Highland Council considers UK budget statement
8th July 2015
The Highland Council is considering the impact of the UK budget statement by the Chancellor George Osborne on 8 July 2015 in which he announced further cuts to the benefits and welfare system.
Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Margaret Davidson said: "We are currently considering the impact of the budget statement on Highland. The reductions in Welfare are slightly deferred over a longer period, but still have a significant bearing on the less well off. Clearly this will have an effect on low income families and people on benefits, including housing benefit and those on disability benefits.
"Early analysis of the budget by our Finance Service is highlighting that from April 2017 changes affecting new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance would result in a reduction of £3.157m per annum to the local Highland economy.
"We need to be clear on how the budget will affect people in the Highlands and the Council's Welfare Reform Working Group will be looking at the impacts in more detail.
“We are seeking opportunities with Scottish and UK Ministers later in the summer to discuss the issues arising out of the continued reduction in welfare and the impact on lower paid families in the Highlands.
“As Highland generally has an older population profile than that of Scotland it is also important to understand the impact that Annual Tax relief on pension contributions being limited to £10,000 a year will have on the Highland population."
“The impact on the Scotland Budget will only become clear in the autumn, but the implications of further austerity are clear and are in line with the Council's general assumptions. Further analysis will be forthcoming over the coming days."
Early analysis of the budget by Highland Council shows that from April 2017, new claimants of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) who are placed in the Work-Related Activity Group will receive the same rate as those claiming Jobseeker's Allowance - currently £73.10 for those aged 25 and over.
The Work Related Activity Group is for claimants who the DWP consider will be capable of work at some time in the future or work related activities immediately.
This change will see new claimants to ESA lose a £29.05 per week premium (2015/16 rate) if placed in this group. The most up to date information available shows 2,090 people within The Highland Council area currently in the ESA Work Related Activity Group.
Based on these figures, if this premium was removed from the current ESA caseload, it would result in a reduction of £3.157m per annum to the local economy.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Households across Scotland have received £4.1 billion in relief since the Council Tax Reduction scheme was introduced in 2013. People on low incomes are eligible for the benefit if they live in Scotland - there is no equivalent in England where most councils require each household to contribute a minimum amount of council tax, irrespective of ability to do so.
The Highland Council is preparing to carry out improvement works in Thurso at Ormlie Road and at The Mall riverside path adjacent to Janet Street. The scope of works on Ormlie Road will include junction improvements between Castlegreen Road and Juniper Drive with new drop kerbs and tactile paving and some surface repairs.
A Highland-wide partnership launched earlier in 2024 to support people on their journey towards, into and within employment is looking forward to a New Year in 2025 full of exciting opportunities designed to help hundreds more people across the Highlands unlock their work potential. Work.
The Highland Council is delighted to share that its Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme has won the Outstanding Project Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards. Described by Scottish Renewables as a "pioneering clean power scheme", this £7 million project demonstrates the incredible impact that can be achieved through combined public and private sector investment.
The ambitious yet focused ‘Highland Investment Plan' is committed to addressing our asset challenges over the next twenty years. By using a place based approach, to ensure a more integrated community offering through the creation of new community facilities.
Applications to the Inverness Winter Payments Scheme, which is fully funded by the Inverness Common Fund, have already been awarded to 1,035 eligible households within the 7 specified Inverness Wards. Leader of Inverness Area, Councillor Ian Brown said: "Since the Scheme was opened to applications for this winter, already £114,885 has been awarded to people who live in the eligible Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South Wards.
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
