Jobless to work 'clearing litter'  - BBC News, 21 July 08

Incapacity Benefit claimants will all move to the new Employment Support Allowance by 2013, which ministers hope will be regarded, for all but the most disabled people, as a temporary benefit…

You can find out more about the new Employment Support Allowance here…

And the JobCenterPlus explains the Employment Support Allowance here…

What are your thoughts on the change? Leave a comment below and share your views…

After the recent huge increase in energy prices, money saving expert, Martin Lewis has been urging us all to make sure we're with the cheapest energy supplier. Now's the time to switch, says Martin, and there are a couple of great free services out there that will even do all the switching for you - and give you cashback in the process. Bonus! In his article, 'Time To Switch! Find The Cheapest Gas & Electricity Supplier & Earn Cashback', Martin Lewis walks you through why you should change energy supplier, how to find the cheapest supplier, how to pick a comparison service, and even tells you the best buys at the moment. A very good, free resource if you aren't sure whether you're paying too much for your energy bills.

"Slam the door on annoying sales touts promising to cut your energy bills by telling them you've already got the cheapest. This only takes about five minutes, and can cut your bills by up to 20%, plus you can earn a cash kickback on top." — Martin Lewis, 'Time To Switch! Find The Cheapest Gas & Electricity Supplier & Earn Cashback' –

Happy saving!

If you are recovering/have recovered from ME/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome , and are considering going back to work, then this post might interest you. There are resources out there that advertise jobs that are suitable for disabled workers. Check out the Disabled Workers Co-operative, for example:

"The Disabled Workers Co-operative is a registered charity that helps disabled people to help themselves. Our aim is twofold - to raise the independence of disabled people (for those that want it) by enabling them to take an active role in the economy and achieve a greater sense of self-worth and also to raise awareness of the contribution that disabled people can make to society. On-line database of the skills, services and products disabled people have to offer. Disabled individuals and companies or organisations employing a significant number of disabled people in meaningful employment are able to register the skills, products or services they have to offer FREE on the Disabled Workers Database. The Database is FREE for anyone to use."

To visit the Disabled Workers Co-operative site, click here…

Another interesting site is called 'The Disability Jobsite'. Here's their info:

"The Disability Jobsite is developing a variety of resources and networks to enhance opportunities for employment in the UK's disabled community. The Jobsite assists users to participate actively in employment and we play a critical role in supporting disabled people on the pathway to work."

To visit the Disability Jobsite, click here…

I hope you find these useful.

Claire Editor of Sleepydust

Keeping warm and having our creature comforts becomes even more important when we're chronically ill with illnesses such as M.E. / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia. But it seems that for those of us who are with British Gas, our bills may well increase by 25%! Thankfully, money saving expert, Martin Lewis, seems to say that it's easy to switch to a cheaper energy provider. Here's his latest news about it:

URGENT! 25% price rise predicted for British Gas. Now is the moment to act… Newspapers predict a 25% price rise (though I think it'll be roughly 15%, read m'blog). If that happens other companies will follow, so should you switch now? Those who've never switched before switch, switch, switch, you'll definitely save (or at least forestall an increase). For others this forewarning's useful; consider a capped tariff, but go quick as capped rates are likely to rise after the price increase is announced. Alternatively wait 6-8 weeks after BG's price rise then hopefully it'll be a level playing field. To find the right capped tariff, comparison service Energyhelpline pays ?12.50 cashback via special links, like this one* when you switch. Read full Energy Switching article (special mini-mutterings) Also remember the only certain way to cut your bill is reduce your energy usage.

I hope these tips & resources save you some money over the coming months! Claire Editor of Sleepydust

The telephone can be a lifeline when you have M.E. / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and/or Fibromyalgia. But are you paying too much for your calls?

