SOCIAL care workers and unpaid carers are eligible for the flu vaccine, as they are more likely to catch and spread the virus.
You can choose a location that’s convenient for you whether that’s close to home, somewhere you visit regularly or near work. The flu vaccine is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help protect yourself, your colleagues and the people you care for from flu throughout winter.
For more information and to book your appointment visit: nhsinform.scot/flu
Energy costs lowered as home heating oil tariffs removed and 0% VAT on household electricity extended.
Growth backed with investments in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The Scottish Government will have an additional £600 million for public services.
Families and businesses in Scotland will get breathing space from action announced in Budget 2026.
Against a backdrop of global uncertainty, rising energy costs and pressure on household finances, Chancellor John Healey has taken action on the cost of living, fuel prices, and local jobs — alongside more funding for the Scottish Government to provide public services.
In the Budget, John Healey announced:
Support with energy bills: The removal of the 4% tariff on kerosene will support the 142,000 Scottish households that rely on heating oil. The UK government will extend 0% VAT on household electricity bills for three months, to 30 June 2027, while a Debt Relief Scheme will write off crisis-era debt for eligible households.
Fuel: the extension of the 5p cut to fuel duty for a further six months until 30 June 2027. The 3.7p cut to red diesel duty continues, which matters for farmers, rural hauliers and other fuel-heavy users across Scotland. He also announced a permanent increase to the generosity of mileage rates to support those who drive for work.
Food prices: Tariffs axed on over 100 food products, including chocolate and fruit juice. Combined with tariff suspensions earlier this year, this will save households up to £21 annually.
Pensions: by the end of this Parliament, 93,000 low-income pensioners in Scotland will pay less tax or none at all on their income, as a result of reducing the disproportionate administrative burden of paying small amounts of tax.
Wages: Increasing the National Living Wage by 3.9% to £13.21 per hour and the National Minimum Wage by 3.9% to £11.27 per hour for 18 to 20-year-olds and by 3.9% to £8.31 per hour for 16 to 17-year-olds and eligible apprentices. An estimated 180,000 workers in Scotland saw a direct pay rise following April 2026’s increase to the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.
Backing growth in Scotland
The establishment of a new Energy Wealth Fund to support Scottish clean energy jobs way into the future.
£18 million will fund a UK Advanced Chip Design Academy led by the University of Edinburgh, building on Scotland’s strengths in advanced technology.
£6 million will expand Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus (SEC), subject to business case, allowing the venue, which hosted COP26 and the Commonwealth Games, to go bigger and better.
£20 million will see the creation of two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in the East and West of Scotland.
Extending duty suspensions for 350 goods to help businesses in the chemicals, plastics, hydrogen, automotive and food and drinks sectors.
The Budget strengthens Britain’s national security by fully funding the £15 billion Defence Investment Plan, including £4.7 billion that was previously unfunded. Defence spending supports 12,200 industry jobs in Scotland, up 7% from 2025.
Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander, said: “This is a budget that puts money back in the pockets of Scottish households, backs businesses, and puts Scotland firmly at the heart of the UK government’s plan for growth and reindustrialisation.
“We’re helping families tackle the cost of living by cutting the standing charges from gas bills, saving households around £45 a year, then looking to remove them altogether. We’re also extending the VAT cut on energy bills, as well as removing the tariff on heating oil.
“But we’re not just easing the pressure today, we’re building Scotland’s future. £18 million for a semiconductor manufacturing research centre at the University of Edinburgh, £6 million to expand the Scottish Event Campus and grow on the legacy of COP26. That’s creating jobs and good growth in every postcode.
“There’s a boost for Scotland’s public services too, with an extra £600 million for the Scottish Government to spend.”
Funding for public services
The Scottish Government’s main source of funding comes through the block grant. This includes money collected from taxpayers across the UK – including from people in Scotland – which is then available for the Scottish Government to spend on devolved services. The Scottish Government also raises its own revenue, through the Scottish Rate of Income Tax, and non-domestic rates on businesses, for example.
