Colors: Purple Color

Pensioners in the UK will soon be receiving an inflation-busting rise in excess of £350-per-week any time soon.

 

It means that for people who become entitled to a full New State Pension, once they have reached the state pension age, then they will get weekly payments of £160.60, which will rise to a sum of £1175.20.

 

For people who reached pensionable age before then and are receiving the full Basic State Pension will get £1304.25 – which is up from £129.20.

 

There are also some pensioners who will also receive a state-earning related pension.

 

Steven Campbell, a representative for retirement specialist Aegon said: “If so many people, including people of pensionable age, facing so many financial difficulties in covering basic expenses any extra is a help.

 

“The inflation-busting increase will offer those of a pensionable age some much-needed good news”.

 

The increase will most likely ignite controversy over the costs of the triple policy – which guarantees that the basic state pension will rise by a minimum of either 2.5% - the rate of inflation – or average earnings growth.

 

Both Pensions Regulator, Financial Conduct Authority and Money and Pensions Service are urging savers to visit the Pensions Authority Service website for free guidance before making any relevant decisions.

 

Savers are also urged to visit the ScamSmart website to learn of the best ways to to be protected against any fraudulence activities.

Beauty salons and, tattoo parlours and nurseries have answered the plea to provide personal protection equipment (PPE) to care workers.

 

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, in the West Midlands, issued an appeal as it struggled to source face masks, single-use gloves and aprons for staff.

 

Supplies donated in response will be used by workers who care for vulnerable residents in their homes.

 

Beautician, Samantha Manton, who donated aprons said: “It was the least I could do for community healthcare workers”.

Marks & Spencer is the latest store chain to reward their staff with an extra 15% pay rise. It follows Aldi, Tesco and Sainsbury’s who have already promised their respective staff members an extra 10% bonus.

 

Asda is preparing to give its staff an extra week’s pay in June, which works out as a 25% bonus for the month.

 

Bosses say that they are rewarding “dedicated, committed and outstanding work”.

Nigerian billionaire, Alhagi Dangote GCON (Order of the Niger), is preparing to make a bid for England’s Premier League giants, Arsenal.

 

Marked as the richest man in the West African country, and the 96th wealthiest man in the world,

 

Alhagi, 62, the, Founder and Chair of the industrial conglomerate, the Dangote Group, is putting plans together to stake his case for a takeover bid for the north London club as soon as he has completed his petroleum refinery – the largest in Africa - set-up in Lagos.

 

The refinery is due for completion in 2021.

 

Valued at $14.1billion by Bloomberg’s Billionaire’s Index, he (Alhagi) is a well-known massive Arsenal fan and has made several bids to take-over the club in recent years, which, each time, has been rebuffed by the ‘Gooner’s’ (Arsenal’s nickname) owner – and fellow-billionaire – American business man Stan Kroenke.

 

Dangote said: “As a supporter, Arsenal is a team that I am interested in buying.

 

“I’m going to look at the idea of making a bid once this contract (petroleum refinery) is completed.

 

“I do, though, have several projects that I have to complete. So, I am not looking to buy Arsenal right now.

 

“I’m looking to take them (Arsenal) to the next level, so, I’ll be looking to make a bid next year”.

People selling buy-to-let properties or other property owners could clock up financial penalties due to ‘seismic’ changes to the capital gains tax (CGT) payment rules, says tax specialist Imogen Lea, from Clarke Willmott LLP,

 

From April 6, anyone who disposes of a residential property giving rise to a capital gain on which CGT is payable, will be required to make a digital return to HMRC and to pay an estimate of the CGT due within 30 days from the sale completing.

 

People will also no longer be able to benefit from a possibly substantial sum of money remaining in their hands for up to 22 months after a residential property disposal.

 

“This is a very big change and could easily catch people out,” said Imogen, a consultant in Clarke Willmott’s Taunton private capital team. “Interest on the unpaid tax and other financial penalties will be due if the rules are not followed.

 

“The risk of such a tight turnaround is people being unaware of the changes and failing to comply. They need to be aware of the vastly reduced time limits and to be ready to make the return and estimate the CGT due.

 

“CGT computations are not always straightforward which could mean that if people are not prepared, they might not be able to collate the information necessary to make the CGT calculation in time.”

 

The changes will potentially affect owners of holiday homes, buy-to-let properties, main residences which have been let out at some point, owners of homes with grounds in excess of half a hectare, and owners of houses which have been partly used for business purposes.

