News Archive

5/10/2024

Banks New Fraud Protection Rules From 7 October 2024 - Some Payments May Be Delayed To Check Payments Are Genuine

New rules for reimbursing victims of authorized push payment (APP) fraud will come into effect in the UK on October 7, 2024.  These rules will apply to all UK banks and are intended to improve consumer protection and reduce the financial losses caused by APP fraud.  

5/10/2024

 
Do You Care? That's The Political Question For 2024 - Richard Murphy

Left versus right seems like deeply antiquated politics from another era to me.   The fight between labour and capital makes no sense when we have to live in a mixed economy.  

4/10/2024

 
Adult smoking habits in the UK - 2023

Around 6.0 million people aged 18 years and over (11.9%) smoked cigarettes in the UK in 2023; this is the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011, based on our estimates from the Annual Population Survey (APS).   Those aged 25 to 34 years had the highest proportion of current smokers (14.0%) in the UK in 2023.  

4/10/2024

Pension Credit Opens The Door to More Than Heating Allowance - Get It Claimed And Check If You Qualify - Help Friends, Relatives Neighbours To Apply

You must live in England, Scotland or Wales and have reached State Pension age to qualify for Pension Credit.   Many people have still not made a claim.  

4/10/2024

 
Business Insights And Impact On The UK Economy - 3 October 2024

The impact of challenges facing the economy and other events on UK businesses.  Based on responses from the voluntary fortnightly business survey (BICS) to deliver real-time information to help assess issues affecting UK businesses and economy, including financial performance, workforce, trade, and business resilience.  

4/10/2024

Scottish Prison Population Projections - September 2024

This is the fifth report published since 2023 on the Scottish Government modelling of the level of the prison population in Scotland.   It presents short term prison population projections for the six month period from August 2024 to January 2025.  

4/10/2024

Who Will Still Get The Winter Fuel Payment?

An article from Which sets out who will still qualify for Winter Heating Allowance and has other useful advice.   Find out what the government's new plans mean for your energy bills, plus make sure you're getting the help available to you with your gas and electricity costs.  

4/10/2024

 
Radical New Design For Aircraft From Jet Zero

JetZero is a California aerospace startup that is developing a blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft that is intended to be a more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional tube-and-wing aircraft.   2030 with 100% SAF compatibility, and the internal volume to accommodate zero-carbon hydrogen.  

4/10/2024

 
Pesticide Usage In Scotland - Outdoor Vegetable Crops 2023

Overall, estimated pesticide application to vegetable crops in 2023 was higher than that recorded in the previous survey in 2021 but lower than 2019.   The increase in overall pesticide use since 2021 may have been influenced by more favourable climatic conditions for pests and pathogens in 2023, therefore, increasing the need for pesticide application.  

4/10/2024

Resolution Foundation Release New Report On Winter Fuel Payments

This article from Disability Rights UK outlines the position relating to pensioners with disabilities.  A link to the full article with links to more information is at the bottom of this page.  

4/10/2024

 
Consumer Card Spending UK Tourism-related Sectors - 2019 To 2024

The percentage of in-person domestic spending in tourism-related industries dipped during 2020 and 2021 but has since recovered to around 6% of all in-person domestic spending.   The restaurant industry had the largest percentage of in-person domestic tourism spending across the time series, followed by accommodation and retail goods.  

4/10/2024

 
Economic Activity And Social Change In The UK - Real-time Indicators - 3 October 2024

Early data on the UK economy and society.  These faster indicators are created using rapid response surveys, novel data sources and innovative methods.  

4/10/2024

Agriculture Support - Knowledge Transfer And Innovation Fund Grants Awarded

Projects to increase farming skills, tackle environmental impacts and enhance competitiveness in food production will share more than £300,000 in newly-announced grant support.   The Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF) supports projects that promote skills development or deliver improvements in business practice, resource efficiency, environmental performance and sustainability.  

4/10/2024

 
Uk Company Law Is A Joke - It Exists, But No One Enforces It - Richard Murphy

UK company law exists to protect society and honest traders from fraudsters, but since no one has the job of properly enforcing that law, it might as well not exist.   This failure represents a massive failure on the part of successive governments that needs to be addressed now.  

3/10/2024 : Air / Bus / Rail / Ferry Services

 
Partners Launch Revised Timetable To Improve Reliability And Connectivity Of Wick John O'groats Airport Flights

The Highland Council and Eastern Airways have agreed a number of changes to scheduled flight times on the Wick-Aberdeen air route.   The changes have been carefully considered to reduce cancellations and restore public trust.  

3/10/2024 : Local Authority

Councils Withdraw Support For National Care Service Proposals

Council Leaders have (27th September 2024) withdrawn support for the Scottish Government's revised National Care Service Bill.   The Bill is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament.  

3/10/2024

 
Faster Reform Needed To Protect Key Council Services In Scotland

Councils have been transforming how they operate and deliver services for many years.   The Accounts Commission report on council budgets for 20242/25 shows there is collectively a £585m funding gap, despite a 6 per cent increase, totalling £13.25 billion, in Scottish Government revenue funding to councils.  

3/10/2024

 
Failure To Address £54bn Funding Black-hole Could Leave Councils In England As Little More Than Care Authorities By The End Of Decade

Councils today warn that unless the government acts in the Budget and Spending Review, local authorities in England face a funding shortfall of £54bn over the next five years - leaving the prospect of them providing ‘little more' than care services by the end of the decade in order to avert financial insolvency.   New analysis from the County Councils Network (CCN) reveals this funding black hole is fuelled by rising demand and costs in just three service areas: adult social care, children's services, and home to school transport.  

3/10/2024

Transfer Of Benefits Reaches Major Milestone - Over 200,000 Disabled People Newly Benefitting From Scottish Social Security System

Over 200,000 disabled adults have now had their benefit award transferred to Social Security Scotland from the Department for Work and Pensions, new figures show.   Almost two thirds (63%) of adults in Scotland who were previously getting Personal Independence Payment are now receiving Adult Disability Payment.  

3/10/2024

The Evidence Is Growing Of Harmful Effects Of Vaping On Eggs And Sperm - Taxes To The Rescue

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are often considered a "safe substitute" for conventional cigarette cessation.  The composition of the fluid is not always clearly defined and shows a large variation within brands and manufacturers.