Below is a roadmap showing likely tax and benefit tweaks in Rachel Reeves's next Budget and illustrative impacts on different household profiles. These figures assume measures such as an extended freeze on income tax thresholds, tighter pension relief and allowance cuts to dividends, savings interest and capital gains.
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confirmed she will preserve the overall £20,000 annual ISA allowance but is actively considering reform to how much of that can be held in cash to nudge savers into markets. Industry reports suggest Reeves may ring-fence a portion of the £20,000 limit for stocks and shares ISAs, reducing the cash-only allowance.
Rachel Reeves woke one morning to find herself not in 11 Downing Street but peering into a small, brass-lined hatch beneath her desk. A white rabbit—wearing a waistcoat embroidered with "Fiscal Year 2025/26"—scurried past, muttering about "deadline dips" and "threshold tunnels." Before she could grasp her speech notes, she tumbled headfirst into a labyrinth of shifting ledgers and whispering gold coins.
Many people want to save and help their community by making funds available at good rates from a local entity such as Hi-Scot Credit Union that covers Highland and Islands. Credit Unions encourage savings as well as offering affordable borrowing but lets take a closer look.
The global ecosystem of climate finance is complex, constantly changing and sometimes hard to understand. But understanding it is critical to demanding a green transition that's just and fair.
Scottish shoppers are being urged to stay alert ahead of Amazon Prime Day as fraudsters use artificial intelligence to craft increasingly convincing scams. Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the national consumer advice service consumeradvice.scot, says criminals are exploiting AI to create realistic phishing emails and automated calls that make it harder to spot fraud.
Vince Cable, former U.K. business secretary, discusses the outlook for U.K.
Urgent investment is needed to secure the future for the state owned shipyard Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow (FMPG). This conclusion comes in a new report by the Scottish Parliament's Public Audit Committee following the Committee's consideration of the 2023/24 audit of Ferguson Marine by Audit Scotland.
The UK has historically been held up as leading democracy with free and fair elections. However, our new report shows election quality in the UK is now ranked in the bottom half of countries in Europe.
The Strategic Defence Review, launched in July 2024, said it would "put personnel at the heart" of the UK's defence. The House of Commons library has published an update.
Some UK employers are shortening closing dates on job ads in 2025—but it's not universal, and it depends on the sector and urgency of the role. We have noticed this here in Caithness in our jobs and vacancies section.
Labour MPs have forced a major government climbdown over disability benefit cuts, in an embarrassing turn of events for Keir Starmer. The prime minister has blown a hole in his budget by agreeing to scrap plans to tighten eligibility criteria for disability benefits via the universal credit and personal independence payment bill.
More than 100 public servants who died in service recognised in the second ever Elizabeth Emblem List. 106 police officers, firefighters, overseas workers and other public servants who died in service have been recognised with the Elizabeth Emblem.
Those with power rarely give it up willingly. That's why protest matters.
Young people across the country are being urged to surrender bladed weapons including ninja swords to help prevent further loss of young lives to knife crime. With the support of Word 4 Weapons and FazAmnesty, young people will be able to anonymously hand in any weapons to surrender bins or a purpose-built and fully secure van, across London, Greater Manchester and West Midlands - the 3 highest areas for knife crime in England.
North Korea will be sending 30,000 additional troops to fight for Russia in Ukraine. Trump has decided to halt delivery of promised US military aid to Ukraine or potentially one of his subordinates has made the decision (Elbridge Colby) without his knowledge.
When U.S. forces attacked Iran's nuclear facilities on June 21, 2025, the main target was metal tubes in laboratories deep underground.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed new members to its Caithness and Sutherland team as the agency settles into its new premises and works to expand its client portfolio. Claire Wilson has joined as head of business growth and investment.
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use. The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.
The strategy aims to ensure that every young disabled person feels supported in the transition into adulthood. Scottish Government published their new National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy for Young People, with a focus on collaborative and co-ordinated approaches to improve outcomes for young disabled people.
