Business Secretary Vince Cable has proposed a cut in how much workers can claim for unfair dismissal at employment tribunals. He will consult on plans to cut the limit on compensation payouts to a maximum of 12 months' salary. He also wants to bring in settlement agreements, in which staff agree to leave without being able to go to a tribunal, but get a pay-off in return. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19594879

Hi I am totally panicing as my husband has an interview under caution on thursday. The only information that we have is the letter asking him to attend. Our story is pretty complicated but here it is. We had some buytolet properties and our own property, all with mortgages, however due to redundancy (my job) and rental gaps, found that we were at the point of no return and the bank started reposession of the rental properties. Our own house was also included in this. We were visited by a rep of the bank and he basically told us to move and get a rental property asap, as we had kids, and he knew our sitaution was inevitable. So my husband made a claim for himself me and the kids, as we had no income. There is no equity in any of the properties due to the current market, and our own house either. We moved into a rental property and have been looking for jobs, and awaiting someone making us bankrupt. We have no capital, savings or anything. We are racking our heads about what this is. My husband cannot remember what he put on the form as we have been so stressed over the past year, plus I was having tests to do with my heart due to stress and he was worried. But he was upfront when attending his meeting about us owning propeties. I also received around xmas a small amount from my previous employer, but this was outstanding money due to me, less that £800. There were some small amounts of rent that went into the business account but these were paid direct to debters. Am feeling awful as I don't want my husband to go to court of jail, and my profession is a notifiable one, so I would never get a job again. I am ill with worry, and feel so guilty, but don't know what we have done. I am trying so hard to get a job, I feel like I am going mad. Any help appreciated. Thanks for reading and sorry for waffeling, don't know if it makes sense.

Hi, I have signed on for the first time in years. I am just entitled to contribution-based JSA as I have received a redundancy payment. I have had an initial assessment and signed an agreement whereby I apply for 4 jobs a week. OK - I hope I'm not out of work for long anyway and will be looking around intently! However I haven't found many specific jobs available which I would consider suitable for me - but I have sent my CV to a number of recruitment agencies. There is one advertised job in particular though that I will apply for this week. Does sending in a CV (on spec) to several recruitment agencies and applying for one advertised job count as applying for at least 4 jobs in a week? Or have I failed to meet my agreement criteria? Any advice would be most helpful.

news report this morning http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19244639

I have a friend who's son took out a payday loan with the money shop when he was 17. They are hassling him for the debt. Am I right in saying that they cannot enforce this even though he is now over 18?

I've just received a letter from HMRC regarding my tax credit award. It says that the information I've given is not the same as the information they currently hold. When I checked, it says on the award notice that I am in receipt of Higher Rate Care component when in fact I get Higher Rate Mobility (chronic severe RA). Because nothing has changed and because I wanted to get it done as I kept forgetting, I didn't check it and just filled in the figures and signed it - stupidly I know. Anyway, they're now investigating us and I'm panicking about what they will do. OH says not to worry and he'll deal with them on Monday. His argument is that we've never said we got HR Care , only HR Mobility so it's their fault not ours but I think they're more likely to say, quite rightly in hindsight, that I should have checked it before I sent it. So what are they likely to do? The other thing that's strange is that OH only posted the return two days ago but the letter from them is dated 28th June. It says we made a claim on 6th April but we didn't - or is that just administrative? As usual these things happen on a Friday afternoon so I've got to stew all weekend. Any advice would be gratefully received

