Men's LifeStyle Blog

Council Tax is system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales. It is a system of tax on domestic properties which was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, replacing the short lived Community Charge, which in turn replaced the domestic rates. Each property is assigned one of eight bands (A to H) based on the value of property, and the tax is set as a fixed amount for each band. Some property is exempt from the tax, some people are exempt from paying the tax, while some get a discount. In 2011 the average annual levy on a property in England was £1,196. In 2014–15 the tax raised enough money to cover 24.3% of council expenditure. Council tax is a difficult thing to avoid and therefore has one of the highest collection rates of any tax, with in-year collection rates of 97.0% in 2014–15.

As we said, council tax is a difficult thing to avoid. The consequences of not paying this tax can be troublesome. If you don’t pay or you miss paying your council tax, the local council then sends you a reminder and gives you 7 days to get it paid. When you fail to pay before the time is up you’ll get a final notice that demands you to pay the entire year’s Council tax. If you miss payment after the final notice, then the council can legally take legal action against you to get the tax that you owe them. Council tax payments are often spread over a period of 12 months or 10 months so that it can be made more manageable, if you act quickly you may be able to restore your right to make monthly instalments. If the tax is still not paid then the council can legally get your employer to deduct money from your wages as well as take money owed from these following benefits –

• Income Support
  
• Pension Credit
  
• Employment & Support Allowance
  
• Universal Credit
  
• Jobseekers Allowance
  

There are 4 ways that you can apply for the bill to be reduced. There can be a disability reduction where your home has been adapted for use by a physically or mentally disabled person of any age. If you think this type of reduction can work for you and you can be qualified, contact your council for further help and advice. Disability reductions can be backdated if you obtain a discount.

A fixed discount which is currently set at 25%, is available when there are fewer than two residents. This is known as the Single Person Discount. Some people are automatically disregarded when counting the number of residents for this tax purpose, such as full-time students. The legislation also provides that, to count as a resident of a property, an individual should have the property as their own sole or main residence; case law has established that no single test may be used to determine whether this condition is met. There are a large number of these so to find out more contact either the council or your local free advice center. There are also other type of discounts known as status discounts.

If you or your family has a low income then you can be entitled to council tax reduction which will pay all or part of the bill. It is important to claim this as soon as possible as backdating is not allowed generally. You can be eligible if you’re on a low income or claim benefits and the bill can be reduced by up to 100%.

You can apply if you own your home, rent, are unemployed or working.

The reduction of bill you get depends on:

• your circumstances ( income, number of children, benefits, residency status)
  
• your household income - this includes savings, pensions and your partner’s income
  
• if your children live with you
  
• if other adults live with you
  
• where you live, as each council runs its own scheme

Council tax is a priority bill. If you have council tax arrears  your local authority will want them repaid within the financial year usually. A financial year runs from April to March. If you can’t pay the arrears by the end of the financial year you need to work out what you can realistically afford by drawing up a budget sheet.

You can offer the amount you can afford towards your arrears on top of your normal payments, and ask for a special payment arrangement. You must explain that the amount you are offering will prevent any further arrears and court costs. If your local authority will not negotiate with you, you can ask your local councilor to intervene on your behalf and continue making your reduced payments to the authority.

Napoleon famously said that the British Empire was made up of nothing but shopkeepers. His comment was meant as an insult, but since his defeat at Waterloo over two hundred years ago, the family-run shop, or business, has become the dream and bulwark of Commonwealth countries such as Canada – where a full eighty percent of all business enterprises are family-owned and operated.

Canadian companies like Bombardier and Molson Coors take pride in the fact that although they are large national concerns with thousands of employees, they are also still family-owned and family run affairs that still cherish and enforce family values in their working environments. And of course every Canadian city, village, and crossroads, has its mom and pop operation, whether it be a convenience store, gas station, or dollar store. Canadians have always been leery of the monopolies and conglomerates that have taken over so much of the business of their cousins to the south – the family-run business is a cherished and protected tradition in Canada. But of late it has been under siege. According to Canadian business financing company Evolocity, “There are many unique challenges to the family-owned enterprise that corporate entities do not face, especially in the rapidly changing mercantile world of Canadian business and finance.” Here are a few to consider:

Tradition versus innovation

“We’ve always done it this way” is the cry of the traditional family business, especially when challenged by outsiders or by new trends that threaten profits. A large percentage of Canadian family-run businesses say they intend to innovate, but how many of them actually go through with it? Breaking with tradition and thinking outside the box may be difficult for older members of the family, who have always done things in just one way and have always found it successful. But in today’s business climate the need to adapt is crucial to any company’s success.

