NewsBeat

Officials say California Medicaid funds to be deferred over suspected fraud

Published

3 hours ago

13 May 2026

Officials say California Medicaid funds to be deferred over suspected fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday announced new steps in the Trump administration’s initiative to root out fraud in federal health programs, including a $1.3 billion deferral in Medicaid reimbursements to California.

“How long are people going to pay into programs if they know that that money doesn’t go to a low-income kid who needs health care, but that money goes into a fraudster getting rich?” Vance said during an event at the White House, adding that taxpayers and program beneficiaries are victimized by such fraud.

The Republican administration also is imposing a six-month freeze on some new Medicare enrollments and warning states to investigate Medicaid fraud or risk losing funding, officials said.

The moves are part of Vance’s anti-fraud task force, which has been taking more aggressive steps to investigate states before the November elections. The panel set up by President Donald Trump seeks to crack down on potential misuse of public money.

Vance, a potential 2028 White House hopeful, has used the high-profile assignment from Trump to remind Americans struggling with high costs that he is trying to claw back taxpayer dollars. Vance has promoted the task force’s work during campaign stops for Republican candidates and is expected to focus on the effort Thursday in Maine, which has closely watched primary races scheduled for June 9.

The steps come as people across the United States have raised concerns about rising health costs and barriers to access, sometimes from the federal government’s own actions. New work requirements in Medicaid, for example, are expected to strain hospitals around the country and result in millions of enrollees losing their health coverage.

The administration contends its vigorous fraud-busting efforts will help prevent wrongdoing in Medicaid and Medicare while preserving funding and resources for those most in need.

Deferring $1.3 billion in California payments

Dr. Mehmet Oz, who leads the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the administration was making the “largest deferral we’ve ever made” in Medicaid funds and that it was justified.

He claimed the administration had identified questionable expenditures and anomalies, such as a higher rate of growth in California’s home care program compared with other states. He did not provide concrete examples of documented fraud.

“We’d like the state to at least come to the table and explain to us how these outlier payments have been generated,” he said.

The press office of Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., disputed Oz’s claims and said the state’s home care program grew because the state is “keeping more people OUT of far more expensive nursing homes.”

“We hate fraud,” the office wrote on X. “But that’s NOT what this is.”

The total cost of California’s Medicaid program, including state and federal funding, is expected to be about $222 billion for the budget year that starts July 1.

Nationwide freeze on some new Medicare provider enrollments

Oz’s agency also announced a nationwide six-month moratorium on all new Medicare enrollments by providers of hospice and home care.

“Today we’re shutting the door on fraud — preventing new bad actors from entering Medicare while we aggressively identify, investigate, and remove those already exploiting them,” he said in a statement.

Existing hospice and home health care providers will continue to operate as usual. But CMS said it will “intensify targeted investigations, deploy advanced data analytics, and accelerate the removal” of providers in the category that are suspected of fraudulent activity.

Such a freeze is not unprecedented, said Tricia Neumann, a senior vice president and executive director for the program on Medicare policy at the health care research nonprofit KFF. She said President Bill Clinton’s Democratic administration also imposed a temporary moratorium on home health agencies.

“A brief moratorium gives the administration time to crack down on true fraud and prevent new fraudulent entities from popping up,” she said.

Several alleged fraud schemes have been prosecuted in the hospice and home health care categories, and states have acknowledged that it is a legitimate concern. But some have pushed back on the administration’s aggressive tactics and raised concerns that the catchall efforts could needlessly punish law-abiding providers that are trying to serve patients.

Also Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services’ internal watchdog sent letters to state attorneys general warning them to vigorously investigate possible fraud or risk losing federal money.

Moves are part of monthslong federal push

In recent months, CMS has suspended payments to hundreds of hospice and home care agencies in Los Angeles over alleged fraud and issued another six-month moratorium on suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and certain other supplies in Medicare.

The administration also has approached at least five states with investigations into potential health care fraud and halted some $243 million in Medicaid payments to Minnesota over fraud concerns. Last month, Oz announced CMS would add to that oversight by requiring all 50 states to share how they planned to revalidate some of their Medicaid providers.

In at least one case, the administration has erred in its accusations against states. In April, CMS acknowledged to The Associated Press that it made a significant error in figures it used to help justify a fraud probe in New York. The acknowledgment deepened doubts in the administration’s methods and raised a common criticism that has been made about the second Trump administration — that it tends to attack first and confirm the facts later.

