Jobs ads rise defies EU fear
Higher pay on offer despite Brexit SUITED TO SAINSBURY’S
WITH TRICIA PHILLIPS NINE out of 10 self-employed people don’t have critical illness cover and risk financial ruin should they become too ill to work.
Research from Scottish Widows shows half lack any sort of financial safety net, such as back-up savings, should they have to take long-term sickness leave.
That is despite working-age benefits like statutory sick pay not being available to the self-employed.
Almost half say their household relies on their income alone, more than a fifth have a mortgage and more than a third have dependent children.
Jackie Leiper, protection director at Scottish Widows, said: “Selfemployed workers put immeasurable amounts of time and money into getting their businesses off the ground, but our research reveals they’re failing to protect their greatest asset – themselves.
“It’s particularly concerning when you consider this workforce has a more limited range of work-age welfare benefits.”
No one wants to think about ill-health but it is vital we ensure we have our finances covered in case we can’t work.
Critical illness cover can give peace of mind and is optional.
Having savings of at least six months worth of our regular bills put aside is what everyone should aim for. BUSINESSES are advertising more jobs and offering higher salaries despite fears about the impact of Brexit on the economy.
Vacancies adverts have risen 12.1 per cent compared with the same period last year, according to a study by the online recruitment firm CV Library.
The top two cities for ads growth were Portsmouth and Brighton.
And researchers found advertised salaries in cities were also on the rise, with Aberdeen up 21.1 per cent, Bristol 7.5 per cent and Edinburgh 3.9 per cent higher.
Lee Biggins, managing director of CV Library, said: “Businesses are recognising the need to offer competitive salaries to attract talented candidates.
“Pushing up salaries is a strategy that can pay off. Businesses are remaining positive.”
The findings came as pressure built on Brexit Secretary David Davis to secure transition agreements for after we leave the EU to give business more certainty around investment and strategy.
Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the CBI – one of the signatories of a private letter sent by business groups to Davis asking for more clarity – said: “There are very real human costs in terms of communities.
“Firms are drawing up contingency plans for what happens in December and hope real progress is made then.”
The CBI pointed to figures from the manufacturing sector which revealed optimism among companies had fallen in the last three months.
Their quarterly Industrial Trends Survey found growth in output, and domestic and export orders eased.
Expectations for spending on new equipment and buildings also weakened. SAINSBURY’S want to go to head-to-head with the UK’s top fashion retailers by offering smart suits and woollen jackets. The supermarket chain said they would challenge Ted Baker and Reiss with the launch of Tu Formal and Tu Premium. They feature UK-sourced fabrics including two wool three-piece suits costing £160 and a camel Crombie coat for £60. Sainsbury’s said menswear is their fastest growing clothing category, rising 13 per cent in the last 12 months. “The new clothes are a cut above typical supermarket ranges,” a spokesman said.