From next week Newton Abbot’s indoor market is relocating to the former Post Office in Market Square to allow work to begin on the £5 million regeneration project for the market hall building.

You will find a wide range of stalls including fresh fruit and vegetables, local Devon made products, confectionery, clothing, music merchandise, phone repairs, knitting wool supplies and sewing services.

We are really pleased to have been able to find a place for all traders who wanted to move from the old market to the new temporary market.

On Wednesday (16 October), the mayor of Newton Abbot will officially open the market with live entertainment from midday.

And for one day only, there will be 10% discount on everything!

Whilst the market is enjoying its temporary new home, we will undertake the major development to revitalise the building and area into a welcoming and lively food hall, market square and social space. Works to the Market Hall are scheduled to commence by the end of the year and be completed by the middle of 2026. Find out more about our plans on our website.

From Tuesday 22 October, our automated payment telephone number will change to 01626 216200.

This new local number can be used by residents to pay for services such as Council Tax, business rates, invoices, parking fines, housing, and green waste subscription.

The number has changed as we have implemented a new income management system. Anyone making payments using this line will not notice any difference as the process is the same, and only the number you call is different.

If you need to pay for any of these services, call 01626 216200 and follow the instructions. Payments can be made using debit or credit cards and is a 24-hour automated service.

If you have the old number saved in your phone, please update the number so you have it ready for when you need to pay for council services in the future.

There are up to an estimated 880,000 households across the UK eligible for Pension Credit who are yet to claim.

Check your eligibility by using the pension credit calculator on the government website. Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you’re over State Pension age and on a low income.

If you are eligible, you could secure the Winter Fuel Payment, worth up to £300 per household.

To receive the Winter Fuel payment, you must apply for pension credits by 21 December 2024.

Winter is on its way and so is the winter illness season.

Flu and COVID-19 spread more easily in winter when we spend more time together indoors and can cause serious illness.

Nobody wants to miss out on spending time with their friends and family and the vaccines provide the best possible protection.

Most eligible adults are now able to get their flu vaccine. It is important to top up your protection, even if you have had a vaccine or been ill with flu or COVID-19 before, as immunity fades over time and these viruses change each year.

If you are vaccinated and catch flu or COVID-19, you are likely to have milder symptoms and recover faster, cutting your risk of being hospitalised.

If you’re eligible, protect yourself and your loved ones by getting your COVID-19 vaccination. Book now on the NHS App or website and stay safe this winter.

More than 10,000 payments worth £12.5 million have been made through the new digital service to boost people’s State Pension since it launched in April 2024, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.

People have until 5 April 2025 to maximise their State Pension by making voluntary National Insurance contributions to fill any gaps in their NI record between 6 April 2006 and 5 April 2018.

HMRC and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are encouraging people to act now and use the check your State Pension forecast tool on the GOV.UK to see if they can increase their retirement income.

The service enables people to check if they have gaps in their National Insurance (NI) record, calculate if making a payment would increase their State Pension, and then make a payment if they wish to do so.

After the 5 April 2025 deadline, people will only be able to make voluntary contributions for the previous six tax years, in line with normal time limits.

TALKWORKS, Devon’s NHS talking therapies service, is now offering employment support to help adults across the whole of Devon (outside Plymouth) find, remain in, or get back to work. Employment support will be available free of charge for adults (age 18+) who are receiving therapy from TALKWORKS.

The NHS service helped over 11,000 people complete treatment for a common mental health difficulty in 2023 and has now expanded to add employment advisors into the service.

The employment support offer includes help with job applications, such as support with writing a CV, the interview process, finding volunteer opportunities and accessing further education.

TALKWORKS can also help people manage work-related stress, and support those returning to work after a period of absence. The employment support team will work with each individual to decide what’s most helpful for their overall wellbeing.

You can refer yourself for support without needing to see a GP or healthcare professional, either online via the TALKWORKS website, or by calling 0300 555 3344.