News Archive
16/4/2024
Council Tax Frozen Across Scotland As Services Shrink
A council tax freeze will be delivered in all of Scotland's local authorities after Argyll & Bute became the final council to accept Scottish Government funding to keep rates at last year’s levels. As a result, council taxpayers in all but one of Scotland’s council areas will not pay any more for their bills than they did in 2023-24.16/4/2024
King Charles III banknotes to enter circulation on 5 June 2024
Banknotes carrying a portrait of King Charles III will be issued for the first time on 5 June 2024. The portrait of the King will appear on existing designs of all four banknotes (£5, £10, £20 and £50), with no other changes to the existing designs.
16/4/2024
Average Weekly Earnings In Great Britain - April 2024
The following information is for the period from December 2023 to February 2024. Annual growth in regular earnings (excluding bonuses) was 6.0%, and annual growth in employees' average total earnings (including bonuses) was 5.6%.
16/4/2024
MPs To Vote On Landmark Bill To Create Smokefree Generation
MPs to vote on legislation to create first smoke-free generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking. MPs will vote today (16th April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.
16/4/2024
Additional Costs Of Disability
The Scottish Parliamentary Information Centre (SPICe) published a blog co-authored by Fraser of AIlander's Chirsty McFadyen and Laura Robertson from the Poverty Alliance on the additional costs of disability. This follows on from a piece of work carried out for the Economy and Fair Work committee that looked at evidence of additional expenditure from survey data and interviews with disabled people.
16/4/2024
After EU Exit - UK Border Checks And The New Common User Charge - Starts 30 April2024 - Who Knew when We Voted to Leave?
When the United Kingdom left the EU's legal order at the conclusion of the transition period at the end of December 2020, customs and regulatory checks at the EU border were immediately imposed on UK goods being exported to the European Union. However, the UK Government delayed the introduction of routine regulatory checks on goods being imported to the UK from the EU.
16/4/2024
Is Scotland Going To Meet Its Child Poverty Targets?
The Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 includes four targets for child poverty in Scotland in 2030 and interim targets for 2023. The targets require that, of all children living in Scotland: less than 18% are in relative poverty by 2023-24 and less than 10% by 2030-31.
16/4/2024
College Lecturers Strike Action Across Scotland Starts Today 16 April 2024
EIS-FELA members across Scotland should have received a fair pay award in September 2022. College Employers Scotland have so far failed to table an acceptable pay offer with assurances on job security.16/4/2024
Travel Award Scheme Continues To Support Talented Highland Athletes
Talented athletes from across the Highlands are being supported through the latest round of the Highland Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS) delivered through a partnership between sportscotland and High Life Highland. Ten talented Highland athletes competing at regional, national, and international level, in sports including swimming, mountain biking and surfing will receive funding as well as access to High Life facilities to support them to progress in their sport.
16/4/2024
Smoking Costs Billions More Than Tobacco Taxes
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) published new figures showing the far-reaching impact smoking has on society on the day the consultation to create a ‘smokefree generation' closed. The charity says it demonstrates why action to make smoking history is needed and how this will benefit the whole of society.
16/4/2024
As Fuel Prices Creep Up Again - What are the latest UK petrol prices and diesel prices? 
The RAC keeps a page with the latest prices of petrol and diesel. The prices below are the latest available average unleaded petrol, diesel and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) averages across supermarket, motorway and other independent forecourts in the UK, and are updated daily where data is available.
15/4/2024
Why Batteries Come In So Many Sizes And Shapes
If you've looked in your utility drawer lately, you may have noticed the various shapes, sizes and types of batteries that power your electronic devices. First, there are the round, non-rechargeable button cells for your watches and small items.
15/4/2024
Majority Of Brits Planning Family Holidays Despite Rising Costs
In a time of economic uncertainty and shifting travel preferences, are multigenerational family holidays still a priority?. Legal & General surveyed over 2,000 UK adults, aged 18 and over, to shed light on how family holidays are changing.
15/4/2024
How Are You Going To Pay For It?
‘How are you going to pay for it?' is the question every journalist asks every politician and every campaigner who wants the government to do more. And now there is a way to answer that question.
15/4/2024
Winners Of The Next Election Will Govern Universal Credit Britain - With Working Renters Winning Out From The Reform, While Those With Disabilities Face Major Income Losses
Universal Credit (UC) is on track to be fully rolled-out to seven million families by the end of the next parliament, with working renters the main winners. Those with disabilities the main losers from the reform as it faces up to new challenges like rising long-term sickness, according to new Resolution Foundation research published today (Monday 15 April 2024).
15/4/2024
Enhancing Social Care Services
More than £9 million is being made available over the next three years to give people who access social care more choice and control over decisions relating to their care. This funding builds on an additional £2 billion investment in social care and integration, as part of the Scottish Budget for 2024-25, and delivers on the Scottish Government's commitment to increase spending by 25% over this Parliament - two years ahead of the original target.15/4/2024
Public Procurement Generated More Than £13 Billion In 2021-22
Scotland's public sector procurement spend generated more than £13 billion in economic activity and contributed £7.5 billion to Scotland’s GDP in 2021-22, a new report has shown. The fifth annual report on procurement activity in Scotland shows that in 2021-22 public sector procurement spend during the year reached £16 billion with £8.9 billion spent in Scotland.15/4/2024
UK Sanctions Businesses Funding Sudan War: 15 April 2024
The UK has announced sanctions on businesses which support activity of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the military groups behind the conflict in Sudan . Sanctions imposed by the UK on businesses which support activity of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, the military groups behind the conflict in Sudan.14/4/2024
Dr John Campbell - Japan Data - Just Makes Things Look Worse For Covid Vaccinations
Increased Age-Adjusted Cancer Mortality After the Third mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Vaccine Dose During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan Gibo M, Kojima S, Fujisawa A, et al. (April 08, 2024) Increased Age-Adjusted Cancer Mortality After the Third mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Vaccine Dose During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan.
14/4/2024
