Tax Research UK

You’re sounding a bit grumpy! So am I - only through the goodness of a work colleague did I have somewhere to sleep last night when I couldn’t get home due to icy roads.

Although it might become the norm, let’s not forget that the current weather is more than a little unusual. In these straightened times, we need to be devoting scarce resources to what is happening, not what might happen, and accept that doing so can cause inconvenience, sometimes severe inconvenience, but probably not ruin.

Yes, the snow preparations around here are awful. I live on a hill and its been a big grey ice slide for over a week already. I wish the council would send something with a big spinning brush at the front to clear the snow before it gets compacted and turns to ice by vehicle tyres. Also a smaller one to clear a path on the pavements would also be appreciated. I was talking to Santa Clause in the supermarket and he showed my the bruise on his hip where he fell after skipping on our road.

Sorry, Santa SLIPPED on our road, not skipped, or maybe he was skipping and then he slipped.

Richard, you are absolutely right to point out the issue of employers not paying staff (although my comment was intended as a light-hearted prod!). Were employers to act in that way, it would be very destructive and very short-sighted. But then it never ceases to amaze me that so few employers seem to grasp the principle that, if you treat your people well, they will return the favour in spades, whether it’s providing a bed for the night when you can’t get home or pulling out the stops at work! We’re in this together.