you need to be careful. you sure the union guy knows what he’s doing?

do you live in a dodgy area?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/agencyworkers

employment agency standards 0845 955 5105

it’s funny how people add information that wasn’t in the original post. he doesn’t say it was 24 hrs

singletrackworld

Energy efficiency certs are needed for rented properties, but as you said, only when they become vacant
Call shelter’s advice line who should be able to confirm what notice is necessary for inspections on a short assured tenancy

i wouldn’t trust steve austin’s advice. call shelter’s adviceline instead

how about interacting with your children in the back instead?

heh. i didn’t, honest! (and i’m not just saying that cus i’ll see her this weekend)

no, edinburgh’s social work dept employs some people who have no.idea.at.all…

voluntary work is a good way in, to gain relevant experience and show that your skills can be transferred. depends on whether you can afford to do it.

there are lots of projects that help kids from poor areas – not sure how you’d find out about ones near you though.

quite a few charities continually struggle for funding/resources and you’re unlikely to get job security (that’s the reason i moved job a few years ago from a really small charity that i loved working for)

don’t go into it thinking you’re going to change the world either. otherwise you’ll end up as cynical as steve austin and i

ah. i is a welfare rights adviser

i’ll keep my opinion of some of the social workers i’ve encountered to myself ahem

some charities are large and corporate, some are small and independent. some are good employers, some are not (see steve austen for example)

i work for a charity which is ok – it’s a smallish (200ish employees) housing association which has some nazi tendencies but they leave me alone to get on with what i do. which is nice

what do you do mr shortbread?

there’s some good advice on here and some that probably doesn’t apply. i would suggest contacting an advice agency rather than jobcentreplus or the pension service as in my experience they don’t give the best advice.

there’s cab’s in most areas (quality of advice at these is highly variable) and many councils run their own service too

i’d need to check but i don’t think she’ll qualify for a bereavement payment as it sounds like she’s over 60

sorry for the loss, and i’d guess your mum might not want to think about money etc – she should have 3 months to start making claims for anything she is entitled (probably pension credit and council tax benefit)

they won’t get away with dismissing her when she’s pregnant and would have to be fairly stupid to try. that’s a rule most employers do know….

is she just going to get statutory maternity pay, or an increased amount from her employer? if it’s jsut smp, then they have to keep on paying even if she resigns once she goes on maternity leave. (i know this because i’ve been giving advice on the same issue in work) also it might be less stressful and better for mum n child to get outa there

anyway, as others said, go get some proper advice