News Archive
6/7/2022
Housing Affordability Now At Its Most Stretched - As Property Price Inflation Outstrips Earnings
House prices up 16.8% since start of pandemic while average incomes up 2.7%. Cost of a typical UK home now 7.1 times average earnings, highest ever level.
6/7/2022
Scots Warned Of Giant Hogweed Danger
People across Scotland are being warned of the dangers of giant hogweed, a toxic plant that can cause severe skin blisters, burns and even blindness. NatureScot and Care of Burns in Scotland Managed Clinical Network (COBIS) issued the warning ahead of the school summer holidays, when people, particularly children, are most likely to be exploring the outdoors.
6/7/2022
Business Confidence At 15-month Low As Cost Of Living Squeeze Intensifies
The Lloyds Bank Business Barometer for June shows: Business confidence fell (10 points) to a fifteen-month low of 28%. Confidence level now equivalent to long-term average.
6/7/2022
Returning Inflation To Target − Speech By Huw Pill Chief Economist At The Bank Of England
Speech By Huw Pill Chief Economist At the Bank of England. Given at Kings College, London and Qatar Centre for Global Banking and Finance conference.6/7/2022
Financial Policy Summary And Record From Bank Of England - July 2022
Our Financial Policy Committee (FPC) meets to identify risks to financial stability and agree policy actions aimed at safeguarding the resilience of the UK financial system. Financial Policy Summary The Financial Policy Committee (FPC) seeks to ensure the UK financial system is prepared for, and resilient to, the wide range of risks it could face - so that the system is able to absorb rather than amplify shocks, and serve UK households and businesses.6/7/2022
Estimate How The National Insurance Contributions Changes Will Affect You
From 6 July 2022, as an employee you will be able to earn more before you start paying National Insurance. This means you may pay less tax, after accounting for the recent Health and Social Care Levy.6/7/2022
Consultation On Free Period Product Provision In Highland
The Highland Council has launched a public consultation to ask people's views on where and how they would like to see free period products made available in the Highland area. In 2021, Scotland became the first country to pass a law to make period products freely available and reasonably easily accessible to anyone who needs them.6/7/2022
Tax Cut Worth Up To £330 Comes In For 30 Million Workers
30 million people across the UK will benefit from the biggest personal tax in a decade from today - with hard working Brits saving up to £330 per year. 30 million people across the UK will benefit from the biggest personal tax in a decade from today.6/7/2022
New National Targets To Tackle Long Waits For Planned Care In Scotland
Ambitious new targets have been set out for NHS Scotland to address the impact of the pandemic on long waiting times for planned care. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced NHS Scotland will aim to eradicate waits of more than two years, and then one year in most specialities by September 2024.6/7/2022
FCA Announces Funeral Plan Providers Likely To Be Authorised
The Financial Conduct Authority ("FCA") has published a list of providers it intends to authorise when the pre-paid funeral plans industry comes under its regulation from 29 July. There are 24 firms on the list, including the largest funeral plan providers.6/7/2022
Cost Of Filling Up Rises £9 In June As Petrol Jumps By Monthly Record Of Nearly 17p A Litre
The average cost of a litre of petrol rose a staggering 16.59p in June, smashing the previous 11p record set in March and sending pump prices further skyward, analysis of RAC Fuel Watchdata shows. In a month that saw forecourt petrol prices rise every single day to yet more historic highs, the cost of a litre of petrol went from 174.84p to 191.43p which meant the cost of filling an average sized 55-litre family car shot up by a scarcely believable £9.12 - the equivalent of 30p every day - to £105.29.
6/7/2022
Covid - Ba.5 Causes More Severe Disease - Dr John Campbell Video
UK infections continue upwards. Generally, infections tend to milder the second or third time round Danny Altmann, professor of immunology, Imperial College London Omicron is poorly immunogenic, which means that catching it offers little extra protection against catching it again.
6/7/2022
CMA Investigates Amazon Over Suspected Anti-competitive Practices
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating Amazon over concerns that practices affecting sellers on its UK Marketplace may be anti-competitive and could result in a worse deal for customers. This new investigation follows a current European Commission probe looking into similar concerns, which does not cover ongoing issues affecting the UK now that it has left the European Union.
6/7/2022
What Is The 'cost Of Living' Crisis? - This Explainer Video Is Aimed At Kids
A short video from the BBC for kids. You've probably heard people talking about a 'cost of living' crisis and the problems it is causing recently.6/7/2022
Highland Council Continues To Support Paid Work Placements
The Highland Council and its public sector partners are hosting paid placement opportunities, providing valuable work experience opportunities to those living in the Highland region who are not in employment, education or training. The placements are an opportunity to learn important employability skills, gain industry recognised qualifications whilst working in a trainee role, where they will earn Scottish Living Wage.
6/7/2022
Why An Online Sales Tax Could Be More Trouble Than It Is Worth
The UK Treasury has been consulting on the concept of an ‘online sales tax', or OST, which could raise £1-2 billion annually to help pay for a reduction in business rates for physical retailers. This is a bad idea, for many reasons.
6/7/2022
New Bill Introduced To Ensure Thousands Of Seafarers Receive Fair Pay
new pay protection laws on minimum wage for thousands of seafarers regularly entering UK waters. laws will prevent firms undercutting fair pay for seafarers by using legal loopholes to pay low wages.
6/7/2022
More Important Than Boris Problems Today - Household energy bills to hit £3,000 per year
All types of household energy bill are now heading above £3,000 a year this winter, say energy industry sources. The rise is 7% higher than the predicted prices on which the government's recently announced cost of living support package was based.5/7/2022
Levelling Up Fund Bid For North Coast 500 And Portree Harbour
At the Highland Council meeting held on, 30 June 2022, elected Members agreed to progress the submission of two separate bids for round two of the UK Levelling Up Fund, these include the North Coast 500 (Transport Bid) and Portree Harbour (standalone Heritage bid). Economy and Infrastructure Committee Chair, Cllr Ken Gowans said: "The Levelling Up Fund offers Highland an opportunity to bid for funds that will make a transformational impact across our communities.5/7/2022