___

Swenson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Tran Nguyen in Sacramento, Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, New Jersey, Patrick Whittle in Portland, Maine, and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

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JD Vance hits out at Trump with ‘Apprentice’ dig – ‘not what you expect from President’

Published

5 minutes ago

14 May 2026

NewsAdmin

The US Vice-President has made a not-so-subtle dig at Donald Trump’s 11-year stint as host on NBC reality game show The Apprentice

Rachel Vickers-Price UK and World News Reporter

23:56, 13 May 2026

US Vice President JD Vance has jumped at the chance to take a jab at Donald Trump, by way of a joke about the now-US President’s time as host on NBC TV programme The Apprentice. When asked during a Washington press conference about Trump polling crowds at a Monday White House dinner about a possible Republican successor, the Vice President replied: “I just don’t think it sounds like the President of the United States to have a televised competition for who would succeed him as his apprentice.” As chuckles and guffaws rang out crowd-wide, he continued: “I just think that’s not at all what you would expect the president to do.” Vance had, of course, been referencing Trump’s 11-year stint hosting NBC’s reality game show and global TV sensation The Apprentice and The Celebrity Apprentice for 11 years. Trump was the centric force to the fan-favourite programme, which ran from 2004 until 2015 when he departed to run for US President.

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Vance’s not-so-subtle dig at the US President comes after Trump conducted an informal straw poll in the White House Rose Garden on Monday, asking visiting law enforcement officials and other allies at the dinner if they preferred either him or Rubio as next in line. Trump told his guests on Monday: “I don’t know who’s it going to be — Is it going to be JD, is it going to be somebody else? I don’t know,” he said. The US president then turned to his guests to hear their views. He asked: “OK, who likes JD Vance?” To tepid applause, Trump then asked: “Who likes Marco Rubio?” Speaking in Washington on Wednesday, alongside Medicare and Medicaid administrator Dr Mehmet Oz at a press conference to detail the administration’s latest efforts to combat ‘public benefits fraud’, Vance was quick to add a caveat, telling reporters that Trump has “always been fascinated by politics”.

The Vice President said, therefore, it was only “natural for him to, you know, joke around with us a little bit, to play around with the idea”.

He also seemed a tad uncomfortable about being played off against Rubio, telling reporters there were ‘few topics that I want to talk about less than what office I’m going to run for years down the road’ when asked about a possible joint ticket with the now-US Secretary of State two years from now. Vance was also pressed on recent comments made by the US President, who is currently in China to meet with President Xi Jinping. A reporter could be heard asking Vance during the wide-ranging press conference: “When approaching the war with Iran, do you agree with the President’s position that Americans’ financial situations should not be a consideration in that decision-making process?”

Vance replied that Trump’s word had been taken out of context. He said: “Well, I don’t think the President said that. I think that’s a misrepresentation of what the President said.” “But, look, I agree with the President that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. We’re obviously engaged in a very aggressive and very engaged diplomatic process to try to ensure that doesn’t happen,” he concluded, adding: “And the President has a lot of options.” Trump, however, did say that he doesn’t consider the financial woes of the average American when making decisions about the US war with Iran, which has seen fuel prices skyrocket and the cost-of-living spike worldwide as a result.

Speaking on the White House South Lawn just before he departed for his diplomatic trip to China, Trump was asked to what extent “Americans’ financial situations” motivated him to strike a deal with Iran. “Not even a little bit,” the US President said. “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran: They can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing — we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.” A reporter followed up on whether he really wasn’t thinking about the economic impact of the war. “The most important thing by far – including whether our stock market, which, by the way, is at an all-time high – but including whether our stock market goes up or down a little bit, the most important thing by far is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon,” he said, before adding: “Every American understands.”

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Ramsbottom dad’s row with Bury Council over large tree

Published

13 minutes ago

14 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Ramsbottom dad's row with Bury Council over large tree

Cameron Dickson said he first reported the large tree on Nuttall Lane in Ramsbottom 18 months ago.

The dad-of-two claims he asked the council for details about when the tree was surveyed and believes it has not been reviewed by the council.

The tree overhangs both the highway and Cameron’s garden, he claims.

Cameron said earlier correspondence from the council led him to believe they would maintain the tree, which is why he has not taken action yet.

He said he is unsure what proportion of the tree can be cut back on his side as a landowner.