 

Imogen says the changes will not generally apply on the sale of a person’s main residence, but will be relevant on the sale of second homes, and where the main residence exemption does not apply for any reason.

 

“Gains are not always straightforward to calculate – if an owner has made improvements to the property the cost of these will be deductible from the capital gain, but if there have been numerous improvements over many years it may be challenging for the client to find all the supporting documentation.”

 

Imogen urges property owners to make an early start to compiling the required information and to start thinking about the CGT position as soon as the property goes on the market.

 

CGT is calculated by treating the gain as the highest amount of the owner’s income during the tax year in question and therefore clients will need to estimate their income during the tax year of disposal as this will impact on the CGT rate applicable to the gain.

 

Personal representatives and trustees as well as individuals will be required to comply with the new rules. Meanwhile, gifts of properties also give rise to a disposal for CGT purposes triggering the new requirements.

 

John Bunker, chair of Chartered Institute of Taxation’s private client UK committee, has branded the new reduced deadline as “a seismic change”.

 

Clarke Willmott LLP is a national law firm with seven offices across the country in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton. 

 

Mortgage Advice Bureau in Birmingham, has launched a dedicated Mortgage Information Support Service to help homeowners who are worried about their finances as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The free support service, which is available to homeowners in Birmingham, has been set up to answer any queries or worries local people may have about paying their mortgage, and to guide them back to financial security.

To speak to a qualified mortgage adviser via the support service, homeowners should call: 0121 431 2468.  

Mortgage Advice Bureau has also created an online resource of FAQs on the topic. This will be updated daily as more queries are raised.

In an ever-changing economic climate, the UK government is responding daily with new measures to minimise the impact of the Coronavirus, not only on our health, but our finances too. This includes access to a mortgage payment holiday of up-to three months for those worst hit financially by the virus.

However, this may not be homeowners’ only worry regarding monthly finances and with the new Mortgage Information Support Service, Mortgage Advice Bureau is answering people’s most common questions around managing their household finances to help them cope.

Raj Bedi, Business Principal, explains further: “We are living in unprecedented times and some homeowners are rightly worried about their finances. With a mortgage typically being a homeowner’s largest outgoing, monthly mortgage payments are naturally going to be homeowners’ biggest concern. We’ve set up the Mortgage Information Support Service to help local people through this challenging period and to offer advice to those who need it most.

“The helpline is managed by our fully qualified mortgage advisers who can provide guidance about what to do if repaying a mortgage is a worry during the Coronavirus outbreak. As the situation changes in the UK and across the globe, it’s difficult for people to foresee how their monthly income will be affected, particularly for homeowners on short-term, temporary or zero-hours contracts.  

“The government is doing its best to help people during these difficult times and we certainly take financial well-being very seriously, so we are also doing our upmost to support people. We hope that the helpline will allow homeowners to talk openly and get them back on track with their finances.”

 

Research has revealed that just under half (41%) of working women in the UK have money worries, a figure that dips significantly down to less than a third (32%) for men.

 

Statistically, the figure is also higher in younger women with 55 per cent of women aged 16-24 reporting money worries, and 53 per cent of those aged 25-34.

 

The recently reported research was carried out by Salary Finance, an employee financial wellbeing platform, and also revealed the shocking impact of these figures on women’s mental health.

 

The stats show that women with money worries are much more likely than their male counterparts with the same concerns to be suffering sleepless nights (51% to 43%), anxiety and panic attacks (62% versus 57%) and are more likely to have depression and suicidal thoughts (71% versus 65%).

 

These figures mean that when compared to those with no money worries women with financial concerns are over five times more likely to have anxiety and nearly seven times more likely to have depression. For men with financial worries, it is far less – they are 1.3 times more likely to say they’re suffering from anxiety and/or depression due to financial problems.

 

It’s also more likely that you will run out of money before pay day if you’re a woman, according to these statistics. Over a third (34%) of women are running out of money before pay day each month, compared to just under a quarter (24%) of men. Younger women were again much more highly impacted, being much more likely to run out of money before pay day.  

 

Of course, the impact of maternity leave is keenly felt by the female workforce. Of those surveyed that took maternity or paternity leave, a massive 73 per cent of women said they took on additional debt as a result, compared to just 27 per cent of men. Yet resulting childcare costs did not cause significantly higher levels of stress for women.

