Podcasts about Universal Credit

It is rare to see the President so visibly frustrated (see The Apprentice, circa 2004), but after Iran and Israel seemingly ignored his ceasefire announcement – and his plea on Truth Social, ‘PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!' – Donald Trump has come down hard on both sides. In a clip taken this afternoon he exclaimed: ‘These are countries who have been fighting so long and so hard, that they don't know what the f*** they're doing.' Succinctly put by the President.The exchange of fire could be the expected tit-for-tat seen after the announcement of ceasefires in other global conflicts, but it has dampened the mood at Nato, which world leaders were approaching with cautious optimism, believing the road to de-escalation was clearing. What happens next?Also on the podcast, Keir Starmer is facing a huge rebellion less than a year after coming into power. Overnight, scores of Starmer's MPs have signed a reasoned amendment to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. This would effectively kill the bill at its second reading in the Commons on Tuesday. Can he de-escalate the precarious domestic situation?Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Michael Stephens.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

It is rare to see the President so visibly frustrated (see The Apprentice, circa 2004), but after Iran and Israel seemingly ignored his ceasefire announcement – and his plea on Truth Social, ‘PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!' – Donald Trump has come down hard on both sides. In a clip taken this afternoon he exclaimed: ‘These are countries who have been fighting so long and so hard, that they don't know what the f*** they're doing.' Succinctly put by the President.The exchange of fire could be the expected tit-for-tat seen after the announcement of ceasefires in other global conflicts, but it has dampened the mood at Nato, which world leaders were approaching with cautious optimism, believing the road to de-escalation was clearing. What happens next?Also on the podcast, Keir Starmer is facing a huge rebellion less than a year after coming into power. Overnight, scores of Starmer's MPs have signed a reasoned amendment to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. This would effectively kill the bill at its second reading in the Commons on Tuesday. Can he de-escalate the precarious domestic situation?Lucy Dunn speaks to James Heale and Michael Stephens.Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

The much-awaited government bill introducing benefits changes has been published today and officially introduced to parliament, kicking off the process of getting it into law.There were no surprises in the snappily-named Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill which outlined and confirmed the tightening of Pip eligibility and acknowledged the concession that there will be a 13-week transition period for those whose benefits are being withdrawn. Lots of you got in touch with questions about what this all means - so Access All presenter, Emma Tracey, BBC Social Affairs Correspondent Michael Buchanan and Yahoo News UK journalist, Jasmine Andersson, join up with BBC 5 Live Drive to answer them.Presenter: Emma Tracey Sound mix: Dave O'Neill Series Producer: Beth Rose Editor: Damon Rose And with special thanks to the Five Live Drive team, especially Kirsty Macaulay!

In the shadow of worries about the NDIS, do we even believe that big system reform in Australia is do-able any more? Is the juice worth the squeeze?In this first of a two part series, we explore the example of Universal Credit, a 15 year long reform agenda in the UK to combine 6 benefits into one, and, more importantly, seeking to transform the relationship of the citizen to work and welfare. In this episode we unpick how it goes from an idea that is incorporated into the UK Coalition Government's priority list in 2010 to a £450m hot mess in 2013.We also look at the unusual (and brave) decision to keep going.Along the way, we cover:Whether radical transparency can be an answer to rescuing something when you're in the middle of a hot mess?Whether we underestimate the importance of a 'holder of the vision' in giant systems reform? Whether articulating a north star for reform is hard because it makes clear what you are prioritising, and, equally importantly, what you're not?The laughable idea of low hanging fruitReferenced in the episode:Ed Milliband's interview referencing PM Gordon Brown as an ideas factory, on Leading (The Rest is Politics)David Freud's masterful memoir on his seminal role in Universal Credit, Clashing AgendasInstitute for Government has held a number of great events on this, including one in 2016 and another in 2025Abul Rizvi's appearance on Joe Walker podcast on the origins of Australia's immigration systemIntro grab is Lord David Freud from Institute for Government 2016 event, From disaster to recovery: Learning the lessons of Universal Credit Clashing Agendas.Outro grab is Tom Loosemore, former Deputy Director, Government Digital Services, from Institute for Government 2025 event, From disaster to completion? What Government can learn from the Universal Credit story? Now for some appropriately bureaucratic disclaimers....While we have tried to be as thorough in our research as busy full time jobs and lives allow, we definitely don't guarantee that we've got all the details right.If you want rigorous reporting on Robodebt, we recommend the work of Rick Morton at the Saturday Paper, Chris Knaus and Luke Henriques-Gomes at the Guardian, Ben Eltham at Crikey, Julian Bajkowski at The Mandarin, and of course, the Robodebt Royal Commission itself.Please feel free to email us corrections, episode suggestions, or anything else, at thewestminstertraditionpod@gmail.com.Thanks to PanPot audio for our intro and outro music. 'Til next time!

Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation on the thrilling news this week from Government on the expansion of free school meals. From September 2026, all children in England who are in households eligible for Universal Credit, will become eligible for free school meals. Anna explains what that means to around half a million additional children from early years settings right through to sixth form, and to the health and wealth of the nation.Click here for the Food Foundation Manifesto and here to sign up for the newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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With the imminent publication of the new government's first Strategic Defence Review this article throws out a challenge. Can we make the first cheap British Army division of the modern period? Can we afford not to? The 'world-beating' delusion Britain has a 'world-beating' epidemic. It would be funny if we were not paying such a high cost for this delusion. Who started it may be debated. That it has become an empty boast is indisputable. The graph below shows the frequency of use of the phrase in Parliament. It has only got worse. How is Britain world-beating? Our social statistics certainly attract attention: 40% of adults pay no income tax, because their annual income does not exceed the £12,570 personal allowance threshold; One third of 35-45 year olds in England now rents (it was one in ten at the beginning of the century), and four in every ten of the private renters is receiving housing benefit (or they would be on the street); By the time Universal Credit is fully rolled out, one in four working age households will be receiving it; Almost one fifth of Britain's school children, apparently, have special educational needs; At the other end of the scale, Britain's graduates now collectively owe around £240 billion in student loans; Over one million16-24 years olds are neither in education, employment nor training (the NEETs), the main reason cited is 'mental health', remedied by a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (over 3.3 million Britons in England and Wales were claiming a PIP last year). And so we could go on. How the British Army is 'world-beating' also raises questions. Marlborough's Grand Alliance army at the beginning of the 18th century was bigger. Cromwell had more cavalry regiments. The country that invented the tank can today deploy and sustain one tank regiment (plainly, there must be a reserve or you would be unable to rotate troops). The British Army is effectively air defenceless. In one of the most painful sagas of many in recent times, the Army will finally be receiving a new armoured personnel carrier, 20 years late, and with no weapon beyond a machinegun. And personnel statistics, perhaps reflecting wider society, do not make happy reading. Just five years ago, around 4,500 service personnel brought claims against the MOD. Today the number has jumped to almost 7,000 - or roughly, one in every 17th serviceman or woman on a parade square is making a claim against the MOD. Is serving in the (smaller) non-operational Army really so dangerous? Has the MOD become more negligent in the last five years? We can't go on like this. The first thing we must do is face reality and drop the 'world-beating' delusion. Good, better, best In the early 1960s, Defence Secretary Robert McNamara - America's most talented holder of the post in the second half of the 20th century - coined the phrase 'Good, better, best', in an interview with LIFE magazine. The Ford 'whizz kid' ('human IBM machine' was his other nickname) had been recruited by Kennedy to reform the bloated Department of Defence. He did, against some opposition. 'Good, better, best' referred to defence kit. The majority of defence kit, McNamara argued, just needs to be good. A small proportion needs to be better. And the smallest proportion needs to be 'the best'. The reason was cost. If each of the services proposed the best kit, every time, the defence budget would be bankrupted. Who knows what McNamara would make of Washington's trillion dollar defence budget today. His wisdom is certainly missed. Or cheap is good enough Or, perhaps, we could shorten McNamara's dictum and simply state cheap is good enough, most of the time. We were good at cheap. It was the foundation for what today would be called 'success stories'. The Land Rover story began in 1947 with Rover responding to a War Department requirement for a cheap, jeep-like, utility vehicle. Millions have since rolled off the production line. In contrast, a recently procured patrol vehicle (this auth...

Almost 15 years on from the coalition government's white paper Universal Credit: Welfare that Works, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has finally concluded that its overhaul of the benefits systems is nearly complete. A few thousand people are yet to be transferred from tax credits, income support and Jobseeker's Allowance, and a rather larger numbers are still on Employment and Support Allowance, but the DWP is confident of completion by the end of the year. The Universal Credit programme board has been closed down and the department plans to publish its version of “lessons learned” from a programme that was meant to have taken seven years from the white paper but will have taken 15.   So what can this and future governments learn from the delivery of this major reform programme? How was the Universal Credit project turned around from near disaster in 2013?  And, as it nears completion, what is the impact of Universal Credit?   To explore these questions and more, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring:   Neil Couling, the Senior Responsible Owner for Universal Credit for a decade until March this year Tom Loosemore, Co-founder of Public Digital and Co-author of Nesta's report on how to transform government services Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Tom Waters, Associate Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies   The event was chaired by Nicholas Timmins, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and author of the IfG's 2016 report Universal Credit: From Disaster to Recovery? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost 15 years on from the coalition government's white paper Universal Credit: Welfare that Works, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has finally concluded that its overhaul of the benefits systems is nearly complete. A few thousand people are yet to be transferred from tax credits, income support and Jobseeker's Allowance, and a rather larger numbers are still on Employment and Support Allowance, but the DWP is confident of completion by the end of the year. The Universal Credit programme board has been closed down and the department plans to publish its version of “lessons learned” from a programme that was meant to have taken seven years from the white paper but will have taken 15. So what can this and future governments learn from the delivery of this major reform programme? How was the Universal Credit project turned around from near disaster in 2013? And, as it nears completion, what is the impact of Universal Credit? To explore these questions and more, the IfG was delighted to bring together an expert panel featuring: Neil Couling, the Senior Responsible Owner for Universal Credit for a decade until March this year Tom Loosemore, Co-founder of Public Digital and Co-author of Nesta's report on how to transform government services Jill Rutter, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government Tom Waters, Associate Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies The event was chaired by Nicholas Timmins, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government and author of the IfG's 2016 report Universal Credit: From Disaster to Recovery?

