure future for children and adults alike, digitally gifting gold and silver also has the potential to help towards a greener future too. By reducing the amount of waste destined for landfills and cutting back on wrapping paper, people can give their family the kind of gift they will not only treasure on Christmas Day but can also watch grow in value year on year.

Despite its high-class status, gold and silver offer far more than just being luxury goods; they can also be a viable investment option for anyone, at any age. As stock markets continue to fluctuate and interest rates fall, the price of gold and other precious metals could remain on an upward trajectory for some time. No matter the state of the current economic climate, gold and silver will always be must-have additions to any investment portfolio. With an ever-expanding list of ways to transfer precious metals virtually, and reap the benefits of doing so, there’s no doubt that they make the best kind of gift.

Founded in 2018, Minted is a technology platform where anyone can buy, sell, save and transfer physical gold. With an easy-to-use mobile platform and app, Minted makes buying gold simple, safe and affordable. Customers can set up flexible savings plans and invest amounts of their choice into gold each month. With market-leading buying rates, Minted is the only gold savings app where users can get ownership and delivery of pure 999.9 24kt LBMA physical gold.

Visit www.theminted.com to find out more about buying and saving in gold.

Mar 01
Love0
www.flexibilitymatters.co.uk

Meet the women leading ‘the flex movement’!

By family, Finance, Work employment
by Emma Cleary
Flexibility Matters

This year’s International Women’s Day, #ChooseToChallenge, is for me the perfect reminder of all the fabulous women I’ve encountered on my journey who have inspired me to continue championing flexible working and its benefits.

As the founder of Flexibility Matters, I started my flexible work journey out of the necessity to find a job in Sussex that accommodated three nursery aged children! Flex is fundamental to work and life and I’ve made it my mission to find flexible roles for talented and experienced parents to allow them to continue to progress their careers.

At a pivotal webinar on ‘How Covid-19 made working flexibly business critical’, some of the wonderfully flexible ladies I’ve met along the way and some of whom I work with now, were able to reveal their most important insights on busting the nine to five working myth.

Jane Galloway, Head of Flexible Working at NHS England, and NHS Improvement said: “In general, increasing access to flexible working options increases staff engagement, and we know that in the NHS, good staff engagement leads to better patient care.”.

Dagmar Albers, UK Diversity & Inclusion Lead, who has been avidly working within Pfizer to roll out team pact workshops on informal flexible working agreements, revealed: “Once teams agree a pact, they are then able to work at a time and place best for them in terms of productivity, energy and of course positive outcomes, whilst effectively managing commitments outside of work. It is about the outcome produced and not the number of hours worked and about trusting each other to deliver in a way that works for them”.

Jessica Hornsby, Organisational Capability Lead has been working within Thales on fundamentally shifting the mindset around flexible working, that they now term SMART working, for over four years. She saw many assumptions smashed by COVID-19. The most impactful being how few roles ‘have’ to be office based.

Another remarkable lady, Ursula Tavender, Learning and Development Specialist and Co-Director of Flexpo, has been leading the charge on flex and equality in the workplace for over 5 years now. Ursula says: “Flexible working is the most powerful tool we have in the working world to make sure that everyone, whatever their circumstances, has equal access to meaningful work and equal opportunity to progress. It has always been the key to closing pay gaps, and now it has also become the key to our ability to build back better as we navigate the phases of the pandemic. We’ve learned so much during this past year about what’s possible; now is the time to leverage the opportunity in front of us to change the world of work forever.”

For the past six years Flexibility Matters have been matching businesses with results-oriented professionals that need a flexible approach to their work hours. Whilst influencing business mindsets and challenging traditional cultures has not been simple, with a little push from a pandemic that chose to challenge us all, it now feels like a more flexible approach to work is here to stay.

We’ve been reporting for years that flexible workers are more focused, productive and happy and we know the key ingredients to being a successful one. Whether you’ve been made redundant or you’re simply looking for a brand new flexible challenge, get in touch on 07810 541599 or register at www.flexibilitymatters.co.uk

Feb 03
Love0

Divorce is changing for the better

By family, Finance, Legal, Relationships, Work employment
by Rachael House
Senior Associate Solicitor, Family Law, Mackrell Turner Garrett Solicitors

What is the current divorce law in this country?
Under current divorce law, if you and your spouse have not been separated for two years or more you can only get divorced by showing that your spouse has committed adultery or behaved in such a way that you cannot tolerate living with them (known as unreasonable behaviour). Only then will a court grant you a divorce.

Adultery and unreasonable behaviour divorces are known as ‘fault-based’ divorces and usually increase acrimony between spouses. For example, to demonstrate that your spouse has behaved in such a way that you cannot tolerate living with them, you have to write some unpleasant words about them and their behaviour. For your spouse who is at the receiving end of these unkind words it can cause them distress and make them even more unhappy with you, when tensions may already be running high. This type of divorce is especially unhelpful where there are children of the family, as relationships between parents can deteriorate further at a time when it is more important than ever for parents to work co-operatively.

