Public outrage: New 4-day work week plan hits different sectors hard
British citizens share their thoughts about govtʼs new 4-day work schedule and its effects on public services. Letters also highlight farming crisis and housing industry changes
Local govt workers shift to shorter weeks‚ and citizens dont like it. Council-tax payers wonder if theyre getting less service for same money — while some departments already work just 3 days (making it hard to reach town-planners by phone)
The Armed Forces face a tough situation: why would anyone choose military service with its 7-day weeks when public-sector offers cushy 4-day schedules. Jos Binns from Northumberland points out that poor housing and frequent moves make it even harder to recruit
Farming communities face a different challenge. Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin‚ a Devon farmer writes about new inheritance-tax rules that might destroy family farms:
Weʼre counting trees and measuring hedgerows to get back money lost after Brexit; now we need to find hundreds of thousands for inheritance tax
- Disease risks
- Climate problems
- Supermarket pricing
- Post-Brexit uncertainties
- New tax burden
Housing construction shows some positive changes. Scottish builders use pre-made wooden frames that speed up building time — making estates ready in months instead of years. The timber-frame houses (once hard to get mortgages for) are now common
Radio 3s programming changes spark debate about its role as classical music broadcaster. The station mixes different genres now: jazz documentaries and interviews — moving away from what some listeners think should be its main focus
Christmas card senders face rising postal costs: second-class stamps for 100 cards now cost £85. Some suggest posting from India where stamps cost just 45p‚ though delivery takes 4-10 days
