THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER 5.45pm from DRYLAW NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE
Join a women-led night ride through North Edinburgh starting at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre and exploring local highlights before finishing with a hot drink at West Pilton Park.
REGISTER HERE:
https://bbr.cyclinguk.org/?drylaw-nc-and-elgt-womens-cycling-group
Dobbies Garden Centres is helping bring festive cheer to communities across the UK this Christmas, through its annual Community Christmas Tree campaign. In partnership with Needlefresh, Dobbies Edinburgh store will donate five trees to schools and nurseries, helping create magical seasonal displays for the local community.
The campaign launches from 1 October as the garden centre officially celebrates the launch of its Christmas 2026 collection landing in the Edinburgh store and Dobbies is encouraging local schools and nurseries to apply now for the chance to receive one Nordmann Fir cut Christmas tree.
Local schools and nurseries within 20 miles of Dobbies’ Edinburgh store can apply for a free Christmas tree and entries close at 5pm on Thursday 5 November 2026.
Dobbies’ Plant Buyer Nigel Lawton said: “We’re proud to continue our Community Christmas Tree campaign and support schools and nurseries across the country as they prepare for the festive season.
“A real Christmas tree can become a focal point for celebrations, encouraging children to come together and take part in festive activities. We look forward to seeing how this year’s recipients make the most of their trees and the positive impact they have on their communities.
“Our Nordmann Fir trees are a fantastic choice for schools and nurseries. Their soft, dark green needles make them easy to decorate, while their excellent needle retention means they can continue to look fresh and vibrant throughout the festive season when cared for properly.”
Dobbies Christmas trees from Needlefresh are sustainably grown in environmentally managed fields across Scotland, where a small growing team plant, prune, and harvest each tree by hand. This method helps protect the surrounding environment, wildlife and plants.
Kenneth Mitchell from Needlefresh said: “We are delighted to continue our support for Dobbies Community Christmas Trees for 2026. It’s a great initiative that gives schools and nurseries the opportunity to bring a real Christmas tree into their festive celebrations.
“We’re proud to work alongside Dobbies to help make the festive season feel extra special for local communities throughout the UK, while also showcasing the quality and care that goes into growing every tree.”
As part of the festive celebrations, successful applicants will be invited to collect their tree at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store Charity Christmas Shopping Night on Thursday 26 November.
The event gives customers the opportunity to enjoy an evening of Christmas inspiration, seasonal entertainment and shopping, while raising funds for Dobbies National Charity Partner, Alzheimer’s Research UK.
Dobbies Community Christmas Tree successful applicants will be informed by mid-November and can collect their Christmas tree from their local store at Charity Christmas Shopping Night on 26 November.
For more information and to find out how to get involved, visit: www.dobbies.com/community-christmas-trees
To mark the arrival of Christmas at Dobbies’ Edinburgh, the store will stay open until 7pm for Christmas Preview Evening on Thursday 15 October, giving customers extra time to explore the new collections, take advantage of special in-store offers and kick-start their Christmas shopping.
These include discounts on selected Christmas trees, string lights and baubles, as well as deals across the pet department.
Edinburgh Leisure has reopened the refurbished leisure facilities at Wester Hailes High School today, Thursday 1 October, giving people in the surrounding area increased local access to sport, leisure and wellbeing.
Delivered by the City of Edinburgh Council as part of its wider investment in the community campus, the refurbishment has improved a valued local facility and expanded access through a seven-day programme of gym, swimming and fitness activities.
The needs of local residents have been at the heart of the redevelopment, with improvements focused on activity spaces, inclusivity and the overall customer experience.
The swimming pool offers lane swimming, diving and family sessions, with daytime access now also available to the fitness suite and new general-purpose studio.
The fitness suite includes 30 cardio and resistance workout stations in a bright, open environment, while the studio hosts an expanded programme of classes, including Kettlecise, Pilates and Edinburgh Leisure’s Active Communities activities, and is also available for group hire.
The venue is also more accessible and inclusive, with improvements including modern changing accommodation, step-free access throughout, a Changing Places facility and a state-of-the-art pool pod to support easier entry to the water.
The refurbishment forms part of the wider City of Edinburgh Council project to deliver a new Passivhaus-standard secondary school adjacent to the existing site, which is due to open later this year.
David McGlade, Head of Operations (Schools) at Edinburgh Leisure, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the community to a modern, accessible leisure facility in the heart of Wester Hailes. The investment has created brighter activity spaces, upgraded changing accommodation and a wider range of opportunities for people to be active close to home.
“Alongside our gym, swimming and fitness offer, we’re particularly excited to expand our Active Communities programme, helping people of all ages overcome barriers to being active and supporting healthier, more active lives.
