Black Friday and the larger holiday shopping season promise shoppers steep discounts and not too infrequently, the deal of their lifetimes. But in recent years, studies - especially one by Which? out of the UK - have cast doubts on whether these seasonal discounts are really all they're cracked up to be.
Funding of over £500,000 will help women and young people develop new agricultural skills and further their careers within the farming sector. The Next Generation and Women in Agriculture Practical Training Funds will provide successful applicants with £500 each to help pay for practical training courses relevant to farming and crofting.
There is substantial growth potential for financing climate-friendly heating and energy efficiency improvements in Scotland's homes, according to a new report published today. Focused on helping individual property owners to access the best solutions for their circumstances, the Green Heat Finance Taskforce makes nine recommendations to boost the range of private finance options in its first report.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has said most working-age benefits will rise by 6.7%, as he outlined plans to limit welfare access to the long-term jobless. Mr Hunt increased benefits in line with September's inflation rate, ending speculation of a less generous offer.
Martin Lewis' briefing on benefits, pensions, ISAs, savings, housing, National insurance cuts and more..
Main rate of National Insurance cut from 12% to 10% from 6 January, affecting 27 million people. Class 2 National Insurance - paid by self-employed people earning more than £12,570 - abolished from April.
There is much more than most people realise behind the Autumn Statement. So for anyone who has the time to look in detail go HERE Pdf 120 Pages And for the back up Office for Budget Responsibility Papers .
Deputy First Minister responds to announcements from Chancellor. The Autumn Statement delivered the ‘worst case scenario' for Scotland's finances and failed to live up to the challenges posed by the cost of living and climate crises, Deputy First Minister Shona Robison has said.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade reacts to today's Autumn Statement and what this means for businesses and consumers. At today's Autumn Statement the Chancellor announced a range of proposals promoted by the Department for Business and Trade that provide further financial backing to UK businesses, will improve regulation, and stimulate investment and growth across the country.
"Full expensing" tax break - allowing companies to deduct spending on new machinery and equipment from profits - made permanent. The 75% business rates discount for retail, hospitality and leisure firms in England extended for another year.
All alcohol duty frozen until 1 August next year. Duty rate on tobacco products increases by 2% above RPI inflation; hand-rolling tobacco rises 12% above RPI.
In today's Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced a significant cut in rates of NICs. From 6 January 2024, while the thresholds will remain fixed, the rate of NICs on earnings in the primary threshold (£12,571 to £50,270) will decrease from 12% to 10% - a far more sizeable cut than many had anticipated.
A new marketing campaign informing parents, carers and school pupils of the dangers of vaping has been launched by the Scottish Government. It comes as a new Tobacco and Vaping Framework is published, setting out actions which will be taken to create a tobacco-free generation by 2034.
One of the main unspoken bits of the forecast has been the slow and prolonged squeeze on departmental and devolved spending pencilled in by the Chancellor. Of course, the Spending Review period ends next year and settlements aren't yet determined, but the Treasury does tell the OBR what they should use as a holding assumption.
Low Pay Commission recommendations take the minimum wage to its long term target in April 2024. The Government has today announced its acceptance of the Low Pay Commission's recommendations on minimum wage rates to apply from April 2024.
Six projects are awarded grants from round three of the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund to support major regeneration and transport projects. Six major regeneration and transport projects across Scotland are set to receive almost £122 million from the third round of the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund - a multi-billion-pound initiative improving lives for local people.
Mr Speaker. After a global pandemic and energy crisis, we have taken difficult decisions to put our economy back on track.
Biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, worth over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker, fulfils manifesto pledge to end low pay. Biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, worth over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker, fulfils manifesto pledge to end low pay.
The marine environment could be better protected and new green jobs could be generated to help create stronger local economies and vibrant coastal communities, according to ‘Our Marine Sector in an Independent Scotland', a new paper published by Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon. The paper sets out the benefits of rejoining the EU for the marine sector and the industries and communities it supports, including regaining access to the EU single market for seafood products, enjoying the benefits of free movement and negotiating an equitable share of EU funding.