Hello I am a new member but have read through some of the threads that pertain to my situation. However, this is slightly different, and I was hoping for a little advice. My husband was initially called for an IUC two weeks ago. He suffers from congestive heart failure and is not at all well. We are claiming housing benefit and he also gets pension credits. He is 65. The housing benefit does not touch the amount of rent we pay to a private landlord, there is a short fall of £700.00. Obviously he had no idea what they were going to ask him. In fact the investigation was into me, not him, as I have been desperately trying to start a new business with an old friend in America. To that end we designed a free web site, in January, which they showed him at the interview, and my bank account. Our friend has been helping me out with the rent money with the hope that we could get a business going with the website. My husband has been unaware of my efforts as I wanted him to be as unstressed as possible. He has really not long for this world and I have been trying to keep him calm and content. The money paid to me was not income, just loans until we could get some business going. We have not, and have earned not a penny from this venture. They have now written to me, to explain the situation. Following my husband's interview quite naturally he is worried, as am I. The payments have not been regular, only as and when our friend could afford to loan me the money. I am trying every which way to get a business going, because I cannot work full time away from home because of my husband's condition. I personally have claimed no benefits at all and been honest about my only income which is £400 rent from a BTL house that is now in negative equity. Is there anyone who can give me some sound advice. I am quite happy to tell them truth just as I have here. Thank you.

My partner got a IUC letter and he went for the interview last week, they said it was relating to a claim made in 2009. This is how the story goes.... Febuary 2009 partner was diagnosed with type one diabetes, lost his class two licence subsequently lost his job, got another job but was made redundant three months later, we got really behind with the mortgage, was due to go to court to have the house repossesed (thankfully family intervened and bailed us out) He put in a claim for himself, me and the 3 kids was awarded IS,and part housing benefit, but here is our downfall, he didnt declare i was working , which we know was wrong and dishonest, but i only worked 4 hours a week, wasnt on a set wage i only got commission so we didnt think we had to declare it (stupid i know) but we had never ever claimed any benefits as we've always struggled and didnt want anything off the state but we were as they say "up **** creek without a paddle" We came off benefits in december 2009 when he got full time work again.Because he worked for the construction industry which was hit hard in the recession he has been made reduntant a further 3 times since then, but we never made a claim as he was always determined to find another job no matter how hard things were.Last year he started with agencies which were very hit and miss with work, a week here, three weeks there. In august 2011 i phoned (or so i thought) to tell tax credits that he was working but couldnt tell them how long the work was for as every Friday he didnt know if he would be going back to the site! I got a full time job in January of this year but my partner was out of work, so i told the tax credits this and they said they thought he hadnt been working from August 2001 and would amend our tax credits we are now paying back our overpayment,any how the DWP want me in for an interview now and i dont know what to do or say as we dont know how much the tax credits know and its scaring me silly, we've had our renewal form for tax credits but we dont want to claim as it may open a whole new can of worms. We will pay back every single penny of any overpayment that is owed we just dont know what the outcome of all this will be, my partner is preparing himself for a stretch inside!!! If anyone can give me any ideas on what to do or say before i have no hair left i would be truely grateful!! P.S sorry if this thread is long winded

Hi some advice needed i purchased a van of a friend in January this yr and gave him the prcodes of 750 pounds of my old van ..and also 250 pounds more in cash.as he said the vehicle was thousand pounds...i went bankrupt at the end of Jan.on Sunday he has taken the van while i was away on holiday and has locked it in his unit and is now demanding 1500 pounds for it...and all my tools are in the back so i can now not work without my tools so won't be able to pay to my bankruptcy what i pay every mth as impact not working .. i phoned the police who have said it is a civil matter even though he has no proof of ownership of the van or theamand is refusing to give back i cannot also afford to keep paying the insurance payments on it as im not working so would just like to no what i can do as dnt pay him instead of my other creditors and also dnt get my van and tools for work .....help needed

hi i have just received a letter telling me i need to be interviewed under caution i receive middle rate care and high rate mobility i suffer from rumatoid athritus . iwork in a small cafe i have done for 6 years but the hours i work have changed over the years due to my condition i was working 2 days a week my boss was very good by puting things in place for me eg opening cans jars pealing potatoes basically thing i was unable to do i took holiday for days i was unable to go in and come home if i could not finish a shift once i got home that was me finished for the day as once i sit after walking or working i can not walk i have very little use in one hand and it is a struggle to get through a day at work i left my job 3 weeks ago due to it getting to much then received this letter today i dont know if ive done wrong and im in a terrable state can anybody give me any advice as to if i have done wrong these are the only benifits i have ever claimed i have always worked . thankyou