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Author: Michael James
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Week 210 – Mar 24th – TGI
This afternoon, we met up with Claire godson Jack at TGI in Bluewater.
He was going back to university, but up to Lancaster to complete a master’s degree.
This was the first time at TGI’s since the pandemic and talk about a difference in the food size and portions. Of the course the price has gone up, but the food wasn’t near the value as it was before.
You could also see the cost of living kicking in, as there was a queue to get into the restaurant, now there were many empty tables.
Good luck Jack.
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Week 210 – Mar 22nd – Win
For the first time, in quite a while we had a 3 ball lottery win and this was the first time under the new owners of the National Lottery.
Always good to pick up a win, or is it considering how much has been outlaid since the last win?
At least it will pay for a Costa or two lol.
Wow a win!! -
Week 210 – Mar 21st – Catch up with Martin
This morning I had a good catch up with Martin Ives. He was looking well and we discussed about a meeting with some of the Chelsfield Exiles players to see how everyone was doing. We’ll see what happens.
For a change it wasn’t raining and also parking was no issue.
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Week 209 – Mar 16th – Greenwich – Part 2
Some more pictures from our walk around Greenwich.
The Shard. 
Canadian geese on the River Thames mud. -
Week 209 – Mar 16th – Greenwich – Part 1
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Week 209 – Mar 15th – ECB safe guarding course
After getting an email from the ECB today, I looked at the ECB training and did the online ECB safe guarding course as it had been updated since I took it 3 years ago.
Looking back when I was a child and starting playing cricket, I did stuff that wouldn’t be allowed today.
How life as changed, not sure if for the better or the worse.
I completed the course successfully.
Certificate for passing the safe guarding coaches course. -
Week 209 – Mar 11th – Winter Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Study
This afternoon, I received an email from the official of national statistics thanking me for my help doing the winter the COVID19 testing as they were closing it down.
As mentioned before, I’m glad I could be a part of this to help the country move forward from this virus.
Thankfully all my tests came back negative during this study.
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Week 208 – Mar 9th – Dover
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Week 2008 – Mar 7th – Spring Budget Summary 2024
After yesterday’s budget, most likely the last one before the general election. I received a summary from my financial advisor.
These are the highlights.
a) The main rate of class 1 employee national insurance contributions (NICs) will be cut from 10% to 8% with effect from 6 April 2024 and the main rate of class 4 self-employed NICs will also be reduced from 8% to 6%.
b) The high income child benefit charge (HICBC) will be reformed, increasing the HICBC threshold to £60,000 from April 2024. The rate at which HICBC is charged will be halved so that child benefit is not fully withdrawn until individuals have an income of at least £80,000. HICBC will apply on a household rather than an individual basis by April 2026.
c) An additional UK individual savings account (ISA) will be created with a £5,000 allowance in addition to the current £20,000 ISA limit.
d) The higher rate of capital gains tax (CGT) for residential property disposals will be cut from 28% to 24% from 6 April 2024.
e) The furnished holiday lettings tax regime will be abolished from 6 April 2025.
f) The value added tax (VAT) registration threshold will rise from £85,000 to £90,000 from 1 April 2024. The deregistration threshold will rise from £83,000 to £88,000.
g) The non-UK domicile rules will be replaced, from 6 April 2025.
Considering this is the last budget before an election, it just shows the state of the country, as there is nothing really to shout home about and with the tax thresholds not changing, more people will actually be paying more tax in the next few years.
Nothing from the budget helped me at all.