Spending Review 2025 provided the Scottish Government with their largest spending review settlements in real terms since devolution in 1998, receiving an average of £50.9 billion per year between 2026-27 and 2028-29.
Changes in the devolution roadmap may have an impact on the funding of the devolved governments. Our approach to fiscal devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is already well established, however, we will engage with devolved governments on any implications for their budgets in the usual way to ensure they continue to be funded to deliver a comparable policy offer.
The Scottish Government has at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. The higher amount reflects that providing services across Scotland genuinely costs more. This means that for each £1 of equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK, the Scottish Government has at least £1.20 to spend per person in Scotland.
The Scottish Government will receive an additional £600 million, on top of an additional £1.7 billion from Budget 2025 and Spring Forecast 2026.
an Murray MP – the MP for Edinburgh South – has welcomed cost of living support for families as the Labour Government announced its Budget today.
John Healey’s Budget provides breathing space for families by extending the cut to fuel duty and the removal of VAT from household energy bills.
It also sets out a plan to abolish gas standing charges, which will save the majority of households an average of £45 a year.
The Budget provides an additional £600mn for Scottish public services, meaning that the Scottish Government have received over £18bn in extra resources since Labour came to power in July 2024.
Across Scotland, Labour also announced it was investing in the Edinburgh-Glasgow Central Belt, a key area for world-leading strengths as identified in the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, through £6mn of new funding to expand Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus (subject to business case) and £18mn new funding for a UK Advanced Chip Design Academy led by the University of Edinburgh.
Ian Murray MP said: “These are Labour decisions: backing families and businesses today while building a stronger Britain for tomorrow.
“I know people are struggling with the cost of living. I see it every day in my constituency mailbag.
“That’s why we’re extending the cut to fuel duty and the removal of VAT from energy bills, and working to abolish gas standing charges.
“It’s also why the Chancellor announced a £100 energy support payment to households in Council Tax bands A – D in England.
“That money will be passed onto the Scottish Government via the Barnett Formula. It’s now over to them to ensure the support is passed onto households here in south Edinburgh and across Scotland.”
UK Budget delivers ‘real cut’ to Scotland’s funding
JENNY GILRUTH – Action on energy bills ‘falls short of what is needed’.
The UK Budget delivers a real terms cut in Scotland’s budget of around £650 million in 2027-28, the Deputy First Minister has warned.
Scotland’s resource block grant is set to reduce by 1.3% in real terms in 2027-28, equivalent to a reduction of around £550 million. Scotland’s capital budget will see a 1.5% real terms reduction in 2027-28, equivalent to around £100 million.
The Deputy First Minister also confirmed that the Scottish Government will ensure that households in Scotland benefit from the £100 payment for energy bills support.
Jenny Gilruth said that while any measures to bring down the cost of energy bills are welcome, the steps confirmed by the Chancellor today fall far short of what is required and do not meet the promises on which the UK Government came to office.
The Deputy First Minister said: “The Scottish Government’s budget will be cut by around £650 million next year – reducing the money we have to spend on public services and supporting people with the cost of living.
“The Prime Minister has previously claimed that he would respect devolution and the Scottish Government – but his actions do not match his words. Cutting Scotland’s budget shows that, yet again, we are being treated as an afterthought.
“The Scottish Government will ensure that households in Scotland will benefit from the one-off £100 payment for energy bill support, however, it is clear that the measures announced today fall far short of the action which is required. “
Furthermore, this support does not come close to meeting the promises on which the UK Government came to office, including reducing energy bills by £300 which remain significantly higher than they were in July 2024. The UK Government has failed to meet the moment and has failed to keep its promise.
“It is also unacceptable that there was no announcement about ending wider austerity policies which are pushing families into poverty like the bedroom tax, the benefit cap and “young parent penalty” in Universal Credit which would make a significant difference to tackling poverty.
