News Archive
2/8/2022
The Levelling Up Parks Fund will create new and improved parks in urban areas, helping communities to come together and enjoy the outdoors. People in urban areas set to benefit from initiative backed by £9 million of government funding.
2/8/2022
While there has been a cap on Gas and Electricity prices no such cap exists for rural area where many use heating oil for warming the house and for hot water. Whilst the price of heating oil has always fluctuated dependent on world oil prices the Ukraine war sent the prices very high.
2/8/2022
At the height of the wedding season, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding married couples and people in civil partnerships to put extra cash at the top of their gift list and sign up for Marriage Allowance. Marriage Allowance allows married couples or people in civil partnerships, including those who have been together for many years, to share their personal tax allowances if one partner earns below the Personal Allowance threshold of £12,570, and the other is a basic rate taxpayer.
2/8/2022
Latest prediction on energy prices from October have got worse according to the latest BBC report. Typical domestic energy bills could hit more than £3,600 a year this winter, according to a new forecast.
2/8/2022
From the Fraser of Allender's Weekly update. In this week's update, we do a round up of the main releases we've been analysing during the week.
2/8/2022
£70 million in fines for pharma firms that overcharged NHS After reassessing part of the case, the CMA has found that Pfizer and Flynn abused their dominant positions to overcharge the NHS for a life-saving epilepsy drug. Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Flynn fined £63 million and £6.7 million respectively NHS costs for the drug rose from £2 million to £50 million in a single year CMA CEO: "These firms illegally exploited their dominant positions to charge the NHS excessive prices and make more money for themselves - meaning patients and taxpayers lost out" The fines are the result of an in-depth investigation carried out by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which found that Pfizer and Flynn charged unfairly high prices for phenytoin sodium capsules for over 4 years, ultimately paid for by the NHS.
2/8/2022
40% of all businesses in Fermanagh and Omagh are in agriculture. Seven out of the ten areas on the list are dominated by agriculture.
2/8/2022
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding businesses that they must use the Customs Declaration Service for import declarations from 1 October 2022. More than 3,500 businesses risk significant delays to importing goods if they don't move to the UK's new streamlined customs system now.
2/8/2022
UK is a world leader in online safety tech, with a quarter of all firms based here. Safety tech sector's revenue is up 21 per cent in the last year, topping £381 million.
2/8/2022
The tech industry has been rocked by recent economic woes. While once thought of as close to recession proof, companies from Netflix to Meta are suddenly experiencing serious financial setbacks.
1/8/2022
Brexit and the end of free movement between the UK and the EU has had notable consequences for family life, particularly for mixed British-European families whether they are living in the UK or Europe. Family members who before Brexit held common status as EU citizens now find they have different statuses and rights, both in the places they live and when it comes to mobility between locations.
1/8/2022
An EU/UK plan to ban their insurers from providing cover to ships transporting Russian oil is causing tensions with Washington. America contends that Europe's dominance of global insurance will make it very difficult for Russia to export oil if this goes ahead, potentially pushing oil prices far higher than they are already.
1/8/2022
A new register being launched today will help root out corrupt elites using UK property to launder their illicit wealth. New register to flush out corrupt elites laundering money through UK property goes live today.
1/8/2022
The recent sharp rises in inflation have effectively put an end to three decades of relative price stability in the UK. The prices of most goods and services have gone up and could go even higher.
1/8/2022
Article from The Ferret. Medicinal drugs have polluted Scotland's waterways in breach of safety levels more than 2,300 times over seven years, according to data released by the Scottish Government's environment watchdog.
1/8/2022
The UK Government has been urged to provide additional funding for public sector pay deals or the Scottish Government may be unable to fund equivalent offers without cuts to public services, according to Deputy First Minister John Swinney. In a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi, Mr Swinney outlines concerns that last year's UK Spending Review, which determined the majority of the current Scottish Budget, did not take into account the level of pay increase recently proposed by the independent pay review bodies.
1/8/2022
The monthly economic brief provides a summary of latest key economic statistics, forecasts and analysis on the Scottish economy. Overview This month's economic brief provides an update on the latest economic data during the second quarter, providing further insights on the current headwinds facing Scottish households and businesses as the economic outlook continues to weaken.
1/8/2022
In response to the cost of living crisis, the UK government has announced a number of measures - including a non-repayable rebate on energy bills for some households - to relieve the pressure from rising prices. While these are to be welcomed, they do nothing to tackle a much deeper social and livelihood crisis that has been building for decades.
1/8/2022
A measure to help maintain the availability of long-term residential housing in Edinburgh has been approved. Edinburgh will become Scotland's first designated Short-Term Let Control Area after the Scottish Government approved the City of Edinburgh Council's proposed change to planning requirements.
1/8/2022
Latest output growth forecasts continue to be revised down as the inflationary outlook continues to sharpen. At a global and domestic level, the economic outlook has weakened significantly since the start of the year as rising inflationary pressures, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, are expected to weigh on the GDP growth outlook over this year and next.