News Archive

Scottish Government To Introduce New Heating Payment For Pensioners From Next Winter

The Scottish Government will provide universal support through the introduction of Pension Age Winter Heating Payments next year ensuring a payment for every pensioner household in winter 2025-26.   Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has confirmed that on the roll-out of the new benefit next winter, pensioners in receipt of a relevant qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit will be receiving Pension Age Winter Heating Payments of £300 or £200, depending on their age.  

LGA - Thousands More Children's Social Workers Needed Over Next 10 Years - New LGA Research

The number of children's social workers employed by councils will need to increase by 13,000 - nearly a third - over the next decade.  As a result of growing need for the care and support of children and young people and to reduce increasing reliance on agency staff, new research by the Local Government Association forecasts today.  

Sentiment And Activity Deteriorate Across Services Sector - CBI Service Sector Survey

Sentiment within the services sector deteriorated in the three months to November, according to the CBI's latest quarterly Service Sector Survey.   Optimism fell among business & professional services firms, after three consecutive quarters of rising sentiment.  

UK On Brink Of Defeating Meningococcal C

The fight against meningococcal B continues.   New UKHSA data shows that cases of meningococcal disease, which typically causes meningitis and septicaemia, continue to decline due to the success of the NHS vaccination programmes over the past two decades.  

The Government's Latest Accounts Show Its Debt's Fallen Massively - Richard Murphy

The government's own accounts, just released, show that its total liabilities owing fell between 2022 and 2023 by £1.5 trillion.   They're now much smaller than the figure the government claims the national debt to be.  

Scotland's Rural Economy - Ministers Call For Increased Agriculture And Marine Funding

Ahead of a meeting with National Farmers' Union of Scotland, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon and Finance Secretary Shona Robison wrote to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones.  The letter expresses serious concerns over UK Government decisions in the UK Budget that will negatively impact Scotland's rural economy.  

Why Repaying The National Debt Is Not A Good Idea - Richard Murphy

The country has national debt but it is a mistake to think of it like your own home or personal debts.   We have had a nation debt since the 17th century and we have survived.  

Patriotic Pumps - Heat Pumps To Run Mainly On British Energy As Boilers Set To Be ‘Heavily Dependent' On Imports

Over next five years heat pumps increasingly run on British renewable electricity as gas boilers become 80% dependent on imports.   New analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has found that consumers wanting to ‘buy British' energy for their heating and insulate themselves from volatile international gas markets, should be investing in an electric heat pump [1].  

BBC Scam Interceptors Programmes - Well Worth Watching To Avoid Being Scammed

The UK is in the middle of a scam epidemic.   The BBC is running programmes all this week on television and radio.  

Highland Council Committee Confirms Public Conveniences Action Plan

Members of the Highland Council's Community and Place Committee have given their support to an action plan focusing on the operating of public conveniences over the next 10 years.   Whilst not a statutory function, the Council is the main provider of public conveniences located throughout Highland, operating 74 sites.