(music) (5 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(no music) (5 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(no music) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(no music) (10 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(music) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(music) (10 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(no music) (10 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(music) (5 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(no music) (5 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(music) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(no music) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

(music) (10 hours) Universal Credit | LMBYTS #1343 | 1st May 2025 by Jason Newland

Watch the Q&A session here:  https://youtu.be/cjJSWgvHZKwThis lecture puts forth the ethical and economic case for a basic income, enabling financial security and therefore a better quality of life for all. Financial insecurity affects one's ability to make rational decisions – studies show it even lowers short-term IQ – making it even harder to improve one's circumstances in the long run. Furthermore, unlike means-tested social assistance schemes like Universal Credit, a basic income does not involve a severe ‘poverty trap' and thus, contrary to critics, increases the incentive to take low-paying jobs. This lecture includes findings from a series of BI pilots across the world which Dr Standing has been involved in.This lecture was recorded by Guy Standing on 19th March 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London.Guy Standing is a Professorial Research Associate and former Professor of Development Studies at SOAS University of London. From August 2006 until January 2013, he was Professor of Economic Security at the University of Bath in the UK. Between April 2006 and February 2009, he was also Professor of Labour Economics at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. He has written and edited books on labour economics, labour market policy, unemployment, labour market flexibility, structural adjustment policies, social protection policy, rentier capitalism and its predations, and the need to revive the commons. His most recent books are The Politics of Time: Gaining Control in the Age of Uncertainty (2023), The Blue Commons: Rescuing the Economy of the Sea (2022), Battling Eight Giants: Basic Income Now (2020) and Plunder of the Commons: A Manifesto for Sharing Public Wealth (2019).The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/case-basic-incomeGresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. There are currently over 2,500 lectures free to access. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-today Website:  https://gresham.ac.ukX: https://x.com/GreshamCollegeFacebook: https://facebook.com/greshamcollegeInstagram: https://instagram.com/greshamcollegeBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/greshamcollege.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greshamcollegeSupport Us: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/get-involved/support-us/make-donation/donate-todaySupport the show

Sir Stephen Timms, the minister for Social Security and Disability talks to Emma Tracey about the proposed £5bn worth of welfare cuts the government recently announced.The Minister explains the Labour government's thought process around the planned changes which include tightening up eligibility for Personal Independence Payment and explains why people under the age of 22 will no longer get the health top-up to Universal Credit.Sir Stephen also reacts to news that Disabled and Deaf People's Organisations (DPPO) are considering stepping back from working with him as a result of the plans.Presented by Emma Tracey Produced by Alex Collins Sound mixed by Mike Regaard Edited by Beth Rose and Damon Rose

A dad-of-two who can't work following major surgery to remove a tumour says he has been unable to secure any financial help during his six-month recovery.The 40-year-old was first told he had cancer last July and applied for personal independence payments before his surgery but says he was told he was not eligible.Also in today's podcast, a drink-driver who "catastrophically ruined" a teenage girl's life after causing a horror crash has been locked up. The 21-year-old plumber was double the legal limit from downing four pints in a pub when his car careered into the path of a another vehicle in Deal. As Kent families head out to enjoy the sunshine, there's a warning from Kent Wildlife Trust not to let dogs off their leads around livestock.It's after rangers found a goat that had been killed in a suspected attack at a nature reserve near Canterbury.A businessman says he has built a “one-stop shop” for residents of a new-build development including a health centre and dentist.800 people in Castle Hill, part of Ebbsfleet Garden City, were asked what was missing from their community – that's when Sam Bott came up with the idea of The Prep Rooms.And we've got reaction from Whitstable Town's FA Vase semi-final now they're off to Wembley for the first time in the club's history. While the match ended in a draw they're through to the final on aggregate. 

This afternoon, Rachel Reeves made good on her promise to deliver only one fiscal set piece per calendar year by announcing what is widely being considered a Budget... this precedes a spending review in the summer and an actual Budget in the autumn. The headline is that the Chancellor had to find £15 billion in spending cuts to restore her headroom and keep within her own ‘ironclad' fiscal rules. This comes after the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) confirmed that the £9.9 billion margin she left herself in the autumn has disappeared. The OBR has also halved its growth projections – bleak news for the government. Among the announcements: further welfare cuts after the OBR was not satisfied with the original package; some ‘final adjustments' to Universal Credit, with the standard allowance rising from £92 per week in 2025–26 to £106 per week by 2029–30; around 10,000 civil service jobs are for the chop; defence spending will rise, at the expense of international aid; and a new target to reduce the cost of running government by 15 per cent. But what is most striking is the extent to which the government is now beholden to the OBR. Who is running this government? Can Labour deliver on growth? Katy Balls speaks to Michael Gove and David Miles, member of the OBR's Budget Responsibility Committee. Produced by Oscar Edmondson.

It's spring statement day – a bigger day than the Treasury probably ever wanted it to be – but definitely not a budget.With Chancellor Rachel Reeves on course to break her own fiscal rules, she'll lay out how she intends to find billions of pounds of extra savings. At the eleventh hour, it looks like welfare cuts will be tougher than first thought – with a hit on Universal Credit.Sam and Anne outline what the calculations are likely to be and how the chancellor will handle the day. And beyond today – if there's no glimmer of growth by the end of the year, how would she approach the autumn budget? Could that be where raising taxes is the only option?

After weeks of speculation, Liz Kendall has confirmed what benefits are to be axed in order to save £5 billion from the welfare bill - but at what cost for sick and disabled people?Keir Starmer says the rising benefit bill is “devastating for public finances” and has “wreaked a terrible human cost”. But many of his own Labour MPs have accused him of selling cuts as compassion and in the words of Clive Lewis “causing pain for millions”. Zoë Grünewald steps in for Nish to survey the fallout with Coco. And the cuts don't stop there - NHS England's abolition and unprecedented cost-cutting could see up to 30,000 jobs lost. Zoë and Coco discuss the “high-stakes” move, which the Institute of Fiscal Studies has said is “not fully thought through”.Next up, the Tories and Reform are trying to seize the news-agenda with a pair of not-so special special announcements. And Coco has one of her own… CHECK OUT THESE DEALS FROM OUR SPONSORS VOY https://www.joinvoy.com/psukSHOPIFY https://www.shopify.co.uk/podsavetheuk GuestsMikey ErhardtZoë Grünewald Audio CreditsSky NewsBBC Pod Save the UK is a Reduced Listening production for Crooked Media.Contact us via email: PSUK@reducedlistening.co.ukBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/podsavetheuk.crooked.comInsta: https://instagram.com/podsavetheukTwitter: https://twitter.com/podsavetheukTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@podsavetheukFacebook: https://facebook.com/podsavetheukYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@PodSavetheUK

Liverpool have secured the league title init? BOOOOOOOOO!If you enjoyed the episode, please like, comment, and subscribe to/follow our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube!Don't forget to use the #SCOUTUK hashtag to join in the conversation on Twitter.Follow us on our social platforms too:Twitter: @SCOUTUK, @cxrnelius1, @suanzreal, @txdss__ & @ibjuggInstagram: @scout.ukYouTube: SCOUT UKTikTok: scoutukpodcast

Rachel Reeves, Austerity, and the Future of Public Spending:Rachel Reeves is taking Labour in a bold new direction—one that looks a lot like austerity. With billions in welfare cuts on the table, including restrictions on disability benefits and reductions in civil service jobs, the Chancellor is making it clear that fiscal responsibility is her top priority. But is this a necessary course correction, or a political miscalculation that could alienate voters? In this episode, we break down the details of the proposed £6 billion in welfare savings, the potential freezing of Personal Independence Payments (PIP), and the restructuring of Universal Credit. We'll also examine how these policies compare to past Conservative-led austerity measures—and why Reeves' approach may be even tougher than Trump's, who largely avoided welfare cuts. Is this a strategic move to reassure markets and prove Labour's economic credibility, or will it spark a backlash from both the public and Labour's own MPs? We explore the political risks, economic impact, and whether these cuts come too little, too late.

Caroline Wheeler from The Sunday Times assesses the latest developments at Westminster.To discuss the announcement this week, by the US government, that there would be a pause in all military aid to Ukraine and a pause in intelligence sharing, Caroline is joined by former Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser, Lord Sedwill and Air Chief Marshal, Lord Peach, the former head of the UK Armed Forces who was also chair of NATO's military committee from 2018 to 2021. Lord Peach has just stepped down as U.K. special envoy to the Balkans. The Chancellor will deliver her Spring Statement later this month at at time of limited financial headroom. To discuss the impact of possible cuts to the welfare bill Caroline is joined by the former Conservative Party leader and architect of the Universal Credit system, Sir Iain Duncan Smith and former Labour MP Rosie Duffield who now sits as an Independent Member of Parliament. Labour's Baroness Hayter and Lord Howard, the former Conservative Party leader, join Caroline to discuss the Hereditary Peers Bill which is currently in the House of Lords. The landmark legislation will remove the right of the remaining 92 hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.US President Donald Trump has been invited to the UK for a second state visit by the King. To discuss state visits and the so-called 'soft power' of the Monarchy, Caroline is joined by Edward, now Lord Young, of Old Windsor, who was Private Secretary and key adviser to The late Queen. He was with Her Majesty for 20 years until her death in 2022 and oversaw the smooth transition to the start of The King's reign.