Over the years, the Government has been reluctant to reform divorce law, believing that making it easier for couples to divorce would somehow undermine the sanctity of marriage and increase the rates of divorce.

What is changing?
In 2017, a national survey carried out by the Nuffield Foundation found that in fault-based divorces 62% of petitioners (those instigating the divorce) and 78% of respondents (those at the receiving end of a divorce) said that using fault had made the process more bitter, 21% of respondents said fault had made it harder to sort out arrangements for children, and 31% of respondents thought fault made sorting out finances harder.

In 2020 the Government passed the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill following lengthy campaigning by family lawyers. The Bill paves the way for a new divorce process where blame does not have to be attached to one party.

The general consensus amongst family lawyers is that the changes do not make the physical process of divorce any easier and certainly no quicker than the current system. The huge benefit of the changes, however, is that the process will be far less acrimonious and emotionally damaging for all those involved.

When can I get divorced under the new law?
The new law will come into force in autumn 2021 (no exact date has been set as yet) so there is still some time to wait.

Once the new law is in force, you will be able to proceed with a divorce by providing a ‘statement of irretrievable breakdown.’ The current two-stage process, decree nisi and decree absolute, will remain and a minimum timeframe of six months will be set from the date of the petition to decree absolute. There will also be an option for you and your spouse to issue a joint divorce petition.

What if I still want to get divorced now without blaming my spouse?
If you want to press ahead with a divorce now without attributing blame, then if you have been separated for two years or more you can get divorced on the basis of ‘two years separation’ – provided your spouse consents. If your spouse is not going to consent then you can only get divorced without attributing blame if you have been separated for five years or more.

If the above routes are not a viable option for you but you still wish to formalise the financial matters of a separation immediately, then you can enter into a separation agreement with your spouse – provided they co-operate – to divide up the finances of the marriage with a view to divorcing once the new law comes into force. At the point of divorce, your separation agreement can be converted by a family lawyer into a court order. It will then become legally binding under matrimonial law once a judge approves the order.

What shall I do next?
If you are unsure as to whether to press ahead with your divorce or to wait a while, it is important to find out more about the legal options available to you by contacting a family lawyer for advice.

Rachael House is a specialist family solicitor at Mackrell Turner Garrett, an established firm of experienced Solicitors based in Woking. www.mtgsurrey.co.uk

Feb 02
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FLEXIBLE is the new working normal – are you equipped?

By Finance, Relationships, Work employment
by Emma Cleary
Flexibility Matters

With a recent employee survey revealing that more than nine in 10 working parents and carers want their workplace to retain flexible working indefinitely* and another reporting that 28% of employers believe the increase in homeworking has increased productivity**, COVID-19 has shifted the working pattern mindset to flexible.

And, whilst the version of flexible working parents had been experiencing during the lockdown period was not ideal, what it has done is prove that flexibility can be possible in so many more jobs than previously thought.

The shift towards greater use of home working will make work more accessible and sustainable for all, particularly for those with caring responsibilities, and at the same time support employers to recruit and retain a more diverse workforce. Whilst employers are having to fully embrace telecommuting and reduced, or part-time work, flexible workers are having to match this with an open and adaptive attitude to new technology, training and performance management.

As a working parent, whether your current work has changed shape significantly or you’re embarking on a completely new career path, flexible working is becoming the new normal and being properly equipped for it is more important than ever. No one understands this more than us who, since 2014, have been working with employers and talented candidates filling roles outside of the traditional 9-5 working hours. To help you become fully job ready for the ‘new normal’ flexible world of work, we’ve put together some suggestions on where to start.

Understand your transferable skills
Identify the transferable skills and experience drawn from your entire career and from any periods between work. This will allow you to reveal skills and knowledge that you may not have initially considered and highlight all that you have to offer, widening your options and opportunities. Make sure you showcase these in your CV and LinkedIn profile.

Do your research
Ensure you are familiar and skilled with the latest remote working technology and that of your target industry. Educate yourself with up to date industry trends and news and identify where you may need to upskill according to what role you want to be considered for.

Have you learnt a new skill to showcase?
Have you recently learnt a new skill that you are able to showcase? This could be award-winning time-management acquired from juggling home-schooling, freelance working and everything else thrown your way! It could also be an industry related course completed online that might just make that small difference when being considered for a particular role.

* A survey of over 1,000 UK parents and carers of children aged 18 and under by Charity Working Families (Jun 2020)

**A survey of 1,046 employers by cipd.co.uk/. (July 2020)

At Flexibility Matters, we’re not only matching flexible working talent to their ideal job roles in businesses around Sussex, but we also offer free events, such as networking and interview workshops to help all our members, whatever their backgrounds. Register on www.flexibilitymatters.co.uk or get in touch with us directly on email: emma@flexmatters.co.uk Tel: 0781 0541 599.

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