The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee has given support to progress to public consultation on two proposed Short Term Let Control Areas (STLCAs), reflecting the differing pressures on housing in Inverness City and across rural Highland communities. The decision to do so is based on growing numbers of residential dwellings being converted to short term lets, alongside Housing Market Area assessments that indicate market pressures, higher house prices, limited affordability, and higher proportions of sales to buyers from outwith the area.
Supermarket shelves can look full despite the food systems underneath them being under strain. Fruit may be stacked neatly, chilled meat may be in place.
A number of major parts of the UK's energy infrastructure (especially the wires and pipes that deliver electricity and gas) are owned or controlled by foreign companies, institutions or investors. That doesn't automatically mean they're doing anything illegal or hostile, but it does mean profits and dividends often flow overseas rather than staying entirely within the UK economy.
The video explains how he tax system keeps on taking from you. Then listen to the explanation on how you might do better..
The Scotland tourism and hospitality sector—a dynamic part of the country's economy and identity—is at a crossroads. That's the central message of Serving the Future, a comprehensive research and action programme undertaken by the Fraser of Allander Institute and The Poverty Alliance between 2021 and 2025.
For some people the end of the tax year coming means it is time to make important decisions. To help we are publishing some useful tips from Ann Bowes a personal finance expert with The Private Office.
For a long time, the deal for a wide range of careers has been simple enough. Entry-level workers carried out routine tasks in return for mentorship, skill development and a clear path towards expertise.
Suggestions that Peter Mandelson may have shared government information with Jeffrey Epstein amid the fallout of the global financial crisis are being investigated by police. Emails between Mandelson and the disgraced financier, released by the US Department of Justice, are said to include market-sensitive details.
Last year, the UK economy grew by just 1.3%, which continues a trend of disappointing performance. Growth was so slow, real GDP per capita actually fell in the last half of 2025.
The Ripple Effects of Work: Learning Disabilities Symposium" report from the Fraser of Allander Institute published 11 February 2026. The article summarises a workshop convened by the Strathclyde Learning Disabilities Research Network, chaired by Chirsty McFadyen (Fraser of Allander Institute), which brought together researchers from the University of Strathclyde to explore what work really means for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.
If you read Serving the Future carefully, the message isn't that hospitality is unimportant. It's that the sector currently offers weak security for many of its workers.
It's true that a significant share of energy bills goes to profits for energy companies and network operators, and a lot of that money doesn't stay in the UK economy. An analysis by trade union Unite reported that UK energy companies made around £30 billion in profits in 2024, with profit margins "around three times the UK national average." Much of this flowed to shareholders — including international investment firms and foreign states — rather than being reinvested into infrastructure or lowering bills.
On average, students now leave university with just over £50,000 in student loan debt. Repayments are income-contingent: many graduates will repay little or nothing, while others repay 9% of their income above a threshold for decades, often watching the outstanding balance rise.
The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee has approved all recommendations relating to the 2026/27 Roads Capital Programme, confirming a total investment of £21.55 million to maintain and improve the region's road network. Members agreed the full package of measures set out in the report, including the breakdown of the Roads Capital Budget, specific contingency funded projects, future programme governance and indicative Area allocations.
Prof Steve Keen explains the history of the economic system and where we are now..
There have been recent reports of scam emails which impersonate antivirus providers such as McAfee, AVG and Norton. This week, one consumer received an email that appeared to be from McAfee and said their name had appeared on the dark web.
Foreign actors will no longer be able to use their money to interfere in the UK's elections, as part of the biggest expansion of democratic participation in a generation. New rules, set out in the Representation of the People Bill introduced today, will provide greater transparency and security around political donations, alongside extending voting rights in all UK elections to 16- and 17-year-olds.
Border Force and police seizures of ketamine and cannabis at all-time high and Border Force ramps up the return of foreign smugglers. Seizures of ketamine, cannabis and nitrous oxide are at an all-time high following a record-breaking year of interceptions by Border Force and police.
ScotRail fares will be frozen for the next year to keep money in people's pockets, First Minister John Swinney has announced. The First Minister said this is part of the government’s resolute focus on the cost of living, and follows the abolition of peak fares which cut costs by as much as 48%.
The Highland Council has published its Access Ranger Annual Report for 2025, highlighting the extensive work carried out by the Ranger team across the area between June and October 2025. The report provides a detailed overview of patrol activity, visitor behaviour trends, and the ongoing challenges facing some of the Highland's most visited rural areas.