This week: The Spectator launches SPAFF The civil service does one thing right, writes The Spectator's data editor Michael Simmons: spaffing money away. The advent of Elon Musk's DOGE in the US has inspired The Spectator to launch our own war on wasteful spending – the Spectator Project Against Frivolous Funding, or SPAFF. Examples of waste range from the comic to the tragic. The Department for Work and Pensions, Michael writes, ‘bought one Universal Credit claimant a £1,500 e-bike after he persuaded his MP it would help him find self-employment'. There's money for a group trying to ‘decolonise' pole dancing; for a ‘socially engaged' practitioner to make a film about someone else getting an MBE; and for subscriptions to LinkedIn. Lord Agnew, who used to hold the ‘Pythonesque' title of ‘minister of state for efficiency and transformation', backs The Spectator's new SPAFF campaign and says total reform is the only option. Michael and Theo joined the podcast to discuss. (1:04) Next: is surrogacy a blessing or a sham? Debates about surrogacy have raged again following the announcement that the actress Lily Collins has had a baby via surrogate. Mary Wakefield says that there is a ‘sadness' behind surrogacy, and that babies could be affected by being separated from their birth mother. Surrogacy is illegal in many countries, such as Spain and Italy, and Mary worries about potential legal changes that would make it easier to pursue here in the UK. So, is surrogacy a lifeline for many couples looking to conceive, or is it a practice that we should be more concerned about? Mary joined the podcast to discuss alongside Sunshine Hanson. Sunshine is the president and co-founder of the US-based surrogacy agency Sunshine Is, and has also been a gestational surrogate three times. (16:26) And finally: is smoking sexy again? Flora Watkins revels at the news that Generation Z are shedding their vapes and taking up ‘real' smoking, saying that everyone looks ‘hotter with a fag in their mouth'. Disregarding familial disapproval, Flora says that smoking makes her feel cool, young and attractive. Does this mean that smoking is sexy again? And why is smoking proving more popular with younger generations? It appears that the proposed smoking ban, proposed by both the Conservatives and now Labour, is having the opposite effect. Flora joined the podcast - with a cigarette in hand - to discuss, alongside the writer Zak Asgard. (29:35)  Presented by Lara Prendergast and William Moore. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

This week: The Spectator launches SPAFF The civil service does one thing right, writes The Spectator's data editor Michael Simmons: spaffing money away. The advent of Elon Musk's DOGE in the US has inspired The Spectator to launch our own war on wasteful spending – the Spectator Project Against Frivolous Funding, or SPAFF. Examples of waste range from the comic to the tragic. The Department for Work and Pensions, Michael writes, ‘bought one Universal Credit claimant a £1,500 e-bike after he persuaded his MP it would help him find self-employment'. There's money for a group trying to ‘decolonise' pole dancing; for a ‘socially engaged' practitioner to make a film about someone else getting an MBE; and for subscriptions to LinkedIn. Lord Agnew, who used to hold the ‘Pythonesque' title of ‘minister of state for efficiency and transformation', backs The Spectator's new SPAFF campaign and says total reform is the only option. Michael and Theo joined the podcast to discuss. (1:04) Next: is surrogacy a blessing or a sham? Debates about surrogacy have raged again following the announcement that the actress Lily Collins has had a baby via surrogate. Mary Wakefield says that there is a ‘sadness' behind surrogacy, and that babies could be affected by being separated from their birth mother. Surrogacy is illegal in many countries, such as Spain and Italy, and Mary worries about potential legal changes that would make it easier to pursue here in the UK. So, is surrogacy a lifeline for many couples looking to conceive, or is it a practice that we should be more concerned about? Mary joined the podcast to discuss alongside Sunshine Hanson. Sunshine is the president and co-founder of the US-based surrogacy agency Sunshine Is, and has also been a gestational surrogate three times. (16:26) And finally: is smoking sexy again? Flora Watkins revels at the news that Generation Z are shedding their vapes and taking up ‘real' smoking, saying that everyone looks ‘hotter with a fag in their mouth'. Disregarding familial disapproval, Flora says that smoking makes her feel cool, young and attractive. Does this mean that smoking is sexy again? And why is smoking proving more popular with younger generations? It appears that the proposed smoking ban, proposed by both the Conservatives and now Labour, is having the opposite effect. Flora joined the podcast - with a cigarette in hand - to discuss, alongside the writer Zak Asgard. (29:35)  Presented by Lara Prendergast and William Moore. Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Jenna's teenage cousin turns up at the vicarage.A Series in 17 parts, by Blacksheep. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. It was the second Sunday after Trinity. Over at St Michael's vicarage, the morning Eucharist had finished and Reverend Morris and his wife Jenna were discussing the upcoming events in the church calendar."Josh gets ordained next month, so that'll be a fun occasion. Big party over at his place. He's so excited for that day to come. It's been remarkable how he's come out of his shell. When he joined our church as curate a year ago, he was so nervous and shy. Now look at him." Reverend Morris said."He's a real asset to the church," Jenna replied, sipping a coffee, as she read through the church newsletter. "I like to think that I, helped build up his confidence a bit.""Oh you certainly did, I'm sure," the vicar said, oblivious to what his wife was referring to. "Now, apart from that big event, there's not much happening in July. I'm adding the study of the Book of Exodus in the services. Last year's summer study of Genesis went down a treat,”The sound of the doorbell interrupted him."I wonder who that can be?" Reverend Morris said, hurrying out of the living room. "If it's Gordon, he's early. He said he would call round at 2."He opened the front door. A slim young woman around eighteen or nineteen, stood on the doorstep. Brunette hair that was in pigtails. Huge brown eyes like Bambi. She was dressed in a low cut pink peasant top, tight cow-print shorts and ballet shoes. By her side was a suitcase and hold-all."Hello. Can I help you?" Reverend Morris said."Um," the woman began, in a nervous voice. "Mr., um, Reverend Morris. Is, Jenna in? I'm Mia, her cousin.""Oh really? Gosh, well do come in, you're very welcome! You look loaded up there, let me give you a hand." He ushered her inside and carried her luggage."Jen! You've got a visitor!"Jenna looked up and her eyes widened. "Mia?""Hello CJ," Mia said, with a sheepish grin.Reverend Morris blinked."Cousin Jenna," Jenna replied."Ah," He understood."What are you doing here? Last I heard you were at Salford uni.""It's a long story," Mia sighed, as Reverend Morris gestured for her to sit on the settee. "Um, I quit.""Oh no," Jenna said. "What happened?""Oh Jen, it was awful. I just couldn't settle into university life at all. I made a mistake choosing that Art and Design course. It wasn't for me. The lectures stressed me out, but worst of all was the bullying." She dabbed at imaginary tears in her eyes with a tissue. "Nine months and I just couldn't cope with it any longer, so I jacked it in."Jenna was about to say something, but her husband cut in."You poor thing. God, if there's one thing I hate, it's bullying. Sad that it occurs in all walks of life. A nasty part of human nature."Noticing the reverend had been completely taken in by Mia's story, Jenna cleared her throat. "What did your parents say?"There was an awkward pause."You haven't told them, have you?""Are you serious Jen? Mum will go nuclear if she finds out. I'm just not ready to deal with that, yet. She was so proud when I got in that place. Dad will be more understanding but, look, I have a favor to ask. Can I stay with you for, a bit? I used up my last bit of cash on the train fare. I'm broke and I have nowhere to stay. I can't face going back to my parents. They'll treat me like a kid. Please? I won't be any bother. I'll do housework for you, I'll,”"Of course you can stay!" Reverend Morris smiled. "Our vicarage is always available to those who need it. We have a spare bedroom." He turned to Jenna. "We had Bishop George staying with us during Lent, remember? I'm sure your cousin can't be a worse lodger than him. She looks like she's gone through a tough few months."Powerless to refuse, Jenna reluctantly agreed. Oh Simon, you sweet, naive man. You have no idea what you're letting yourself in for! She thought."Oh you mean it? I can stay? Oh; thank you so much, Reverend!""Simon. You can call me Simon!" Reverend Morris replied. "It's nice to finally get to meet you, Mia. I know you and Jenna drifted apart a bit when your parents moved, but it's so nice when relatives reunite, isn't it?" the reverend said as he went to pick up the luggage."If only everyone could be as nice as you and Jenna!" Mia gushed.Jenna pulled a face at her cousin and whispered to her. "You are so dead, cousin!""Right, well, I'll introduce you to your new room!” Simon said as he returned holding all the bags. “This way! I'll carry your stuff for you." Reverend Morris carried up the suitcase and hold-all."Your hubby is a total gent," Mia whispered to Jenna."Oh, you might be able to fool him, but you're not fooling me," Jenna replied. "As soon as he's gone out later, you are going to tell me everything."Reverend Morris led Mia upstairs and down the long landing. Mia walked right by his side looking something between an infatuated schoolgirl gazing at her crush and a timid little lamb sticking close to the shepherd. At eighteen, Mia was very aware of the effect she had on men. Her Bambi eyes, teamed with the brunette hair, gave her an innocent look that convinced boys and men alike that she couldn't possibly know what effect she was having on them. But she knew quite well, and she loved the things she could get by putting her skills to good use."Here we are," Reverend Morris said, opening the bedroom door at the end. "It's not massive, but it's got a pleasant view overlooking the garden."Mia walked in. The room was nicely decorated. Instead of the usual neutral color scheme of magnolia, the walls were painted in very pale blue, with white ceiling and a sandy colored carpet. Instead of curtains, a white window blind, as was the current trend. A single bed, chest of drawers and ladder desk and chair made up the furniture."I don't know why I painted this room blue, it always looks so cold, and it doesn't really match the carpet. No wardrobe, but there's a full chest of drawers and the bed is a divan, with two storage compartments you can put your bits and bobs in. There's a hook on the back of the door if you need to hang some clothes up.""Oh I love it!" Mia said, smiling at him. "It's like being at the beach. The floor is sand and the walls are the sea. It's so restful and appealing. Really brings out my creative side. I think I could do lots of painting and drawing in here.""I'm glad you like it. Jenna and I want you to feel comfortable and safe here. Charity is so important to Christians like us.""Oh yes, I understand Rev, um, Simon. And I am so grateful. Um, do I have to start going to church? I mean I was raised in a Christian home but I sort of drifted,” Mia said, giving him a coquettish look.""Ha, no worries! We're not going to force you to attend a Sunday service or anything so relax. Whether you're a believer or not, everyone is catered for in our vicarage. We don't judge.""Jenna told me that your church is a nice one," Mia said, gazing at the reverend. He's rather average in looks but this guy is a total sweetie I can tell. Not an ounce of malice in him. Jenna's really landed on her feet with this one."She's right! St Michael's is a lovely place of worship. I'm very honored to be its vicar. Of course it wasn't always like that, but I like to think that I've really turned things round and made a difference. I credit Jenna for helping me in, many ways," he continued, and Mia noted the pause.Wonder what he means by that? She thought.He continued. "I took over in 2019 after the sudden death of the previous vicar, Reverend Smith. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end. Only a few months later, the pandemic happened. What a stressful time that was."Mia nodded patiently."Sorry, I'm prattling on! I'll leave you to get sorted out. I talk too much. Always in sermon mode,”"That's alright, Simon. I'm sure your sermons are really interesting." Mia said, flattering him some more."Ah well, haven't heard too many snores in the aisles of late.""I really appreciate you helping me like this," Mia said, sitting on the bed. "I just don't know how I was going to cope. And I want to pay my way. I suppose I'll have to apply for Universal Credit. What with the cost of living crisis and everything. Not sure if there are any jobs going in this town? I don't know this area at all and I can't drive,”"One step at a time, Mia. let's get you settled in first.""I really do want to work. Is there anything I could do at your church?"Reverend Morris scratched the back of his head and sat down next to her."Well, it's mostly volunteer work there, which is no good when you need an income, oh wait a minute, Norman the churchwarden mentioned that the church hall needs a cleaner, 10 hours a week. It's only a five minute walk from here. We had one of the Sunday school teacher's lads doing it, but I confess he rarely turned up and was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. I was disappointed in Jordan, as the pay was pretty good for an entry-level job.""I'll do that job! I'd love to do that!" Mia said. "Oh please say yes!""Hmm, well let me talk it over with Jenna first, and Norman. Cleaning is a bit boring. You'd be required to put out chairs and tables too. They're only lightweight folding ones, so no dangerous lifting of heavy stuff or anything. But Norman will be able to tell you more about what's involved. We have a lot of functions held in the hall, not just church stuff. Monday is badminton class. Tuesday it's the over-60s hot yoga. Wednesday is the midweek eucharist, so it's tea and coffee morning. Thursday and Friday you get two days off as nothing happens then. Saturday is the local amateur dramatics group. Oh and Sunday, the most important day of all, is the main service at church, and a social gathering afterwards.""Oh I just love cleaning up," Mia said. "Tidiness is good for mental health you know. It keeps your mind occupied." She slid a bit closer to him."You're really enthusiastic aren't you?" Well If your heart's set on it, I'm sure I can pull a few strings and get you in. Don't want you to feel like your talents are being wasted in what I consider to be just a casual job though.""To be honest, I never had any idea what I wanted to do when I left school," Mia continued. "I never wanted to go to uni. I feel like such a failure for quitting.""Don't put yourself down," he said, reassuring her. "Sometimes God has a different path for us. And you can't stay somewhere that's making you unhappy. It takes guts to break away from a path that someone else has set for you. I can tell you have a great attitude. Your talents obviously lie elsewhere. In time, I'm sure you'll find something you truly excel at.""I do hope so," Mia said, pouting at him. She leaned in closer, but the moment was broken by the sound of the landline phone ringing downstairs."Oh that reminds me, I need to call on one of the flock." He stood up. "I'll leave you to unpack Mia. If you need anything, I'm sure Jenna can assist you. I have to go out. I'll see you later. Take care!"He hurried out of the bedroom."I think I'm gonna love it here," Mia giggled to herself. "I think I need to, repair my relationship with God." She gave the most mischievous of grins as she flopped back in bed."But I also plan on sinning, a lot!"Reverend Morris rushed down the stairs."That was the garage on the phone," Jenna said, putting down the receiver. "My car's passed its MOT and ready to be collected.""Great. I'll drop you off there as I just remembered I promised Gladys Wilcox I'd take her a copy of that paperback I recommended at last week's service. Hills of the North by Jenny Talwartz." He rummaged around on the coffee table and held up the book in question. "A thrilling tale set in rural England, about passion, blackmail and a woman's fulfilling journey to find romance and regain her faith.""Sounds a good one.""It got rave reviews on Amazon. I was worried it might be a bit too racy for some of the older members of the congregation. I haven't had chance to read it yet but apparently it contains violence and several sex scenes.""Right up Gladys Wilcox's alley I'd say," Jenna replied, grinning. "I keep telling you, there's something kinky going on between her and the churchwarden. Okay, give me five minutes, and I'll be ready. Need to have a quick word with our non-paying guest.""You're alright with her staying, aren't you? Sorry, I tend to just dive in and say yes to everything. Your cousin seems like such a lovely person.""I don't mind, but she's not the innocent little thing you think she is," Jenna said. "Oh she's not a criminal or anything, but she can be a bit, indiscreet at times.""Aren't we all a bit like that at eighteen? Not much life experience to fall back on.""Hmm, I suppose. I will phone Aunt Kathleen later and let her know that Mia's staying here. I'd better prepare to gently break the bad news that her daughter won't be getting those letters after her name."Mia was admiring herself in the wall mirror when Jenna came in, and closed the bedroom door."Alright you. Now how about giving me the whole truth about why you quit uni? You're good, but your acting skills need work. Better make it quick as Simon's waiting to give me a lift to the garage, so spill."The brunette took a deep breath. "Alright. Look, don't give me too much grief. I did something wrong and that's why I had to quit.""What happened?""I seduced my lecturer and slept with him."She gasped. "You did what?" After the initial shock, Jenna couldn't help but admire her cousin's brazen attitude. Seeing as she herself had seduced several men from the church, plus a former Catholic priest, and most recently, the town mayor. Not to mention there were her weekly "organ lessons" with Gordon,"So he was old enough to be my dad. Maybe grandad. He was like, late fifties or something. But he was so hot. Older men really turn me on. You must know how that feels. I mean, your husband is way older than you, right?""Yeah. I'm twenty-one and he's forty." Jenna admitted. "Eighteen and late fifties is one hell of an age gap though.""I know. Oh but Jen. Tom was such a sexy man. Just the type I like. He was a smoker, but not a heavy one. Kind of used to turn me on, smelling smoke on his breath. It added to the attraction, as weird as that sounds. The sex was amazing. Older men are just sexier,”Jenna gave a dreamy sigh. "Yep they are. Can't disagree with you there. Realizing she suddenly had a lot more in