Life Events news in 2024
13 stories, newest first.
- November 2024
Carer Support Payment rolled out nationally
Carer Support Payment, Scotland's replacement for Carer's Allowance, became available across all 32 council areas on 4 November 2024 after a year of pilot rollouts.
- October 2024
Unspent pension pots to be included in estates for inheritance tax from April 2027
Unspent pension pots will count towards a person's estate for inheritance tax from April 2027, under a change announced in the 2024 Autumn Budget.
- September 2024
Expanded free hours childcare subsidy scheme scheduled to start in England
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation's 2024 Minimum Income Standard reports that expanded free hours childcare is scheduled for September 2024 and September 2025, with the scheme's availability uncertain.
- August 2024
Carer Support Payment launches in seven further areas
Carer Support Payment opened for new applications in seven more Scottish council areas on 19 August 2024, ahead of national rollout, with official figures later showing 48,090 applications by 31 March 2026.
- July 2024
Chancellor announces English social care reforms dropped
Chancellor Rachel Reeves cancelled planned reforms to social care funding in England on 29 July 2024, dropping a lifetime cap on personal care costs and changes to council funding thresholds.
Current Government will not introduce planned social care charging changes
The Government elected in July 2024 has said it will not bring in the previous Government's planned cap on care costs or changes to the financial assessment rules in England.
- May 2024
Government proposes abolishing Direct Pay and reducing Collect and Pay fees
The government has proposed abolishing Direct Pay and cutting Collect and Pay fees at the Child Maintenance Service, opening a 12 week consultation on the changes.
- April 2024
15 hours free childcare for working parents of 2-year-olds from April 2024
Working parents of two-year-olds in England can access 15 hours a week of government-funded childcare from 1 April 2024, the first stage of an expansion reaching 30 hours by September 2025.
New law gives greater protection to pregnant women and new parents facing redundancy
The Protection from Redundancy (Pregnancy and Family Leave) Act 2023 gives pregnant employees and those recently returned from family leave priority status for suitable alternative roles from April 2024.
Statutory maternity and parental pay rates set at £184.03 weekly from April 2024
Statutory maternity and parental pay rose to £184.03 a week from April 2024, as a survey of 1,039 mothers found money worries and debt rising during maternity leave.
- March 2024
UK redundancy rate hits highest level since 2021
The UK redundancy rate rose to 4.6 per thousand people in the three months to January 2024, the highest since 2021, with around 133,000 redundancies over the period.
- February 2024
ERC research shows retirement confidence falling sharply
An Equity Release Council survey of 5,000 people found 46% are not confident about their future finances, up from 35% in 2021, with the sharpest fall among retirees aged 65 to 74.
PLSA raises required retirement income figures
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has raised its estimate of the income a single person needs for a moderate retirement by £8,000 to £31,300 a year, as cost of living pressures and family support push up required spending.