Cameron, who works in the construction industry, said: “At one point, there were some large twigs, branches, whatever you want to call them, falling into my garden where my two daughters play, and they’re three and one.

“I just think it poses a risk to not only us and my children but also the road users, given that at least 50 per cent of it hangs over the road.”

He said he brought the issue to his local councillor, Gareth Staples-Jones, who Cameron described as “helpful”, but he claims they have not had a response from the council.

Cllr Gareth Staples-Jones said: “Originally, Cam contacted me over a year ago, the council did a site visit and arborists agreed upon inspection the tree needed pruning – as a councillor I’ve chased every month for the last 12 months.

“Every time I chase, I’m given a specific month the tree is to be pruned by, and then we reach that month, the tree has not been touched. Cam and I exchange emails where I apologise, tell him I shall chase up the matter again – I then get given a new date, and the cycle has so far repeated for 12 months.

“I’ve now raised the matter directly with the chief executive of the council.

“Sadly, we’re no further along, and I’ve not received any other updates.

“As a councillor, despite my challenges to escalate the case due to the time taken, I’ve been told by the council that this is not possible given the lack of arborists currently employed by the council, due to historic financial constraints.

“However, I’ve been told that there will be a plan to recruit more arborists in the long term.

“I have previously suggested getting contractors in to clear the backlog and to tackle specific cases, but have again been told that, due to financial constraints, this is not possible. I’ll continue to engage with Cam until we get this resolved.”

Cameron said: “Council tax is up at the moment. They barely empty the bins, and they don’t grit the roads properly.

“If it were anybody else, I would be changing providers, but unfortunately, you can’t do that.

“At what point do things like this constitute us not paying council tax? It’s just not right.

“I’m not a ‘Karen’, you know, I don’t go looking for things like this.”

A council spokesperson said: “We are writing to Mr Dickson to confirm that the work is on our work programme to be carried out before the end of June, to apologise for the delay and to thank him for his patience.

“We can confirm that there is no tree preservation order for the tree, and works will include pruning of the overhanging limbs, without having to access Mr Dickson’s property.

“We take safety very seriously and do a survey of the location every year, with the next review to take place by the end of the year.

“We do need to prioritise urgent safety works, particularly related to the issue of ash dieback disease, but we are working to improve response times where possible.

“Thank you to Cllr Staples-Jones for advocating on the resident’s behalf.”

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why you may be right to exit a party without saying goodbye

Published

21 minutes ago

13 May 2026

NewsAdmin

why you may be right to exit a party without saying goodbye

Whether you call it an Irish goodbye, French leave or filer à l’anglaise (leave in the English style), as the French prefer, the act of quietly slipping out of a party without fanfare is a familiar social impulse. The Brazilians called it sair à francesa (French style), the Germans a Polnischer Abgang (Polish departure), and Australians call it ninja bombing. Whatever name it goes by, the concept is the same: one moment you’re there, the next you’ve vanished into the night without a drawn-out round of explanations, hugs and promises to catch up soon.

The pattern is telling: every culture has a term for it, and every culture blames someone else. That collective deflection suggests we already know, on some level, that slipping out unannounced is a social transgression.

But for those of us with anxiety, that silent exit isn’t rudeness. While etiquette traditionalists will probably insist that leaving without saying goodbye is a social no-no, some psychologists argue that it’s a coping strategy. Here’s why sneaking out without saying goodbye might be the healthiest decision you make all evening.

When you break it down – and let’s be honest, those of us who are anxious, introverted, neurodivergent or dealing with chronic illness have all broken this down into agonising detailed steps – saying goodbye is a loaded cultural ritual. It’s a performance that demands a high degree of social skill, accuracy and nuance.

Goodbyes are high-demand situations and, sadly, by the end of a social occasion, many of us are already depleted and don’t have the energy to handle all the steps involved.

For many of us, socialising can mean feeling overwhelmed, constantly monitoring how we come across, trying to fit into other people’s expectations, comparing ourselves to others and worrying about rejection. It can be exhausting to feel like you’re constantly trying to act like your best version of normal.

When socialising means constantly adapting yourself to other people’s expectations, the healthy choice becomes using your last bit of energy to recharge and take care of yourself. Don’t leave the party completely drained with nothing left to recover with.

Sometimes we want to leave quietly because leaving loudly feels like shouting out: “I matter! Look at me, I’m leaving!” The fact is, many of us sit with the belief that we don’t really matter that much, so we don’t say goodbye because we don’t feel we are worth the performance.

Sometimes a silent exit is about self-respect, minding your energy reserves, even if you really enjoyed the evening. At other times, though, it’s an act of self-erasure. You leave without saying goodbye because you think no one will care, that you don’t matter enough to make a fuss when leaving.

Leaving quietly can become a way to protect yourself from the discomfort of saying goodbye. But the quiet exit cuts both ways. Ask yourself whether leaving without a word made your life bigger – you conserved enough energy to recover and you’re glad to go back next time – or whether it shrank it, adding another reason to avoid socialising altogether.

If you are going to pick apart your goodbye and negatively assess it, the next goodbye will feel even harder. Be careful to reality-test your post-event ruminations. It’s usually not as bad as you think, especially if you are assessing your performance through the distorting lens of anxiety.

It’s probably not as bad as you remember it.
GBALLGIGGSPHOTO/Shutterstock.com

The healthiest choice of all

There is always a tension between wanting to belong and wanting to be yourself. If saying goodbye starts to feel so pressured and so performed that you lose any sense of being authentic, then the connection is starting to cost more than it’s worth.

If you feel like you need to be a chameleon to survive the complexities of socialising, the healthiest choice is to find a way to be who you really are. Find a way to tell your friends and family that leaving quietly is something you need because of how your nervous system and psychology are made, and not a reflection of the relationship. Research shows that being your truest self and having the best social connections go hand in hand.

And if you are neurodivergent, being open about what you need can feel like a risk, but it can also be a way to find acceptance, support and understanding when you let people know what you need and like.

If you’re anxious, it’s worth letting your host know in advance that you might need to slip away quietly. Otherwise, there’s a risk that people will read it the wrong way, as coldness or indifference, say.

Get ahead of it by letting people know you’ll leave without saying goodbye, and that you’re grateful to have been invited. Anxious people aren’t bad at relationships. Relationships just work better when everyone understands the other person’s needs.

Less is more

There’s a growing idea that being choosy about your social life isn’t antisocial – some psychologists call it “selective sociality”. Picking your moments carefully means you have more to give when it counts. The goal isn’t to retreat, but to invest in deeper relationships and in real presence, rather than the hollow churn of online contact – unless it supports meaningful connection.

In a world where being seen to do the right thing has begun to outweigh doing the right thing, selective sociality offers a way forward. Knowing our limits and being open about them, when possible, doesn’t weaken connection – it helps create relationships that feel real and sustainable.

If sneaking out without a fuss makes it more likely you will go to the next party, then it’s a choice for more social connection and therefore your health.

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The 2026 Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards now open for applications

Published

27 minutes ago

13 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Hosted by North and South Lanarkshire councils, the awards celebrate and promote the success and achievements of local businesses.

The 2026 Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for applications.

Hosted by North and South Lanarkshire councils, the awards celebrate and promote the success and achievements of local businesses.

They are one of Scotland’s longest running business awards – and this year will be sponsored by Airdrie potato giants Albert Bartlett.

The awards are open to all Lanarkshire businesses and social enterprises across all sectors and are free to enter.

Companies can apply for up to two categories.

The categories are:

Lanarkshire’s Best Business (0-25 employees) – sponsored by Clyde Gateway.

Lanarkshire’s Best Business (26 employees or more) – sponsored by UKSE.

Lanarkshire’s Most Innovative Business – sponsored by Fusion Assets.

Lanarkshire Community Impact Award – sponsorship available.

Lanarkshire Green Business Award – sponsorship available.

Lanarkshire Employer of the Year – sponsored by North Lanarkshire’s Working and South Lanarkshire Works.

Excellence in Customer Service – sponsorship available.

Excellence in Marketing & Engagement Award – sponsorship available.

Councillor Alex McVey, convener of North Lanarkshire Council’s enterprise and fair work committee, said: “Lanarkshire has an innovative and diverse business community with companies of all sizes delivering high quality services and products across many sectors.

“The awards are a great opportunity for them to show off their achievements, and I would urge businesses to apply and celebrate them.”

The closing date for all applications is Friday, June 26.

Details of all categories and how to apply are available at www.lanarkshirebusinessawards.co.uk

There will be a free workshop offering tips and advice on submitting award applications held online on May 27; further information and how to register are also listed on the awards website.

Chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s community and enterprise resources committee, Councillor Robert Brown, said: “Lanarkshire has a strong business base that makes a real difference to our economy and communities.

