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Contact | Mar 12 Member benefits

MEMBER B TRAINING TRAINING

Speaking Frankly … A practical financial advice column from Frank

MacDonald, the Benevolent Fund secretary

I have heard from my employer that my job might soon be redundant. What state benefits might be available?

You should first consider making an application for JobSeeker’s Allowance from your local Job Centre Plus. If you have a partner who is working

for at least 16 hours a week, you may also qualify for Working Tax Credits. If you have a child/children aged under 16 (or 16-18 and in full-time education), you may qualify for Child Tax Credits in addition to any Child Benefit already being paid. Subject to an assessment of your

circumstances and income, you may be able to get assistance with housing costs and Council Tax. Further details are available at

www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_ money/benefits_index_page_ew.htm If you have secured and/or

unsecured commitments and are unable to keep up to date with the payments, consider approaching either a Citizen’s Advice Bureau or other financial advice centre. CABs and money advice centres can help you to draw up a workable financial programme and can lend substantial ongoing support in negotiating agreements with creditors while helping to ensure that you and your family have sufficient resources. The following organizations offer

free and excellent advice and support in dealing with financial problems. Partly funded by the credit industry, these are charitable and non-profit making agencies: www.cccs.co.uk; www.nationaldebtline.co.uk; www. direct.gov.uk/en/Bfsl1/ BenefitsAndFinancialSupport/ DG_10018839 Subject to individual circumstances, the CIOB Benevolent Fund can help families in situations of financial hardship. While the fund cannot help with paying debts, it can sometimes help members with financial support with day-to-day household costs.

If you would like to discuss any concern in confidence please contact Frank at fmacdonald@ciob.org.uk or 01344-630780.

NEC Users’ Group annual seminar

The NEC Users’ Group annual seminar will take place on 19 March in London. Don’t miss the opportunity to be involved in this much-anticipated NEC event.

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Why attend? • Keynote speech from Mark Prisk MP, minister of state for business and enterprise • Launch of the NEC Works Information Guidance • The opportunity to network with more than 200 NEC experts • Valuable insight into how live projects use NEC3 • Information on new NEC contracts, amendments and support services

Special offers include: • Group discounts • Sponsorship and exhibition packages • Free and discounted Users’ Group member places

KNOWL EDGE

BRE guidance on managing energy

on energy management. Energy >

Management in the Built Environment has been prepared with assistance from the Energy Services and Technology

Association (ESTA).

“The rising cost of energy has highlighted the need for improved energy management,” says Andy

Lewry, author of the report. “Security of energy supply has also become an issue, and UK production satisfied only about 70% of demand in 2010.”

UK businesses spend £2.4bn annually

on energy, of which 21% is wasted. “When managing energy, one has to overcome the false perception that it is a fixed cost to business,” says Alan Aldridge, executive director of ESTA. “Considering energy as a variable cost provides the opportunity to discover savings.” The guide provides a step-by-step approach

For more details and booking information contact Raquel Wallace, NEC events co-ordinator raquel.wallace@ neccontract.com +44 (0)207 665 2443

For the full event programme and online bookings, visit www.neccontract. com/events/index.asp

that can be applied by anyone responsible for energy management. Most of the examples are the built environment, but the underlying principles can be employed in any organisation or industry sector. The report also features a matrix tool that can be used to help organisations identify areas for improvement, prioritise energy management activities and maximise potential benefits.

Energy Management in the Built Environment is available from www.constructionbooksdirect.com, or by calling +44 (0)1433 630810, ISBN 978-1-84806-235-1

BRE, the UK’s leading building research body, has produced a new report

MEMBER BENEFITS

CIOB HILL INTERNATIONAL MASTERCLASSES Hill International and CIOB’s Masterclass training series Tel: 020 7618 1200 www.hillintluk.com

CIOB HOME INSURANCE Home insurance for professional people. Tel: 0845 365 1289 www.hiscox.co.uk/ciob

IHS

Critical technical information and decision-support tools http://uk.ihs.com

DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE