Latest news with #IsleofMan
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Warm spring leads to 5.3% Isle of Man gas bill increase
Gas bills are set to rise by 5.3% from July after a dip in consumption in the first half of the year due a warm spring, the sector's regulator has increase will see Isle of Man Energy customers pay about £24 more each year on average from 1 July, with tariffs being increased from 9.76p to 10.29p per uplift, which affects domestic and small commercial users, follows the twice-yearly review of the charges by the Communications and Utilities Regulatory Authority (Cura).Managing director of the energy firm Aidan Baglow said despite the latest tariff adjustment, prices would still be lower than they were at the same time last year after a 13.8% drop was introduced in January. Cura carries out at least two reviews a year of the gas tariffs charged by the island's monopoly gas was set up as a regulator in 2020 with a remit of reviewing the tariffs and profits of the energy of Man Energy is bound by regulations to keep its overall returns within the parameters set by the watchdog to stop it making excessive profits. Following its latest statement, Cura said the annual return for the firm had been overestimated in the previous review, therefore the tariff would need to increase for the remainder of the explained that while wholesale costs on average had come down across the period, there had also been a dip in consumption in the first half of the year due a warm the "continued volatility" in global gas prices, Mr Baglow said those costs had increased "almost immediately" after January's reduction. He said the latest 5.3% rise was "necessary" to "recover our network costs".The next tariff review is set to be carried out in November, with any further changes to tariffs implemented the following January. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plans to remove £10k benefit from self-employed on Isle of Man
Plans have been put forward to strip self-employed people of benefits worth £10,000 on average from Isle of Man Treasury said about 50 people would be affected by the proposed change in eligibility for Employed Person's Allowance (EPA).The payments income-related social security payments are made to families and disabled workers with calculations based on a minimum number of hours worked.A Treasury spokesman said some claimants may not be declaring the "full extent of their income" which presented a "significant risk" of them being over paid. EPA payments rely on claimants reporting profits, which were "often unverifiable due to cash-based income and untracked hours", he the 950 claiming the benefit in December last year, 52 were self-employed, with payments to that group totalling £500,000 last occupations of claimants included a childminder, a children's entertainer, a handyman and home baker. Treasury Minister Alex Allinson said having "considered a number of options" it had been "concluded that EPA is not appropriate for the primarily self-employed"."Officers were unable to verify the income or hours worked by claimants and around 40% report earnings below the minimum wage, which raises questions about the sustainability of such businesses," he said the government was "committed" to providing financial support to workers "in genuine need", while making sure payments were "targeted, secure and reliable", he will be asked to support the changes at the July sitting of Tynwald. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
'Chemical incident' in Isle of Man Airport grounds closes road
A "chemical incident" during airport runway drainage works has led to the closure of a road in the south of the Isle of Man.A spokesman for Isle of Man Airport said contractors working at the site had "disturbed buried items", which required "further investigation".As a result, Derbyhaven Road on the perimeter of the airfield had been closed, but flights are continuing to operate as normal, he have been told to arrive at the airport "as normal". Fire crews of Douglas and Castletown have attended the scene to "make the area safe".Isle of Man Constabulary said the road closure had been put in place for the "safety of crews on scene" but access to the nearby golf course and Langness remained available."However, we request that if you have no reason to attend the area that you do not do so," it added. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
Associated Press
13 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Alpha Growth PLC - Providence Life Granted Isle of Man Branch License
Providence Life Receives Isle of Man Branch License LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / June 20, 2025 / Alpha Growth plc, ( ) a leading global financial services specialist in the multi-billion dollar market of longevity assets and insurance linked asset and wealth management is pleased to announce that one of its group companies, Providence Life Assurance Company (Bermuda) Limited ('Providence Life Assurance'), a leading provider of bespoke life insurance solutions for ultra-high net worth ('UHNW') individuals and family offices, has been granted a branch license in the Isle of Man. The new branch, operating under the name Alpha PPLI will cater to the sophisticated wealth planning needs of clients across the UK, Europe, Middle East and Asia. The Isle of Man Financial Services Authority issued the permit to Providence Life Assurance on May 23, 2025, under section 22 of the Insurance Act 2008, authorizing the company to conduct both Class 1 and Class 2 insurance business with immediate effect. Alpha PPLI builds upon Providence Life Assurance's established expertise in Private Placement Life Insurance ('PPLI') and Private Placement Variable Annuities ('PPVA'), offering tailored solutions designed to address the complex financial and succession planning requirements of UHNW individuals and family offices. The branch aims to provide a full suite of customized insurance structures, supported by a team with decades of collective industry experience and backed by the financial strength of parent company Alpha Growth plc. Alpha PPLI is lead by its Chief Executive Julian Melling and Business Development Executive Richard Turnbull, both based in the Isle of Man with significant recognized experience in the high net worth life insurance industry. 'Our expansion into the Isle of Man through Alpha PPLI marks a significant milestone in Providence Life Assurance's growth strategy. This new branch enhances our ability to deliver world-class, flexible insurance solutions to discerning clients in key international markets,' said Gobind Sahney, Chairman & CEO of Alpha Growth plc and Providence Life Assurance. 