News Archive
8/3/2024
Additional Funding For Early Learning And Childcare Staff - £12 per hour from April
High quality, accessible and affordable childcare is a key part of driving equality in the workplace and tackling the gender pay gap, First Minister Humza Yousaf has said. On a visit to mark International Women's Day 2024, the First Minister announced £16 million of additional investment to enable people delivering funded early learning and childcare in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) childcare sectors, to be paid at least £12 per hour from April 2024.
8/3/2024
UK To Supply More Than 10,000 Drones To Ukraine
Britain steps up support to Ukraine today with a complete package of £325 million for cutting-edge drones to help fight Putin's illegal invasion. The investment, which will deliver more than 10,000 drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces will harness the UK's world-leading defence industries to deliver advanced new drone capabilities to Ukraine throughout 2024.
7/3/2024
The Spring Budget 2024 Explained In 90 Seconds
Paul Johson has been the Director of the IFS since 2011. He is also currently visiting professor in the Department of Economics at University College London.
7/3/2024
Longer Budget Report - Chancellor Delivers Lower Taxes, More Investment And Better Public Services In Budget For Long Term Growth'
‘Budget for Long Term Growth' sticks to the plan by delivering lower taxes, better public services and more investment, while increasing size of economy by 0.2% in 2028-29 and meeting fiscal rules - taking the long-term decisions needed to build a brighter future. Economy turning a corner, with inflation expected to fall to target next quarter, wages consistently rising faster than prices and better growth than European neighbours.
7/3/2024
Spring Budget 2024 - IFS Analysis - 90 Minutes
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will present his Spring Budget on Wednesday 6th March, in what could be the last fiscal set-piece before the next general election. IFS researchers will present their initial analysis of the Chancellor's announcements on the following day, Thursday 7th March, at an online webinar.
7/3/2024
National Insurance Two Reductions Saving Up To £900 Per Worker £650 For Self-Employed
A 2p cut in National Insurance will change the rate from 10% to 8% for 27 million workers, from April 2024. Chancellor Hunt says this is worth £450 a year to an employee on an average salary of £35,000.7/3/2024
Left Hand Right Hand - Despite National Insurance Cut You Will Still Pay More Tax Due To Personal Allowances Frozen
Millions of people will pay hundreds of pounds more in tax because of changes to the tax thresholds. These are the income levels at which people start paying income tax, or have to pay higher rates.7/3/2024
Budget Announcements Short Report 6 March 2024
This is probably the last budget before a general election. Here are a few of the changes.7/3/2024
Budget 2024: Experts Explain What It Means For Taxpayers, Businesses, Borrowers And The Nhs
The spring budget of 2024 was widely seen as a chance for UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt to inject some economic optimism into British politics ahead of a general election. Would he or wouldn't he cut income tax? (He wouldn't.) Would he pull rabbits out of hats in a bid to convince the electorate that the Conservatives should stay in power? Here's what our panel of experts made of his plans: National insurance cut only partially offsets rising tax burden Jonquil Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Personal Finance, The Open University The big attention-grabber in the budget was a two percentage point cut in national insurance contributions for employees and the self-employed from April.7/3/2024
HM Treasury Detailed Budget Report
The last few years have been tough for the UK economy, which has faced unprecedented shocks from the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, an energy price spike driven by Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine, and globally high inflation. At the beginning of 2023 the Prime Minister set out five priorities, three of which were economic: to halve inflation, grow the economy and get debt falling.
7/3/2024
SNP Has Broken Treatment Time Guarantee Law 680,000 Times
Following FMQs, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "It is written in law that all patients should be treated within twelve weeks. “The SNP have broken this law over 680,000 times.7/3/2024
Fraser Of Allender Explains - What Does This Mean For The Scottish Government?
Barnett consequentials have been announced of £295m in 2024-25, largely due to higher spending on the NHS in England (£237m) and a larger settlement for English local government (£48m), with the latter already committed to partially pay for the council tax freeze. There is nothing additional on capital apart from small amounts from 2025-26 (less than £80m a year).
7/3/2024
Women And Girls Fund Launched For Malawi, Rwanda And Zambia
Commitment to enhance gender equality and women's rights internationally. Women and girls in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia will be given the opportunity to design and deliver a new fund to advance gender equality and the rights of women and girls in their own countries.7/3/2024
Scottish Government Not Happy With The Budget - Deputy First Minister Responds To Chancellor's Statement
The Spring Budget has failed to deliver the funding Scotland needs for public services, infrastructure and cost of living measures, Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said. The Budget provided less in Barnett consequentials from health than in-year health consequentials of 2023-24, and failed to deliver more capital funding for infrastructure.
6/3/2024
UHI Appoints New Principal And Vice-chancellor
The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has appointed Vicki Nairn as Principal and Vice-Chancellor. Vicki Nairn, who has been serving as UHI's Interim Principal and Vice-Chancellor since October 2022, initially joined the institution as Vice-Principal Operations in November 2021.
6/3/2024
Council Employee Receives Special Recognition At The Scottish Empty Homes Awards
Dawn Meston from The Highland Council's Housing team won a prestigious award at the Scottish Empty Homes Awards held at The Studio, Glasgow on Thursday 29 February 2024 in recognition of her contribution to bringing empty homes back into use across Highland. Between 1 April and 31 December 2023, a total of 25 empty properties were brought back into use following Dawn's intervention as Highland's Empty Homes Officer.
6/3/2024
Budget 2024: What To Expect From Jeremy Hunt's Pre-election Tax Giveaway
UK chancellor Jeremy Hunt's last budget before the general election will be highly political. His aim on March 6 will be to convince voters that the Conservatives are a tax-cutting party.
6/3/2024
Tax Cuts In An Election Year? They Can Boost Consumer Confidence And Work Wonders For A Governing Party
A budget in the year of an election is a big moment for any government. In 2024, it could be the chancellor of the exchequer's last chance to try and generate a sense of economic optimism and improve consumer confidence after years of households feeling squeezed by austerity measures and rising prices.
6/3/2024
What Are The UKs Fiscal Rules And Why Is The OBR Under Attack? - Fiscal Rules Are A Fairy Tale Made Up By Chancellors
The Treasury watchdog is seen by some Tories as a block to tax cuts - and could be ignored by Jeremy Hunt. It has been described as a millstone around the chancellor's neck and the reason Conservative MPs could be disappointed by Jeremy Hunt's budget on Wednesday if he spurns their demands for large pre-election tax cuts.
6/3/2024