“The Chancellor had the opportunity to lift thousands more families out of poverty, and he has chosen not to.
“We will now take the time to assess the full implications for Scotland of today’s statement. I will be announcing further details as part of the Scottish Budget on 3 December.”
Anti-poverty campaigners say Budget won’t share the wealth
The Poverty Alliance welcomed Budget moves to help people with rocketing energy bills – but warned they won’t go far enough to help people in fuel poverty.
Peter Kelly said: “There are nearly 750,000 households in Scotland who are in fuel poverty. The energy price cap today is £1,723, and in January it’s predicted to rise to nearly £2,000. In that context, a payment of £100 is welcome, but it won’t be enough for people who are already being pushed into debt and arrears.
“As well as looking at standing charges on energy bills, the UK Government must bring in a social tariff – making sure that no-one is hit with bills that they simply can’t afford to pay.”
Scotland’s anti-poverty network expressed disappointment at the lack of any major extra investment in social security.
Peter Kelly said: “We can’t expect people to build a life out of poverty on quicksand. When rates of Universal Credit and other social security payments are too weak to support people, it pushes them closer to destitution and makes it harder to build a better future.
“We hope that the forthcoming reviews into support for disabled people and young people have clear vision for improving financial security and investing in a stronger society for all of us.”
The Poverty Alliance also expressed disappointment over the Chancellor’s failure to tax wealth in the same way that work is taxed.
They had backed calls to equalise the way Government treats wealth and work, by bringing rates of Capital Gains Tax into line with Income Tax.
Tax Justice UK estimates the move could have raised £14 billion for the Treasury, with the Scottish Government getting over a billion pounds a year extra for its budget.
Peter Kelly said: “People are losing faith in politics because they feel that politicians aren’t working to meet their needs. Taxing wealth in the same way as work would bring in extra resources that we could invest in building a better future, and a more just and compassionate society.
“We all rely on social security and local services being there when we need them – and for people who are pushed into poverty, they are an essential lifeline.
“The money raised from fairer taxes on wealth could have been used to take more children out of poverty.”
STUC: Budget provided sticking plasters when Scotland needs radical surgery
Reacting to the UK Government’s Budget, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:“We always knew exorcising the ghost of Thatcher and eradicating 40 years of neo-liberalism was going to be a tall order for the Chancellor and there are some welcome tricks in the Budget, but not enough to scare away fears of rising costs.
“Whilst this Budget offers some helpful sticking plasters on energy costs, cost-of-living support and food prices, it falls short of the radical surgery needed to fix the UK economy and support working-class communities. Perhaps most significantly, the Budget failed to set out the radical rewiring of the state and the end to neo-liberalism that the Prime Minister himself had promised.
“Payments to stave off the cold for those in targeted council tax bands are a good first step in lieu of bringing down wholesale energy bills and it is right that the Chancellor has listened to the calls of unions to tax the banks to fund this measure. However, bills are likely to rise far quicker than this payment can offset and we will continue to press the UK Government to go further and faster, given the ‘big four’ banks made £29 billion in the first six months of 2026 alone
“With an expected £600 million allocated to Scotland, Scottish Government ministers cannot credibly sit on their hands and plead poverty. The Scottish Government should urgently review its public sector cuts agenda in light of this Budget.
“Rewiring the state will take longer than just one Budget and changes to procurement rules which strengthen British jobs and domestic supply chains are to be welcomed. The commitments made on defence spending require further examination, but unions are clear that funding for defence cannot come from public sector efficiencies. Co-funding for Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs) in both the east and west of Scotland is welcome and should help provide well-paid, unionised jobs.
“This Budget doesn’t yet offer the concrete reindustrialisation Scotland needs, nor the further devolved powers for our Parliament and local authorities that had been envisioned. The Prime Minister must work at pace to show that his words on ensuring communities are empowered from the bottom-up, rather than the top-down, were not hollow.
