The £100,000 tax trap refers to a steep effective income tax rate up to 60% that hits UK earners between £100,000 and £125,140 due to the gradual loss of the personal allowance. Many mitigate this by using pension contributions, charitable donations, and salary sacrifice schemes.
Fish prices in the UK have surged recently due to cod shortages caused by sanctions on Russian fishing firms and reduced quotas in the Barents Sea. This has forced restaurants and chip shops to raise prices, cut portions, or risk going out of business.
Experts widely expect Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget to include tax hikes and spending cuts aimed at plugging a fiscal gap of up to £50 billion. Asset-rich households and property owners are likely to be targeted.
In recent years, artificial intelligence has gone from a buzzword to a global race—and the UAE and Saudi Arabia are sprinting ahead. These two Gulf nations are investing billions into AI projects, hoping to transform their economies and become global tech leaders.
A new Scottish Government programme is expected to prevent up to 4,000 people from developing type 2 diabetes. The £4.8 million investment will offer education and virtual, app-based, individual consultations with nutritionists, dietitians and health coaches via the Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) initiative to fast track proven healthcare innovations.
The Good - Lloyds Business confidence rose in October, increasing eight points to 50%, according to the latest Lloyds Business Barometer. The rise follows a dip in September, with the uplift marked by increased confidence across several regions and sectors.
As of November 2025, most UK exports to the United States face a blanket 10% tariff, with some sectors—like steel, aluminium, and automobiles—subject to additional duties of up to 25%. These tariffs were reinstated in April 2025 and remain in effect despite a new economic deal.
There are credible reports that parts of the disability‑benefit system in the UK especially the scheme for cars via Motability (which allows claimants of certain disability benefits to lease adapted vehicles). They could face changes in the upcoming budget.
The House of Commons Library published on 27 October 2025 some interesting thoughts on the upcoming budget. Economic growth remains slow, productivity forecasts are likely to be downgraded and government borrowing is at almost the highest on record.
Oh Budget Day, how grand you seem. A fiscal feast! A spreadsheet dream! With promises wrapped in hopeful tone, While wallets weep and pensions groan.
‘Drunken bet' endurance athlete hits his target - Land's End to John O'Groats and back again — What started as a "drunken bet" became a 2,000-mile endurance journey raising funds for mental-health charities. ‘Zero tolerance' vow over concerns at 500-strong workers' camp beside Thurso estate — Local residents have voiced concerns about a proposed 500-bed workers' camp; the authority has pledged a zero-tolerance approach.
There have been more reports of doorstep scammers who say they work for Scottish Power. They tell the householder that the meter readings they have supplied to the company are wrong and they have used more gas and electricity than normal.
Following media reports early this week that Eastern Airways has filed notice of intention to appoint an administrator, and subsequent confirmation from the Civil Aviation Authority that Eastern has suspended all operations across the United Kingdom, The Highland Council has now issued an update on the situation for the attention of all affected passengers and stakeholders. The Highland Council has a contract with Eastern Airways to operate air services between Wick and Aberdeen under a Public Service Obligation (PSO).
The Highland Council's Employability Team is pleased to announce the return of its Highland wide Virtual Jobs Fair, running from Monday 17 to Friday 21 November 2025, immediately following Scottish Careers Week. Delivered in partnership through the Local Employability Partnership, the event brings together a range of employers.
As temperatures drop, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is urging people to be on high alert for misleading mini-heater adverts. Some advertisers are exploiting people's concerns about rising costs and high heating bills by posting highly misleading adverts for plug-in mini-heaters.
The UK government is reportedly considering abandoning its goal of removing fossil fuels from the country's electricity supply by 2030 in an attempt to keep energy bills down. This is understandable given that the UK is already one of the most expensive places in Europe to use electricity, something that - despite plenty of investment in relatively cheap renewable energy - is unlikely to change any time soon.
Results from the June Agricultural Census 2025 were published today and show the continued long-term trend in declining cattle numbers in Scotland. In 2025, there were 1.65 million cattle, a decrease of 2.6% when compared with the five-year average (2020 to 2024).
Sellafield Ltd awards framework with a total value of £4.6 billion to support high hazard risk reduction. Sellafield Ltd has awarded a framework with a maximum value of £4.6 billion to support high hazard risk reduction programmes on the Sellafield site, through the Decommissioning and Nuclear Waste Partnership (DNWP).
Towns encouraged to apply for new UK Town of Culture competition opening in the coming weeks. Winning town will receive £3.5 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028.
Around 500 of the UK's most energy-intensive businesses are set to save up to £420 million per year on their electricity bills from next April, as the Government takes decisive action to slash industrial energy costs. Government slashes electricity costs to save British businesses over £400m a year from April 2026 through landmark support under the UK's modern Industrial Strategy.