From Annan’s Lonsdale Cinema to Mareel in Shetland, 29 independent cinemas and two touring cinema operators from across Scotland have received new funding support from the Scottish Government through Screen Scotland.
The £3.19 million Recovery Fund for Indie Cinemas will help stabilise, rebuild and revitalise independent cinema businesses in Scotland, by supporting new activity and initiatives that help address the fundamental shifts to the industry brought about by COVID-19.
Edinburgh’s Dominion Cinema is among the beneficiaries.
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Developmentat Screen Scotland said: “Scotland has a marvellously unique cohort of independent cinemas serving communities across the country, from historic purpose-built venues to arts centres and multi-screen cinemas.
“Despite facing unprecedented challenges as we adapt to living with COVID they have continued to provide vital cultural, social and economic hubs for the towns and cities they serve.
“This fund will ensure they are able to continue that work and make vital changes to welcome cinema-goers back, to reach new audiences and future generations to come.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertsonsaid: “We’re delighted to support independent cinemas across the country to build back and adapt their businesses in the light of the challenges faced by the industry throughout the Covid pandemic.
“Local cinemas are a focal point for communities and these funds will help them to develop new activities to re-engage with, and grow, their audiences.”
This latest funding takes the total emergency funds awarded to cinemas, from the Scottish Government through Screen Scotland, since the pandemic began in March 2020 to £8,727,829 through the Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund and the Recovery Fund for Indie Cinemas.
Social Security Scotland: Payment rates for benefits increase from April
EIGHT of the benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland will now increase by 6%. The increase in payments for low income households and carers comes as the cost of living continues to rise.
Benefits and assistance including Job Start Payment, Young Carers Grant, Funeral Support Payment and Carer’s Allowance Supplement were due to be increased by 3.1% for 2022/23. Subject to parliamentary approval, the increases will now be almost doubled to a 6% uprate.
In addition, the three Best Start Grant payments, which we had not previously planned to uprate, will also now be uprated by 6%, and Child Winter Heating Assistance, which was previously set to rise by 5%, will now also rise by 6%.
From tomorrow (1st April), there will be a 100% increase in Scottish Child Payment, which will double from £10 per week to £20. Best Start Foods was already increased from £4.25 to £4.50 a week in August (5.88%).
Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment will still increase by 3.1% on April 11 in line with the equivalent benefits (Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment) which are still administered by the Department for Work and Pensions under agency agreement.
This is to avoid creating a two-tier system where individuals paid by Social Security Scotland are paid more than clients whose cases have not yet transferred to the Scottish system.
Payment rates for 2022-2023 are:
Benefit
Rates 2021-2022
Rates 2022-2023
New rates 2022-2023 (6% uprate)
Best Start Grant
Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment (1st Child Payment)
£606.00
£606.00
£642.35
Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment (Subsequent Child Payment & Extra Payment for Twins/Triplets)
£303.00
£303.00
£321.20
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment
£252.50
£252.50
£267.65
Best Start Grant School Age Payment
£252.50
£252.50
£267.65
Child Winter Heating Assistance
Child Winter Heating Assistance (annually)
£202.00
£212.10
£214.10
Funeral Support Payment
standard rate for other expenses element
£1,010.00
£1041.30
£1,070.60
other expenses element where there is a funeral plan
£123.25
£127.05
£130.65
removal of implanted medical devices
£20.55
£21.20
£21.55
Job Start Payment
Job Start Payment (one-off) standard rate
£251.25
£260.35
£267.65
higher rate
£404.00
£416.50
£428.25
Young Carer Grant
Young Carer Grant (annually)
£308.15
£317.70
£326.65
Carer’s Allowance Supplement
£8.90
£9.15
£9.45
Child Disability Payment
Rates 2021-2022
Rates 2022-2023*
Care Component Highest Rate
£89.60
£92.40
Care Component Middle Rate
£60.00
£61.85
Care Component Lowest Rate
£23.70
£24.45
Mobility Component Higher Rate
£62.55
£64.50
Mobility Component Lower Rate
£23.70
£24.45
Adult Disability Payment
Rates 2021-2022
Rates 2022-2023*
Daily Living Component Standard Rate
£60.00
£61.85
Daily Living Component Enhanced Rate
£89.60
£92.40
Mobility Component Standard Rate
£23.70
£24.45
Mobility Component Enhanced Rate
£62.55
£64.50
* 3.1% increase in line with the equivalent benefits (Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment) which are still administered by DWP under agency agreement.