“Workers can ill afford any further delay to the hope that was promised to them.”
SCOTTISH INTERNATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL CONTINUES UNTIL 31st OCTOBER
As the days get shorter, the stories of Birds and Beasts being told during the remainder of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival take a darker turn…
These include:
● The Battle of the Birds: A Darker Tale presented by storyteller Owen Pilgrim,whose rich repertoire includes tales of the fairy folk, Celtic Mythology and Scottish Traveller stories. Owen will be igniting the imaginations of audiences with his retelling of this classic folktale brought to life through trickster tales of the Devil, occult imagery, and Traveller’s tales. With live music from Gordon Cameron.
● Under Your Skin, a workshop co-led with storyteller Ines Alvarez Villa who has worked with the Edinburgh Horror Festival for the last six years, and Deaf storyteller Tania Allan. Participants will explore ghost storytelling techniques and learn how to build suspense and dread through silence, gesture and atmosphere.
● Open Hearth, to close the festival on Halloween night, Scottish folk duo Harp and Carp (Daniel Serridge and Neil Wood), folk-storyteller and this year’s festival exhibition artist Morvern Graham, and Shetlandic storyteller and stand-up comedian Marjolein Robertson will be sharing their own dark tales during this finale event.
Other festival highlights, taking place ahead of the weekend, include:
● The Alan Bruford Lecture with guest speaker Dr Tiber Falzett, Head of Irish Folklore in the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore at University College Dublin. Dr Falzett will discuss the fragility of tradition and what happens when voices fall silent because of displacement, migration and the loss of languages and species.
● A reinterpretation of the tale of Dedalus and Icarus presented by Bolona’a Fraternal Compagnia APS in special recognition of the centenary of Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo. The company will also be exploring the roots of their theatre and folk storytelling by introducing audiences to the Italian tradition of Commedia dell’Arte.
● Sruth nan Gàidheal: The Carrying Stream of Gaelic Nova Scotia with Màiri Britton who will share some of the incredible songs and stories she discovered whilst working on the Cainnt is Ceathramhan/Language in Lyrics project. This project created an index of over 7,000 Gaelic songs and re-catalogued and transcribed the Cape Breton Gaelic Folklore Collection. This event will be followed by a song-circle led by Brian Ó hEadhra from the North Atlantic Song Convention (NASC).
● Nuair a Bha Gàidhlig aig na h-Eòin/When the Birds Spoke Gaelic led by Gaelic singer Màiri MacMillan with musicians Alana MacInnes (pipes), Pàdruig Morrison (accordion), Shona Morrison(fiddle) and Gillebrìde MacMillan (voice) who will weave traditional and original songs with bird calls and music.
● Brazilian artists Giulia Drummond (vocals, drums and shruti box) and Mario Caribé (double bass, guitar and foot percussion) presenting a ritualistic performance of music and stories of the Orishas, Yoruba deities who personify the forces of nature and timeless human archetypes. Gira – Songs for the Orishas features jazz arrangements of Afro-Brazilian songs and chants dedicated to the Yoruba Orishas.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival runs until 31 October thanks to support from the Scottish Government’s Expanded Festivals Fund and Multi-Year Funding from Creative Scotland.
The Festival’s Go Local programme runs throughout October and November and includes over 100 of events taking place in village halls, pubs, cafes and gardens across Scotland, from the Borders to Shetland and the Western Isles.
Festival Director Daniel Abercrombie said: “The final days of this year’s Storytelling Festival are packed with incredible stories from different corners of the world.
“We welcome Bologna’s Commedia dell’Arte players who pay homage to Nobel Prize winner Dario Fo; there is Gaelic music and tales from Cape Breton and our own shores; and we share darker tales and mask-making as the days get shorter and we get closer to celebrating the Samhuinn and Halloween traditions.”