'After many years in this industry, I am pleased to lead the strategic expansion of Providence Life Assurance's international business. This marks a pivotal moment for UHNW life insurance, opening up an exciting future for Providence Life Assurance and the Alpha Growth group of companies, as we enhance our ability to serve the sophisticated needs of UHNW clients and family offices across key international markets.' said Julian Melling, [email protected] Chief Executive of Alpha PPLI. Providence Life Assurance is renowned for its independent, client-focused approach, delivering best-in-class service and innovative insurance products. The launch of Alpha PPLI in the Isle of Man underscores the company's commitment to supporting the wealth management objectives of UHNW clients and family offices in the UK, Europe, and Asia. About Providence Life Assurance Company (Bermuda) Limited: Providence Life Assurance specializes in providing customized life insurance products, including PPLI and PPVA, to ultra-high net worth individuals and institutions. The company operates under the regulatory oversight of the Bermuda Monetary Authority and is part of Alpha Growth plc, a global leader in insurance-linked wealth management. About Alpha Growth plc Specialist in Life Insurance, Esoteric and Longevity Assets Alpha Growth plc is a financial advisory business providing specialist consultancy, advisory, and supplementary services to institutional and qualified investors globally in the multi-billion dollar market of longevity assets and insurance linked asset and wealth management. Building on its well-established network, the Alpha Growth group has a unique position in the insurance and asset services and investment business with global reach. ***END*** This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [email protected] or visit SOURCE: Alpha Growth PLC press release
The Guardian
16 hours ago
- Science
- The Guardian
Week in wildlife: acrobatic dolphins, a lost baby raccoon and a pair of Bambis
Michigan wildlife experts finally were able to trap a black bear and remove a large lid that was stuck around his neck – after two years. They don't know how it managed to get the lid stuck on its head or how it fed itself for two years. The bear was said to be doing well after it was freed Photograph: AP A jaguar growls at the Mata Ciliar rescue centre in Jundiaí, Brazil. The expansion of nearby São Paulo, known as the 'stone jungle', is chipping away at wild animals' habitat, with snares, poachers and electrified fences all posing threats. Twenty-five pumas and 10 jaguars are being treated at Mata Ciliar, joining monkeys, wild dogs, maned wolves, ocelots and other regional animals Photograph: Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty Images Dolphins show off their leaping skills near Port St Mary, Isle of Man, UK Photograph: Manuela Swiatek/SWNS A spongy moth caterpillar feasts in a forest in south-western Corsica. Authorities are worried about a spike in numbers of these larvae, which devour the foliage of oaks – one of the island's most common trees – leaving woodlands devastated. Affected oaks can often recover from the damage, albeit with stunted growth Photograph: Pascal Pochard-Casabianca/AFP/Getty Images Two baby roe deer play in the sun near Beeley, Derbyshire, UK Photograph: Villager Jim/SWNS A northern gannet flies out from its nest in the cliffs at Bempton, East Yorkshire, UK Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Tibetan antelopes migrate through Changtang national nature reserve Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock On a roll … a Weddell seal in Antarctica. Antarctic seal populations are drastically declining as the sea ice melts around them. Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey have been monitoring the seal population since the 1970s, looking in particular at three different seal species in the sub-Antarctic on Signy Island: Weddell seals, Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals. They found Weddell seals, which rely on stable sea ice to rest, breed and feed, had declined by 54% since 1977 Photograph: see info A watchful prairie dog at the American Prairie nature preserve in Montana, US. A new study has found that birds such as curlews have figured out that if they eavesdrop on alarms from prairie dog colonies, they may get a jump on predators coming for them, too Photograph: Roshan Patel/AP Newly hatched eaglets wait for food in their nest in Bingöl, eastern Turkey, with what looks like the remains of their last meal behind them Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Canada geese walk along the boardwalk near MacArthur Park lake, with the downtown Los Angeles skyline in the background, US Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty Images A worker bee rushes to collect pollen from a yellow dwarf California poppy, which is grown as an ornamental plant in high-altitude areas in Düzce, Turkey Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Pecking order … two recently fledged great spotted woodpeckers, sporting the red cap that characterises young birds, fight over an old stump in Aberystwyth, Wales, UK. Neither was harmed in the spat Photograph: Philip Jones/Alamy Live News A peacock shows its plumage in Ahmedabad, India Photograph: Rajat Gupta/EPA Our south London fox cubs (see past instalments of Week in Wildlife) are now three months old. They have lost their youthful plumpness as they grow towards the leaner shape of adult foxes, although they still love to play Photograph: Anna Watson/Alamy Live News Penthouse suite … storks nest on an electricity pylon in Diyarbakır, Turkey, having migrated to the area from the Nile valley in Egypt Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A small white butterfly flies through a field in Soultz-Haut-Rhin, eastern France Photograph: Sébastien Bozon/AFP/Getty Images An Anatolian ground squirrel tucks in to grass seeds in the rural steppes near Ankara, Turkey Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images Flamingos parade at Patanemo lagoon, Puerto Cabello, Venezuela Photograph: Juan Carlos Hernández/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock A loggerhead sea turtle seen at night on a beach in Antalya, on Turkey's Mediterranean coast. Volunteers are working to protect 1,500 nests on two beaches in the area – which, despite being peppered with resorts and homes, are among the most important nesting areas of loggerhead turtles in Europe Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images A damselfly eats its prey at the Bois de Vincennes park in eastern Paris, France Photograph: Martin Lelievre/AFP/Getty Images Locked out … a scared and wet baby raccoon was found on a doorstep in Belchertown, Massachusetts, US. The raccoon was warmed up and taken to Leyden wildlife rehabilitation centre Photograph: Belchertown Animal Control/SWNS