 

Asesh Sarkar, CEO and co-founder of Salary Finance, commented: “In 2020 it’s disheartening to see such a discrepancy between financial wellbeing in men and women. Our extensive research has shown the crippling impact that money worries can have on the UK workforce, and see these figures that show women suffer much more.”

 

Although there were many differences the survey did reveal that there are no notable differences in the approach to savings between women and men, suggesting attitudes and behaviour play a far bigger role in saving habits than gender.

 

Another similarity between men and women was an apparent unwillingness to discuss their finances. This highlights a general attitude rather than a gender-specific issue.

 

Asesh added: “Whilst the figures show that women are suffering more as a result of poor financial wellbeing, it’s important to remember that financial stress and concerns affects a wide range of people, regardless of gender, age or salary. 

 

“There is a need to tackle the stigma attached to discussing financial concerns and this is where financial solutions in the workplace can help. It is therefore important for employers to take an interest in the financial health of their employees. Our research has shown that around 77 per cent of workers feel they can trust their employer when it comes to sharing personal information. This really highlights the role that employers can play when it comes to tackling the issue of poor financial wellbeing amongst the UK workforce.”

 

People selling buy-to-let properties or other property owners could clock up financial penalties due to ‘seismic’ changes to the capital gains tax (CGT) payment rules, says tax specialist Imogen Lea, from Clarke Willmott LLP,

 

From April 6, anyone who disposes of a residential property giving rise to a capital gain on which CGT is payable, will be required to make a digital return to HMRC and to pay an estimate of the CGT due within 30 days from the sale completing.

 

People will also no longer be able to benefit from a possibly substantial sum of money remaining in their hands for up to 22 months after a residential property disposal.

 

“This is a very big change and could easily catch people out,” said Imogen, a consultant in Clarke Willmott’s Taunton private capital team. “Interest on the unpaid tax and other financial penalties will be due if the rules are not followed.

 

“The risk of such a tight turnaround is people being unaware of the changes and failing to comply. They need to be aware of the vastly reduced time limits and to be ready to make the return and estimate the CGT due.

 

“CGT computations are not always straightforward which could mean that if people are not prepared, they might not be able to collate the information necessary to make the CGT calculation in time.”

 

The changes will potentially affect owners of holiday homes, buy-to-let properties, main residences which have been let out at some point, owners of homes with grounds in excess of half a hectare, and owners of houses which have been partly used for business purposes.

 

Imogen says the changes will not generally apply on the sale of a person’s main residence, but will be relevant on the sale of second homes, and where the main residence exemption does not apply for any reason.

 

“Gains are not always straightforward to calculate – if an owner has made improvements to the property the cost of these will be deductible from the capital gain, but if there have been numerous improvements over many years it may be challenging for the client to find all the supporting documentation.”

 

Imogen urges property owners to make an early start to compiling the required information and to start thinking about the CGT position as soon as the property goes on the market.

 

CGT is calculated by treating the gain as the highest amount of the owner’s income during the tax year in question and therefore clients will need to estimate their income during the tax year of disposal as this will impact on the CGT rate applicable to the gain.

 

Personal representatives and trustees as well as individuals will be required to comply with the new rules. Meanwhile, gifts of properties also give rise to a disposal for CGT purposes triggering the new requirements.

 

John Bunker, chair of Chartered Institute of Taxation’s private client UK committee, has branded the new reduced deadline as “a seismic change”.

 

Clarke Willmott LLP is a national law firm with seven offices across the country in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton. 

 

The new committee consists of 22 highly talented individuals, located across 13 different locations and has a 50/50 gender balance where all committee members volunteer their skills, expertise and knowledge in supporting the vision for RBS to become the most inclusive bank for their customers and employees.

The RBS Sikh Network was launched in 2018, has 950 members across 68 locations and is inclusive of all. The employee led network is based on the three key teachings of the Sikh faith, kirat Karo (engage in honest and ethical hardwork), Vand Shako (help others selflessly) and Naam japo (Spirituality and Wellbeing, remember God in all we do). The group runs a variety of events across key locations throughout the year for RBS employees as well as activities with externals stakeholders.

James Holian, Chief Operating officer and Executive Sponsor said: “I’m delighted by the work of the bank’s Sikh Network and support the continued efforts made by the team.  It is privilege to work with the network, and to see them engage with our stakeholders and communities.  Each of the committee members really makes a real difference and I find the team truly inspiring to work with”.

Committee members include:

Co-Chairs - Manjit Kaur Kang, Kuljit Singh Dulai, Inderjit Singh Narwal

Secretariat: Amandeep Tumber

Stakeholder Engagement Co-Leads: Dara Singh Chauhan, Manjinder Kaur Panesar

Communication Co-Leads – Surinder Kaur Pandha, Kiran Kaur, Kanwardip Singh Sihota

Creative Leads: Sarbjit Singh Gohel, Manisha Tiwari

Community Engagement Co-Leads: Gurpal Grewal, Kavita Sanger, Parveen Briah

Events Co-Leads – Sukh Singh Majhail, Hardeep Singh Bharj, Arjan Singh Matharu

Marketing Lead - Rosie Franca

Treasurer - Bhupinder Singh Sagoo

Midlands Co-Leads – Kamaljit Kaur Ragha, Amandeep Sahota

Coutts Lead – Rav Thiara

Edinburgh Lead: Manisha Tiwari

 

 

Frontline, which runs the largest social work training programme in the country, is reopening applications for its 2020 Leadership Development Programme. The charity is calling for people in the Midlands to apply to become social workers and transform the lives of the most vulnerable children and families in this region. 

Frontline has partnered with councils in the Midlands who are in great need of social workers, with 80 participants from the 2019 Cohort currently working across 11 of the region’s local authorities, including Derbyshire, Nottingham and Wolverhampton. With over 14,000 looked-after children in the region and more than 50% of children in the region living in poverty, there is an urgent need for more life changing professionals. Due to increased demand, applications are now open for a limited time only for additional participants to join Frontline’s 2020 Cohort. 

Already bringing almost 1,400 people into the profession, Frontline’s increasing influence represents an excellent opportunity for the country’s next generation of social workers to continue to make a difference to those most in need. 

Ash Silverstone, Frontline participant in Wolverhampton, said: “In Wolverhampton, like a lot of other authorities, we are seeing an increase in gang related violence and the effect that’s having on the local community. There are also cultural and economic challenges within areas of the city. I love being a social worker because no two days are the same; what comes through the door is so varied. Sometimes our interventions are short and brief, and sometimes we work with families for longer periods. When you walk away from a successful case you know that these children now have the opportunity to move on and improve, grow and flourish.

“It’s my belief that the Frontline programme is helping to rewrite that social work script, and help families understand that social care intervention isn’t necessarily a bad thing”.

 

 

Mortgage Advice Bureau in Birmingham, has launched a dedicated Mortgage Information Support Service to help homeowners who are worried about their finances as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The free support service, which is available to homeowners in Birmingham, has been set up to answer any queries or worries local people may have about paying their mortgage, and to guide them back to financial security.

To speak to a qualified mortgage adviser via the support service, homeowners should call: 0121 431 2468.  

Mortgage Advice Bureau has also created an online resource of FAQs on the topic. This will be updated daily as more queries are raised.

In an ever-changing economic climate, the UK government is responding daily with new measures to minimise the impact of the Coronavirus, not only on our health, but our finances too. This includes access to a mortgage payment holiday of up-to three months for those worst hit financially by the virus.

However, this may not be homeowners’ only worry regarding monthly finances and with the new Mortgage Information Support Service, Mortgage Advice Bureau is answering people’s most common questions around managing their household finances to help them cope.

Raj Bedi, Business Principal, explains further: “We are living in unprecedented times and some homeowners are rightly worried about their finances. With a mortgage typically being a homeowner’s largest outgoing, monthly mortgage payments are naturally going to be homeowners’ biggest concern. We’ve set up the Mortgage Information Support Service to help local people through this challenging period and to offer advice to those who need it most.

“The helpline is managed by our fully qualified mortgage advisers who can provide guidance about what to do if repaying a mortgage is a worry during the Coronavirus outbreak. As the situation changes in the UK and across the globe, it’s difficult for people to foresee how their monthly income will be affected, particularly for homeowners on short-term, temporary or zero-hours contracts.  

“The government is doing its best to help people during these difficult times and we certainly take financial well-being very seriously, so we are also doing our upmost to support people. We hope that the helpline will allow homeowners to talk openly and get them back on track with their finances.”

 

Leading partnership homes developer Lovell is investing in opportunities for young people with its management trainee scheme, where they’ll aim to become future leaders within the business.

22-year-old Matthew Tompkins-Hall from Shirley, Solihull, has recently joined the Midlands region of Lovell as a management trainee where he will spend time working in multiple departments to gain an insight into the wider business.

