More than 1 million families claiming Tax Credits to receive 2nd Cost of Living Payment

MORE than 1 million claimant families receiving tax credits, and no other means tested benefits, will get their 2nd Cost of Living Payment from Wednesday, 23 November 2022, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed. This £324 Government payment will be paid automatically into most eligible tax credit only customers' bank accounts between:- 23 November and 30 November 2022, across the United Kingdom. Angela MacDonald, HMRC's Deputy Chief Executive and 2nd Permanent Secretary, said:- "This second Cost of Living Payment will provide further financial support to eligible Tax Credit only claimants across the UK. The £324 will be paid automatically into bank accounts, so people don't need to do anything to receive this extra help."

The 2nd payment will see more than 8 million households across the UK receive their £324 cost of living cash boost by 30 November and follows the 1st cost of living payments of £326, which eligible families received from Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) from July and HMRC from September 2022. The Government recently announced that households receiving DWP benefits will get their second Cost of Living Payment from 8 November continuing through to 23 November. This includes tax credit claimants who also receive other income-related benefits from DWP. HMRC is making payments shortly after DWP in order to avoid duplicate payments.

This latest payment comes on top of wider Government support with the cost of living this autumn and winter, including:-

► The £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, already paid to around 6 million disabled people.

► More than 8 million pensioner households who will receive an extra 1 off £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year.

This is in addition to an extension to the Household Support Fund, which is providing an extra £421 million for use between:- October 2022 and March 2023 to help vulnerable people with the essentials. A £150 Council Tax rebate was sent earlier this year to those in Council Tax bands A to D in England, creating at least £1,200 in direct support for millions of households. A £400 reduction on energy bills is also being given to all domestic electricity customers over the coming months, and the Energy Price Guarantee is protecting households from significant rises in their energy bills this winter. The Government is offering help for households. Customers should check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support they could be eligible for.
 

Rise of Esports continues as a 3rd of Brits would now rather be a professional gaming champion than a sports star

32% of people would now rather become Esports champions than sports stars, a figure that rises to 49% of those aged under 35. Esports, the roots of which began as far back as the 70's, turns competitive video gaming into a spectator sport. Recent years have seen prize money for tournament winners hitting the millions and the popularity of Esports among fans has turned many competitors into household names. In fact, 40% of those surveyed can now name at least 1 pro-gaming competitor, with 1 in 10 recognising 5 or more. For example, British Esports star Jimmy Broadbent; who boasts over 243m views on his gaming focused YouTube channel, is now so well known that a 10th of the population claim to be aware of him.

The findings document the rise of pro-gaming in the UK. They show that half of us have now watched some form of pro-gaming, rising to 62% of men and 72% of 18 to 24 year olds. For those who would rather find Esports stardom than excel at sports, the lure ranges from the reduced physical strain (37%) to the perceived requirements for more mental skill in competitive gaming (20%). For many (28%), the attractive prize money on offer is the main draw, with the majority (59%) believing Esports prize purses will outweigh many sports winnings within a decade. The largest Esports prize pool to date is understood to have topped $40 million during The International 10, a 'Dota 2' world championship held in 2021.

The study has been released ahead of the IWC Schaffhausen iRacing Esports Sim Challenge, which will see 2 teams racing virtually at the Silverstone racetrack. 1 team will be led by Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula OneTM driver George Russell, the other by Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Esports Team driver and 2 time F1 Esports Pro Series Drivers' Champion Jarno Opmeer.

Gaming enthusiasts from all over the UK can register for the event and will have the unique chance to be selected to race for 1 of the teams. The final iRacing Esports Sim Challenge will take place on 17 November in Battersea, as IWC get ready to open the doors to their new boutique in Battersea Power Station. The challenge will be broadcast globally on the live-streaming platform Twitch.

To mark the official launch, George Russell and Jarno Opmeer got behind the wheel of the team's simulator at its headquarters in Brackley to test their driving skills on the iconic Silverstone racetrack.

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula OneTM driver George Russell, gave his advice to budding Esports stars:- "Marginal gains in a race are everything. Suppose you can gain 50 milliseconds at every corner, equating to a whole second in a lap. So, if you think you are way back or off pace, break it down corner by corner, and psychologically, it makes things slightly easier. Whilst I won't be able to make it to the challenge in person as I'll be in Abu Dhabi ahead of the race weekend, I can't wait to cheer on my team from the sidelines."

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Esports Team driver and 2 time F1™ Esports Pro Series Drivers' Champion, Jarno Opmeer highlighted the importance of maintaining focus in Esports:- "Staying focused for the full duration of the race is very hard; think about your strategy and your time over your competitors. I always try to focus on the task at hand and not the pressure. Then, if you make mistakes, it's a chance to recognise what went wrong and not do it again."
 

Merseyside Schools among the 1st to perform in world's largest youth drama festival

CORAM Shakespeare Schools Foundation (CSSF) have announced the return of the world's largest annual youth drama festival, that sees thousands of children performing Shakespeare plays live in professional theatres across the UK. The 2022 to 2023 Festival launches on 31 October 2022, and will be bigger than ever before, taking place over 2 School terms for the 1st time, thereby giving even more children and young people from all backgrounds and communities vital access to the arts.

The 1st School performances take place at the Contact Theatre in Manchester, followed by more than 49 performances across the country throughout November including the Greenwich Theatre, in London, the Old Market Theatre in Brighton, the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford and the Taliesin Arts Centre Swansea. A 2nd leg of the Festival launches on 24 January 2023, at the Cambridge Junction Theatre with performances taking place at multiple theatres throughout the spring term. Please see the CSSF website for a full list of winter and spring term performances.

The Festival will give audiences up and down the country opportunity to see creative, modern day interpretations of Shakespeare, with young people exploring the full spectrum of life's emotion from killer kings to star crossed lovers.

CSSF believes that every child deserves the opportunity to access the arts regardless of financial means. Over the past 22 years, the award-winning cultural education charity, has worked with over 300,000 children from thousands of Schools including primary, secondary, SEND, and with Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). CSSF's hands on approach raises aspirations and gives pupils the chance to boost vital life skills including confidence, resilience, empathy, teamwork and communication development. Many teachers who work with CSSF have also reported that participating in the Theatre Festival has had a positive impact across children's entire education with improvements in School attendance, behaviour, motivation and better engagement with the whole curriculum.

Francesca Ellis, Head of Creative and Programmes at CSSF, said:- "As the deprivation gap in arts participation widens amid the cost of living crisis, the Theatre Festival offers an inclusive creative experience for young people at a time when many families are struggling to afford access to enriching cultural activities. For children from disadvantaged backgrounds who may lack the "cultural capital" that their wealthier peers enjoy, arts opportunities provided through Schools can be life changing. Shakespeare is 1 of our greatest storytellers and his works take children on amazing adventures around the world, introducing them to extraordinary characters and ideas. As the celebrated children's author and CSSF patron Philip Pullman said:- 'every child in every School ought to have the chance to experience this magical process.' These stories might be over 400 years old, but children discover that the themes - such as friendship, rivalry, triumph, pride and love to name just a few; are still so relevant today."

Actor and CSSF supporter Jan Ravens said:- "The impact of the project will extend far beyond today. Along the way, they become better problem solvers, creative thinkers and team players. I've seen for myself how Shakespeare and performance can raise children's confidence, resilience and ambition. And I know right now that children need these things more than ever."