ONE in 5 patients experiencing ‘awful’ A&E corridor care across the UK, new survey reveals

Thousands of A&E patients across the UK every day, including patients in mental health crisis and children, are being forced to receive care on chairs or trolleys, in waiting rooms or in corridors, according to a new survey conducted by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM).  

This new survey, the results of which were first published by ITV News yesterday, asked clinical leads – doctors who lead Emergency Departments (EDs) – from 106 hospitals across the four nations of the UK to count the number of patients experiencing corridor care at a given moment in time at the start of November.  

Corridor care is where patients are treated in inappropriate spaces in EDs. These spaces include ambulances, corridors, chairs in waiting rooms, converted storerooms, offices or cupboards.  

According to the survey, around one in five (19.5%) patients in EDs at the time were experiencing corridor care, and there was at least one patient subject to it in the vast majority (88.7%) of hospitals.  

Patients experiencing a mental health crisis were more likely to experience corridor care, with more than a quarter (27.6%) receiving care in inappropriate spaces at the time of the survey. Meanwhile, around one in 30 children (3.5% of paediatric patients) in A&E at the time of the survey were experiencing corridor care.

Dr Ian Higginson, RCEM President, said: “Corridor care is awful and represents a stain on our health service. It is undignified and dangerous for our patients, and it’s a symptom of the wider crisis facing our Emergency Departments. 

“Our data today shows that the scale of the problem remains enormous. Health service leaders must pay attention to this and take action. Despite attempts to paint a rosy picture, the harsh reality is that most clinical leads think things are worse than this time last year, and have low confidence going into winter. 

“Those of us working on the frontlines are struggling to explain to people why they may have to spend the night on a chair or trolley in a waiting room or busy corridor – despite the pain and fear that they are experiencing. It’s awful. 

“It impacts everyone including, as our survey showed, some of the most vulnerable in our society: children, the elderly, and people suffering from a mental health crisis. These patients are not statistics, they are humans who deserve better.” 

Corridor care is, predominantly, not driven by too many people attending A&E – but by an inability to get the sickest patients into inpatient hospital beds or alternative services, an issue itself caused by inadequate capacity, hospitals not working effectively, or difficulties discharging patients back home or into social care.  

Today, RCEM urges the governments of the UK to take immediate action to reduce overcrowding in Emergency Departments by: 

  • Opening up all available beds now, in hospitals with overcrowded Emergency Departments 
  • Removing recruitment freezes in services contributing to urgent and emergency care 
  • Ensuring that services needed to avoid admission or free up beds are open for longer hours, and seven days a week, with adequate staffing to support this. This includes the Christmas period 
  • In the longer term ensuring that delays to discharge are minimised, and that there are enough hospital beds and community options available for patients who need them 

RCEM is further calling on health system leaders to ensure that corridor care in all of its forms is properly measured. The College, earlier this year, raised concerns about the definition of corridor care adopted by NHS England on the grounds that it was too narrow. Our survey shows just how narrow it is.  

Dr Higginson added: “For this crisis to be tackled meaningfully, we need to understand its full scale. To do that we must collect the right data and get a true picture on just how many patients – and their families – are affected by corridor care. 

“We have been working with politicians in some of the devolved nations ahead of plans to begin formally recording corridor care. We urge all governments to adopt an improved definition of corridor care to ensure that the problem is fully appreciated, and so that there is transparency in discussions.”

Police officer assaults condemned following weekend of violence

The actions of those who attack police officers as they carry out their duties, prevent disorder and keep communities safe has been condemned in the strongest terms by Police Scotland.

Deputy Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “This weekend we saw a catalogue of violent incidents across Scotland, with officers being injured, assaulted and requiring hospital treatment as they attended calls during their shifts.

“These acts against our officers is shameful and cowardly. Not one of those officers left their home and families to go to work and expected to become a victim of assault. Being assaulted is simply not part of being a police officer.

“Our latest performance figures show that every day on average 21 officers are assaulted on duty. We are seeing a difference due to the actions to reduce the impact of violence towards officers as part of our Your Safety Matters programme and the introduction of Body Worn Video. However, assaulting our officers is simply unacceptable.

“We place the highest priority on the safety and wellbeing of our officers and anyone who has been assaulted is encouraged to make use of the support which is available.”

On Saturday, 7 November 2026, three officers were assaulted during a disturbance and violent disorder in the vicinity of Congress Road. Two of those officers assaulted required hospital treatment.