Over £85,000 awarded to 12 organisations from Foundation Scotland’s PHP Community Impact Fund
Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, has announced a dozen community projects in Scotland have received a funding boost thanks to the new PHP Community Impact Fund.
The fund, established by Primary Health Properties, launched last Autumn to offer support for health and wellbeing initiatives in the communities served by its medical practices.
Managed by Foundation Scotland, one of only two community foundations in the UK to pilot the new initiative, the fund is designed to provide additional and innovative services for those most in need from the patients served by practice buildings owned by PHP across the country.
Social prescribing enables a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing and is increasingly being used to complement the work of GPs and their teams.
The approach continues to play a vital role in helping communities recover and rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, with a particular emphasis on services to support mental health and combat loneliness.
As one of the UK’s leading investors in modern primary healthcare facilities, PHP created the Community Impact Fund to support GP practices and their communities with this model of care.
Two Edinburgh-based projects – Thistle Health and Wellbeing (£10,000) and Carr-Gomm (£5000) – have received PHP Community Impact funding.
Jennifer McPhail, Fund Adviser from Foundation Scotland, explained: ““We were delighted PHP chose Scotland to pilot this innovative new fund. With 38 properties spread across the country we were able to reach community projects from the Lothians up to Aberdeenshire.
“The Community Impact Fund launched at a critical time following the height of the pandemic. As our NHS continues to be under immense pressure, this is a fantastic initiative from PHP to help improve patient wellbeing outcomes, quality of life and emotional wellbeing”
Teapot Trust, a mental health charity in Musselburgh that provides support for children and families coping with chronic conditions received £5,000 from the fund for a new social prescribing project providing one-to-one art therapy sessions for children and young people.
Working closely with Community Link Workers, Teapot Trust will encourage self-referrals from children, young people and families in need of support in order to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Sarah Randell, Chief Executive, Teapot Trust, said: “We are most grateful for the support of Foundation Scotland. The funding we have received from the PHP Community Impact Fund is extending the reach of our one-to-one art psychotherapy service for children and young people struggling to cope with a chronic physical condition.
“The Teapot Trust self-referrals scheme enables families to get the support they need when they need it most. This funding is supporting referrals from either a PHP owned GP Practice or directly from one of their patient families for the first time.
“Teapot Trust is delighted to help children and families build resilience, develop healthy coping mechanisms and improve mental health and wellbeing through this work across Scotland.”
Across Scotland, a total of £86,927 was distributed among 12 organisations delivering a range of health and wellbeing programmes for their local communities.
These include services to support young people’s mental health and social inclusion, art therapy for children with long-term chronic conditions, gardening activities to promote wellbeing. This is an excellent example of true partnership working with GP’s, social prescribers and community groups coming together to deliver targeted solutions to their patients.
Harry Hyman, CEO of Primary Health Care Properties, commented: “We were delighted with the range and scope of the applications to our new Community Impact Fund.
“It’s clear that social prescribing is an important area of growth in promoting health and wellbeing and we look forward to hearing how the organisations we have funded are able to develop their services over the coming months.”
Anne’s Law:Reinforcing the rights of residents to have visits and care from loved ones
Changes to the national Health and Social Care Standards for Scotland’s adult care homes will put Anne’s Law into practical effect while legislation is being prepared.
Two new Standards set out the expectation that people living in care homes should have the right to see someone who is dear to them, even during a Covid-19 outbreak, and be able to name a person or persons who can directly participate in meeting their care needs.
The Standards should be reflected by care homes in their policies, and the Care Inspectorate will consider whether they are being met when registering, inspecting and supporting homes.
Anne’s Law aims to ensure people who live in adult care homes have rights to see and get support from those who are important to them.
The stepped approach to its introduction – new Standards followed by legislation – follows a public consultation which found overwhelming backing for Anne’s law and for a change to the Standards. The new Standards are supported by the body representing care homes, Scottish Care.
Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We are fulfilling our pledge to introduce the provisions of Anne’s Law as quickly as possible by using our existing legal powers to help ensure care home visitors can be involved in the care and support of their loved ones.