“These awards are a great chance to recognise that success, and I would encourage businesses and social enterprises across Lanarkshire to apply and celebrate their achievements.

“I can’t wait to see the high calibre of entries that we can expect across Lanarkshire.”

Winners of all categories will be announced at the awards dinner on Friday, October 30, at the Radstone Hotel near Larkhall; tickets go on sale in June.

Anyone interested in the remaining sponsorship opportunities can email the awards team at awards@lbea.info

*Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.

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Drug counsellor who delivered Matthew Perry ketamine jailed

Published

35 minutes ago

13 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Drug counsellor who delivered Matthew Perry ketamine jailed

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence to 56-year-old Erik Fleming in a federal court in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Fleming was the fourth defendant sentenced of the five who have pleaded guilty in prosecutions over the actor’s 2023 death in the jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home.

Fleming connected Perry to Jasveen Sangha, the convicted drug who dealer prosecutors called The Ketamine Queen.

She was sentenced last month to 15 years in prison.

Fleming gave up Sangha to investigators as soon as they contacted him and in August 2024 became the first defendant to plead guilty, admitting to one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death.

That was before arrests in the case were even announced, and Wednesday was his first court appearance since his role became public knowledge.

Prosecutors said in a sentencing memo before the hearing that while Fleming’s exceptional cooperation should bring a lighter sentence, his role as a drug counsellor who “deliberately undertook to sell illegal street drugs to a victim who had a public, well-documented battle with drug addiction” should count against him, even if Perry was not one of his regular clients.

They had asked for two-and-a-half years in prison.

Defence lawyers had asked for a sentence of three months in prison and nine months in a residential drug treatment facility, saying in their sentencing memo that Fleming “has gone to extreme lengths to atone for his criminal conduct”.

Perry had been receiving ketamine treatments for depression — an increasingly common off-label use.

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Titanic Market approved for Fleadh, as well as a series of regular markets on Writer’s Square

Published

41 minutes ago

13 May 2026

NewsAdmin

There will be four Titanic Fleadh market dates, while the new Writer’s Square market will be from June to October

A Titanic market has been approved for the Belfast Fleadh this summer, as well as a regular Sunday market on Writer’s Square.

At a Belfast City Council committee meeting this week, elected representatives gave the thumbs up for an external market at Titanic as part of the 2026 Fleadh, and a series of markets at Writers’ Square in the Cathedral Quarter.

Belfast for the first time will host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, from Sunday August 2 to Sunday August 9. Qualifying competitors from all over the world will showcase the best of traditional music, song, dance and language in All-Ireland competitions.

With a minimum of 700,000 visitors from across the world, it is anticipated to be the biggest cultural event ever held in Belfast. Tourism NI estimates the 2026 Fleadh will bring £60 million into the Northern Ireland economy. It was recently announced Belfast will host the Fleadh again next year.

Belfast City Council has exclusive rights to hold markets in Belfast. Anyone wishing to operate a market or car boot sale within Belfast must apply to the council for permission.

The “Titanic Quarter Night Market” will be brought by Urban Events, working on behalf of the Belfast Maritime Trust, Titanic Belfast, and Titanic Quarter Belfast. There will be 40 stalls at Hamilton Dock, located in front of the SS Nomadic, during Fleadh 2026.

A council report for the City and Growth and Regeneration Committee states: “This programme is designed to enhance the existing cultural offering within the Titanic Quarter across the Fleadh period, working alongside scheduled activity such as the Belfast Film Festival outdoor movies and walkabout entertainment. The intention is not to compete with the city centre programme, but to provide a high-quality, accessible alternative that supports the wider visitor experience.”

August 6 and 7 will see the Titanic Quarter Night Markets Evening, August 8 and 9 will see the Titanic Quarter Food Festival, a daytime food festival showcasing high-quality local producers and street food traders, celebrating the best of regional and artisan food offerings.

Elected representatives also agreed to a regular series of markets, including Sunday markets, at Writers’ Square. The dates are June 28, July 5 and 19, August 23 and 30, September 6, 13, 18, 20, 27 and October 30. All are 12pm to 5pm except September 18 and October 30 which are 5pm to 10pm.

The council report states: “The proposed Writers’ Square market is not intended to compete with or detract from St George’s Market, but instead to respond to a separate and currently unmet need within the Cathedral Quarter.

