News Archive

17/11/2023

 
UK SAF Industry Goes From Forest Waste To New Heights With £53 Million Boost

UK's sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) industry to receive £53 million boost, helping to save 2.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions per year.   Advanced Fuels Fund projects could help create tens of thousands of jobs and grow the economy.  

17/11/2023

OFGEM Launch Of Review Into Standing Charges On Energy Bills

We have today launched a review into standing charges.  We want to find out your views about how standing charges are added onto electricity and gas bills.  

16/11/2023 : Other Public Services

 
Work Begins To Permanently Secure Low Level Nuclear Waste Vaults

A key programme of work at the Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria is making real progress.   The Repository, which is part of Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) and manages disposal of the UK's low level radioactive waste, has started key work on the final capping of historic trenches and vaults which are now full and ready for permanent closure.  

16/11/2023 : Other Public Services

 
Science Fair Connecting Students To A Future In Nuclear

Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) and Women in Nuclear (WiN UK) hosted an event for young people to promote and showcase career opportunities in the nuclear industry.   Around 150 students attended the first ever Nuclear Connection Science Fair in Oxford, hosted by NWS and Women in Nuclear (WiN UK) on 10 November 2023.  

16/11/2023 : Local Authority

 
New Video Aims To Attract And Retain Social Workers In Highland

Highland Councillors have welcomed a positive shift in the recruitment and reduction of Children's Services vacancies by 7% while noting an on-going recruitment and retention challenge across all social work services in the region.   To help address this challenge a recruitment video was launched today by Highland Council aimed at encouraging potential applicants to think about ‘Being a Social Worker in Highland’ and promoting it as a rewarding and exciting career opportunity.  

16/11/2023

Sharp Inflation Fall Sends CPI To Its Lowest Level Since 2021 - But Scale Of Two-year Inflation Shock Has Left A Legacy Of Far Higher Prices

CPI inflation fell by more than expected to 4.6 per cent in October - its lowest level since October 2021, and the largest annual fall in more than 40 years.  But with overall prices rising by 16 per cent over this two-year period, and energy costs rising by 49 per cent, families are still feeling the effects of this huge inflation shock, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday).  

16/11/2023

 
Store Wars - Return Of The Cashier, Or The Self-checkout Strikes Back?

Two very different checkout solutions are battling it out at supermarkets this Christmas.  While Booths has axed the majority of its self-service tills, Tesco has gone the opposite way, introducing a scan-free, app-free solution developed by its retail tech partner Trigo.  

16/11/2023

 
Self Assessment Payments Via The HMRC App Treble To £121m

Almost 100,000 customers have paid £121 million using the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) app since April 2023, taking advantage of the quickest and easiest way to pay their Self Assessment tax bill.     Latest figures from HMRC reveal that between April and September 2023, 97,365 customers used the app to settle their tax bill for the 2022 to 2023 tax year.  

16/11/2023

 
Sellers Are Finally Waking Up! UK House Price Crash

UK House Prices have FALLEN at their FASTEST rate in 5 YEARS in a move that has SHOCKED many housing market commentators.  The UK House Price Crash started over a year ago when interest rates soared and mortgage repayments skyrocketed, however, until now many sellers have been unwilling to accept this new reality and continued to market their properties at completely unrealistic prices.  

16/11/2023

 
How Is Scotland's Labour Market Performing? We Know With Less Certainty Than We Used To...

Recently there has been coverage of the challenges facing certain Office for National Statistics (ONS) household surveys.  Due to concerns about the quality of data resulting from a particularly low response rate, In October 2023, the ONS suspended the publication of one of its headline labour market surveys.  

16/11/2023

 
Private Rental Prices Paid By Tenants In The UK Rose By 6.1% In The 12 Months To October 2023

Private rental prices paid by tenants in the UK rose by 6.1% in the 12 months to October 2023, up from 5.7% in the 12 months to September 2023.   Annual private rental prices increased by 6.0% in England, 6.9% in Wales, and 6.2% in Scotland in the 12 months to October 2023.  

16/11/2023

Mortgage Lenders Slash More Fixed Rates To Sub-5%

Borrowers comparing mortgages may be pleased to see the arrival of more sub-5% options this week.  The latest analysis from Moneyfactscompare.co.uk reveals the latest developments in the market.  

16/11/2023

One In Three People Have Missed Payments On Vital Bills Already This Year

More than 16 million people have missed payments on key household bills this year and over two million did so for the first time, according to new research for Talk Money Week 2023.   Millions miss payments on key household expenses, some for the first time.  

15/11/2023

 
Producer Price Inflation UK - October 2023

Changes in the prices of goods bought and sold by UK manufacturers including price indices of materials and fuels purchased (input prices) and factory gate prices (output prices).   Producer input prices fell by 2.6% in the year to October 2023, down from a revised fall of 2.1% in the year to September 2023.  

15/11/2023

UK CPI Goodbye inflation nation?

Annualised inflation was down year-on-year at 4.6%, the lowest rate in two years, largely thanks to a fall in energy prices.   Annualised inflation was forecast to come in at 4.8% (Trading Economics).  

15/11/2023 : Local Authority

Strengthening Support For Young Carers And Families In Highland

Work is ongoing to strengthen support being offered to young carers and their families in Highland through the provision of Young Carers Statements.   Members of The Highland Council's Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee were updated on progress being made to ensure that Young Carers and their families receive appropriate support.  

15/11/2023

 
Saxavord And Hyimpulse In Shetland Announce Launch Plans

SaxaVord Spaceport is planning to host a program of orbital rocket launches by HyImpulse Technologies from late 2025, it was announced today.   The German rocket launch provider has carried out an extensive series of engine tests in Shetland over the past three years.  

15/11/2023

New Government Planner To Help Thousands Of Disabled University Students Into Work

Hundreds of thousands of disabled university and higher education students are set to benefit from a new Government planner to help ease their transition into work.   New Adjustment Planner to be rolled out to all universities and higher education colleges across UK.  

15/11/2023

Pay Growth Is Cooling Rapidly Amid A Murky Outlook For Employment

Private sector pay growth has almost halved in recent months, suggesting that higher interest rates are bringing about a turn in the labour market, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest data.   Headline nominal regular average weekly earnings grew by 7.7 per cent on the year - down on the previous months but still high by historic standards.  

15/11/2023

 
Consumer Price Inflation UK October 2023 - 4.6% In October Down From 6.7% In September

The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) rose by 4.7% in the 12 months to October 2023, down from 6.3% in September.   On a monthly basis, CPIH rose by 0.1% in October 2023, compared with a rise of 1.6% in October 2022.