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News Archive


29/11/2024
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.  
29/11/2024
Council Seeks Tenants Views On Rent For 2025/26
Every year Highland Council invites all tenants to have their say on the rent levels for the following year.   The Council encourages everyone that lives in a council house to take this chance to have their say.  
29/11/2024
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.  
29/11/2024
Tens Of Thousands More Pensioners Now In Receipt Of Pension Credit
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new statistics today [Thursday 28 November 2024] on the amount of Pension Credit applications, as well as applications processed and those claims that were successful.   Since July, an extra 42,500 pensioners are now in receipt of Pension Credit and will receive the Winter Fuel Payment.  
29/11/2024
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.  
29/11/2024
Sentiment Among Retailers Nosedived In November - CBI Distributive Trades Survey
Sentiment amongst retailers about their business situation over the next three months fell at the fastest pace for two years in November, according to the CBI's latest quarterly Distributive Trades Survey.   Retail sales volumes declined moderately in the year to November, with retailers judging sales to be "poor" for the time of year, to a similar extent as the previous month.  
29/11/2024
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.  
29/11/2024
Government Can Get Britain Working Where The Tories Failed
Commenting on the publication of the government's Get Britain Working white paper, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak recently said: "The Conservatives failed to get Britain working.  They left behind a toxic legacy of insecure work and falling living standards, alongside rising youth unemployment and record levels of economic inactivity due to ill health.  
29/11/2024
The Government's Latest Accounts Show Its Debt's Fallen Massively - Richard MurphyThumbnail for article : 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.  
29/11/2024
Realising Scotland's Hydrogen Potential - Plan For Exports PublishedThumbnail for article : Realising Scotland's Hydrogen Potential - Plan For Exports Published
Scotland's first hydrogen sector export plan, outlining the targeted actions needed to secure Scotland as a key producer and exporter of renewable hydrogen by 2030, has been published.   A Trading Nation: Realising Scotland's Hydrogen Potential - A Plan for Exports, outlines where the opportunities for growth lie for businesses and investors, if Scotland is to capitalise on the economic and net zero opportunities provided by hydrogen and hydrogen products.  
29/11/2024
Will Landlords Sell Off Their Properties In Scotland When Facing Rent Controls
Some landlords in Scotland are leaving the rental sector due to rent controls and other factors, but the picture is complex: Financial situations Landlords may be selling to release capital or because they're frustrated with the Scottish government's actions.   Investment journey Some landlords may be reaching the end of their planned investment journey.  
29/11/2024
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.  
29/11/2024
Housing Scotland Bill Passes Stage 1 - Rent Controls Are Coming For Tenants
Strengthening tenants' rights and preventing homelessness.   Legislation to strengthen tenants' rights and prevent homelessness has passed stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament.  
29/11/2024
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.  
28/11/2024
Are You Looking For Development Land In Wick? Two Sites For Sale Closing DateThumbnail for article : Are You Looking For Development Land In Wick? Two Sites For Sale Closing Date
Are You Looking For Development Land In Wick? A closing date has been set as Friday 6 December 2024 at 12 noon for two development sites in Wick.   Find out more with photos and details at - Plot 9, Wick Business Park https://ow.ly/lSyq50UeOzu Development Land, Wick Airport Industrial Estate https://ow.ly/6AY450UeOzv Graham + Sibbald https://www.facebook.com/grahamandsibbal.  
28/11/2024
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].  
28/11/2024
2024 State Of Local Government Finance In Scotland
A report published on 27 November 2024 by LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) looks at the state of funding for councils by the Scottish Government.   Confidence in the sustainability of council finances is critically low.  
28/11/2024
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.  
28/11/2024
Huge £166 Million Funding Stream Opens For Scottish Charities And Community Groups
Two new programmes, Community Action and Fairer Life Chances, are aimed at helping communities to tackle poverty, disadvantage and discrimination The National Lottery Community Fund has opened a new £166 million funding stream that will give Scotland's communities a much needed boost over the next five years.   With a focus on building the strengths of people and communities in greatest need, community groups across the country can now apply to share these life changing funds.  
28/11/2024
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.