common with her cousin, she sat down next to her. "Tell me more about Tom."And so Mia gave her chapter and verse on her spicy adventures at Salford."Stood in the art room, I was backlit by the bright front windows behind me. By kneeling down to waist level, he could see through the now semi-transparent material of my dress and get a look at the curves of my body underneath it. I told myself that I was grossed out, and that it was disgusting, but the idea that this older man wanted to see my knickers made my heart beat fast, I masturbated to the idea of Tom looking at me and his cock getting hard in his underpants, and as I later found out, he had a lovely big cock.""Wow," Jenna said, feeling herself getting quite wet."Jenna! Are you coming?" Reverend Morris shouted."Oh! Er yes! Just a minute! I have to go out and collect my car from the garage. I won't be long. You'll be okay whilst I'm gone won't you?""You sound like Mum.""Sorry. I'll see you later then. Make yourself a brew or something. Help yourself to whatever's in the kitchen but if you touch Simon's beloved brandy, you'll be reciting some prayers of forgiveness!" Jenna said with a wink."I'll be good. Honest. Can I have a shower please? After that long journey I feel gross. It was hot and smelly in the train. A fat lad sat behind me kept farting.""Yes of course. Bathroom's the second on the right."A few minutes later, Mia was taking full advantage of the newly-installed power shower at the vicarage. As the hot water caressed her young body, she closed her eyes and ran her hands over her smooth skin, losing herself in the sensation. A smile played across her face as her hands cupped her small, pert breasts and gave the nipples a quick tweak. She sucked in a breath and bit her lip as those wandering hands traveled lower, finding the treasure between her legs. The sensations were nice, but when she imagined someone watching her doing these things, her clit began to throb with need."Oh Tom. I miss you."On the other side of town, Gordon was loading some ceramic plant pots into the boot of his car. He was glad to be offloading these unwanted pots on the vicar. With their massive garden, they'd be put to good use. Plus, Gordon could never refuse an opportunity to see the gorgeous Jenna.In the shower, Mia leaned against the wall, eyes closed, and fingered her tingling clit. She was lost in a fantasy.Praise the Lord! Reverend Morris returns unexpectedly, before Jenna does. He walks in and finds me here. Instead of turning away, he unzips his trousers. I happily comply, straight away, by parting my legs, bending over and thrusting my arse into his groin so he can tear off my underwear- if I was wearing any (which is hardly ever) - and he rams his whole ten inches (I assume he's well-endowed) of hard, holy cock right into my hot, tight snatch, fuck yes!Gordon arrived at the vicarage, and failed to notice the lack of cars on the driveway. His mind was too focused on Jenna. Being so familiar with the house's occupants, he didn't even knock these days, but just walked in. Gordon had never been known for restraint, but Reverend Morris didn't seem to mind."Hello? Anyone in? I'm early." He shouted. No reply. Maybe they were in the back garden. He shrugged and carried the pots into the house.Mia had finished her shower and was just wrapping a towel round herself when she heard Gordon's voice.Then the sound of the back door opening was heard."Shit, who's that?"Mia opened the bathroom window and peered out. She noticed Gordon placing the plant pots in the yard."Wonder if he's a delivery guy?"Gordon looked round and scratched his head. It was obvious now that Jenna and the reverend weren't in. He pulled out his smartphone.Mia continued to observe him, finally getting a good look at his face."He looks a bit like Tom! Oh my God!" She watched him call someone."Hi Jen, it's your favorite organist here. Just letting you know that I've arrived at your place with the pots, what's that? Sorry, it's a bad line, oh you're at the garage? Right, I see, sure, no problem.""Oh; so he's the church organist." Mia said. "What a DILF!"Gordon ended the call and put his hands on his hips. "Oh well, might as well help myself to a cuppa, whilst I'm here." He headed back into the house. In the kitchen, he was just about to switch the kettle on, when a voice from behind made him jump."Hello there."Gordon spun round in surprise."Sorry, didn't mean to startle you.""Who, are you?" He spluttered, catching his breath, and then he realized she was wearing nothing but a bath towel."Oh, I'm Mia, Jenna's cousin. I've just arrived. I'll be staying here for a bit as I, oh, whoops!"The towel fell to the floor.Gordon's eyes almost popped out of his head."Bloody hell!"The Vicar gets a shock, and the organist is seduced.Reverend Morris turned into the quiet cul-de-sac of Rosebay Gardens and pulled up in front of Mrs. Wilcox's bungalow."Hope the old girl doesn't find this book too rude," he muttered to himself as he knocked on the door. Noticing a pair of garden gnomes dressed in bondage gear, he smiled."Guess she won't!"After a few minutes, no-one came to the door. Reverend Morris fiddled with his clerical collar. The June heatwave was showing no sign of ending. Hearing laughter, he walked down the side of the house and opened the rear gate."Yoo hoo! Anyone there?"He wasn't prepared for what he saw next."Oh Vicar! I didn't hear you!" Mrs. Wilcox cheerfully exclaimed as she dropped the riding crop. "Norman, I told you to lock that garden gate,”The churchwarden, his hairy, bare buttocks red from repeated whippings, leapt to his feet and adjusted the floral print apron, which was his only item of clothing."Ah, good afternoon to you, Reverend! This is, um, well I guess it looks bad.""Dear God!" The vicar muttered. "Jenna was right all along!"Norman was mortified. "Er, I was, we were,”"He's been a naughty boy," Mrs. Wilcox cut in, rising from the garden chair. "He forgot to mow the lawn. I'm still training him, you see.""What's going on here?" Reverend Morris gasped. "Norman, are you some kind of slave?""Heh, er, pretty much," the embarrassed churchwarden replied. "It's a fetish I never knew I had, or knew she had.""My garden isn't overlooked, Vicar and we're both consenting adults. No harm in a bit of what you fancy, is there? Norman, sweetie, why don't you go and clad yourself in something more suitable and make us all a nice cup of Earl Grey, eh? There's a good lad. She gave his arse a playful slap as he hurried into the house."Now Vicar," the old lady said, turning to face him. She grinned, but behind that sweet facade lay steely determination and unbridled spirit. "Why yes, I'm eighty-six. I suppose I should be doing crosswords and watching episodes of Midsomer Murders instead of whipping a younger man's bare behind, eh? You look rather shocked. I must say, I'm surprised at your blushes, given that your lovely wife Jenna has quite a fancy for our dear church organist."Reverend Morris wasn't sure what to say. Norman must've told her about what went on in the church when I arranged Jenna's special birthday surprise, he thought. Damn. I swore him to secrecy."Oh I don't judge, I don't judge at all!" He said quickly. "Whatever turns you on, Gladys. I'm pleased that you're both enjoying yourselves!""Just like you and your good wife, and Gordon enjoyed yourselves in the church hall at Easter, am I right?" She winked at him. There was no way to deny it, for the old lass knew everything. Nosey little old ladies had a habit of knowing the deepest, darkest secrets of every member of a church."Er, that. It was, a one off. It just happened. We got carried away in the heat of moment!" Reverend Morris stammered."As is the usual way," Mrs. Wilcox replied."How did you, erm, find out?""Couldn't resist a peek through the keyhole," she said. That wasn't actually true, but she wasn't going to confess to the camera and Mrs. Norris' failed attempt at blackmail."You're a bit of a dark horse, Vicar," Mrs. Wilcox continued. "Gordon lends himself well to naughtiness, but you always seemed the shy type. Quite the stamina you displayed." She patted his arm. "I must admit, I had doubts when you took over from Reverend Smith, God rest his soul. I was wrong.""Very kind of you to say," he said, starting to relax. "Um, about that church hall incident, you haven't said anything have you?""My lips are sealed, dearie!"Reverend Morris exhaled. "Praise the Lord. Thank you, Gladys!" He was relieved she didn't know about Jenna's " Mentula Cōleī (bukkake) baptism" in the church last year. That would've been too much to excuse.In the house, came the sound of a whistling kettle reaching the boil."Forgive me asking this but, how did you and Norman come to be, er, in such an arrangement?""He wasn't my first choice," she said, with no hint of shame. "I wanted Gordon to step into the role, but he chickened out. Shame, as he showed such promise that afternoon when he came to practice on the organ, and my word, I enjoyed playing with his organ, let me tell you! I said to him, if I were thirty years younger, I'd have done a lot more with his organ! My body's far too old for such things, alas. But he seemed to really enjoy the blowjob I gave him. I haven't lost my touch!"The vicar felt as though he was about to faint. He would never look at this frail-looking little pensioner in the same way again."Well, that's good to know!"Presently, the kitchen door opened and Norman, now wearing a bathrobe, stepped out onto the patio, carrying a tray."Tea, Vicar?"Meanwhile, at the vicarage,Gordon wasn't usually lost for words, but Mia's towel drop had left him tongue-tied."Silly me," she said, bending down and covering herself up. "Sorry about that, Mr.,”He dared to breathe. "Gordon,”"Hi Gordon. I heard you talking on your phone earlier. Are you the organist?"She didn't seem embarrassed at all, but he could feel his face burning. "Um yes, I am. Been organist and choirmaster at St Michael's for twenty years now. I've played other pipe organs in different churches too.""How impressive. Being an organist you must be very good with your hands." Mia said. "May I call you Gordy-pie?""If you wish, and I have no complaints so far," he chuckled, regaining his confidence. He wondered if all female members of Jenna's family had this talent for driving men wild."I'd like your hands on me, Gordy-pie," Mia whispered, walking closer to him."I'm sure. How old are you?" He added, warily."Eighteen, and I'll be nineteen in a few weeks.""Ah." He relaxed. "How come you're staying here then? I'll hazard a guess that you're not training to become a member of the clergy?""Been a naughty girl; haven't I?" She pouted. "Got myself booted out of uni.""Blimey. What did you do?" Gordy-Pie asked."Slept with my lecturer," Mia said, twirling a wet strand of her hair. "Seduced him, lost my virginity to him. I regret nothing.""You are an extremely naughty girl," Gordon tutted in mock disapproval. "Seducing defenseless older men like that.""I know. But Gordy-pie, do you know what the best thing was? That first time we did it. When I pressed against him and felt his hard cock straining against his trousers. The same as yours is now,” She groped his crotch and taken by surprise, he let out a gasp.Mia slipped her arms round his waist and planted a kiss on his lips. "Well? What shall we do?""I quite fancy a nice hot shower," Gordon whispered back. Lowering his voice further, he whispered into her ear. "Get your naughty little ass up those stairs right now and into the bathroom."She didn't need telling twice. Giggling, she threw her towel at him and raced out of the kitchen."I'll show you exactly what an organist can do with his hands!" Gordon shouted as he ran after her, whilst trying to unbuckle his belt.In the bathroom, Mia had already turned on the shower. She watched in amusement as Gordon fumbled with his clothes. He stepped out of his shoes and socks and tried to remove his trousers as fast as possible."Hurry up, Gordy-pie!" She teased."Damn these buttons! He muttered, fiddling with his shirt. "Should've worn a t-shirt."At last he freed himself from the offending item of clothing, and his trousers fell to his ankles."Oh, love your tighty-whities!" Mia purred. They were just like the ones Tom wore."Wait until you see what's inside them!" Gordon laughed, removing his briefs and finally, he was as naked as she was."Wow," Mia gasped. She was more than impressed. The organist's cock was thick and splendid. She was so hungry for cock that any man would've done, but Gordon ticked all her boxes and more. This was going to be one hell of a shower,"Gordy-pie," she whispered, holding out her hand. "I must warn you, I'm very slippery when wet."Gordon stepped inside. Water cascaded across the slim curves of Mia's glistening body and ran down into the darker crevice of her thighs. Gordon saw that she had a dark thatch of pubic hair that obscured her view of the lips below."I'd better handle with care then," he whispered back.His lips closed tight around her skin and kissed her neck right from her left ear, all the way down and around and back up to her right ear. He did this again, this time using tongue flicks just to hear Mia moan slightly."So just how do you play the pipe organ?" Mia gasped.He reached for the shower gel bottle and began to lather up his hands."Like this." He ran his fingers down her shoulders and back, then in a circular motion, before kneading her skin."The thing with pipe organs is, you have to press down quite firmly on the manuals," he said. "That's what the keyboards are called." He planted kisses on the back of her neck. "The organ at St Michael's has three manuals. One up here." He pressed his fingers against her shoulders."Ooh.""The middle one, round about here,” His fingers slipped down to her lower back."That tickles!""And the third manual, that's down here." He cupped her pert buttocks."Then there are the stops." Gordon's hands slipped round and up to her breasts."Have to pull out the stops,” He tweaked her hardened nipples.Mia closed her eyes, loving his sensual touch, and feeling his hard cock pressing against her arse."Oh, Gordy,”"Not forgetting the organ loft," Gordon continued, fingering her clit and making her whimper and shudder in pleasure."That's where the action happens. The organist sits at his console and plays,”Mia continued to shudder but then turned, & roughly grasped Gordon's head with both hands. He saw the desire in the young woman's brown eyes before he kissed her, hard and deep. Mia's inconsistent moans became longer and louder; the trembling went from shudders of the back to full-body quaking.Gordon continued. "And that just leaves, the organ pipes. The biggest pipes produce the deepest sounds. He took her hand and placed it on his cock."I've only got one organ pipe, but it only takes one pipe to make sweet music,”The hot spray from the shower cascaded down both their bodies. Exhilaration coursed throughout Mia's body; she'd never felt so turned on. Dropping to her knees, she soaped up her hands and slid them along Gordon's pulsing shaft. She said nothing as she rinsed, then started tasting him by licking the water drops from his balls.Flattening her tongue and licking in one long stroke up the length of his prick. Wrapping her lips around his cockhead, she sucked him. He tasted so good. A perfect older man.Keeping the rhythm nice and steady, Mia stepped up the sensation by rubbing her fingers around the base of Gordon's cock just above his balls."Mmm, your balls are getting tighter, Gordy-pie. It shouldn't be too long now before I really get to taste you!" Mia said at last. "I want all your delicious cum!""Oh God!"Gordon suddenly tensed, sucked in a breath and then grunted. Mia locked her lips so none of his precious seed escaped. Feeling his cock start to pulse, he exploded in her mouth. Spurt after spurt. Mia swallowed every drop."Did I play the organ correctly?"Gordon slid his hands up her arms and grasped her face, pulling her in for a slow, tender kiss."Perfectly," he murmured. "No wrong notes at all!""I want a more advanced organ lesson, Gordy-pie." Mia said. Hot water ran down her back and legs, making it so much easier for him to slip his fingers inside her tight pussy."What a good idea. You're more than ready!" He rubbed the tip of his still-hard cock against her entrance, teasing her by rubbing it against her clit, then down to the entrance, and back up to the clit again."Now. Please," she begged him.Gordon pressed the head of his cock against her entrance and shoved himself inside. He went in all the way on the first thrust, forcing a moan from the young brunette. He grabbed her hips roughly and thrust hard into her, the sound of wet skin slapping together. Mia moaned loudly as the organist began to pound into her."Oh Gordy! Yes! Fuck yes! Harder!"Neither of them heard the front door open as Jenna returned.To be continued in part 2. By Blacksheep, for Literotica.