Two men, aged 32 and 27, will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal after they were arrested and charged with offences including police assault, obstructing police and threatening and abusive behaviour. Three other men were arrested and issued with recorded police warnings for threatening and abusive behaviour and breach of the peace.

Officers continue to carry out extensive enquiries, including examining CCTV footage.

Further arrests are expected and anyone with information about the disturbance should contact Police Scotland on 101.

Around 8.15am on Saturday, 7 November 2026 after a car was stopped by officers in Midlothian, a 23-year-old man who was driving the car struck one of the three officers in attendance, who had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

The driver has been arrested and charged and was expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 9 November 2026.

In an earlier incident, around 10.35am on Friday, 6 November, 2026, officers were violently attacked as they dealt with the report of a disturbance on a bus in Edinburgh.

Two officers were treated by paramedic colleagues at the scene of the incident.

The 38-year-old man arrested and charged in connection with this incident was also due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, 9 November 2026.

Scotland’s first drug-checking service opens

New hub aims to help reduce drug deaths

Scotland’s first local drug-checking service in Glasgow has opened its doors.

It will allow people and aged 18 or over who are dependent on illegal drugs to submit drugs samples for checking and receive tailored harm-reduction advice based on the results, such as information on the substance, its strength, or contaminants.

The service will also offer an opportunity to engage people in conversations about their health and wellbeing, wider treatment, and care and recovery.

Samples will then be sent to the recently established national testing and research laboratory for drug-testing, hosted by the University of Dundee’s Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science. This will contribute to wider intelligence about the substances circulating, supporting national early warning systems and public health responses. The service forms part of the drive to reduce drug-related deaths, alongside other interventions to improve health, wellbeing and access to support.

Glasgow’s drug-checking facility will operate from Hunter Street – the same site as the UK’s first official Safer Drug Consumption Facility.

Services in Aberdeen and Dundee will follow in the coming months, with Edinburgh also working towards a site. Those sites, together with the national testing and research laboratory at the University of Dundee, will form a pilot backed by more than £1.7 million of Scottish Government funding.

Drugs Minister Maree Todd, who visited the service on its opening day, said: “I welcome the opening of the site in Glasgow, which will provide vital information on the risks of emerging substances and help people make safer decisions and reduce drug harms.

“Scotland’s illegal drug supply is increasingly unpredictable, including the presence of highly potent synthetic opioids such as nitazenes in a range of substances. This makes faster identification of emerging drug trends more important than ever.

“We have already worked with Glasgow partners to open the UK’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility, which is undoubtedly saving lives. This service will complement that vital harm-reduction work. We must improve the early identification of emerging risks and I look forward to other sites opening and to the national laboratory providing potentially life-saving research and updates.

“We will also continue other efforts to reduce harms and deaths, including widening access to naloxone treatment and residential rehabilitation. Our new Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan, backed by record funding, will strengthen surveillance, deepen links between treatment, housing and other services, and target support at the communities most at risk.”

Glasgow City Convener for Homelessness and Addiction Services Councillor Allan Casey said: “We are taking new and radical approaches to how we treat addiction.

“Now the drug-checking service is available, service users will be able to find out more about the drug they are taking and the risks associated with taking it. A very small sample is all that is needed.

“Alongside the testing process, people will receive personalised harm-reduction advice based on the substances identified, helping them make more informed decisions, reduce risks to their health and wellbeing and access wider support where needed.”

Four Square announces closure of Saughton Park Cafe

To our lovely customers: We are announcing the forthcoming closure of Four Square Park Café in Saughton Park.

Our final day of operation will be 11th November, closing at 12pm.

Please hear from our CEO, Jane: “Closing Four Square Park Café is a decision we have not wanted to make. We have worked for three years to make the cafe a success, and we are incredibly proud of what it has achieved.

“The café has been about community and providing a beautiful space for people to come together, celebrated some of life’s most important occasions and it has given more than 20 young people the opportunity to take their first steps into employment.

“Sadly, despite everything the café has contributed socially, we have not been able to make the business financially viable. Despite support from the City of Edinburgh Council, Friends of Saughton Park and the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, we have carried losses for three years, and even a glorious summer has not brought the level of sales needed to sustain the café.

“As a charity, we have a responsibility to manage our resources carefully, and we cannot continue to absorb these losses indefinitely.

“We are immensely grateful to everyone who has supported the café, worked in it, volunteered in it, celebrated in it and made it part of their lives. We will always be proud of its social impact.

