Over a quarter of homeless families in the North West are in work, shock new figures show

26% of homeless families trapped in temporary accommodation in the North West are actually working, according to new research released by Shelter's social housing commission. Based on freedom of information requests, the exclusive analysis shows that nearly 400 families in the Region are holding down a job despite having nowhere stable to live. This is almost 7 times higher than 2013, when 56 families were homeless and working.  This trend in:- 'working homelessness' is being driven by a combination of high private rents, the on going freeze on housing benefit and a chronic lack of social homes. High housing costs are a major area of concern for many working families right across the country, particularly those in low paid, part time or contract jobs. In fact, losing a tenancy is now the single biggest cause of homelessness; accounting for 27% of all households accepted as homeless in 2017.  With hundreds of thousands of working families struggling to keep a roof over their heads, the charity's commission; the 'Big Conversation' will make bold recommendations on the role social housing needs to play in easing the housing crisis.

Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter, said:- "It's disgraceful that even when families are working every hour they can, they're still forced to live through the grim reality of homelessness. In many cases, these are parents who work all day or night before returning to a cramped hostel or BandB where their whole family is forced to share a room. A room with no space for normal family life like cooking, playing or doing homework. We cannot allow struggling families to slip through the cracks created by our housing crisis; the Government must urgently come up with a new plan for social housing that delivers the genuinely affordable homes we desperately need. Our commission on the future of social housing will be calling for bold solutions, because more of the same is simply not good enough"

RSPCA warns owners to be vigilant after suspected dog poisoning

THE RSPCA is urging dog owners to be vigilant after a suspected dog poisoning in the Netherley area of Liverpool. On 13 July 2018, the animal welfare charity was alerted to reports of a dog who had eaten some meat the owner later believed was laced with poison. The pet was very poorly and vomited up an orange substance but thankfully has pulled through from the ordeal.

RSPCA Inspector Helen Smith, who is investigating, said:- "At this stage, we do not know if the dog was poisoned, or if this was deliberate or accidental, but we are now investigating, and would urge anyone with information to call our inspectorate appeal line on:- 0300 123 8018. With this in mind, I would also urge owners in the area to be extra vigilant. Pet owners should be very careful and keep a close eye on what their pet may be eating or is able to get access to. We'd also ask people to be careful when using substances to ensure that animals are not affected; slug pellets and antifreeze for example; and that substances are securely stored and properly disposed of, rather than dumping them on a roadside or in a park."

A typical household has a variety of substances and foods which are capable of causing serious harm to our pets. Some of the most common poisons include:- alcohol, antifreeze, aspirin, carbon monoxide, chocolate, drugs and medicines, fertilisers, grapes and raisins/sultanas, insecticides, lead (mainly from paints or old car batteries), metaldehyde (slug bait), mushrooms and toadstools, onions, other plants (such as lilies), rat and other vermin poisons, weed killers and xylitol (a sweetener used in chewing gum and baking).

Signs that your pet could have been poisoned vary and can include any of the following:-

► Depression.

► Lack of appetite.

► Vomiting and diarrhea.

► Breathing difficulties and bad breath.

► Twitching.

► Seizures.

Different substances can affect animals in different ways. Some symptoms can take days to appear.

Deliberately poisoning an animal could mean a 6 month prison sentence and/or an unlimited fine, if prosecuted of an offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

For information on how to detect poisoning go to:- RSPCA.Org.UK/Poisoning.

Revealed... The key UK Cities where workers are underpaid

EVER felt as if you're not getting paid what you deserve? You're not alone. New research from the UK's leading independent job board, CV Library, has found that 65.3% of Brits believe that they're underpaid.

What's more, the survey of over 1,200 UK workers reveals the Cities where workers were most likely to believe that they're underpaid, including:-

► Aberdeen = 93.8%.

► Edinburgh = 75.9%.

► Newcastle = 71.4%.

► Glasgow = 68.8%.

► Liverpool = 67.2%.

► Bristol = 66.7%.

► Leeds = 65.8%.
 
► Manchester = 65.1%.

► London = 64.8%.

► Sheffield = 61.1%.

Further analysis from CV Library looked at average pay within each of these UK Cities and explored how they fared against the UK's average salary of ₤33,200. This is outlined in more detail below:-

Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV-Library comments:- "We often hear that candidates look for a new job to secure a higher salary, so we wanted to explore how true this sentiment is in the UK, comparing the insights against our own salary data. It certainly confirms that the vast majority of workers believe that they're underpaid and it's clear that this feeling is more apparent in the North. London continues to offer the highest salaries, though living costs in the capital should be taken into account as these can impact take home pay massively. What's more, the fact that the cost of living in Aberdeen is considerably lower and average pay only falls behind London by ₤990, suggests that those looking to earn more could consider a move to North East Scotland!"

If in doubt, always check the average pay for your role by using an online salary guide.