“We hope these improvements will help even more local people enjoy being active and build on the facilitiy’s place at the heart of the community.”
Cllr James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convener, said: “It is fantastic to see the opening of this new facility that will provide more opportunities for the local community to be active and try new sports.
“This state-of-the-art leisure centre is not just for the school, but for the whole community to use and enjoy. It is open seven days a week, with a modern gym, swimming pool and range of sport classes, Wester Hailes High School will make keeping active and developing new skills easier than ever.”
To find out more about the facilities, opening times and membership options, visit Wester Hailes High School – Gym Swimming Pool Sports Hall
The team at Tesco Corstorphine Extra in Edinburgh has donated £100 to Scottish cancer charity Cancer Card, helping support a free health and wellbeing event for people affected by cancer, as well as their carers, families and friends.
The donation from the store was used by the Edinburgh-based charity to provide refreshments, including snacks, teas and coffees, at its Health & Wellbeing Event held at the James Watt Building at Heriot-Watt University on 23 August.
The event provided attendees, many of whom are undergoing active treatment or are in recovery, with access to valuable resources including guest speakers, practical advice and opportunities to connect directly with cancer charities and support services.
Visitors were able to browse a range of stalls offering support relevant to their individual needs, including nutritional guidance from The Rehab Dietitian, legal advice from Balfour + Manson, and hair loss support from Aderans Trend Co Wigs.
Cancer Card also welcomed a number of charities and support organisations, including Bowel Cancer UK, Macmillan and House of Hope, helping attendees access a wide range of information and advice.
The event also included several optional breakout sessions for attendees, including Look Good Feel Better, chair Pilates from Sano Yoga, Styling and Wellbeing from Pam Millan, and stories of strength shared by guest speakers.
Ian Pirrie, Chair of Cancer Card, said: “We bring together a wide range of support services to help those affected by cancer understand what support is available to them. We were delighted to collaborate with other fantastic cancer charities and support services to help make this event happen.
“A massive thank you to all the cancer support teams who attended and to Tesco for their generous donation.”
Deborah Brown, Community Champion at Tesco Corstorphine Extra, said: “Our team is hugely passionate about playing any part we can to support the fantastic charities found within our local community.
“Cancer affects so many people and their families, so we hope this donation helped Cancer Card deliver a valuable event for patients and their loved ones across Edinburgh.”
Claire De Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “Our stores work hard throughout the year to support their local communities through donations, so it is fantastic that the Edinburgh Corstorphine Tesco team has been able to support Cancer Card with its Health & Wellbeing Event.”
We will start work on Balgreen Road between Pansy Walk and Gorgie Road from 5 October.
This will include resurfacing, improving pedestrian crossings, traffic signals and drainage.
Phase one – Balgreen Road from Pansy walk to Balgreen Nursery.
Estimated 8 weeks to complete.
Phase two – Balgreen Road from Balgreen Nursery to No.191 Balgreen Road.
Estimated 7 weeks to complete.
Phase three – from No.191 Balgreen Road to Gorgie Road.
Estimated 3 weeks to complete.
From early-stage development and residencies to award wins, national tours, festivals and international collaborations, Summerhall Arts’ year-round support is helping artists build the work that drives Scotland’s cultural life
Following a hugely successful Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with eight Scotsman Fringe First Award wins, more than 65 five-star reviews, over 180 four-star reviews and increased visitor numbers across its performance and visual arts programme, Summerhall Arts is highlighting the vital year-round artist development work taking place at its Edinburgh base.
While August provides a high-profile showcase for the work developed at Summerhall, the organisation’s support for artists continues throughout the year. To date, Summerhall Arts has supported more than 400 artists, delivered 48 Summerhall Surgeries, provided 35 paid development spaces, held 40 Exhibitions and supported artists through its Studio programme, residencies, commissions and partnerships.
This work provides artists with space, financial support, rehearsal and development opportunities, creative feedback and connections with audiences and industry professionals, helping early ideas develop into work that can go on to Scotland’s festivals, theatres ,venues and galleries as well as national and international stages.
Imogen Stirling, Development & Producing Lead at Summerhall Arts, said: “Having a year-round base in Edinburgh is vital.
“The development work we do here doesn’t simply fuel our Fringe programme, it supports artists to create work that goes on to venues and festivals across the city and beyond.
“It gives artists space to experiment, develop ideas and build new work throughout the year, making it an important part of Scotland’s cultural infrastructure.”
FROM SUMMERHALL SURGERIES TO FRINGE FIRSTS, FESTIVALS AND INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
At the heart of Summerhall Arts’ artist development work are its Summerhall Arts Surgeries, a live works-in-progress platform giving artists the opportunity to test early-stage ideas in front of supportive audiences, peers and industry professionals.