“We will go further by including Anne’s Law within the new National Care Service Bill, with that legislation due to be introduced to the Scottish Parliament in the coming months. We are clear in our expectation that care home residents must have their care delivered in a dignified manner that reflects their rights.”
Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care, said: “I am pleased to commend the new Social Care Standards which have been published today. They make explicit what we all recognise, namely the critical role that family and friends play in the care support of a resident in a care home.
“They clearly underline the rights of residents, should they wish, even during a managed infectious disease outbreak, to have family and friends support them in visiting and support.
“In the months ahead staff, providers, families, and residents will work together to ensure that these rights are understood and that the new Standards are a success.”
Edith Macintosh, interim Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate said: “The Care Inspectorate welcomes the new Standards. We know that having regular contact with people is essential for wellbeing and good mental health.
“Meaningful contact must be included in personal care plans, with clear strategies in place for staff to support it. This includes people experiencing care from those close to them when that is their choice.
“These new Standards will be reflected in how we register, inspect and support adult care homes in Scotland, to ensure care services embed them in their practice.”
A spokesperson for Care Home Relatives Scotland (CHRS) said: “CHRS is pleased the new Social Care Standards have been published and the importance of maintaining contact with care home residents at all times has been formally recognised.
“Relatives and close friends of those in residential care are not simply visitors, but continue with a caring role and as the voice and representative for our loved ones. It is reassuring to know we will always have the right to uphold that essential contact.
“We look forward to working together with all care home staff to ensure the Standards are respected and upheld.”
The Health and Social Care Standards set out what people should expect when experiencing health, social care or social work services in Scotland. As with the existing Standards, the Care Inspectorate will be under a duty to consider how care service providers are upholding them in relation to registering, inspecting and supporting care services.
The Scottish Government will provide further support and resource to enhance the Care Inspectorate’s role in supporting visiting rights. This additional resource will enable the Care Inspectorate to proactively champion the implementation of the new Standards and rigorously monitor its progress.
The two new Standards are:
If I am an adult living in a care home and restrictions to routine visiting are needed to prevent infection, I can nominate relatives/friends (and substitutes) to visit me. My nominated relatives/friends will be supported by the care home to see me in person day-to-day and to be directly involved in providing my care and support if that is what I want
If I am an adult living in a care home, I can nominate relatives/friends (and substitutes), who will be supported by the care home to be directly involved in providing my day-to-day care and support if that is what I want
The Standards follow on from updates to the Scottish Government’s Named Visitor policy during COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes and will be followed by Anne’s Law, which will be incorporated into primary legislation in the National Care Service Bill, due to be introduced by the end of this Parliamentary year.
EVOC is delighted to announce that more than 120 community and voluntary organisations are to benefit from grants totalling £1.32 million from the Scottish Government’s Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in Edinburgh.
This investment will support a wide range of projects and enable people across the City to access additional mental health and wellbeing support in their communities. Programmes being funded include activity-based canal boat trips; befriending services; art therapy sessions; community garden growing workshops; 1 to 1 mentoring with childcare; outdoor programmes for families; local pantries and counselling.
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants is available here.
As a partner in Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface we have taken the lead in developing a new community commissioning-based funding approach that invests the Scottish Government funding in projects that support the needs of different communities.
The process has taken both a geographical and thematic approach and focused on making sure people get the support they need, when they need it, where they need it.
Ian Brooke, EVOC’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “‘It is fantastic to see this investment going out to grass-roots organisations across Edinburgh and to know this is the result of shared decisions based on evidence of real need in the City’s communities.
“Our ambition to roll out a community commissioning-based approach for this fund, in less than six months, has relied on the hard work, commitment and energy of everyone involved.
“We believe this is the first process of its kind to be delivered in Scotland, if not the UK and have commissioned a research team to make sure that lessons learned and further improvements are made from this experience which can then be used to develop and refine future cross-sector funding models.”
Fresh Startis one of more than a hundred and twenty organisations and partnerships that have received a grant in this the second phase of the Fund – fourteen grants of under £2,500 were awarded earlier this month.
They have been awarded £10,673 to deliver a project that reduces the anxiety and stress that parents and care givers encounter trying to keep food on the table.
Fresh Start will run a variety of food related projects including family Fridays, provide Dish of Day cook bags, deliver community meals and provide additional support to families to tackle holiday hunger.
It is envisaged that they will support over 100 families in North Edinburgh.