To purchase tickets and browse the full programme, visitsisf.org.uk
Please join us on the 4th November at 12pm for the Launch of LIFT’s Knife Angel Exhibition, there will be art canvases designed by the Kids and Parents from LIFT and visitors to the Knife Angel in Leith along with posters from the feedback and a photographic Journey of the Knife Angel’s visit to Leith.
Lisa (Petrie) will be at the Launch and will be around for any questions and to sign up for the upcoming training day for bleed kit training.
CALLING THIRD SECTOR ORGANISATIONS AND SMALLER COMMUNITY GROUPS WORKING ON POVERTY PREVENTION & MITIGATION
The City of Edinburgh Council is developing a new £2.5million per annum grants programme for third sector organisations who are working to prevent and mitigate poverty in Edinburgh.
If you’d like to have a say in shaping the grants programme, you can participate in one of the planned co-design workshops:
Scotland has cut the amount of household waste sent to landfill by more than 84% since 2011, according to new household waste statistics, published today by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
The latest data show Scotland has continued to make significant progress in reducing its reliance on landfill, with the amount of household waste sent to landfill falling by a further 10.3% in 2025.
However, while the way Scotland manages household waste has changed dramatically over the last decade, progress in reducing the amount of waste generated and increasing the national recycling rate has been more limited.
In 2025, Scottish households generated 2.31 million tonnes of waste, a decrease of just 1,500 tonnes (0.1%) compared with 2024. Household waste generation remains 11% lower than in 2011, when the current time series began.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s household recycling rate fell from 44.3% in 2024 to 42.8% in 2025. While recycling rates have remained relatively stable over the last 15 years, the latest decrease underlines the ongoing challenge of encouraging households to recycle so that resources can be kept in use for longer.
Research previously carried out by Zero Waste Scotland found that around 52% of the material currently placed in Scotland’s general household waste bins could potentially be recycled. This includes everyday items such as food waste, paper, cardboard and plastic.
With recycling rates flat and landfilling reducing, incineration of household waste increased by 5.7% (49,000 tonnes) in 2025. Incineration is used to manage residual wastes placed in general bins and not separated for recycling.
Taken together, the figures paint a mixed picture of Scotland’s progress towards a circular economy. Significant reductions in landfill and increases in incineration demonstrate how waste management is evolving, but the latest figures also show there remains considerable scope to further reduce waste and increase recycling rates.
As the Circular Economy & Waste Route Map sets out, the Scottish Government has various actions underway seeking to increase recycling and divert recyclable material from general household waste, including the deposit return scheme, packaging extended producer responsibility and the forthcoming recycling Code of Practice.
Dr Richard Allan, SEPA’s Chief Scientific Advisor, said: “There has been a major shift over the last 15 years in the way household waste is being managed and disposed of across the country.
“Waste headed to landfill has fallen significantly by 84% since 2011, representing a significant achievement and demonstrating what can be achieved when households, local authorities, government and businesses work towards a shared goal.
“At the same time, however, the figures highlight an ongoing challenge. While landfill waste continues to fall and the amount of household waste we generate has decreased slightly, recycling rates have broadly stayed the same over the last eight years.
“This poses a serious question as to how Scotland can realise its circular economy ambitions. It’s clear that where waste ends up is important, but we need to focus on preventing waste in the first place and recycling more of that material when it is produced.
“We know there is still considerable untapped potential, outlined by the Zero Waste Scotland research showing much more of our general waste bins could potentially be recycled. That includes many everyday items we all use and consume like food waste, paper, cardboard and plastics.
“If we can place further emphasis on ensuring these items are disposed of correctly, it will help reduce environmental impacts, move closer towards a sustainable future and reap the environmental, economic and societal benefits that come with it.”
The total quantity of all waste types landfilled in Scotland in 2025 was 1.58 million tonnes, a reduction of 230,000 tonnes (12.7%) compared with 2024. This is the lowest record amount of waste landfilled in Scotland.
