u/CatCharacter1663

I’m looking at taking a 4-week temp job over the summer. In the past I never really bothered with sick pay because of the old 3-day waiting rule, but I’ve heard that since the April 2026 changes, SSP gets paid from the very first sick day now. Does that still apply for really short-term temp contracts where you might only be there for a month or so? Also, am I right in thinking lower-paid workers now get either 80% of average earnings or the SSP rate, whichever is lower? I’ve seen a few articles about it from March/April, just wanted to check it’s definitely live now and not something still waiting to come in.

I’ve been listening to Radio 3 Unwind a lot lately, but I’m looking to branch out a bit. Does anyone have a favourite late-night station or show for peaceful background listening? I’ve tried the usual Mellow Magic and Classic FM Smooth Classics, but I’d love to find something a bit less obvious, maybe a local DAB station or a smaller digital channel with a really chilled late-night presenter.

I’ve listened to the first part of Felix White’s artist residency and I’m really enjoying it so far. He’s got such a good way of talking about the stories behind the tracks, it reminds me of the kind of music-led radio we used to get a lot more of. If anyone’s looking for something good to catch up on this week, it’s definitely worth a listen. Has anyone else tuned in yet, or are you waiting to see who the next resident is in June?

Just finished one of my bigger exams and I genuinely feel like my brain has factory reset 😭 i’ve got another one in a few days and I honestly don’t know how people switch straight into revising a completely different subject without getting everything mixed together. Any actual good ways to mentally reset for a bit that aren’t just staring at a wall for an hour? Also, is anyone still functioning normally right now or are we all just slowly turning into library creatures until the end of May?

My friend bought an old toaster from a vintage market in the South East over the weekend that looks like it’s probably from the early 90s. There’s a grey-ish fibrous board material inside near the heating elements, which made us wonder whether older appliances like this used asbestos for heat insulation. Nothing has been disturbed or plugged in yet. Would something like this usually be considered risky to use, or is it more a case of leaving it alone unless the material is damaged?

Just a warning for anyone commuting in over the next couple of weeks, the planned Tube strikes look like they’re going ahead and travel around central London could get pretty messy. Feels especially stressful with exams and assessment stuff happening at the same time. I’m probably going to rely more on the Elizabeth line/Overground and just walk part of the way if needed. Has anyone found a decent backup route into Bloomsbury that avoids the worst of the disruption?

Has anyone had experience working with a mentor who’s very knowledgeable but quite direct or “old school” in how they approach things? Sometimes it can feel a bit tricky knowing when to ask questions or how to build a good working relationship. Any tips on how to get the most out of that kind of placement and make it a positive experience?

Still stuck on FTTC and wondering if it’s even worth keeping now. I’ve seen Starlink latency has improved and 5G home broadband seems more common now. Has anyone switched recently, how does it actually hold up for gaming or video calls compared to copper? Any issues with stability or congestion?

I noticed EE is doing way more than phones now PS5s, laptops, even coffee machines. Has anyone actually used “Add to Plan” for hardware instead of buying from somewhere like Amazon or Currys? I’m trying to figure out if it’s actually a decent deal or if it’s mostly just paying extra for the convenience of monthly payments. Also, how was the delivery experience? I’ve seen a few mixed comments about the EE Store side compared to the mobile side, so would be good to hear some real experiences.

Do you think pay is matching the effort required?

Was looking at things after the weekend and it’s mad how consistent Leif Davis has been. The amount he offers going forward from left-back is unreal, always seems to be involved when something’s happening, and still delivering late in games as well. Feels like he’s taken it up another level again this season. Surely he’s got to be getting close to an England look now? Or is he still flying under the radar a bit because he’s at Ipswich?

Completely forgot about the rules on taking meat and dairy into France. Saw a guy yesterday having to bin a pretty expensive M&S ham and cheese toastie right before boarding, such a waste 😭 Looks like they’re doing spot checks on food again at the moment. Has anyone else had anything taken off them recently? What’s a safe snack to bring that won’t get binned?