Winning the technology race

Spoiler alert: No one ever really ‘wins’ the technology race, simply because

new technology is increasing exponentially; no single person can ever hope to encompass all the latest technological advances in their particular field. Not anymore. Yet the need to use new technology grows more pressing every year. Corporations, of course, have deep enough pockets to keep abreast of new trends that work for their benefit. Family-owned businesses can’t afford to spend too much on updating technology, but they can’t afford not to do it either. The best solution is to outsource as much of it as possible.

Keeping the best and filtering out the rest

Over half of family-run businesses say that finding and retaining good employees is their biggest challenge. And no wonder; if owners aren’t careful in the way they treat their employees they will foster an environment where the staff resents family members for getting preferential treatment. And with the perceived notion that they are outsiders who cannot get a decent break for their own career path, they are very likely to jump ship at the first opportunity. Leveling the playing field, and making sure all employees have an equal chance at promotion, is a mandatory HR policy for companies that wish to continue to prosper in these times of low unemployment and high expectations.

If you don’t have much of a selection to choose from, or if you have a small budget, don’t fret—every fashionista’s wardrobe starts with a single piece. Focus on buying high-quality pieces you know will last you many years, be choosy, and get one at a time. Before you know it, you’ll have built up a wide array of different outfits and accessories—and you’ll be perfectly suited for nearly every winter occasion.

Whether you’re usually obsessed with men’s fashion, or are just trying to make a better impression on your friends, family members, and loved ones, the holiday season is a perfect excuse to update your wardrobe and audit your personal style—and it’s coming up quickly.

For most people, November and December mark a drastic change in weather, a shift in the overall public mood, and perhaps most importantly, multiple important occasions where you’ll interact with the people who matter most. It’s the perfect intersection of circumstances to demand your fashion considerations.

Most Important Fashion Tips

These are some of the most important fashion tips for men to follow this holiday season:

Dress festively (without compromising your look). First, if you’re in the holiday spirit, don’t be afraid to dress festively, so long as you don’t compromise your look. For example, if you’re usually seen wearing formal attire, but with a splash of color, you could try pulling off a festive Christmas-themed suit. Or if sweaters flatter your appearance, you could don something with wintry designs—just keep the truly ugly sweaters reserved for a contest. This is especially acceptable if you’re going to a Christmas-themed party.

Make good use of accessories. The winter season is the perfect opportunity to try out different accessories. Because of the cold weather, you’ll be dressing in multiple layers, and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to add onto those fundamental clothes. Scarves, mittens, gloves, hats, and earmuffs are just the beginning, so think critically about what you want to be seen wearing. Now’s the perfect time to stock up on these all-too-important choices.

Find the right materials for your jackets. You’ll need to think about functionality as much as you think about aesthetics, especially if you’re going to be walking outdoors for more than a few minutes. When you buy a jacket or other outerwear, it’s a good idea to find a handful of materials along a spectrum of warmth and aesthetics; because some of the warmest materials are either expensive or, let’s face it, ugly, you’ll want at least three choices of escalating warmth (and varying degrees of fashionability). Try out lots of options, and choose materials that flatter you most.

Don’t skimp on footwear. Footwear is often an afterthought for men, but in the wintertime, it can make or break your whole ensemble. For starters, you’ll need something that can help you trudge through ice and snow—and that means you’ll need to narrow down your choices to those that are resilient, warm, and most importantly, durable. From there, aim for shoes that fit your personal aesthetic (or those that best complement your most heavily-used jackets and outerwear).

Choose neutral items. You’ll have lots of options for creating outfits and accessorizing in the winter, so it’s a good idea to lean toward pieces with the greatest amount of versatility. If you’re looking to anchor your collection with a few jackets, pants, and shoes that can fundamentally go with anything, make sure they’re as neutral as possible; avoid patterns that could easily conflict with others, and save your more ambitious choices for either your accessories or standalone ensembles.

Be wary of trends. When you start looking for new pieces to add to your collection, be exceptionally wary of trends. For example, velvet just came back in style after 20 years of being out of the limelight, but our guess is it’s only a matter of time before it’s considered a faux pas again. Even if you have a flexible budget, it’s better to spend your money on attire that has the potential to be used season after season, rather just for one year. That doesn’t mean you can’t partake in any fashion trends—it just means you should keep their trendy nature in mind before you finalize any of your decisions.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. Finally, feel free to experiment. The holiday season tends to be very forgiving, and for several reasons. For starters, people are focused more on functionality than usual, so you’ll get some slack for having a super-warm jacket (even if it’s not a knockout in terms of aesthetics). And because you’ll be dressing in layers, you can easily shed pieces that aren’t working for you once you’re indoors.

One Piece at a Time