Currently working with the technical department, Matthew will also spend time with estimating, new build site operations, refurbishment site operations, commercial and buying over the next two years.

Matthew will be working towards Level 4 and 5 qualifications in Construction Management and the Built Environment and will attend the University of Wolverhampton one day per week for two years.

He said: “I am really enjoying my time at Lovell and I have learnt so much already. I am constantly learning and the involvement in different departments is what appealed to me most about this role, as well as the opportunity to work towards a nationally recognised qualification.”

25-year-old Joshua Ball joined the Midlands region of Lovell as a management trainee over two years ago and has recently had the opportunity to develop his job role, now working as a trainee urban designer.

As a trainee urban designer, Joshua works with the in-house architectural team to get the development designs to the planning submission stage, ensuring full policy-compliance and that it is a viable and efficient project.

Attending Birmingham City University one day per week, Joshua is working towards a BA Honors degree in Architecture.

Joshua, from Tamworth, said: “The management trainee scheme at Lovell provides the opportunity to undertake a construction related degree whilst rotating around each department in the business, allowing us to find a role that we truly enjoy. After spending three months with the design and technical team, I knew that I wanted my role to progress within this team.”

Kelly Truman, regional training manager at Lovell, said: “I’m really impressed at how well Matthew has settled in and I hope that he is able to go on to have a successful career within the company, just as many of his colleagues have gone on to do, such as Joshua.”

Stuart Penn, regional managing director at Lovell, said “It’s very important to Lovell to invest in developing raw talent and that’s why we’re very keen on funding an education for our management trainees. We also value the importance of having a team of diverse and talented individuals and love being able to give young people the opportunity to flourish within the industry.”

A £2 million charity campaign to raise funds for a West Midlands super hospital which will enhance the patient journey has been launched.

Cash raised will be used to fund research nurses, pharmacists and community spaces at the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH), which will be run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWBH).

The state-of-the-art facility will open in 2022 and boast the biggest Accident and Emergency department in Europe, serving 700,000 people across Sandwell and West Birmingham.

The campaign, called We Are Metropolitan, was launched this week by Your Trust Charity, the registered charity of SWBH.

Richard Samuda, Chairman at SWBH, said: “Besides our drive to ensure MMUH delivers the best care possible for our patients, our charitable appeal for funding enables the Trust to develop in parallel, important community outreach activities and research relevant to our patients. We see this as key to making this more than a hospital build project and to contribute to wider improvement in public health outcomes.

“There will also be an arts and culture programme, which will be supported not just through exhibits, but through summer concerts, plays, stage shows and other examples of the performing arts put on by schools and amateur groups.”

Mr Samuda added: “The thinking behind the We Are Metropolitan campaign is to reflect the fact that everyone within Sandwell and West Birmingham is part of this hospital, which is not just about caring for our community, but also including them.”

The local community and businesses across the region are being encouraged to support the campaign by donating to the fund by hosting events. Thrill seekers can even take part in a bungee jump on site in September.

Paul Faulkner, Chief Executive of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, is also Co-Chair for the campaign’s Business Committee. He said: “I am delighted to support this worthwhile campaign and would encourage the business community to get involved. The scale, ambition and impact of the hospital will be truly transformational for our region. We are already over half way there - but we need the help of our local community to get to two million pounds by 2022. We want to make it more than a hospital, but that can only be achieved if we raise these vital funds.”

 

As the country comes to terms with the outbreak of COVID-19 and weeks, if not months, of uncertainty in everyone’s business life, the Black Country Chamber of Commerce has set up a series of ‘Business Webinars’ alongside a ‘Business Support Hotline’, for those organisations needing to discuss the latest guidance, access the Chamber’s business support, receive answers to their COVID-19 questions and to discuss the impact these unprecedented times are having on their business.

Corin Crane, Chamber Chief Executive said, “These are unprecedented times and we need to help and advise the business community in order for them to steer their way through this in the best possible way over the coming weeks.”

The Chamber will also host regular online webinars which will run on a weekly basis from 10.30am every Friday over the coming weeks and are inviting business across the region to join them.