“We hope that someone with a fresh perspective and an innovative approach to running a park café will see the potential in this wonderful space and find a way to make it work for the local community.”

The café closes at 12pm tomorrow – 11th November.

Four Square’s other social enterprise, Edinburgh Furniture Initiative (EFI) on Gorgie Road, is unaffected by these changes and continues to operate as normal, as does the rest of the charity. Please come by and see us at EFI in the future!

Greens call on Planning Committee to Save Summerhall

Green councillor for Southside/Newington, Steve Burgess, will ask Edinburgh’s Planning Committee tomorrow (Wednesday 11th November) to bring forward a Place Brief for Summerhall, recognising the “cultural, creative and community space” that thrives there.

Summerhall is home to more than 100 small businesses, hundreds of artists and performers, and one of the Fringe’s leading venues.

Its owner has chosen a preferred bidder, who is consulting on plans for partial demolition and new hotels, student flats and serviced apartments alongside a reduced arts centre.

Councillor Burgess is urging the council to establish a Place Brief to recognise its artistic and cultural value.

Councillor Burgess said: “On Wednesday, Greens are calling on every party on the Planning Committee to protect Summerhall. Planning guidance must be strengthened so that any future development takes account of the hundreds of artists, performers and small businesses who make Summerhall what it is.

“With artistic and cultural spaces at St Margaret’s House and Argyle House already lost, the city can’t afford to lose another. It has the power to save Summerhall, but it must act now rather than let developers preside over its destruction.”

A Place Brief is a set of high-level planning principles, drawn up by the local authority, to guide the development, design and use of a specific site.

The Astley Ainslie Place Brief, on which the Council is currently consulting, is a recent example.

Rain doesn’t dampen spirits of Edinburgh College graduates

Hundreds of students walked across the grand old stage at McEwan Hall on Thursday (5 November) to collect their certificates of achievement and officially graduate from Edinburgh College.

The Class of 2026 was joined by over a thousand jubilant family members and friends who watched on with pride as their loved ones marked one of the most special days of the year.

Two ceremonies took place throughout the day, allowing graduates from across the College’s curriculum areas a chance to revel in the spotlight and be honoured.

Students were recognised for their hard work and dedication in subject areas in each of the College’s faculties: Academy of Creative Industries, Culture and Languages, the Centre of Care, Health and Wellbeing, and the Institute of Sustainable Technology, Advanced Manufacturing & Digital Innovation.

In both ceremonies, the College’s best-performing students received a special commendation from Principal Audrey Cumberford, whilst also picking up awards for academic excellence. Prizes were also awarded to students that exceeded expectations throughout their College journey on behalf of the Edinburgh College Board of Management.

In addition, Liz McAreavey, the Chief Executive of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, received the Edinburgh College Honorary Ambassador Award 2026 in honour of her work championing the College through her direct involvement with various programs, which has created a meaningful impact on the student experience.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “Graduation is a unique occasion celebrating all of the hard work, resilience and personal growth that every student has shown throughout their time at college.

“The knowledge and skills they’ve gained during their journey through Edinburgh College will act as a solid foundation for whatever challenge they take on next, and I am sure they will achieve great things.

“On behalf of the College’s leadership, faculty, and support teams, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of our students. Whether they’re continuing their studies, stepping into a new career, or chasing bold dreams, we wish them every success. Here’s to the Class of 2026!”

£2 million to back Global South leadership on loss and damage

Holyrood funding backs frontline countries to lead their own solutions

The Scottish Government will provide £2 million to help countries that have done the least to cause the climate crisis but are being hit hardest by its effects. 

The funding will support countries in the Global South to lead their own response to loss and damage: the harm caused by climate change that people cannot prevent or prepare for.

The largest share, £1.2 million, will go to the Climate Vulnerable Forum – Vulnerable 20 (CVF -V20), an organisation of countries at high risk from climate change, to support community led responses to loss and damage across the Pacific, Africa and Asia.

A further £500,000 will contribute to a new partnership with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, which will help Uganda, Kiribati, and St Nevis and Kitts to better understand and respond to the lesser acknowledged damage climate change causes including impacts to people’s health, culture, heritage and natural environment, so they can recover and become more resilient.

The remaining £300,000 will extend Scotland’s partnership with the Loss and Damage Collaboration, helping climate-vulnerable countries access vital climate finance and strengthening their voice at COP31 and beyond.

Speaking from the COP31 UN Climate Summit in Türkiye, Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said: “Scotland continues to proudly support communities which – despite having done the least to cause climate change – are suffering its worst impacts. Countries in the Global South need support to deal with loss and damage now.

“I am proud that Scotland was the first government to commit funding explicitly for loss and damage, and since COP26 in Glasgow we have provided over £10 million to support some of the most vulnerable communities.

“This latest funding builds on that and shows we are acting with urgency to provide practical support. It will help communities in the Global South respond to climate change, access finance and have a stronger voice in international decision-making. We also want to share our learning and support Global South leadership.

“Climate justice is central to our approach. We want finance to reach those hit hardest, through locally led action that puts young people, women, disabled people and Indigenous Peoples at the heart of climate solutions and, crucially, ensures that the most underrepresented voices are listened to and, more importantly, heard.”

Erin Roberts, Executive Director, Loss and Damage Collaboration said: “Support from the Scottish Government has helped the Loss and Damage Collaboration expand its work and increase its impact.

!Last year we provided tailored technical support and developed a toolkit to help developing countries respond to loss and damage caused by climate change. This year the funding has allowed us to continue as a knowledge broker and convenor for our network of nearly 450 people and organisations working worldwide to make sure frontline communities and vulnerable countries get the support they need.

“At COP31, we will use our advocacy and storytelling to push for an ambitious outcome and show that there is enough money in the world for everyone to thrive. We are truly grateful for this support.”

Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction said: “I commend the Scottish Government for its leadership and vision in tackling the climate emergency.

“Through this partnership, we will help the most vulnerable countries better understand and reduce the non-economic losses caused by climate change and disasters, many of which remain hidden and underappreciated.”

H.E. The Most Honourable Elizabeth Thompson, Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary for Climate Change, Small Island States (SIDS) & Law of the Sea, Barbados and Sherpa to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, S.C. M.P., Chair of the CVF-V20 (now THAT’s a title! – Ed.) said: “I welcome Scotland’s partnership with the CVF -V20 which puts loss and damage finance directly into the hands of climate-hit communities through the V20’s Loss and Damage Funding Program.

!For 77 climate-vulnerable countries, home to 1.8 billion people, our agenda in the CVF-V20 is delivery.

“Climate change has already cost V20 economies a fifth of their GDP potential since 2000, and every tenth of a degree beyond 1.5°C raises the bill. This has serious implications both for national development and the quality of life for our citizens. Scotland is helping to close the funding gap where it matters most, and we are optimistic about the potential of our partnership with Scotland.”

The Scottish Conservatives are distinctly unimpressed, however:

Climate Vulnerable Forum

Loss and Damage Collaboration

COP31

LifeCare launches Christmas Campaign

Local charity LifeCare is asking for donations to ensure older people living alone this Christmas receive a gift

LifeCare Edinburgh, the local older people’s care charity, proudly celebrated its 85th anniversary this year, supporting older people and unpaid carers for longer than the NHS has existed. 

Last year, Lifecare supported over 800 clients – an increase of 32% on the previous year – with almost 700 of their clients living alone. LifeCare’s services often provide the only in-person contact for many of their clients. 
 
Each year, LifeCare delivers Christmas gift packs to their most isolated clients. These packs are filled with thoughtful gifts including a selection of treats (hot drink sachets, sweets and biscuits), an activity book, something warm (like cosy socks/gloves/hats) and a surprise extra gift. Included are also handwritten Christmas cards from local school children, clubs and volunteers.

“Margaret was delighted, she put her scarf on straight away and enjoyed the hot chocolate with her biscuits.” 

This year, LifeCare is inviting the community to help them ensure 300 of their most isolated clients receive Christmas gift packs through their Christmas Campaign. They are asking for donations of £10 to go towards a gift pack and invite those who donate to write a personalised message which will be handwritten on the gift tag.  

By donating £10 towards LifeCare’s Christmas Campaign today, you ensure an older person living alone has something to open, a moment of warmth, a feeling of connection, feels seen and smiles this Christmas. 

Sarah van Putten, Chief Executive of LifeCare, said: “Christmas is a wonderful time for many, but for many of our clients it is a day spent alone. 

“Edinburgh is the loneliest city in the UK – with 3 in 5 over 50’s experiencing loneliness – and Christmas can often intensify this.  

“Here at LifeCare we understand the challenges Christmas can bring. Through our Christmas campaign we hope to ensure warmth, joy and connection to those who need it most. Every £10 donated means so much more than the gift pack, it is reminding our clients that they have a community behind them and that they are not alone. 

“We are creating more packs than ever due to more clients living in isolation.  

“In lieu of buying Christmas cards or a gift this year, why not choose to donate towards our Christmas Appeal. 

“We want to thank everyone who has already supported the campaign and look forward to hand-delivering the gift packs to those who need them most.” 

LifeCare are also offering unique gifting opportunities through their Friends for LifeCare membership.

Why not do something a little different this year for your friends and family. Their Friends for LifeCare memberships include a welcome pack filled with a bespoke badge, letter, certificate and more. 

Gift with meaning and ensure local older people get the help, support and connection they need, today, tomorrow and in the years to come. Full details are available on the charity’s website, social media or pop in and speak to someone at the Community Hub.  

If you would like to ensure an isolated older person receives something this Christmas, donate just £10 towards LifeCare’s Christmas appeal.

You can visit their website www.lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk or visit their Community Hub on 2 Cheyne St, EH4 1JB. 

COP31: what it is and the UK’s priorities

An explainer on the UN’s annual climate conference and the government’s priorities for COP31

What is COP31? 

COP31 is the United Nations’ annual climate change conference.  

It is the largest international summit in the world where countries come together to agree how to tackle climate change and deal with its effects.  

The conference will be hosted in Antalya, Türkiye from 9 to 20 November. 

Why does COP31 matter? 

Climate change is no longer a distant threat.  

This year, Britain saw record heatwaves, droughts and wildfires.  

Interim data from the UK Health Security Agency estimates that there were 2,877 heat-associated deaths from the May and June 2026 heatwaves alone. 

The Met Office has provisionally declared the summer of 2026 as the hottest on record. Its State of the UK Climate 2025 report was clear that the UK is warming, extremes are increasing, and the months between October to March are set to become wetter. 

Countries around the world are facing similar problems, with El Niño also compounding these effects in some regions. 

The reality is that no country can tackle climate change on its own.  

COP31 gives countries the chance to work together to agree ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for the effects of a changing climate. 

Decisions made at COP31 this year will help the UK and other countries to: 

  • work towards agreed commitments on global warming – including limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C 
  • move towards more clean, reliable energy and away from reliance on fossil fuels 
  • adapt to and protect people from the effects of climate change, and improve our resilience to climate shocks 
  • create jobs and economic opportunities through clean energy and electrification

What does COP31 mean for people in the UK? 

Climate change is a global issue. It is in Britain’s national interest to work with other countries at COP31 to reduce global emissions.  

This is the best way to protect British people from the effects of climate change in the long-term and preserve our way of life for future generations. 

The move to clean energy can also create economic opportunities for Britain. 

At COP31, the government will promote British expertise and clean energy technology. This can help other countries to move to clean energy and benefit British business. 

Tackling climate change and using more clean energy will also bring energy bills down and reduce our exposure to volatile global fossil fuel markets. 

What does the UK want to achieve at COP31? 

The UK’s priority at COP31 is to uphold the Paris Agreement made in 2015 and keep countries working towards limiting global warming to 1.5°C. 

The UK set out its broader priorities for COP31 in Parliament.

 We will work with other countries to:  

  1. Speed up the global shift to clean energy and electrification.  
  2. Spotlight the need for global action to curb methane emissions and other super-pollutants. 
  3. Push for progress to protect the critical ecosystems on which we rely, including forests and oceans. This also includes supporting more sustainable food and agriculture systems, move to a circular economy and responding to the risks that climate change and biodiversity loss pose to our national security.  
  4. Find ways to adapt to a changing climate. This includes encouraging more financial investment and improving access to and the quality of finance to help countries prepare for climate change. It also includes pushing for stronger practical action to build resilience.  

Who will represent the UK at COP31? 

The Prime Minister will attend COP31, alongside the Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband MP. 

The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, will lead the UK delegation during the negotiations. 

Other UK ministers in attendance are Minister for Climate Transition Katie White OBE MP, Marine and Fisheries Minister Stephen Morgan MP and The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby KC MP.  

(NOTE: Scottish Government Climate Secretary Gillian Martin will also be in attendance – Ed.)

The UK also appoints special representatives to lead international diplomacy and handle specific global priorities. Rachel Kyte CMG, UK Special Representative for Climate, and Ruth Davis OBE, UK Special Representative for Nature, will attend COP31. 

What is the UK doing to tackle climate change?  

The UK has already cut its carbon emissions by 54% since 1990, while the economy has grown by around 85% in that time. 

This has been achieved by moving towards cleaner sources of electricity like offshore and onshore wind, solar and nuclear. 

The UK has also cut emissions from areas such as industry, transport and heating.   

Examples of Britain’s progress include: 

  • The UK was the first G7 country to stop using coal to produce electricity. The country’s last coal-fired power station, at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, closed in September 2024 
  • Electric vehicle sales are rising year-on-year, supported by government funding. Around 2 million electric vehicles are now registered on UK roads
  • Heat pump sales reached over 100,000 in 2025. There were also 269,000 solar panel installations in 2025 – the highest number recorded in a single year
  • In 2008, the UK became the first country to set legally binding limits on its carbon emissions through the Climate Change Act. These limits are known as carbon budgets. The UK has met its first 3 carbon budgets so far
  • The UK was the first major economy to establish a net zero target into law. Since 2008, 60 other countries have put in place their own climate laws  

What is the UK doing to adapt to climate change? 

The UK government is investing in measures to help the country adapt to the effects of a changing climate. 

These include: 

  • investing £10.5 billion for flood defences and combatting coastal erosion over the next decade
  • spending more than £7 billion on nature programmes across the country, including environmental farming schemes, tree planting and peatland restoration
  • improving and rebuilding school buildings to make them more resilient, including a £710 million Renewal and Retrofit Programme and almost £20 billion to rebuild over 750 schools
  • committing £97 million extra for firefighters this summer
  • providing funding for households to install air-to-air heat pumps, which can both heat and cool homes
  • ensuring that new residential buildings must be designed to reduce unwanted solar heat and allow excess heat to be removed

How does the UK help other countries to reduce their emissions and prepare for climate change? 

The UK works with other countries to tackle climate change and nature loss and prepare for its effects. 

We share our knowledge and expertise and offer investment for programmes which protect nature and strengthen the ability of countries, economies and communities to cope with shocks caused by climate change.  

These investments are also essential for Britain’s long-term security and prosperity. For example, through reducing global reliance on fossil fuels, ensuring a resilient food supply, boosting exports and creating commercial opportunities for UK firms. 

The UK has a strong track record on delivering our climate and nature finance commitments.  Since 2011, UK International Climate Finance (ICF) has:   

  • supported an estimated 159 million people to better adapt to the effects of climate change  
  • helped to mobilise an estimated £26 billion in public and private finance combined 
  • reduced or avoided an estimated 201 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
  • ensured an estimated 21.5 million hectares of land are managed more sustainably

Our latest Climate Finance commitment, ICF4, pledges around £6 billion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) over the next 3 years, alongside £6.7 billion in public finance through UK-backed climate and nature-positive non-ODA investments, and an ambition to use our public finance to catalyse billions more from the private sector.

COSLA: Local Services Cannot Take More Cuts

COSLA launches Budget Lobbying Campaign

Scotland’s councils have warned that vital local services are at risk without a fairer funding settlement, after making around £5 billion of savings since 2010-11 and facing a further £529 million funding gap in 2026-27.

Councils deliver the services people rely on every day, from educating more than 700,000 pupils, to supporting almost 98,000 people with care at home, maintaining 54,000 kilometres of roads, tackling homelessness and supporting vulnerable families.

With years of efficiencies and service redesign, councils say there is little left to cut. Spending on culture and leisure has already fallen by 26% in real terms since 2010-11, while corporate support spending has reduced by 25%. At the same time, demand for services and inflation continue to rise.

COSLA’s concerns are backed by several independent organisations.

The Accounts Commission has warned that council funding is failing to keep pace with rising costs and demand, while the Joseph Rowntree Foundation continues to highlight the growing levels of poverty and hardship driving demand for local support.

Together, the evidence paints a clear picture: communities need stronger local services at precisely the moment councils are under the greatest financial strain.

COSLA Resources Spokesperson Kelly Parry said: “There is little left to cut without communities feeling the impact. Councils have already delivered billions in savings while continuing to provide the services people rely on every day.

“Local services are the foundation of strong communities. If Scotland wants high-quality schools, social care, roads and local support services, councils must be given the resources to deliver them.

“The choice is clear: either we invest in local services or we accept their decline. Communities across Scotland deserve better than that.”

COSLA is calling for increased investment in local government, including support to meet growing social care demands, inflation-proofed funding, greater local flexibility and multi-year settlements that allow councils to plan effectively for the future.

“Strong communities need strong councils. If Scotland wants high-quality local services, local government must be properly funded to deliver them.”

Read our budget lobbying document here.

COSLA-Budget-Document-2026Download