More questions arise about the grubby ethics of Northern Rock, the failed bank bailed out by our government with billions of our pounds.

According to the Daily Telegraph it has emerged that the now state-owned bank has been claiming that a tiny charity, Downs Syndrome North East (DSNE) is the beneficiary of a £45 billion offshore fund set up by Northern Rock’s 50% shareholder Granite, and registered as a charity to get the tax benefits. Continue reading →

Charities will be studying the powerful new anti-discrimination bill before parliament.

This seeks to replace the 100 + acts, codes and directives currently in force on the six main areas of discrimination – for race or nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age and faith.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is planning to require large companies and public bodies to carry out an “equality audit” of staff in the six “disadvantaged” sectors of their workforces. On this would be based a published EHRC ranking of the organisation, which those considering working for them, or doing business with them could consider.

The BBC has been criticised over the commercial packages it offers firms for sponsorship of such programmes as Children in Need.

Critics, which include presenter Melvyn Bragg say that the arrangement represents the “creeping commercialism of the BBC” and that this is in breach of the BBC’s charter, on which it charges licence fees, going against the spirit of the “no advertising” rule.

Details of the BBC’s earner were originally posted on a website for potential advertisers but it is understood this has now been shut down.

Fee paying schools registered as charities simply to get the tax benefits will lose their profitable charitable status if they don’t make a contribution to the poor in their local community.

According to the Charity Commission this could be done with free or cut-price bursaries or by lending equipment or letting local children attend some lessons. Such actions will show that the school meets the public benefit test and deserves the rewards of tax benefits, said to be worth £100 million p/a.

Some schools are now threatening legal action.

Charity organisation Business and Education in London South (BELS) is offering 600 free two hour workshops in personal finance to young adults.

The Money4 Life workshop is aimed at the most deprived young people in the area and is designed to prevent them ending up as victims of rapacious banks and credit card companies. The subjects covered include achieving enough self-knowledge to budget sensibly, prioritising spending, choosing financial products, resisting marketing pressures, tackling money problems if they happen and trying to save.

A new free directory enquiry service which requires callers to listen to around 20 seconds of advertising before getting their number has been launched.

The service is on 0800 100 100.

An alternative free service, using a voice prompt system rather than a live operator is available on 0800 118 3733.

According to BT staff some services are charging as much as £1.50 a number.