Jenna's teenage cousin turns up at the vicarage.A Series in 17 parts, by Blacksheep. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. It was the second Sunday after Trinity. Over at St Michael's vicarage, the morning eucharist had finished and Reverend Morris and his wife Jenna were discussing the upcoming events in the church calendar."Josh gets ordained next month, so that'll be a fun occasion. Big party over at his place. He's so excited for that day to come. It's been remarkable how he's come out of his shell. When he joined our church as curate a year ago, he was so nervous and shy. Now look at him." Reverend Morris said."He's a real asset to the church," Jenna replied, sipping a coffee, as she read through the church newsletter. "I like to think that I, helped build up his confidence a bit.""Oh you certainly did, I'm sure," the vicar said, oblivious to what his wife was referring to. "Now, apart from that big event, there's not much happening in July. I'm adding the study of the Book of Exodus in the services. Last year's summer study of Genesis went down a treat,”The sound of the doorbell interrupted him."I wonder who that can be?" Reverend Morris said, hurrying out of the living room. "If it's Gordon, he's early. He said he would call round at 2."He opened the front door. A slim young woman around eighteen or nineteen, stood on the doorstep. Brunette hair that was in pigtails. Huge brown eyes like Bambi. She was dressed in a low cut pink peasant top, tight cow-print shorts and ballet shoes. By her side was a suitcase and hold-all."Hello. Can I help you?" Reverend Morris said."Um," the woman began, in a nervous voice. "Mr., um, Reverend Morris. Is, Jenna in? I'm Mia, her cousin.""Oh really? Gosh, well do come in, you're very welcome! You look loaded up there, let me give you a hand." He ushered her inside and carried her luggage."Jen! You've got a visitor!"Jenna looked up and her eyes widened. "Mia?""Hello CJ," Mia said, with a sheepish grin.Reverend Morris blinked."Cousin Jenna," Jenna replied."Ah," He understood."What are you doing here? Last I heard you were at Salford uni.""It's a long story," Mia sighed, as Reverend Morris gestured for her to sit on the settee. "Um, I quit.""Oh no," Jenna said. "What happened?""Oh Jen, it was awful. I just couldn't settle into university life at all. I made a mistake choosing that Art and Design course. It wasn't for me. The lectures stressed me out, but worst of all was the bullying." She dabbed at imaginary tears in her eyes with a tissue. "Nine months and I just couldn't cope with it any longer, so I jacked it in."Jenna was about to say something, but her husband cut in."You poor thing. God, if there's one thing I hate, it's bullying. Sad that it occurs in all walks of life. A nasty part of human nature."Noticing the reverend had been completely taken in by Mia's story, Jenna cleared her throat. "What did your parents say?"There was an awkward pause."You haven't told them, have you?""Are you serious Jen? Mum will go nuclear if she finds out. I'm just not ready to deal with that, yet. She was so proud when I got in that place. Dad will be more understanding but, look, I have a favor to ask. Can I stay with you for, a bit? I used up my last bit of cash on the train fare. I'm broke and I have nowhere to stay. I can't face going back to my parents. They'll treat me like a kid. Please? I won't be any bother. I'll do housework for you, I'll,”"Of course you can stay!" Reverend Morris smiled. "Our vicarage is always available to those who need it. We have a spare bedroom." He turned to Jenna. "We had Bishop George staying with us during Lent, remember? I'm sure your cousin can't be a worse lodger than him. She looks like she's gone through a tough few months."Powerless to refuse, Jenna reluctantly agreed. Oh Simon, you sweet, naive man. You have no idea what you're letting yourself in for! She thought."Oh you mean it? I can stay? Oh; thank you so much, Reverend!""Simon. You can call me Simon!" Reverend Morris replied. "It's nice to finally get to meet you, Mia. I know you and Jenna drifted apart a bit when your parents moved, but it's so nice when relatives reunite, isn't it?" the reverend said as he went to pick up the luggage."If only everyone could be as nice as you and Jenna!" Mia gushed.Jenna pulled a face at her cousin and whispered to her. "You are so dead, cousin!""Right, well, I'll introduce you to your new room!” Simon said as he returned holding all the bags. “This way! I'll carry your stuff for you." Reverend Morris carried up the suitcase and hold-all."Your hubby is a total gent," Mia whispered to Jenna."Oh, you might be able to fool him, but you're not fooling me," Jenna replied. "As soon as he's gone out later, you are going to tell me everything."Reverend Morris led Mia upstairs and down the long landing. Mia walked right by his side looking something between an infatuated schoolgirl gazing at her crush and a timid little lamb sticking close to the shepherd. At eighteen, Mia was very aware of the effect she had on men. Her Bambi eyes, teamed with the brunette hair, gave her an innocent look that convinced boys and men alike that she couldn't possibly know what effect she was having on them. But she knew quite well, and she loved the things she could get by putting her skills to good use."Here we are," Reverend Morris said, opening the bedroom door at the end. "It's not massive, but it's got a pleasant view overlooking the garden."Mia walked in. The room was nicely decorated. Instead of the usual neutral color scheme of magnolia, the walls were painted in very pale blue, with white ceiling and a sandy colored carpet. Instead of curtains, a white window blind, as was the current trend. A single bed, chest of drawers and ladder desk and chair made up the furniture."I don't know why I painted this room blue, it always looks so cold, and it doesn't really match the carpet. No wardrobe, but there's a full chest of drawers and the bed is a divan, with two storage compartments you can put your bits and bobs in. There's a hook on the back of the door if you need to hang some clothes up.""Oh I love it!" Mia said, smiling at him. "It's like being at the beach. The floor is sand and the walls are the sea. It's so restful and appealing. Really brings out my creative side. I think I could do lots of painting and drawing in here.""I'm glad you like it. Jenna and I want you to feel comfortable and safe here. Charity is so important to Christians like us.""Oh yes, I understand Rev, um, Simon. And I am so grateful. Um, do I have to start going to church? I mean I was raised in a Christian home but I sort of drifted,” Mia said, giving him a coquettish look.""Ha, no worries! We're not going to force you to attend a Sunday service or anything so relax. Whether you're a believer or not, everyone is catered for in our vicarage. We don't judge.""Jenna told me that your church is a nice one," Mia said, gazing at the reverend. He's rather average in looks but this guy is a total sweetie I can tell. Not an ounce of malice in him. Jenna's really landed on her feet with this one."She's right! St Michael's is a lovely place of worship. I'm very honored to be its vicar. Of course it wasn't always like that, but I like to think that I've really turned things round and made a difference. I credit Jenna for helping me in, many ways," he continued, and Mia noted the pause.Wonder what he means by that? She thought.He continued. "I took over in 2019 after the sudden death of the previous vicar, Reverend Smith. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end. Only a few months later, the pandemic happened. What a stressful time that was."Mia nodded patiently."Sorry, I'm prattling on! I'll leave you to get sorted out. I talk too much. Always in sermon mode,”"That's alright, Simon. I'm sure your sermons are really interesting." Mia said, flattering him some more."Ah well, haven't heard too many snores in the aisles of late.""I really appreciate you helping me like this," Mia said, sitting on the bed. "I just don't know how I was going to cope. And I want to pay my way. I suppose I'll have to apply for Universal Credit. What with the cost of living crisis and everything. Not sure if there are any jobs going in this town? I don't know this area at all and I can't drive,”"One step at a time, Mia. let's get you settled in first.""I really do want to work. Is there anything I could do at your church?"Reverend Morris scratched the back of his head and sat down next to her."Well, it's mostly volunteer work there, which is no good when you need an income, oh wait a minute, Norman the churchwarden mentioned that the church hall needs a cleaner, 10 hours a week. It's only a five minute walk from here. We had one of the Sunday school teacher's lads doing it, but I confess he rarely turned up and was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard. I was disappointed in Jordan, as the pay was pretty good for an entry-level job.""I'll do that job! I'd love to do that!" Mia said. "Oh please say yes!""Hmm, well let me talk it over with Jenna first, and Norman. Cleaning is a bit boring. You'd be required to put out chairs and tables too. They're only lightweight folding ones, so no dangerous lifting of heavy stuff or anything. But Norman will be able to tell you more about what's involved. We have a lot of functions held in the hall, not just church stuff. Monday is badminton class. Tuesday it's the over-60s hot yoga. Wednesday is the midweek eucharist, so it's tea and coffee morning. Thursday and Friday you get two days off as nothing happens then. Saturday is the local amateur dramatics group. Oh and Sunday, the most important day of all, is the main service at church, and a social gathering afterwards.""Oh I just love cleaning up," Mia said. "Tidiness is good for mental health you know. It keeps your mind occupied." She slid a bit closer to him."You're really enthusiastic aren't you?" Well If your heart's set on it, I'm sure I can pull a few strings and get you in. Don't want you to feel like your talents are being wasted in what I consider to be just a casual job though.""To be honest, I never had any idea what I wanted to do when I left school," Mia continued. "I never wanted to go to uni. I feel like such a failure for quitting.""Don't put yourself down," he said, reassuring her. "Sometimes God has a different path for us. And you can't stay somewhere that's making you unhappy. It takes guts to break away from a path that someone else has set for you. I can tell you have a great attitude. Your talents obviously lie elsewhere. In time, I'm sure you'll find something you truly excel at.""I do hope so," Mia said, pouting at him. She leaned in closer, but the moment was broken by the sound of the landline phone ringing downstairs."Oh that reminds me, I need to call on one of the flock." He stood up. "I'll leave you to unpack Mia. If you need anything, I'm sure Jenna can assist you. I have to go out. I'll see you later. Take care!"He hurried out of the bedroom."I think I'm gonna love it here," Mia giggled to herself. "I think I need to, repair my relationship with God." She gave the most mischievous of grins as she flopped back in bed."But I also plan on sinning, a lot!"Reverend Morris rushed down the stairs."That was the garage on the phone," Jenna said, putting down the receiver. "My car's passed its MOT and ready to be collected.""Great. I'll drop you off there as I just remembered I promised Gladys Wilcox I'd take her a copy of that paperback I recommended at last week's service. Hills of the North by Jenny Talwartz." He rummaged around on the coffee table and held up the book in question. "A thrilling tale set in rural England, about passion, blackmail and a woman's fulfilling journey to find romance and regain her faith.""Sounds a good one.""It got rave reviews on Amazon. I was worried it might be a bit too racy for some of the older members of the congregation. I haven't had chance to read it yet but apparently it contains violence and several sex scenes.""Right up Gladys Wilcox's alley I'd say," Jenna replied, grinning. "I keep telling you, there's something kinky going on between her and the churchwarden. Okay, give me five minutes, and I'll be ready. Need to have a quick word with our non-paying guest.""You're alright with her staying, aren't you? Sorry, I tend to just dive in and say yes to everything. Your cousin seems like such a lovely person.""I don't mind, but she's not the innocent little thing you think she is," Jenna said. "Oh she's not a criminal or anything, but she can be a bit, indiscreet at times.""Aren't we all a bit like that at eighteen? Not much life experience to fall back on.""Hmm, I suppose. I will phone Aunt Kathleen later and let her know that Mia's staying here. I'd better prepare to gently break the bad news that her daughter won't be getting those letters after her name."Mia was admiring herself in the wall mirror when Jenna came in, and closed the bedroom door."Alright you. Now how about giving me the whole truth about why you quit uni? You're good, but your acting skills need work. Better make it quick as Simon's waiting to give me a lift to the garage, so spill."The brunette took a deep breath. "Alright. Look, don't give me too much grief. I did something wrong and that's why I had to quit.""What happened?""I seduced my lecturer and slept with him."She gasped. "You did what?" After the initial shock, Jenna couldn't help but admire her cousin's brazen attitude. Seeing as she herself had seduced several men from the church, plus a former Catholic priest, and most recently, the town mayor. Not to mention there were her weekly "organ lessons" with Gordon,"So he was old enough to be my dad. Maybe grandad. He was like, late fifties or something. But he was so hot. Older men really turn me on. You must know how that feels. I mean, your husband is way older than you, right?""Yeah. I'm twenty-one and he's forty." Jenna admitted. "Eighteen and late fifties is one hell of an age gap though.""I know. Oh but Jen. Tom was such a sexy man. Just the type I like. He was a smoker, but not a heavy one. Kind of used to turn me on, smelling smoke on his breath. It added to the attraction, as weird as that sounds. The sex was amazing. Older men are just sexier,”Jenna gave a dreamy sigh. "Yep they are. Can't disagree with you there. Realizing she suddenly had a lot more in common with her cousin, she sat down next to her. "Tell me more about Tom."And so Mia gave her chapter and verse on her spicy adventures at Salford.

