The Know Daily - Thursday 27 April 2023

_{Read in 5m 35s ∙ Listening to Ari Abdul}

A pop-up pool programme has been launched with the aim of helping more young children learn to swim. The new Speedo Swim United scheme comes as statistics show that one in three children are leaving primary school unable to swim, with a fall in ability following the pandemic. Temporary pools will soon be placed at schools, starting in the Black Country in the West Midlands. We hope it all goes swimmingly!

🎲 Gambling laws shake-up

The government will today publish its long-awaited plans for the biggest reform of gambling laws in 20 years.

Why the shake-up?
A review into gambling laws was first announced in 2020, intended to catch up with smartphone technology which has changed the way that people place bets. Writing in The Times, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said that mobile devices become a “trapdoor to despair” for those who become addicted.

What will the reforms include?
The white paper includes plans for a 1% mandatory levy (or charge) on betting firms’ revenues, with the money raised going towards addiction treatment and research. Gamblers who lose £1,000 in a day are also expected to face financial checks, although it is unclear how this would be carried out.

A crackdown on online slot machines could limit under-25s to a maximum bet of £2, with those aged 25 and over able to wager between £2 and £15. According to The Telegraph, officials have voiced concern that introducing a legal age limit other than 18 could set a “tricky precedent” across other industries, such as drinking and smoking.

What won’t be included?
Reform campaigners and gambling companies believe that little will change around advertising and marketing, the BBC has reported.

However, a survey carried out for the charity Gambling with Lives suggests that the majority of UK adults would like to see tougher restrictions. More than half (52%) of respondents said they supported a ban on all gambling advertising, promotion and sponsorship, while nearly two-thirds wanted new limits on online stakes.

When will the changes be introduced?
Some of the most hotly contested measures, including the limits for online slot machines, are expected to require further consultation. The white paper comes amid a “legislative backlog in parliament”, said The Guardian, meaning it could be a while before any new measures come into play.

 🐾 Why pet-nups are giving couples paws for thought

Break-ups are never easy, but pet-owning couples have an additional hurdle to overcome when they split up: deciding who gets to keep the dog. A pet-nup could be the answer.

Wait - a what nup?
Described by the animal charity Blue Cross as “the pet equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement”, a pet-nup sets out things like who gets custody in the event of a split and who pays vet bills or other expenses.

Such a legal agreement has even been recommended by The Law Society, which pointed out that one in four divorces now involve a dispute over pets.

What happens if you don’t have a pet-nup?
In the UK, pets are considered “chattels” - in other words, possessions. “They effectively have the same status as a fridge-freezer or dishwasher,” lawyer Vanessa Lloyd Platt told The Guardian.

This means that should a couple take the matter to court, a judge will likely award the animal to whoever can prove ownership. If a couple paid for their pet together, the judge may insist on shared custody or one person buying the other out.

How popular are pet-nups?
There are no reliable stats demonstrating the popularity of pet-nups but the lockdown boom in pet ownership has pushed the issue into the spotlight. One law firm told the BBC that the soaring price of pets during the pandemic has increased the risk of post-split disputes.

What’s the downside?
Pet-nups are pretty expensive, typically costing anywhere from £500 to £1,250 in legal fees. It’s also worth noting that as with a pre-nup, such an agreement isn’t automatically legally binding - although a judge is likely to take it into consideration.

Would you sign a pet-nup - or do you have one already? We’d love to know - hit reply to this email to share your thoughts.

🛍️ Etsy exposé: An investigation by the consumer group Which? has found that “rogue” Etsy sellers are peddling fake “handmade” products which can be bought for far cheaper on sites such as Amazon or eBay.

❌ Westminster bullying: Concerns have been raised by civil servants about bullying behaviour by Health Secretary Steve Barclay, sources have told The Guardian. The news comes less than a week after deputy PM Dominic Raab resigned over bullying claims.

🥪 Cost-of-living crisis: New research by the BBC has found that the cost of a homemade cheese sandwich has jumped by over a third in one year. The rise in food prices has been attributed to “extreme weather, the war in Ukraine, and outbreaks of avian and swine flu”.

⛪ Celebrating singleness: A ​new Church of England report, titled Love Matters, has said that single people "must be valued at the heart of our society”. The report adds that “Jesus’ own singleness should ensure that the Church of England celebrates singleness”.

🩳 Tiny trunks: An “overseas bidder” spent £18,000 on a pair of skin-tight leather shorts worn by Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury on stage.

Trivia answer: B) Beans on toast - the foundation also gave a nod to fish fingers and ready-made pasta sauces.

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