News Archive

Crack Your Easter Childcare Costs With Tax-free Top Ups 

With the Easter school holidays nearly here, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding families in Scotland not to miss out on UK Government help to pay for childcare.   Tax-Free Childcare can pay for any approved childcare for children aged 11 or under, or 16 if the child has a disability.  

Supporting Scotland's Small Producers - New Fund To Help Grow Local Supply Chains

Small scale producers are set to have access to a range of new support designed to create more localised supply chains and cut food miles.   The Scottish Government's Small Producers Pilot Fund aims to help individual small producers increase their resilience and enhance their contribution to the rural economy.  

Sellafield robotics: Using spot more for spotless nuclear clean-up

Spot the dog and its fellow robots are transforming the future of clean-up work at Sellafield.   Spot the dog has become a regular feature at Sellafield and a great mascot for the range of robotic tools and innovations that are transforming the way we work.  

Why Mortgage Rates Will Not Return To Recent Lows Any Time Soon

The Bank of England base rate has increased steeply from 0.25% in January 2022 to 4.25% in March 2023.  More than 4 million UK households now have significantly higher mortgage costs as a result, while also dealing with the impact of soaring prices for other items such as food and energy.  

Retail sales, Great Britain: February 2023

Retail sales volumes are estimated to have increased by 1.2% in February 2023, following a rise of 0.9% in January 2023 (revised from a rise of 0.5%); when compared with the same month a year earlier sales volumes fell by 3.5%.   Looking at the broader picture, sales volumes fell by 0.3% in the three months to February 2023 when compared with the previous three months.  

HMRC Late Payment Interest Rates To Be Revised After Bank Of England Increases Base Rate

HMRC interest rates for late payments will be revised following the Bank of England interest rate rise to 4.25%.   The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee announced on 23 March 2023 to increase the Bank of England base rate to 4.25% from 4%.  

As Sales Soar, It's Good News At Last For High Street And Online Retailers, Says Parcelhero

Today's ONS retail figures saw sales volumes climb by 1.2% in February and the amount shoppers spent rise by 1.6%.  Online sellers also grabbed their share of the action, with e-commerce spending climbing 2.6%.  

NHS Pay Rise Delivered In April For Scotland

Healthcare staff will begin to benefit from largest overall investment in Agenda for Change pay in a single year from next month, following unions' unanimous agreement.   160,000 NHS staff - including nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others – will receive an average 6.5% increase in pay in 2023-24.  

The Ferry Fiasco Continues For Scottish Government - 5 Years Late And A Spiralling Budget Overrun

The people of Scotland and island communities have been badly let down, says Holyrood's Public Audit Committee in a report published today which exposes a ferry fiasco riddled with failures in governance, transparency, accountability, communication and record-keeping.   The cost is now approaching £500 million and some commentators have pointed out that at least 20 ferries of similar capacity could have been purchased from established Norwegian companies for that sum.  

FOOD WORKERS SUPPLYING TESCO, SAINSBURY'S AND WAITROSE HEAD TO PARLIAMENT AFTER 1,000 HIT WITH FIRE AND REHIRE THREAT

The GMB Union have reported - Food workers supplying Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose are heading to Parliament after 1,000 workers were hit with a fire and rehire threat.   Pilgrims Food Masters, which also supplies Aldi and Morrisons, has told workers they will be sacked and reemployed on worse terms and conditions - including no paid breaks, reduced sick pay and the removal of Diwali holiday pay.