Biddy Kelly, Managing Director, Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our application to the Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and are looking forward to getting the services to people at a time when they are most in need.
“I am also delighted that our collective Respond and Recovery Group in North Edinburgh could co-ordinate our applications to ensure maximum impact and reduce duplication, and that we saw a significant amount of essential work being not only funded but recognised by this process of funding in a new way.’
A partnership between Leith Community Growers and Leith Growing has been awarded £17,341.72 to explore views about local community garden development, develop community garden spaces across the North East of Edinburgh and deliver a programme of workshops on gardening, growing, connecting with nature and outdoor play.
Patrick Dunne, Leith Community Growers said: “‘Leith Community Growers aims to support and develop growing and green space initiatives in Leith.
“This funding allows us to run sessions about gardening with local organisations and our own community to the benefit of their wellbeing and mental health, and also supports us to encourage local community members to develop their local spaces in whatever way they can.
“It’s been interesting to be a part of this new model of funding process. While challenging at times it has encouraged us to reach out and collaborate with groups and spaces that are new to us and we are very happy that those new relationships will grow and be of benefit in our community in the next 12 months.
“We are looking forward to growing alongside the people of Leith this year.”
A NEW APPROACH
EVOC has worked alongside key partners in the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Edinburgh’s Thrive Collaborative, Volunteer Edinburgh and others from the voluntary sector to develop a process that prioritises what works at a grass-roots level and what the people and communities of Edinburgh really value.
These efforts will continue and build on the City’s partnership working, developing new ways in which people and local organisations can be supported.
In addition, the work being carried out toward the development of an Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact offers opportunities for organisations to get involved throughout the next year.
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The pandemic has seen rises in health inequalities, mental health challenges, and growth in social isolation.
“Whilst this is a national picture, in Edinburgh we are committed to finding ways to reach people and ensure they have access to the right kind of support at the right time. Everyone’s different.
“Via this funding, we’ve not only been able to accelerate work in this area, but through the engagement led by EVOC and our Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact, we’ve been able to reach a wide range of communities and reach those with lived experiences who are not always heard.
“Without doubt, we are very encouraged by what’s been achieved and are committed to building on this as we move forward.
“We’re incredibly thankful to all who have engaged and taken part in this process, particularly to our partners at EVOC for their hard work throughout.”
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for the City of Edinburgh can be found here.
The Scottish Government announced the £15 million-pound Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in October last year and announced additional investment for this fund on 25 February.
An overview of the community commissioning process devised and delivered for the Edinburgh funding by EVOC and other key partners can be found here.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater has announced the formation of an advisory group that will shape plans for mandatory charges on coffee cups and other single-use disposable beverage containers.
Work to tackle single-use cup waste is re-starting, having been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The charge is expected to come into effect during the course of this parliament.
The group will contain representatives from every stage of the supply chain – from manufacturers and distributors through small and large retailers – as well as consumer groups, environmental NGOs, equalities groups and academics.
Charging for single-use cups will help encourage people to make the move to reusable alternatives and support the shift to a more circular economy.
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Single-use coffee cups are a classic example of the throwaway culture that we are taking action to tackle.
“Lots of people already carry a reusable cup with them, but hundreds of millions of single-use cups are still being wasted every single year.
“Evidence shows that a small charge on single-use cups can be hugely effective in encouraging people to switch to a reusable alternative.
“I look forward to working with experts representing business, the environment and consumers to take forward this important measure. Alongside Scotland’s deposit return scheme, which will recycle nearly two billion bottles and cans every year, and our action to ban some of the most problematic single-use plastics, this will make a vital contribution to reducing the amount of waste generated in the country.”
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Single-use items, like cups, are emblematic of the throwaway culture we need to change if we want to tackle the climate crisis.
“We know there’s an appetite for action on such items, with a recent Zero Waste Scotland survey indicating that 66 per cent of Scots would support introducing charges to limit the use of single-use plastic and packaging.
“Switching to reusable over single-use is one of the best things we can all do for the environment, so it’s hugely welcome news that work to shape a chargeable cup scheme is continuing with the formation of an advisory group.”
Campaigners are calling for more ambition, however.Friends of the Earth Scotland point out that disposable cups are a small part of Scotland’s overall material footprint. Scotland consumed 100 million tonnes of materials in 2017, and must reduce this by 57% to become environmentally sustainable.
