The Positive Accountant Vol 2 Ed 40
Furlough was a word that a few months ago few, if any of use, knew existed. And yet now it ranks amongst the highest of google searches. And I suspect that if someone took a straw poll as to whether it is a good or bad thing the result could break the internet in the same way as 'that dress' did (it was white by the way).
We're all sort of finding (or is that fumbling ?) our way through it, just in time for it to be phased out, which is slightly irritating. Germany, in contrast, have committed to it as a scheme until the end of 2021, and the percentage supported increases the longer a person has been furloughed.
Moving on, the one big unknown is how the £1,000 bonus works.
Take, Frances Nice who runs a travel agency through a limited company. During lockdown she furloughed her only member of staff, Barbara Ados. And then, because the business was non existent furloughed herself as allowed by the rules.
Being married to an Optician she is now specialising in all inclusive trips to Barnard Castle and business is booming, Barb is back with her full time.
It seems that, provided Barb is paid more than an average of £520 per month in November - January, Frances will receive a bonus of £1,000 for bringing her back.
But will Frances also get the £1,000 for re-employing herself ? Seems too good to be true....
But who knows ? The guidance that we need on this subject is apparently coming out in October.
What are my positives today ?
1. The Milk Isn't Off..
I've been told that I rarely make a decent cup of tea (I'm a coffee drinker).
But I know enough, that trying to make tea with milk that has gone off is not a good idea. And I also know that Debbie only really likes tea made with skimmed milk (red bottle tops). I'm also quite domesticated, in that I know to keep milk fresh it needs to go in a 'refrigerator'.
So what's a chap to do when, late at night, en route to bed, just after turning the light out in a room he notices through the gloom a milk sized vaguely red bottle sitting on the worktop ?
Thinking I was doing a good thing I put it in the fridge.
In the cold light of day the fact that there was a bottle of carpet shampoo sitting in the fridge door has been the subject of much mirth....
2. I noticed before making the tea
That's got to be a good thing right ? I mean, if the tea I make is revolting anyway, a dollop of Vax's finest is hardly going to help it !
3. George's bank account is secure
It's good to see banks taking internet security seriously.
George (name changed) was pleased to receive a new internet security dongle from his bank, along with instructions on how to use it and details of how much more secure the new one was compared to the old.
And then he found out how and why it was so secure.
The bank had decided to reduce his maximum permitted daily payments to £0. Which when you think about it is a superb plan.
I'm sure there must be a downside, but I can't see it as yet...
It will apparently take six-eight weeks to get the limit elevated, something that happened to his blood pressure in a much shorter amount of time...
Apparently this isn't milk. Nor does it add flavour to tea.