Much of this reduction was due to decreases in sorting residues, which fell by 216,000 tonnes (38.5%), and construction wastes, which fell by 15,000 tonnes (34.2%).
Waste incinerated in Scotland
Overall, 1.84 million tonnes of waste from all sources was incinerated in Scotland during 2025, a slight decrease of 1.1% from the previous year.
Despite this year-on-year reduction, the quantity of waste incinerated remains substantially higher than in 2011, having increased by 1.44 million tonnes (363%) over the period.
Household and similar wastes remained the largest waste category incinerated in Scotland, accounting for 857,000 tonnes, or 46.5% of all waste incinerated.
A former Lothian MSP and Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament has been recognised by Edinburgh Napier University for her commitment to democratic inclusivity.
Alison Johnstone was awarded an honorary doctorate during a graduation ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall yesterday [Tuesday 27 October 2026].
The award recognises a political career which began in 1999 as an assistant to Robin Harper, the first Green Party politician elected anywhere in the United Kingdom, and culminated in a five-year term as Holyrood’s figurehead.
Throughout her time in politics, Ms Johnstone also served as a City of Edinburgh Councillor and co-convener of the Scottish Green Party, before being elected as a Lothian region MSP from 2011 to May of this year.
During this period, she was instrumental in establishing the Scottish Parliament’s Women’s Caucus, which seeks to address barriers facing women in politics.
Ms Johnstone’s spell as Presiding Officer, the neutral speaker of the debating chamber, coincided with the unprecedented restrictions of the Covid pandemic.
Her stewardship ensured democratic participation remained accessible throughout, including remote engagement and consideration of those with caring responsibilities.
Receiving her honorary degree, Alison Johnstone said: “I’m delighted to be awarded an honorary doctorate from Edinburgh Napier University.
“It’s extremely special to be awarded alongside so many students celebrating the fulfilment of their hard work.
“The impact of Edinburgh Napier’s teaching and research is recognised globally and I am thrilled to be awarded such an honour by an institution that I hold in the highest regard, and which has such a significant influence on the life of the region I have lived in and represented throughout my working life.
“I first became actively involved in politics when I joined neighbours campaigning to save school playing fields, just a few minutes from ENU’s Craiglockhart Campus.
“I have been privileged to serve as a City of Edinburgh Councillor, as a Member of the Scottish Parliament and as Presiding Officer. I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with others determined to ensure that all voices are heard and that barriers to equal representation and participation are removed. A thriving democracy demands this.
“This honour will drive me on and I will continue to do what I can to help ensure that those who may struggle most to be heard, have that opportunity.”
Formally presenting Ms Johnstone with her award of Doctor of the University, ENU Strategic Advisor Thomas Feige said: “Throughout her career, Alison Johnstone has demonstrated a profound belief that democracy is strengthened when all voices can be heard.
“Her leadership has helped to foster respectful debate, support democratic accountability and promote a more inclusive political culture.
“In doing so, she has made a lasting contribution to Scottish public life and has become an inspiring role model for future generations, and particularly for women seeking leadership roles in public service.”
Experts will meet in Glasgow tomorrow at a National Summit on Permanence for Babies and Young Children that’s been organised by NSPCC Scotland and Parent-Infant Foundation
The event is being held due to serious concerns about the length of time babies and young children in care in Scotland are waiting to be placed in their long-term-home
Participants will discuss why delays in decision making about a permanent home can happen with the aim of assisting a Scottish Government review into the impact of this, with a specific spotlight on babies and young children’s unique developmental needs
Experts in the care system will come together this week in a bid to kick-start a Scottish Government review into the impact of delays in deciding on permanent homes for children.
NSPCC Scotland and the Parent-Infant Foundation have organised the National Summit on Permanence for Babies and Young Children amid serious concerns about the length of time those in care in Scotland are waiting to be placed in their long-term-home.
Evidence shows that babies and children in Scotland’s care system wait more than two years on average for decisions or recommendations about their permanent home, with many then waiting months or even years longer before moving there.