Removing disposable cups completely would be less than 0.01% (4,000 tonnes) of the change that is needed.
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “Disposable cups are a symbol of our linear economy that we need to move away from, but we simply do not have the time to change our economy one product at a time.
“The Scottish Government must go further and faster on this, and it needs to use the charge introduction to learn lessons that can be applied more widely.
“Over-consumption is causing the climate crisis, and changing our culture of consumption is a key part of the solution. The Circular Economy Bill, which is being consulted on by the Scottish Government in May, is a vital opportunity to make the whole system change that is needed.”
82% of Scotland’s carbon footprint relates to material consumption. From buildings and transport to food and clothing, we use materials in a linear way: extracting raw materials, making them into products, using them (sometimes only once) and throwing them away to be burnt or buried.
Cutting our material consumption to sustainable levels will support Scotland to reach its climate goals.
The conservation charity launches ambitious 10-year strategy, aims include:
Commitment to become carbon negative by 2031, as Scotland’s largest independent conservation charity
Expanding the number of people welcomed to Trust sites across Scotland to more than 6 million people per year by 2032
Investment of £38 million in the care of the Trust’s places within the next three years, and £100 million across the lifetime of the strategy
Commitment to increasing the Trust’s learning work, through developing skills and new learning and research programmes
Today conservation charity, the National Trust for Scotland, has unveiled a new strategy – Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone, as it refocuses its vision of caring for, sharing, and speaking up for Scotland’s magnificent heritage.
The bold strategy will be delivered over the next ten years as the Trust works towards its centenary in 2031, by which point it intends to be carbon negative.
Chief Executive Philip Long OBE says the strategy is a ‘firm renewing’ of the charity’s commitment to its founding principles of caring for Scotland’s special places and working to make these places as accessible as possible and inspirational for all.
The charity also revealed for the first-time figures which show the scale of its social and economic impact on Scotland. Economically, the direct and indirect impacts of the National Trust for Scotland in 2019-20 are estimated at 7,430 jobs, which can also be expressed as £148 million Gross Value Added.
However, the study went further, using feedback from member and visitor surveys to identify the proportion of visitors who gain strong positive wellbeing benefits that they are unable to obtain elsewhere. When these proportions were applied, it equates to an additional £73 million of annual social value.
And these figures are set to grow further, as the charity is currently recruiting for around 300 seasonal and permanent roles to deliver its new ten-year vision, which has been created to ensure the Trust’s places are cared for and bring benefit to Scotland’s people and communities for years to come.
Recognising the integral role that members play in the future of the charity, from championing Scotland’s heritage through to speaking up for the invaluable work the Trust does, the new strategy also outlines the Trust’s commitment to grow its diverse membership base to over half a million people across Scotland over the next ten years.
At the heart of the strategy is a programme of projects and investment, with a spend of £38 million planned for 2021 – 2024, and with the intention to invest £100 million across the lifetime of the strategy, supported by the Trust’s fundraising work.
Hundreds of individual projects are planned and on top of that there will be many new initiatives to create opportunities to get more people involved in, and learn from, Scotland’s heritage.
Projects include:
On the Isle of Canna, the Trust is continuing to work in partnership with the community, restoring Canna House to better care for its collections as well as developing new visitor and community facilities.
On Staffa, one of Scotland’s most important islands for seabirds, geology and cultural heritage, the Trust is improving the island infrastructure and further conserving and protecting this special place of natural beauty that has influenced artists, musicians and writers from around the world since its ‘discovery’ in the 18th century.
The Corrieshalloch Visitor Gateway in Ross-shire will be a new addition to the National Nature Reserve with one of the deepest and most spectacular gorges of its type in the British Isles. It currently has no visitor facilities, so the Trust is improving access with a much needed, sensitively designed visitor gateway building, to help visitors enjoy and find out more about Corrieshalloch’s wonderful nature. This project is supported by the Natural and Cultural Heritage Fund which is led by NatureScot and funded through the European Regional Development Fund.
In Dumfries and Galloway, the Threave Landscape Restoration Project is transforming 81 hectares of land at Kelton Mains into rich habitats for flora and fauna, restoring the site’s wetlands and native woodlands.
The new strategy is the most collaborative in the National Trust for Scotland’s 90-year history and has been shaped by its employees, volunteers, members, supporters, partners and communities, through consultation which has aimed to find out what the Trust’s places need and what people want from the National Trust for Scotland in the coming years.
