Alan de Enfield

The state pension is currently a 'few pounds' below the threshold to pay tax - next year it will break the threshold and you will pay tax on your state pension. You may well be paying 20% tax (as am I) on private pensions, as the State pension is the first thing to be considered in your allowances and then any other income is taxable.

"Oven bottom"

Cob !

But PLBs do not. They are registered, (but not licenced) with your details and work anywhere in the world- land, sea or air. we have them for scuba diving / hiking / horse riding in the 'wilds' Notification can get to your local rescue services within 5 minutes Cost " a couple of £100" and battery last 5 years minimum and is replaceable, no subscription, licence or call charges. Accurate to about 1 metre.

I'll respond to your accusation, but I'll leave it now as it will be getting 'political' and I have made my point. Or you could simply look at the Government website "universal credit statistics" if you want more detail The figures I quoted are the latest 'provisional' figures, but, are in line with the 2025 figures 1. Main stories there were 7.9 million people on Universal Credit in June 2025, up from 6.8 million people on Universal Credit in June 2024 of people on Universal Credit in June 2025, 76.4% were from the white ethnic group. The Asian/Asian British ethnicity group accounts for 10.3%. The Black/African/Caribbean/Black British ethnicity group accounts for 6.0%. The Mixed/Multiple Ethnic groups accounts for 2.9%, while the Other ethnic group accounts for 4.4% the proportion of people in the ‘no work requirements’ conditionality regime (42%) continues to increase In June 2025, 83.6% of people on UC belonged to the immigration status group “CTA – UK, Ireland, Right of Abode” In June 2025, 9.7% of people on UC were in the “EU Settlement Scheme” group. 2.7% of people on UC were in the “Indefinite Leave to Remain (not EU Settlement Scheme)” group. 1.5% of people on UC were in the “Refugee” group. 1.0% of people on UC were in the “Limited Leave to Remain (not EU Settlement Scheme) including family reunion” group. 0.7% of people on UC were in the “Humanitarian” group. 0.4% of people on UC were in the “Other” group

Currently our local garage has only 1 pump for petrol and 1 pump for diesel, all others are locked-off. He is now 6 days overdue for a delivery and no promises forthcoming about when he will get a delivery. He has fuel but is trying to ration it to 'locals' by 'looking' as if he is out of stock. Edit - Diesel £1.97/litre

Apparently, in the last 18 months an additional 1.6 million have been added onto the number receiving universal credit. Some 46% of the total are not required to 'prepare for work', 'look for work, or, actually do any work.

That may be the logic but not under the same 'rules' "No home mooring" boats are required to move in accordance with the rules, "Yellow Badge" boaters would appear to pay neither the increased "CC" licence fee, or a mooring fee, or, even have to move.

If someone is incapable of 'boating' (cruising) why not just insist they take a (paid for) mooring Currently, it appears as if C&RT are just providing 'free of charge' moorings.

As I said (remember I am no 'ex-purt' just an interested boater) It does not look to me like (active) MIC, but, it maybe worth getting a professional opinon.

Practically, for the inland waterways boaters, it is "does it look like, and sound like the description and pictures of MIC" ? Then take preventative action anyway whilst the boat is being taken back to bare metal (Bleach doesn't work if the boat is still covered with blacking etc, as MIC 'tunnels' along underneath the paint) The AI answer to the way that big ship owners identify it is : Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) is a form of corrosion caused by microorganisms. To identify MIC, a combination of chemical, biological, and metallurgical analysis is required. Here are the key steps involved in the identification process: Sample Collection: Samples should be taken wet and prevented from drying to ensure the presence of biofilms and fluids containing the requisite microorganisms. Sample Analysis: Common molecular microbiological methods include qPCR, DGGE, and metagenomic sequencing. These methods require small sample sizes and can identify microorganisms even when they are not alive. Metabolic Activity: The metabolic activity of each microorganism under similar conditions must be determined, as simply measuring high concentrations of microorganisms is not sufficient. Synergy Analysis: Microscopic techniques can determine the concentrations of microorganisms, and together with x-ray diffraction of the corrosion products, the level of synergy can be determined. For internal pipeline surfaces, NACE TM0212 outlines the molecular methods for evaluating MIC, microscopic analyses, sampling, and chemical assays. It is necessary to analyze water chemistry to determine the species that support microbial metabolism and growth, including sulfate, acetate, or organic compounds, as well as abiotic factors like dissolved oxygen or sulfur.

Are you sure it was water and not MIC excreta which travels underneath paint and forms blisters. Microbially Induced Corrosion (MIC) is a highly unpredictable process but under the influence of micro-organisms, corrosion processes can be rapid, happening in a matter of months compared to the years it would take for ordinary abiotic corrosion to reach serious proportions. This phenomenon is well known in the oil, gas, water and mining industries but is little understood in the steel boating world. MIC frequently occurs in areas with high nitrate content in the water – this particularly pertains to arable regions of the canal network and particularly to canals and rivers on the east side of the UK and where there is intensive crop farming using non organic chemical fertilizers with consequential phosphate, sulphate and nitrate run-off into the watercourses. Marinas fed by rivers are another risk area and, in salt water environments, it is well known that harbour muds are highly contaminated by sulphides produced by these creatures. Sulphide films are, by their very nature, highly corrosive and the identification of such very obvious. It is usually found under muddy and slimy surfaces, sometimes even behind paint coatings and a very careful visual inspection is necessary to locate it. It is not discoverable by non-destructive testing such as ultrasonic thickness measurement, eddy current testing or the magnetic method familiar to most marine surveyors. The bacteria are often found inside oxidised welds or in areas which contain physical defects such as porosity, overlap or lack of penetration. The microbes leading to this condition can both cause corrosion from beneath existing coatings or seek out pinpricks in the steel coating and cause the reaction to occur from the outside. MIC bacteria can be present under previous blackings and is not eradicated by simple pressure washing. Unless correctly treated, MIC can continue to thrive beneath the coating, emerging as major pitting. The main problem is that the microbes can continue to live beneath the existing paint coatings and once sealed in with a fresh blacking, the lack of oxygen and light is the perfect environment for them to thrive leading to a risk of corrosion from the inside out. No coatings are entirely proof against a microbial attack from the exterior. Minute pinpricks, mechanical damage below the waterline are all opportunities for the microbes to penetrate the steel and commence the process from the outside in..

Because I'm not sure it looks like MIC, - mind you if it has been 'polished' down to almost bare metal it may have removed much of the evidence. But, the 'litte pits' do not look correct for MIC, they look 'black' in the pit whilst MIC pits are 'bright shiny silver'. The OPs 'pits' Never say never - the pits could be partly filled with 'black dust' (covering the 'shiny silver MIC) following the grinding down of the old blacking / epoxy. It certainly looks to be a very pitted hull, but difficult to tell the depth of them. It may be worth having them looked at whilst in the dock and before you start re-coating.

Looking at those pictures you need to go back to bare metal and start again. If you just 'go over it' you will have wasted you money as it falls off within weeks.

That may limit its appeal as more and more cities introduce similar rules.