New research estimates that there are more than 3 million lost pension pots in the UK. These are pensions that have been paid into by an employer but the scheme can no longer find the person who owns it. The Pensions Policy Institute research also found number of lost pots has risen more than 17% since 2022. The Department for Work and Pensions told us millions of people will be saved from losing track of their pension pots thanks to its plans to consolidate deferred small pots in its forthcoming Pension Schemes Bill. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association says the industry has funded campaigns to raise awareness. Go to gov.uk and search 'pension tracing' to find contact details for your old pensions.Hundreds of thousands of former university students are being urged to check if they have paid too much towards their student loan and if so to claim a refund. The campaign group Save the Student made the call in response to new figures from the Student Loans Company, published for the first time, which show former students are eligible for refunds worth £184m. And in last week's Budget the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced a reduction in the level of debt repayments that can be taken from a household's Universal Credit payment each month. The new "Fair Repayment Rate" will reduce Universal Credit deductions from 25% to 15% per month. The government says that means that 1.2 million households will keep more of their award each month and those who benefit will gain an average of £420 a year. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Emma Smith and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday November 9th 2024)

 In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Karen Edwards sits down with Craig Jones, head of FinTech at Leap, to show off the company's newest innovative feature, the Universal Credit Application. Craig explains what makes this so innovative and how it simplifies the lending process for both contractors and their customers. They discuss how their new tool copies over all the common fields such as name, address, email etc. into the next waterfall lender streamlining the process, saving time, leading to higher approval odds and a happy homeowner. Hear contractor feedback, best practices, the future of lending and more from the expert at Leap in this packed episode.   Learn more at RoofersCoffeeShop.com!  https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/     Are you a contractor looking for resources? Become an R-Club Member today! https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rcs-club-sign-up     Sign up for the Week in Roofing!  https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/sign-up     Follow Us!   https://www.facebook.com/rooferscoffeeshop/   https://www.linkedin.com/company/rooferscoffeeshop-com   https://x.com/RoofCoffeeShop   https://www.instagram.com/rooferscoffeeshop/   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAQTC5U3FL9M-_wcRiEEyvw   https://www.pinterest.com/rcscom/   https://www.tiktok.com/@rooferscoffeeshop   https://www.rooferscoffeeshop.com/rss     #RoofersCoffeeShop #MetalCoffeeShop #AskARoofer #CoatingsCoffeeShop #RoofingProfessionals #RoofingContractors #RoofingIndustry #LeapToDigital

A new report given exclusively to Money Box is calling for more help for working families on Universal Credit. The University of Bath's Institute for Policy Research wants the government to raise earning thresholds for extra help like free school meals, NHS prescriptions, council tax support and NHS dental help. The government says it's committed to supporting low-income families by extending the Household Support Fund by £421 million. It also told us its commitment to reviewing Universal Credit so people receive the support they need, saying it is taking "bold action" to help people into work so they can gain financial independence and break down the barriers to opportunity.Banking Hubs should start offering more help for customers with advice on scams, getting online and creating Power of Attorneys according to the former chair of the watchdog, the Financial Conduct Authority. Charles Randell, who's now a member of the Financial Inclusion Committee, says banks need to invest more in the hubs as bank branch closures continue to hit communities with more than 6,000 having closed since 2015. UK Finance, which represents banks, says significant ongoing investment is being made to support customers with access to cash and day to day banking needs.What changes could the Chancellor make to ISAs and Dividends in her October Budget?And energy prices go up next week - what does it mean for you and how does it work?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Catherine Lund Researchers: Emma Smith and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 28th September 2024)

We're looking at the benefits system and answering the questions likely being asked by government ministers: how can the rising costs of benefits be managed, and what changes could improve the system?With disability and incapacity benefit caseloads rising and the Universal Credit rollout still ongoing, what options does the government have to address these challenges? How might frozen housing support and past cuts to working-age benefits be impacting the most vulnerable? Should the government abolish the two-child limit?To tackle these questions, Paul is joined by Tom Waters and Carl Emmerson from the IFS.Become a member: https://ifs.org.uk/individual-membershipFind out more: https://ifs.org.uk/podcasts-explainers-and-calculators/podcasts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anna Curran gets the latest on the move from benefits to Universal Credit with Paddy Rooney from the Department of Communities. Benefits expert Rachael Jeffers will also be on hand to answer questions about accessing welfare and healthcare.As a new childcare scheme promises help for working parents, we hear from Becca Harper from Melted Parents who has been taking a look at the uptake and who will benefit most.Consumer journalist Martyn James discusses your consumer rights when it comes to concert tickets and hotels as Oasis tickets go on sale. Anna visits Fareshare, a charity helping people in need and who are calling for more volunteers. Also, how can we protect ourselves against identity theft and scams? Former scammer turned cybersecurity adviser, Tony Sales has plenty of helpful advice.

William Crawley is joined by guests Goretti Horgan, Peter Bryson and Matthew Robinson.

In the last episode of the podcast before we take a break for the summer, Andy and guests have an opportunity to reflect on the outcome of the UK general election and explore what the changed political landscape will mean for adult social care in England, reflecting on potential impacts for social workers and people who use services. Andy is joined by Vice Chair of BASW England and Co-Chair of its Adult Thematic Group, Jackie Mahoney, BASW UK Council member and Expert by Experience, Mark Lynes, and BASW England's Policy & Campaigns Officer, Josh Dixon.The episode begins with reflections on the changed political landscape and touches on BASW's campaign to remove the Universal Credit two-child limit. The conversation then switches to focus on priority issues in adult social care in England and the importance of coproduction and meaningful involvement of experts by experience in the design of adult social care services. Mark's contribution to the discussion on coproduction was itself coproduced and he wishes to thank his colleague, Omar Mohammed for his support.The conversation concludes with a discussion about the need for investment in increasing the amount of good-quality social housing in the UK and BASW's call for on-going investment in specialist and supported housing.The BASW 2024 general election manifesto referenced in the discussion is available here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About to release their new album Below The Waste (7 June), Goat Girl's Lottie Pendlebury discusses anxiety, taking time to figure out what the artform is, Universal Credit and being open to learning. Become a member of Rough Trade Club New Music, and you'll receive 1/3 off Rough Trade's Album of the Month on exclusive varient. Head to http://roughtrade.com/club and use 'CLUB101POD' as your voucher. DistroKid makes music distribution fun and easy with unlimited uploads and artists keeping the ENTIRETY of their revenue. Get 30% off the first year of their service by signing up at https://distrokid.com/vip/101pod Get £50 off your weekend ticket to 2000 Trees festival: where The Gaslight Anthem, The Chats, Hot Mulligan and TONS of excellent bands are playing. Use 101POD at checkout: 2000trees.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Illegal fishing on rivers and watercourses is on up according to the police, who are stepping up patrols with other agencies. Angling clubs pay thousands of pounds every year to stock rivers with fish for members and taking fish without permission is theft. Better training of police in poaching laws has led to a recent spate of convictions and a legal first for volunteer river bailiffs.MPs have highlighted the impact of changes in welfare payments on farmers. Farmers historically claimed tax credits to boost low incomes, but the system has changed and they now apply for Universal Credit. But eligibility is calculated using monthly income and expenditure, which doesn't sit well with farm businesses where these can vary enormously depending on the season. The transition process has been described as a nightmare which is having an impact on farmers mental health. Around 38 million acres of Ukrainian farmland has now been rendered too dangerous to farm by Russian mines. According to the Mines Advisory Group charity there have been more than a thousand mine accidents in Ukraine since 2022, with farmers making up one of the largest single groups of casualties.From Welsh government plans to get them planted on farms to the ever missed English planting targets and the recent cuts to the budget for planting in Scotland, trees are the subject of much debate in rural areas. All this week we've been discussing trees and despite our fondness for them and need for timber, we still don't like commercial forestry. Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

The National Sheep Association says it has no confidence in the Red Tractor assurance scheme's executive.MP's have highlighted the impact of the changes in welfare payments on farmers, who historically claim tax credits to boost low incomes.A tree nursery manages to combat the adverse weather conditions, and a breed of cattle found on a remote Scottish islandPresented by Charlotte SmithProduced by Alun Beach

MLAs called for the cap to be lifted in the assembly today.

The number of people falling victim to fraud involving cryptocurrency has more than doubled between 2020 and 2023 according to Action Fraud. The value of such fraud has also increased. Our reporter Dan Whitworth has met one such victim, an 86 year old in South Wales who lost over £70,000. Following a Money Box investigation she's now had her lost life savings refunded. We've been reporting on difficulties people are having moving from working tax credits to Universal Credit. We hear from a listener who runs an annual skinny dipping event to raise money for charity, she's been told by her work coach that all her fundraising will be considered personal income for the purposes of Universal Credit. In a week that some lenders increase interest rates, figures from the Bank of England show an increase in arrears on mortgage accounts. We hear how people are coping with their mortgage costs and what you can do if you're struggling to pay them. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Beatrice Pickup(First broadcast Saturday 16th March 2024)

The benefits system can feel, at times, like an unnavigable maze, especially for people with Parkinson's whose conditions are so varied and fluctuate so regularly. On today's episode of Movers & Shakers, the gang gather in the pub to try and put the benefits system on trial (at least, that's what The Judge does). From PIP payments to Universal Credit, how much support is there really for people struggling financial under the pressures of Parkinson's? And does the system, at present, do enough to maintain the dignity of people forced to engage with it?Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, Gillian Lacey-Solymar, Mark Mardell, Paul Mayhew-Archer, Sir Nicholas Mostyn and Jeremy Paxman.Produced and edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.Additional production by Ewan Cameron.Music by Alex Stobbs.Artwork by Till Lukat.PR by Sally Jones.For more additional information about the show, as well as extra resources and exclusive content, please visit MOVERSANDSHAKERSPODCAST.COM Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some farmers who already rely on state benefits are being told they need to look for paid work and ditch their farm businesses if they want to continue receiving those benefits. It's happening because of changes in the way welfare is delivered, so farmers on Tax Credits are now being switched to Universal Credit. But eligibility for Universal Credit is calculated using monthly income and expenditure, which doesn't sit well with very seasonal farm businesses.The Wildlife and Muirburn Bill has passed through the Scottish Parliament and brings in the licensing of grouse shoots, banning animal snares and changing the rules on the burning of heather. For the RSPB it's game changing legislation, for gamekeepers a disproportionate response.And how sustainable is our scampi? The UK gets through around £68 million worth of scampi a year. But a conservation group says the current drive to make fishing for langoustine more environmentally friendly has failed.Presented by Charlotte Smith Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Some farmers who already rely on state benefits are being told they need to look for paid work and ditch their farm businesses if they want to continue receiving those benefits. It's happening because of changes in the way welfare is delivered, so farmers on Tax Credits are now being switched to Universal Credit. But eligibility for Universal Credit is calculated using monthly income and expenditure, which doesn't sit well with farm businesses where these can vary enormously depending on the season. The transition process has been described by famers as a nightmare and, as we'll be hearing shortly, it's also having an impact on mental health.And CCTV… for fish! John Holmyard runs a ‘rope-cultured' offshore mussel farm in Lyme Bay about 5 miles off the south coast of Devon. He's been working with the University of Plymouth to monitor what impact the farm has on the marine life around it.Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

If your Oodie or Hug n Snug is crawling to the washing machine because you've spent all winter hibernating in it, we've got the perfect replacement. Because, drum roll, please…TechPixies has launched its own stylish swag!!!