This feedback informed three ‘pillars’ of activity: conservation, engagement and sustainability, which combine to deliver the Trust’s charitable purpose.
These pillars are served by eleven strategic objectives which will support the Trust in its work to protect and share Scotland’s special places and minimise the charity’s environmental impact.
Philip Long OBE, Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland, said: “We’ve begun an exciting new chapter for the National Trust for Scotland, building on the experience, knowledge and skills we’ve gathered over the last 90 years, throughout which time our charity has received phenomenal support from its members and many others.
“Everyone can benefit from Scotland’s heritage and from the work of the Trust, and in the years ahead we want to involve as many people as possible in this. Our new strategy is a response to all that our charity has achieved over its long history, and to the current health, economic and environmental challenges which affect everyone.
“In creating our new strategy we’ve set out a framework that charts our ambitions for the Trust’s tenth decade, describing our intended achievements: from becoming carbon negative by 2031, through to championing Scotland’s heritage for everyone, restoring and protecting habitats, historic buildings and landscapes and uncovering and sharing more of our nation’s stories to a larger and more diverse audience of 6 million annual visitors.
“We’re also recruiting colleagues to bring even more experience to our dedicated and passionate team throughout the country, to allow us to realise these ambitions.”.
For more information on Nature, Beauty & Heritage for Everyone, and to learn more about the strategy and its objectives, visit: www.nts.org.uk/our-work/our-strategy.
Legal requirements to wear face coverings on public transport and most indoor public settings will be replaced with guidance in the coming weeks, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today.
From Monday the legal requirement to wear a face covering in places of worship or while attending a marriage ceremony, civil partnership registration, funeral or commemorative event will end.
The requirement to wear face coverings in other indoor areas such as retail spaces and public transport will become guidance on 18 April.
The most recent ONS Covid infection survey – for the week ending 20 March – indicated that one in 11 people in Scotland had Covid, with daily case figures suggesting case numbers are high but may be stabilising.
The First Minister told Parliament that the very high level of infection and ongoing pressure within the NHS had been taken into account when making the decision, and that data will continue to be assessed closely.
She said: “We will, of course, continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings in certain indoor places, especially where significant numbers of people are present.
“This phased approach strikes, I think, a sensible balance between our desire to remove this one remaining legal measure, and the common sense need for continued caution – not least for the sake of the NHS – while this wave of infection does subside.
“I recognise that face coverings are an inconvenience. However, given all the sacrifice of the past two years, and in view of the current pressure on the NHS, I believe the vast majority of people will accept that for a further two weeks this is a proportionate precautionary measure while we pass the peak of this latest wave. It also of course provides some additional protection to those who are most at risk from the virus.”
It was confirmed earlier this month that people without COVID-19 symptoms will no longer be asked to take regular lateral flow tests from 18 April.
The change forms part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan, which sets out how testing will become more targeted, with the aim of reducing serious harm from COVID-19.
The changes to Test and Protect mean that from 18 April:
most people without symptoms will no longer be asked to take COVID-19 tests
free lateral flow devices (LFDs) for the purposes of twice weekly routine testing will no longer be available for the general population given the changing advice, but will continue to be free for any purpose for which testing continues to be advised – for clinical care, for health and social care workers and for people visiting vulnerable individuals in care homes or hospitals
until the end of April, people with symptoms should still isolate and get a PCR test
vaccinated close contacts of someone with COVID-19 should continue to test daily for seven days with LFDs
People who have symptoms of COVID-19 will still be able to book PCR tests in the usual way until 30 April.
From that date, test sites will close and people with symptoms will no longer be advised that they need to seek a test. The public health advice for people who feel unwell will be to stay at home until they feel better, to reduce the risk of infecting other people.
Dua Lipa has more than double the monthly listeners of Beyoncé
New research has revealed that Dua Lipa is currently the most popular female artist on Spotify.
The study, commissioned by shopping experts Coupon Ninja, compared Spotify data for 70 of the world’s biggest female music artists, using the number of monthly listeners to reveal the most popular artists.
Dua Lipa is the most popular female artist on Spotify. The London-born pop singer has 67.9 million monthly listeners – more than twice that of the Queen Bee, Beyoncé herself. Dua Lipa is also the fourth most popular artist in the world on Spotify, surpassed only by Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, and The Weekend.