The Coronavirus Business Clinics will run:

FRIDAY MARCH 20th

Details: https://www.blackcountrychamber.co.uk/events/20032020/coronavirus-business-clinic/

Black Country Chamber Coronavirus Business Clinic
Fri, Mar 20, 2020 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (GMT)Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://www.gotomeet.me/BlackCountryChamber/coronavirus-business-clinicYou can also dial in using your phone.
United Kingdom: +44 330 221 0097
Access Code: 616-938-141

FRIDAY MARCH 27th

Details: https://www.blackcountrychamber.co.uk/events/27032020/coronavirus-business-clinic/

Black Country Chamber Coronavirus Business Clinic
Fri, Mar 27, 2020 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (GMT)Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://www.gotomeet.me/BlackCountryChamber/black-country-chamber-coronavirus-business-clinicYou can also dial in using your phone.
United Kingdom: +44 20 3713 5028
Access Code: 345-693-533New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/345693533

FRIDAY APRIL 3rd

Black Country Chamber Coronavirus Business Clinic
Fri, Apr 3, 2020 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM (BST)Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/316257677You can also dial in using your phone.
United Kingdom: +44 808 178 0872
Access Code: 316-257-677New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/316257677

Meanwhile the Black Country Chamber have set up Coronavirus Business Helpline, abusiness and employee dedicated helpline to support businesses with the outbreak of COVID-19. 

Midlands businesses affected may wish to consider support being offered by Black Country Chamber of Commerce

 

A GP and an entrepreneur frustrated by the lack of high-quality CBD products on the market have launched their own brand.

Dr Peter Naylor and Ian Craggs launched CBDDIRECT2U to sell a range of flavoured CBD oils direct to customers via their website.

The range has been developed by the company’s Medical Director Dr Peter Naylor who has over 20 years of experience in the health industry. He took CBD after suffering a neck injury.

CBDDIRECT2U’s range of guaranteed premium CBD products include 4% and 10% strength pure oils and are all made in the UK.

The oils are made using a luxury MCT (medium chain triglyceride) coconut oil for maximum flavour and a broad-spectrum hemp extract oil with naturally occurring CBD. The company sources its oils from Oregon in the United States.

The range comes in seven exceptional flavours and is independently tested to guarantee quality.

Flavours include Pure Chocolate, Mixed Berry, Peppermint, Lemon & Lime and Orange plus a Natural CBD oil and a Lavender Night Oil. 

Dr Naylor said: “All our products come with a guaranteed CBD concentration and have been rigorously tested giving our customers total confidence.

“We wanted to make products that people could trust what they read on the pack was what they were actually getting and we also wanted to create something they could actually look forward to using.

“We’re proud to have created an excellent CBD product range both in terms of flavour and the science behind it.”​

Ian Craggs, CEO and founder of the DIRECT2U Group, said: “People are becoming ever more conscious of their health and wellbeing, but they also want to know they are buying high quality products that have been developed by industry experts.

“By launching a series of direct to consumer ecommerce websites we are also making it easy for customers to buy products when they want them.

“We also offer a subscription service allowing people to have their favourite products delivered to them on a regular monthly basis.”

With reports of supermarket shelves clearing of toilet paper, Severn Trent is encouraging its customers not to flush potential substitutes like wet wipes or kitchen roll down the toilet.

Severn Trent’s sewer blockages lead, Grant Mitchell, says: “We know just how worrying it is for everyone at the moment and we want to reassure our customers that we’re working really hard to keep our essential service running as usual.   

“Flushing the wrong things down the toilet is probably very low on everyone’s list of priorities right now, but by flushing the wrong thing down the toilet, you could end up blocking our sewer pipes, which could cause issues for you, or for your neighbours or out in the street, and no one wants that during this difficult time.

“So we’d just like to remind everyone that anything other than toilet roll shouldn’t be flushed down the loo in case it causes any problems.”

Sewer blockages across the region are still around 45,000 per year, three quarters of which are caused by people putting things down their toilets and sinks which they’re not supposed to.

Grant continued: “Sewers are only designed to cope with toilet paper and human waste.  So some of the things people throw down the toilet, like wet wipes and kitchen roll, can easily snag on the inside of a pipe and block it.  And, because some of the sewer pipes are only a few inches wide, any fats or oils you throw down your sink can build up on the inside of it, clogging it up – even if you rinse it off with boiling water.

“Then, when a sewer is blocked the waste has to go somewhere.   This means it usually comes out of a drain and can flood roads, or even your home with sewage.  And, during times like this, this is the last thing anyone wants. 

“But all this can easily be avoided, by people disposing of items in the bin, and not the toilet or sink.”