My first story for lifts the lid on the profit-driven businesses cashing in on vulnerable people trapped in debt
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Natalie Bloomer
@natalie_bloomer
Investigative journalist at with a current focus on the cost of living. Co-founder . Mum to a badass daughter.
NorthamptonshireJoined May 2010
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A significant amount of responses to this story are suggesting that I have been "briefed" by civil servants/political opponents, or that it's part of a "witch-hunt"
It's not - it is the result of a six-month investigation by me, and only me
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NNJ really keeping up the pressure on Northants Police over youth knife crime 👏
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Northants' Police and crime commissioner has admitted that the activity in the county to reduce serious violence is not coordinated. Hard to see how the teenage street violence can be tackled while this is the case. He says a new strategy is being made
nnjournal.co.uk/p/after-anothe
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Looking forward to speaking about journalism with young people at this event
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Join us in #Corby Fri 2 Jun (half term) for #CreativeIndustries Expo. Young people, new entrants + professionals. Taking part are @NMPATrust @MadeWithMany_ @thecorecorby @cordellgarfield @JThorleyAuthor @natalie_bloomer +filmmakers, VFX, illustrators...northamptonfilmfestival.eventive.org/schedule/6446c
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Come and work with us!
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We’re hiring!
TBIJ is looking for an experienced Deputy Editor to join our team
Location: London
Salary: £65,000 - £70,000 depending on experience
Deadline: Thursday, 15 June
More info 
thebureauinvestigates.com/blog/2023-05-22
One of the most concerning things here is the sharp increase in people in this position- up almost a third since January
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📢 Our first episode of TBIJ Live will air on Twitter on May 31st
Our line-up will be discussing the dark secrets of private investigators 🕵️
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🔴EXCLUSIVE🔴 NHS pays out £4 million in sexual misconduct cases, with more than 1,500 allegations of sexual misconduct made in 5 years. By me & for
NHS pays millions to victims of hospital sex pests
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Our latest newsletter is by the formidable Lucy Nash.
Combining three of my favourite subjects: Power, Money & Football.
If you want to support the UK’s largest independent, not-for-profit investigative newsroom, sign up.
thebureauinvestigates.com
The following media includes potentially sensitive content. Change settings
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NEW 🚨
Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich’s secret funding of a major Dutch football club is set to be investigated
This will be the third probe into Vitesse Arnhem’s finances …
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The Sixfields land deal is becoming a festering sore at West Northamptonshire Council. Tory rebel Paul Clark says he has been removed from committees due to his scrutiny of the deal. Leader Jonathan Nunn denies any wrongdoing & says ‘show me the evidence’
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More than 2 yrs after reported that a majority of GP surgeries are contravening NHS guidelines by refusing to register patients, finds there has been little progress. 30 of the 39 surgeries they called said a patient needed ID to register
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With the government announcing 45,000 seasonal work visas for 2024, our reporter spoke to the BBC about our investigation into the visa scheme.
The package features some of the workers who spoke to us for our investigation.
From minute 11:45: bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0
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11m Brits now struggling to pay their bills
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I was on Radio 4's The World Tonight yesterday talking about 's investigation into the UK's seasonal worker visa.
I want to thank the team for including the voices of some of the workers we interviewed. Sadly, it's been missing from the broader conversation
The 1st part:
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There are so many reasons why this is a toxic message. Mad that it’s still being pushed in 2023
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The normative family, the mother and father sticking together for the sake of the children, is the only basis for a safe and functioning society.
Marriage is not only about you, it's a public act to live for the sake of someone else.
-MP @danny__kruger at #NatConUK
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As the 2nd reading of the Victims and Prisoners Bill takes place today, we urge the government to guarantee migrant victims' right to safety & justice. We call on MPs to amend this Bill to ensure all victims of crime are protected without discrimination. 1/2
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Northants, where failure seems to be constantly rewarded
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The proposed new job for a councillor involved in the demise of Northamptonshire’s children’s services has caused some concern.
nnjournal.co.uk/p/friday-brief
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More worrying stats from Citizens Advice. The cost of living crisis hit some immediately but it’s looking like the full impact could really be felt this year ⬇️
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New stats from Citizens Advice a window into just how much ppl are struggling:
- Most ppl helped by local offices Jan-Apr since records began (10k a day)
- Record numbers seeking help in 70 advice areas - inc homelessness, food bank referrals and debt
Really bleak
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Mark Coxshall, the Conservative leader of Thurrock Council, bankrupt thanks to his party’s disastrous investment policy, has lost his seat
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Results are in for Chafford and North Stifford Ward
Mark Coxshall – Conservative Party 639
Vikki Hartstean – Labour Party 741
Sue Truman – Reform UK 129
Vikki Hartstean, Labour Party is elected
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More concerns here about household debt and calls for action from the government
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Our latest monthly client data shows demand for debt advice is strikingly higher than last year, while over a quarter (26%) of clients say the cost of living is their main reason for debt.
Government must not ignore the scale of financial difficulty caused by the cost of living… Show more
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Just pay £90 a month and all your debts will be written off?
Dean thought it sounded too good to be true, and he was right.
Here’s his story ⤵️
#CostOfLivingBudgets
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Some interesting findings here from StepChange
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Our impact report showcases the incredible work that we've done over the past year, including our continued efforts to reach more people and provide the best possible support to those struggling with debt and money worries.
Read the full report here
ow.ly/mAW550O8hHs
Read the full report here
ow.ly/mAW550O8hHs
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Four of the five areas worst affected by fuel poverty are in the West Midlands. How dreadful is that? nea.org.uk/news/fuel-pove
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This is really sad. Vice has published some great work
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Breaking News: Vice, the brash digital-media disrupter that has struggled to find a buyer, is preparing to file for bankruptcy, according to two people. nyti.ms/3HtKW9s
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On this May Day, I am thinking of Roman. He is now fighting in Ukraine, but he felt so strongly about how poorly he was treated when working on UK farms that he took time to send me this video testimony of his experiences while on the seasonal worker visa.
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The FCA has now issued another warning about one of the websites featured in our IVA story
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After four of its students have been charged with the murder of another student the university of Northampton has today said the teenagers - who made a first appearance at court this morning - have been suspended pending the criminal investigation.
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Four people have been charged in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old University of Northampton student: northants.police.uk/news/northants
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Come and tell us how we can make the Bureau Local network work better for you ⬇️
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In addition, we're reviewing the @BureauLocal network, what are members want and how to make it as useful and accessible as possible.
So, if you're already signed up, we'd love for you to complete this short survey
docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI
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More on that looming debt crisis
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Good stuff, but I'd add:
1) Debt problems post-pandemic are more complex, thus more time-consuming to fix
2) There's a critical under-supply of skilled debt advice, that needs addressing with an increased levy to fund it *now* - it takes time to train new advisers
#SaveDebtAdvice twitter.com/matthewrupton/…
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The signs point to a crisis in household debt. Debt advisers tell me they are struggling to meet demand and fear things will get worse in the coming months.
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The DWP is chasing the poorest for millions of pounds of its own mistakes- but one mum fought back
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Ahead of the local elections this is a great explainer of the mess Thurrock council got itself into
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How did a small council in Essex end up with the largest budget deficit in local government history?
Let our Bureau Local Editor @Gareth_Davies09 catch you up with this handy explainer
Link 
bit.ly/44c3i8z
Link bit.ly/44c3i8z
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What's the truth worth to you?
Banks waving their green credentials around while pumping billions into fossil fuels.
Or government not protecting vulnerable workers who are picking fruit for you.
holds the powerful to account. But doing so costs. 👇👇
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Our independent, fearless journalism is only made possible by people believing in what we do
Support TBIJ today bit.ly/support-tbij
bit.ly/support-tbij
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The Bureau is the UK’s largest non-profit investigative newsroom.
We deliver vital public interest journalism that holds power to account, exposes injustice and goes beyond the headline to spark real world change.
Thank you for your support, today and f/ all days.
👇🏽
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Our independent, fearless journalism is only made possible by people believing in what we do
Support TBIJ today bit.ly/support-tbij
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Our independent, fearless journalism is only made possible by people believing in what we do
Support TBIJ today 🔗 bit.ly/support-tbij
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More than a million children needing emergency food. A shocking figure which should surely shame us as a country.
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Almost three million emergency food parcels were distributed to people in the UK over the last 12 months, according to figures from the @TrussellTrust
1,139,553 food parcels were given to children, the first time the figure has ever topped one million
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