With more than 56 million monthly listeners, Doja Cat comes in second place, making her the most popular female rapper on Spotify. The Californian ‘Say So’ singer also sits in the seventh position worldwide.
In third place is Taylor Swift, America’s pop and country music star. Swift has more than 55.4 million listeners every month, which also puts her in the eighth worldwide position on Spotify.
Although she started her career on screen as a teen actor, Ariana Grande is now the fourth most popular female artist on Spotify, with more than 54 million fans listening to her music every month, and currently sitting in the tenth worldwide position.
Adele has 53.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, making her the fifth most popular female artist on Spotify. The British Soul artist’s most recent album ‘30’ was the best-selling album of 2021 despite only being released in November.
As well as playing a huge part in the beauty and fashion industries, Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna is also included in the top 10 most popular female music artists on Spotify. RiRi currently sits in the sixth position with more than 48.6 million monthly listeners.
Top 10 Female Artists on Spotify
Rank
Artist
Spotify Monthly Listeners
Worldwide Position
1
Dua Lipa
67,908,917
4
2
Doja Cat
56,010,550
7
3
Taylor Swift
55,456,584
8
4
Ariana Grande
54,019,195
10
5
Adele
53,241,958
12
6
Rihanna
48,603,273
18
7
Billie Eilish
47,792,885
21
8
Katy Perry
44,113,004
26
9
Olivia Rodrigo
42,211,010
28
10
Karol G
40,972,252
31
Billie Eilish is in seventh place with 47.7 million monthly listeners, followed by Katy Perry with 44.1 million and Olivia Rodrigo with 42.2 million, in the eighth and ninth positions. Finally in tenth place is the Colombian reggaeton singer Karol G with more than 40.9 million monthly listeners.
A spokesperson for Coupon Ninja commented on the study: “The music industry is known to be heavily male-dominated, with women making up just 21.6% of music artists and only 12.6% of songwriters*, making the achievements of these artists even more incredible.
“It is great to celebrate their popularity on a streaming service like Spotify, which reflects the taste of more than 365 million users.
“It is fascinating to see the wide variety of artists who make up the top ten most popular on Spotify, with varying ages, genres, and nationalities. Some of the artists are not surprising to see, but the results also gave some unexpected results, with artists such as Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Cardi B sitting much lower in the list than some might have thought.”
The analysis was conducted by Coupon Ninja, which aims to provide exclusive coupons on major brands for online shoppers.
Sizzling pubs, including The Robin’s Nest in Edinburgh, are teaming up with Make-A-Wish UK to help make dreams come true for seriously ill children across the UK.
As part of the ‘Sizzling Community Change’ campaign, the pub chain has set themselves the goal of collectively raising one million pennies for their charity partner Make-A-Wish UK, and other local community good causes, through a series of fundraising activities.
With over 243 pubs across the UK, Sizzling prides themselves on their sense of community spirit – and this partnership with Make-A-Wish UK will help make a real difference to the lives of children in the local communities that their pubs are at the heart of.
Currently, around 63,000 children across the UK are eligible for a wish because they have a life-limiting or life-threatening condition. And Make-A-Wish UK aims to create hope, happiness and memories for the whole family to cherish by empowering children with the chance to choose a wish that’s unique to them.
The pub chain’s fundraising activity is set to kick off with the introduction of Sizzling’s ‘Light Nights’ menu, which will feature a charity dessert. The special Eton Mess Sundae will help raise money for Make-A-Wish UK, with 25p from each pudding being donated to the charity.
Tom Redwood, Operations Director at Sizzling Pubs, said: “Supporting local charities is part of what gives us our Sizzling spirit, and we hope this new partnership will help make a big difference to the lives of children and their families across the UK.
“We’re so proud to be supporting Make-A-Wish UK as part of our Sizzling Community Change campaign, and our charity dessert is just the beginning when it comes to the exciting fundraising activities we have planned for this year.”
Jason Suckley, Chief Executive at Make-A-Wish UK, said: “The power of a wish can revive a childhood stolen by critical illness. We are very grateful for the generous support of Sizzling Pubs, which will help Make-A-Wish UK be a light in the darkness for more children and their loves ones, granting wishes that leave a profound and lasting impact on all their lives.”
Discover which seriously ill children need help in your area and help make a wish come true using the Make-A-Wish UK ‘Wish Map’:
