UK Rents have been increasing and forecast to keep rising. Yet, it wasn't always like this.
The IFS discusses Inheritance tax changes in the UK budget, In the recent budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a £40 billion tax increase, pushing tax as a share of national income to an all time UK high. Just 6% of that came from an increase in inheritance tax, and just a small fraction of that will come from farmers.
Most people have no clue how their pension and other savings are managed, or who by, and what the consequences for the economy, the planet or themselves of that management of their savings might be. Why is it that £6 trillion of pension fund money in the UK is totally unaccountable and what would happen if we brought it back under saver control? ABOUT RICHARD MURPHY Richard Murphy is Professor of Accounting Practice at Sheffield University Management School.
Proposals to simplify crofting regulation, encourage more use of common grazings and a range of other changes have received high levels of support in a recent consultation. The Scottish Government has published an independent analysis of the responses to the consultation on proposals for Crofting Law Reform, together with those responses where consent to publish was given.
Trump's plan to impose massive tariffs on imports into the USA are bad news for US consumers, and most specially the poorest people in that country. But they are also really bad news for the UK in a great many ways, and for the rest of the world as well, because we just don’t know how to manage the chaos they will unleash.
Young businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to increase productivity, innovation and employment can apply for funding from HIE. The fourth round of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Young Business Capital Grant (YBCG) is now open to businesses that have been trading for less than five years with up to 250 full-time equivalent employees.
At the Economy and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday 14 November 2024 councillors adopted an ambitious action plan to tackle biodiversity loss and support a nature-positive Highland. The Council's Ecology Strategy and Action Plan Strategy sets out and defines a series of key actions and activities that will assist the Council to deliver positive action to tackle biodiversity loss and start to address the ecological emergency for the benefit of its environment, economy, and communities.
The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee have approved the rural Housing Supplementary Guidance which will now be used to inform all planning advice and decisions. Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans said: "Following the decision by members today, I am pleased that we now have a positive, clear and consistent basis for considering and determining rural housing planning applications across the whole of the Highland Council area.
Youth clubs are free after-school programmes for local teenagers. These spaces offer a safe environment to spend time with friends outside of school hours, access the support of youth workers, and participate in workshops and activities, often including music or sports.
50 is the new 20 for the 13 million families that make up an older, modern-day low-to-middle income Britain, who are also more likely to suffer from poor health or a disability compared to three decades ago. But despite these headwinds, which have come to the fore since the pandemic, lower-income families are far more likely to be in work today than they were in the mid-1990s, according to new research published on 13 November 2024 by the Resolution Foundation.
On Thursday 14 November 2024 the Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee members discussed a report on a how a proposed Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands would operate before going on to approve a public statutory consultation. The visitor levy has been identified as a priority action within the Council's Programme `Our Future Highland 2022-2027' [b/The consultation will go live on 15 November [/b] The visitor levy has been identified as a priority action within the Council's Programme `Our Future Highland 2022-2027' Chair of the Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans is encouraging businesses, community groups, and residents as well as visitors to the Highlands to have their say.
Scotland's income tax rises have likely increased tax avoidance and migration - but the size of the effects is uncertain. As well as setting spending plans, next month's Scottish Budget will also set the rates and bands of Scotland's devolved taxes for 2025-26.
Construction output is estimated to have increased by 0.8% in Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2024 compared with Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2024; this came solely from an increase in new work (2.0%), as repair and maintenance fell by 0.6%. Monthly construction output is estimated to have grown by 0.1% in volume terms in September 2024; this came solely from a rise in repair and maintenance (0.4%) as new work fell by 0.2%.
Real gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have grown by 0.1% in the three months to September 2024 compared with the three months to June 2024, mainly because of growth in retail trade, excluding motor vehicles and motorcycles, and new construction work. Monthly real GDP is estimated to have fallen by 0.1% in September 2024, largely because of declines in manufacturing output and information and communication services, after unrevised growth of 0.2% in August 2024.
The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) latest report shows universities in England have serious financial problems. Similar issues apply in Scotland.
Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) has become the first nuclear transport operator in the world to install and trial revolutionary new sail technology on its specialist ships in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint. In collaboration with Smart Green Shipping (SGS), a renewable marine technology specialist, the exciting project aims to establish new ways of reducing fuel and greenhouse gas emissions on its nuclear ships.
UK GDP expanded by 0.1% quarter on quarter in Q3, a slowdown from 0.5% in Q2. UK GDP declined by 0.1% month on month in September, from 0.2% growth in August.
New guidance to support schools and organisations working with children and young people to develop comprehensive anti-bullying policies and improve behaviour and relationships has been published. ‘Respect for all' includes updates for staff on how to deal with specific incidents of bullying, including online bullying.
Donald Trump's return to office will have a significant impact on UK retail and supply chain businesses, says the international delivery expert Parcelhero. SME businesses and their logistics and delivery partners should start preparing now to meet the challenges and opportunities of Trump 2.0.
New legislation being introduced today will require millers and flour producers to fortify non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid from the end of 2026. Folic acid to be added to non-wholemeal flour to protect newborn babies from serious brain and spine problems.