Here are a few tips from money saving expert, Martin Lewis, who claims we can cut our average phone bill by 60% (!):

Cheapest UK Home Phones now with totally new free UK Callchecker! The UK Callchecker is a unique non-commercial tool which daily updates the cheapest instantly accessible provider for every type of UK call - mobiles, 0870s, landlines, personal numbers - meaning massive savings are possible. Read the updated and simplified: Cheapest UK Home Phones article or go straight to the UK Callchecker (special mini-mutterings) Also see: International CallChecker for the cheapest way to call any country

Mandy, our Sleepydust Benefits & Work Advisor on the Sleepydust Forum has found a great little gem:

Hi All, Below is a link to a website that may be able to help you save some household energy and cut the cost of your gas/electric bills. This website tells you what grants are available for you to help with insulation, heating and other costs. It even lists places to save money on A-rated fridges and laundry appliances. If you receive Income Support, Pension Credits, DLA or a few other different benefits (sorry, Incapacity Benefit isn't one of them), you could receive free help or greatly reduced help. Fill in your postcode and answer the three simple questions and see what is available for you. Some of these offers close in March so don't hang around, have a look today. The website is: http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/gid/ Hugs & warm wishes, Mandy -x-

Thanks to Mandy for such a great tip, and thanks also to Jo for recommending Mandy's tip for the Sleepydust Newspaper!

Here's to warmer times!

Here is a recent release by the ME Association (UK):

Family Fund support for children aged 15 and under The Family Fund is a registered charity which provides grants to UK families to pay for things that relate to the needs of their disabled children. In 2004/05 alone, around ?27.7m (GBP) was distributed to more than 45,000 families. Shirley Young, chair of the trustees, said: "Families look to the fund for help with practical things such as holidays, computers or play equipment. "Our grants are not huge amounts, but what we give often has a significant impact because we work with what the family identifies are their main concerns." Help can only be offered for children and young people aged 15 and under. The Fund will consider any request on its merits and within its grant-making criteria. For more information, contact: The Family Fund, Unit 4, Alpha Court, Monks Cross Drive, Huntington, York YO32 9WN. Tel: 0845 130 4542. Click on this link to visit their website: The Family Fund

Are you in debt?

If you have ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia, the chances are you are unable to hold down a job and may even have had difficulties getting benefits. Even if you do get benefits, you may be struggling with your debt repayments. Being in debt is a major cause of worry and stress and can contribute to depression too.

Depression and stress can make the severity of your ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia worse, and so trying to tackle your debt head-on can be immensely helpful to both your health and your pocket. Here are a few sentences from a great article by Martin Lewis called 'Where To Start With Problem Debts?':

"Unfortunately when debt goes bad, it isn't just a financial problem. It can take over your life. The earlier problem debts are handled, the less likely they'll turn into a crisis. The nature of borrowing means interest compounds over time and if it isn't dealt with it will spiral you into trouble. The aim here is to provide a step-by-step path through the mists." — Martin Lewis, 'Where To Start With Problem Debts?' —

I know that many ME/CFS or FM sufferers who are housebound or bedridden watch quite a lot of television (if and when they feel well enough).

Many probably have, or would like to have satellite or cable television, but it can be costly, that's for sure.

Well here's a great little article about how you can cut costs by haggling with your satellite or cable television provider. It looks like you can save a lot of money! Click here for "How to haggle with Sky…. an anonymous insider dishes the dirt"

Managing debt is a very important skill for many ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and FMS sufferers. Unfortunately, with minimal or no income, many moderate- to severely-affected sufferers are forced to turn to loans, and credit cards etc.

You've probably heard of credit ratings, credit scoring and so forth. These are what determine whether or not you get that mortgage, that loan or that mobile phone contract. But what exactly are they and how to these companies and institutions decide on your credit rating? And how do you find it out - for free?

Here's a great article for all you UK sufferers out there: Your Credit Rating: How they decide and how you find out for free…

I know that many of us Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, M.E., PVFS and Fibromyalgia sufferers have money worries. So for those of you in the UK, here's the latest release from moneysavingexpert.com:

"Earn a year's interest in a day - Christmas budget boosting loophole Supermarkets operate savings stamps schemes to encourage people to save with them for Christmas. The interest is usually paid on a set day, regardless of how long the cash has been there. So dunk the money in the day before and get a year's interest (4%) in a day, nicely boosting your Xmas budget. It works in Tesco, Asda, Kwik Save and others."

Click here to read the full article…