Practitioners, policy makers and people with experience of the care system will gather for the National Summit atGlasgow University Union Scotland tomorrow, Wednesday (October 28), to discuss the challenges the country faces in securing permanent homes for children at the earliest opportunity.
The Scottish Government is legally required under the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act 2026, to conduct a review of this issue by September 2028.
The two charities want to ensure this review shines a light on the true impact of delay on babies and young children and looks to the evidence for practical and legislative changes to prevent them from facing prolonged uncertainty in the care system.
A key focus of the event will be the impact of uncertainty, instability and broken primary carer relationships on babies and children who enter the care system.
Within the current system children can experience multiple home moves and numerous primary caregivers due to drift and delays in decision making within the care system about their permanent home.
This can be harmful for all children, but it’s particularly damaging for babies who are uniquely vulnerable during this critical stage in their development. It can also lead to a greater risk of being exposed to abuse and neglect, disrupted relationships, and increased likelihood of the need for ongoing support as they transition to adulthood and throughout their lives.
The National Summit will set out why infancy is a crucial stage of development and a unique opportunity to improve a child’s future and needs a distinct response from all the adults and services supporting them.
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy manager, said: “Delays in securing a permanent home for a baby or child should not be seen as simply administrative issues. They have a profound impact on their development, relationships, wellbeing and future.
“Babies and children cannot wait. Their needs do not pause while systems deliberate. Scotland now has an opportunity to build a system that delivers timely decisions, protects the rights of infants, supports families effectively and provides children with the safety, stability and loving relationships they need to thrive.
“This summit aims to build consensus around the need for reform and identify practical and legislative changes that will ensure babies and children experience a more stable and timely journey through the care system.”
Lucy Morton, Scotland Development Lead for Parent-Infant Foundation said: “Babies depend on sensitive, responsive care to grow and develop healthily.
“Early relationships between babies and their caregivers are incredibly important. If babies are within an uncertain system, with instability and broken relationships with their caregivers, this can be particularly damaging. We want to help change this and our work with infant mental health teams in Scotland helps us envisage a more responsive and therapeutic system.
“We are delighted to be working with NSPCC Scotland to help bring together experts at the Summit to build understanding and collectively help speak up for all babies in Scotland.”
Findings from the BeST? services trial, led by the University of Glasgow in partnership with the NSPCC and other universities[1], showed that achieving a permanent home for children in Scotland takes nearly four and a half times longer in Scotland than in England.
The research also showed that only 27% of children got a permanent home within five years and among those who did, the average time taken to achieve this was 488 days.
And Scotland’s care system for under-fives costs around twice as much as England’s.
The research also showed that in England, where a family court Judge oversees cases and sets clear timescales, all the adults involved are more likely to put the baby or child’s developmental needs at the centre of decision making throughout.
The Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act introduces a range of changes intended to improve support for children in care and people with care experience, including new rights and support around advocacy, aftercare and kinship care.
Before it was passed, NSPCC Scotland proposed an amendment to introduce legal time limits for decisions about a child’s permanent home, but this was rejected.
However, the charity then worked with cross party MSPs including Martin Whitfield and Fulton McGregor, to secure a commitment from the Scottish Government to review permanence legislation in the next parliamentary term.
Today (Wednesday 28 October), the Chancellor will set out how the Budget will make Britain “more resilient” to global shocks, while helping households with “everyday costs”, backing businesses and entrepreneurs, and kicking off the “long-term action” needed to get “energy costs down for good”
In a video message, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey said: “Breathing space for today and fresh hope for the future. That’s what today’s Budget will deliver.
‘The world’s a highly uncertain place. Conflicts abroad are pushing up energy prices, and the cost of living here at home – piling pressure on the families, on businesses, and on our public finances.
‘But Britain’s economy is showing real signs of resilience: investments up, productivity is growing, and we had the joint fastest growth in the G7 in the first half of this year.
‘We can’t stop these shocks that hit Britain, but we can make Britain more resilient when they do.
‘So, this Budget is designed to give households breathing space from some of the everyday costs, provide targeted support for businesses and self-employed people, and to start the long-term action needed to get energy costs down for good.
‘But breathing space today must go hand-in-hand with building for the future.
‘So, we’ll back British businesses and entrepreneurs, we’ll invest in the technologies that drive future growth, and we’ll build more homes, shift power out of Whitehall, so that leaders locally can drive growth in every postcode.
‘And in an uncertain world, we will strengthen national security and our defences, as well as our support for Ukraine.
‘We’ll do all of this responsibly, sticking within tight fiscal rules, and make sure every pound is well invested.
‘Because this Budget is about getting through this difficult moment. But it’s also about putting Britain on a future path, a better future path.
‘Breathing space today, and fresh hope for the future.”
Chancellor abolishes standing charges on gas bills to make payments fairer
Standing charges from household gas bills will be removed for around 23 million homes.
Action from the Chancellor and Energy Secretary will make the energy system fairer and give some families breathing space.
Budget will “draw a line in the sand” on energy policy that has left billpayers exposed, giving families breathing space for today and hope for the future.
Tens of millions of households will no longer pay standing charges on their gas bills as the Government gives families more control over what they pay and some more breathing space.
A standing charge is a fixed daily fee added on top of a household gas bill, regardless of how much gas has been used. A household could use no gas at all but still must pay the standing charge.
The Chancellor will announce today an end to this unfair and outdated practice. He will ask Ofgem to deliver removal of these charges – which are £108 a year for the typical household on average – in 2027 or as soon as possible after.
Instead, these fixed costs will be paid on the unit rate, which could save 60% of account-holding households around an average of £45 off their annual bill.
Households not seeing an automatic saving will still have better control over their bills without the worry of affording the standing charge, and the government will set out in due course targeted mitigation for a small number of households.
This comes ahead of today’s Budget that will “draw a line in the sand” on a UK energy policy that has seen wrong turns taken for over four decades. The Prime Minister has previously spoken about reforming a broken energy market, so it better serves the public interest, rather than piling costs to bills and leaving British households even more exposed in an uncertain world.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:“Abolishing gas standing charges is about basic fairness and giving people more control over their bills.
“I am determined to reform our broken energy market, so it better serves the public interest.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said:“Gas standing charges are unfair and outdated so I am scrapping them to give millions of households a bit of breathing space.
“My Budget will draw a line in the sand on an energy policy that has failed British billpayers for years, letting extra costs on bills pile high and leaving households even more exposed to global shocks.”
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said:“Too many families face unfair charges, so we’re making it easier for people to take control of their energy bills.
“By removing one of the nation’s bugbears – taking standing charges off gas bills, with extra support for those who need it – we’ll give millions of people breathing space.
“Tackling affordability is my number one priority, and I will keep doing everything I can to protect people from unaffordable bills.”
Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group, said:“This represents real joined-up thinking to make a fairer, more efficient energy system, delivering what customers want – lower standing charges and further improving the ratio of electricity to gas prices.
“Most customers would see a cut in their gas bills which is crucial, but would also enjoy even higher savings if they can move to heat pumps when it suits them.”
This follows the Government’s VAT cut on electricity bills that came into effect at the beginning of this month which is already supporting households.
It means the Energy Price Cap from October was £45 a year less than it would have been. Around a third of households on fixed tariffs are not affected by the price cap, meaning their electricity prices will have fallen when the VAT cut took effect.
While the government is giving people short term relief on their energy bills, it is also taking action to fix Britain’s energy problems for the long term.
Last week, the Government announced a new Energy Wealth Fund which will support investment in cheap, clean power.
CALLING THIRD SECTOR ORGANISATIONS AND SMALLER COMMUNITY GROUPS WORKING ON POVERTY PREVENTION & MITIGATION
