Southport Reporter (R) Online Nespaper for Merseyside

Read our Tracking & Cookie Usage Policy

 

Terms and Conditions

Southport and  Mersey Reporter -  Your free online newspaper service covering the Merseyside region - (Greater Liverpool).
Covering the news in and around Merseyside

MERSEY REPORTER

Click on here to email our news room today!

Email

 

 
Your free online newspaper for Merseyside
   
This website is licence to carry news from Vamphire.com and UK Press Photography.

  RSS

 

Latest Edition

Archive

Shop

Order Photos  Help Client Admin Advert Options

Updated news stories weekly.  Published online only, every Thursday

Your online newspaper.   Your words.

Issue:- 13 November  2012

Child Benefit change - 1 month to go

HIGH-EARNING child benefit recipients in the North West have a month to decide whether to stop receiving the benefit or to pay a charge on it through Self Assessment.

The High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) starts on 7 January, and will affect taxpayers with income of more than £50,000.

Lin Homer, HMRC's Chief Executive, said:- "Over 680,000 people have already looked at information on HMRC's website that explains the changes and what steps those affected can take. It is really easy to use and will help families in the South West come to a decision."

The new charge will apply when a taxpayer or their partner's income is more than £50,000 in a tax year, and if they or their partner receives Child Benefit.

For those with income of more than £60,000, the tax charge is 100% of the amount of Child Benefit. If income is between £50,000 and £60,000, the charge is gradually increased to 100% of the Child Benefit.

Those affected will need to decide whether to keep receiving Child Benefit and pay the tax charge through Self Assessment, or to stop receiving Child Benefit and not pay the new charge. If their income is between £50,000 and £60,000, the tax charge will always be less than the amount of Child Benefit, so they could lose money to which they are entitled if they opt to stop receiving Child Benefit.

If Child Benefit recipients want to stop receiving the benefit, they should contact HMRC before 7 January  2013. For more information go to:- hmrc.gov.uk.

HMRC will hold a live twitter Q&A on HICBC on 3 January between 10.30am and 11.30am #hicbcqa.
 

To beard or not to beard?

A poll out to coincide with Beating Bowel Cancer's Decembeard campaign has revealed that despite 51% of people in the North West saying they prefer a clean-shaven look on men, 41% of women in the region said they'd be happy for their male partner to grow a beard for charity.

Following on from Movember the charity Beating Bowel Cancer is encouraging people to get sponsored to grow, make or fake a beard during Decembeard.  Of those surveyed in the North West, 33% of people preferred beard (6%) or stubble (27%) on men compared to 3% favouring a moustache.

The YouGov poll of more than 2000 UK adults showed that beards were more of a hit with adult women under the age of 35, with 15% of them saying they were more likely to find a man with a beard attractive than a man without one, compared to just 3% of women aged 45-54. When people in the North West were asked to vote for the bearded celebrity they found attractive with a beard, George Clooney topped the list.

Men in the North West liked the rugged look with 18% saying having a beard made them feel masculine and 11% saying it made them feel fashionable. However, this conflicted with the female perspective with 50% of women in the region less likely to find a bearded man attractive.

The top 5 bearded celebrities from the list voted for in the North West were:-

George Clooney - 20%
Brad Pitt - 19%
Johnny Depp - 18%
David Beckham - 17%
Ben Affleck - 10%

Rachel Thomas, Community Fundraiser for Beating Bowel Cancer in the North West, said:- "We're calling on men, women and children alike to join our 'Beardy' community and sign up to sport a beard. Whether you want to grow a beard, get your colleagues sporting fake ones for the day or have a beard bake-off with your friends, there are many ways to get involved. So let's start the race for the prickly face!"

Click on here to go back to this week's home page!

Our radio station phone in message line...   Call us now!

Click on this section to see last weeks edition of Southport and Mersey Reporter!

Sign up today for our daily email news service!

Sign up to our Daily Email News Service by clicking here now...

Southport & Mersey Reporter - leading the way for local news.
We where the UK's first online only newspaper!

All email addresses and information is held under the UK's Data Protection Act.

 
Highlighted events that are taking place this month:-

If you have an event and want to get it noticed, let us know by emailing us to:- news24@merseyreporter.com

Click on the event title displayed above to find out about lots more events, as well as dates & times!

Our websites in our online series.   Group navigation, information and useful none group links...
Southport TV - Our online video archive. Liverpool Reporter - Our online music station. Mersey Reporter - OUR HUB WEBSITE.
Southport TV Liverpool Reporter Mersey Reporter Formby Reporter

Add to Google

This is what the moon is doing tonight.  Click on to find out why.

See the view live webcamera images of the road outside our studio/newsroom in the hart of Southport.

Our live Southport Webcam.  To see click live, click on image.

SOUTHPORT CHAT

Show us your location
Please sign our map and let us know where you are  from....

.

News Room Phone Number

(+44)  08443 244 195
Calls will cost 7p per minute, plus your telephone company's access charge. 

Calls to this number may be recorded for security, broadcast, training and record keeping.

This online newspaper and information service is regulated by IMPRESS, the independent monitor for the UK's press.

How to make a complaint

Complaints Policy  -  Complaints Procedure  -  Whistle Blowing Policy

© PCBT Photography & PBT Media Relations Ltd. - Southport Reporter® is the Registered Trade Mark of Patrick Trollope