“The location, time of year (peak season), format and scale have all been designed with St George’s Market in mind, to ensure the proposal does not detract from or compete with it. The market is aimed at serving a different audience and part of the city, particularly visitors and footfall already within the Cathedral Quarter, rather than drawing from St George’s.”

It adds: “In addition to supporting tourism, hospitality, commercial and residential activity within the Cathedral Quarter and wider North Belfast, the market also plays an important role in increasing positive use of Writers’ Square. This also helps address ongoing anti-social and problematic behaviour in the area, which the Cathedral Quarter BID, DfC and PSNI have been actively working to combat.”

In March Belfast Council agreed to open Bridge Street, High Street and Royal Avenue for temporary street trading applications, excluding the sale of alcohol, within the road-closure pedestrianised area of the Fleadh from Sunday August 2 to Sunday August 9. There will be another scheme introduced for dealing with street trading applications for the sale of alcohol.

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

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Older homeowners could still qualify for Pension Credit income boost

Published

49 minutes ago

13 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Advice for pensioners thinking of making a Pension Credit claim, including homeowners on a low income who may still be eligible

Linda Howard Money and Consumer Writer

20:00, 13 May 2026

Pension Credit is a means-tested benefit intended to assist older people on lower incomes by supplementing their weekly earnings and opening the door to further financial support. However, charities and welfare advisers have repeatedly cautioned that a significant number of pensioners fail to claim because they wrongly assume homeowners are ineligible.

Guidance published on GOV.UK confirms that individuals can still qualify for Pension Credit if they own their property, hold savings or receive a State Pension. An award of as little as £1 per week is sufficient to unlock assistance with housing costs, heating bills and Council Tax.

The DWP recently confirmed nearly 78 per cent of all new claims for Pension Credit are processed – from initial application to award decision letter – within the target timeframe of 50 working days (10 weeks). This means older people on a low income making a new claim this month, could receive their first payment and any arrears by August.

Married pensioners with a combined weekly income of less than £363.25 per week, or single pensioners with an income of below £238.00 could be eligible for Pension Credit, reports the Daily Record.

For 2026/27, Pension Credit tops income up to £238.00 a week for single people and £363.25 a week for couples. Some people may receive more depending on their circumstances, including disability, caring responsibilities or housing costs.

What counts as income

Your income includes:

State Pension
other pensions
earnings from employment and self-employment
most social security benefits – for example, Carer’s Allowance

What does not count as income

Not all benefits are counted as income. For example, the following are not counted:

Adult Disability Payment
Attendance Allowance
DWP Christmas Bonus
Child Benefit
Disability Living Allowance
Pension Age Disability Payment
Personal Independence Payment
social fund payments like Winter Fuel Allowance
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Reduction

Savings don’t automatically disqualify someone from claiming Pension Credit, though they can influence the amount received. Based on GOV.UK guidance, savings exceeding £10,000 are considered when determining entitlement.

For those with more than £10,000, every £500 above this threshold is treated as £1 weekly income. For instance, someone with £11,000 in savings would have this counted as £2 income per week.

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‘Not about laziness’ – Pep Guardiola hails two Man City stars vs Palace

Published

59 minutes ago

13 May 2026

NewsAdmin

Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva caught Pep Guardiola’s eye in Manchester City’s win over Crystal Palace

Pep Guardiola hailed Manchester City’s old hand and returning star after Manchester City kept alive their Premier League title hopes with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace.

Phil Foden shone on his first start since Nottingham Forest’s visit in March, while Bernardo Silva again earned the praise of his manager with the captain one of expected FA Cup final starters to keep his place amid six changes.

Foden, who caught the eye off the bench against Brentford at the weekend, produced his best performance in months with two assists and left the pitch to a standing ovation when replaced late on.

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Asked if that was Foden’s best showing for a while, Guardiola said: “Playing as a holding midfielder, but in the last 20-25 minutes v Brentford he was outstanding.

“It is not about laziness or not running, he is running all the time and helps Bernie and then without the ball we want [him] close to the box and he is unique close to the box.

“Bernie I like a lot, the last game v Brentford for his defensive intuition. Second ball he is there. He has something unique. Everything is replaceable in life like managers and sporting directors but there are players which are a bit more difficult.

“Bernardo is a grandfather already and Phil is still a little boy. He’s 24-25 and have a lot to improve. He has to be who he is and after the experience, step by step.”

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