For many people, especially those who have spent a lifetime working and saving, cash feels like the safest place for their money. You can see it.
Ask ten people what makes a fair financial system and you are likely to receive ten different answers. Some will say low taxes.
For generations, many people banked with the same institution for life. You opened your first account there, arranged your mortgage there and perhaps even knew the branch manager by name.
For years, most of us did our banking in one place. Our wages went into one current account, our savings sat in the same bank, the mortgage was arranged there and, if we were lucky, we even had a friendly branch manager who knew our name.
For generations, buying a first home was seen as one of the great milestones of adult life. A young person found a job, saved a deposit, took out a mortgage and eventually became a homeowner.
For generations, rural Scotland was built around families who stayed close to where they were born. People grew up, found work locally, bought or rented a home nearby and raised their own families in the same communities.
For much of the last century, each generation has generally become wealthier than the one before it. People bought homes when prices were much lower, built up pensions, saved money and in some cases accumulated land, businesses or investments.
Britain's housing debate today often appears to be about house prices, mortgages and affordability. But behind the headlines is a much bigger story.
Support available to those most at risk from drop in pig prices. A new £2 million support scheme for Scotland’s independent pig producers has been launched to help with the significant market challenges facing the sector.
When today's young adults talk about the difficulty of buying a home, an often-heard response is: "People managed before. They just saved up and bought a house." There is some truth in that.
There was a time when almost every child in Britain knew the meaning of one simple word: Thrift. Today, you rarely hear it.
The key point is that the French nuclear reactors are not being reduced because the reactors themselves cannot cope with heat. The problem is the cooling system and environmental rules protecting rivers.
A recent announcement from the UK Insolvency Service highlighted reforms designed to make Debt Relief Orders (DROs) more accessible in England and Wales. It is welcome news for people struggling with problem debt, but it also raises an important question for Scottish readers.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government faced one of the greatest economic emergencies in modern British history. Businesses were ordered to close almost overnight, millions of employees were furloughed, and thousands of small firms feared they would run out of cash within weeks.
Fifteen towns shortlisted for the first UK Town of Culture competition. Shortlisted towns set to receive £60,000 to work on their full bids with the winner announced early next year Shortlist selected from almost 400 applications Fifteen towns have been shortlisted to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, after nearly 400 places from across the country entered the landmark competition.
For many people, the biggest financial question surrounding Scottish independence is not about wages or pensions but about their savings. Millions of Scots have money in bank accounts, ISAs, Premium Bonds, investment funds and pensions built up over decades.
Ministers have launched a crackdown on vapes marketed at kids with a shift to plain white packaging. Plans to keep vapes out of sight in shops, airports and wholesalers Plain packaging for all tobacco products, including cigars and cigarette papers Plans to stop vapes being marketed to children have been unveiled today (10 July) as part of a UK-wide consultation to introduce plain packaging, restrictions on flavour description rules and keeping vapes out of sight in shops.
Flying taxis are no longer science fiction, but they are not about to become commonplace, particularly in rural Britain. The interesting point for the Highlands is that, contrary to the popular image of flying over London traffic, rural areas may actually prove to be one of the best early markets.
Any incoming administration under Andy Burnham will face immense pressure to address a soaring social security bill. Three landmark reviews the Timms, Milburn, and Mayfield Reviews will shape his welfare strategy.
The British Retail consortium reports Footfall was down due to the heat wave in many places. Extreme weather meant shoppers stayed away from their local stores last month, leading to a decline in footfall across all three key retail locations.