The programme has now supported 48 projects, providing artists with vital feedback, creative exchange and the opportunity to build relationships that can continue long after the initial presentation.
Increasingly, the Surgeries are becoming the beginning of a longer development journey, with artists moving into further development space, residencies, Summerhall’s own performance programme and opportunities elsewhere in Scotland and beyond.
Recent examples include F-Bomb Theatre’s Float, which progressed through the Summerhall Arts Surgeries before being selected for Made in Scotland at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, followed by a presentation at Gilded Balloon and a London tour.
Corinne Salisbury’s Slayers developed through the Summerhall Arts Surgeries before progressing to Assembly at the 2026 Fringe, where it won a Fringe First Award.
Hey Thanks! Theatre Collective’s BearGirl similarly progressed from a Summerhall Surgery to Assembly at the 2026 Fringe, where it was an Assembly ART Award runner-up.
Wonder Fools’ Tether received development space at Summerhall before becoming a Fringe First-winning Summerhall show at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe. Development of the work also helped initiate a significant international collaboration with Korea, a relationship that was formed at Summerhall in 2025..
Sadiq Ali Company’s Tell Me received development space at Summerhall before going on to Manipulate Festival and a sell-out 2026 Edinburgh Fringe run.
The longer-term impact of Summerhall’s support can also be seen in the development of Biff Smith’s Dance With The Silence, which progressed through Summerhall’s Surgeries and Studio opportunities before Biff went on to become world champion of spoken word.
Summerhall’s residency and development programme has also supported artists whose work has gone on to significant national opportunities, including Emma Howlett, who was selected for The Stage’s Fringe Five following her residency at Summerhall with the work Aether that awarded her with the National Theatre Studio Directors Course and the Royal Court Writers’ Group in 2025. and then her fourth Summerhall show, a successful five star run of her new show The Plot in the Main Hall at this years’ Fringe.
Looking ahead, Babyplay by Amber Charlie Conroy represents another developing Summerhall pathway. The work was selected for the Summerhall Arts and the Hugo Burge Foundation New Writing Commission, has been written and shared, and took part in the Summerhall Arts Surgeries. It will continue its development at Summerhall as part of the organisation’s 2027 Edinburgh Fringe programme.
MORE SPACE, MORE TIME AND MORE SUPPORT FOR ARTISTS
Summerhall Arts is now expanding its artist development offer, providing opportunities at different stages of the creative process.
The organisation will offer 11 free space weeks, 12 supported weeks with £500 bursaries and eight enhanced residencies offering £1,000 of support, allowing artists to access everything from essential rehearsal space to more substantial financial support for projects requiring dedicated development time.
The Summerhall Arts Studios programme provides further intensive development opportunities, with support worth up to £3,100 per week.
The first Studio artists of Year Two, Delululand, have already demonstrated this longer-term pathway. Following participation in the March Summerhall Arts Surgeries, the company is now continuing its development through a supported Studio week.
Summerhall Arts will also deliver two editions of the Surgeries each year. A winter edition will support six companies whose work could progress towards presentation at the 2027 Fringe, connecting directly with the new Recovery Room initiative.
Recovery Room will give selected artists a further week of dedicated rehearsal and development space following their Surgery, allowing them to respond to audience and industry feedback and adapt their work towards presentation at Summerhall.
A spring edition will focus on earlier-stage work with potential to develop towards the 2028 Fringe and beyond, creating a clearer pathway from initial experimentation through to production and presentation.
Summerhall Arts has also selected Cat MacLeod and Raymond Wilson for its First Draft Commissions, supporting both artists to develop new pieces of writing from their earliest stages towards completed first drafts. Alongside the financial commission, the programme provides an ongoing relationship with each artist, including opportunities for conversation, creative feedback and development.
YEAR-ROUND PERFORMANCE, VISUAL ARTS AND CINEMA
Summerhall Arts’ commitment to artists extends across its year-round programme of performance, visual arts, cinema and creative learning.
The second half of 2026 will see Summerhall Arts present and support Concerned Others by Tortoise in A Nutshell, The Rhinestone Cowboy, Imaginate Festival, Tom Molineaux with Andy Arnold, Junk Ensemble and Kate Taylor, Accidents of the Soul from Shotput, Not For Glory by Charlotte Mclean, Jack Anderson and Malin Lewis. and Offspring by Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir.
The visual arts programme continues with current exhibition Forming Space with Garvald Edinburgh and the upcoming Conversation with our Ocean by Elizabeth Ogilvie and Robert Page, Didar, Out of Sight Out of Mind with CAPS Advocacy, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival, Colour in Silence: Memorial Exhibition by David Peacock, Rosita Mackenzie’s Touching Light, Ruth Dafnis’ Second Hand Smoke, two Winter Market Exhibitions and the next season of Multi-Year Funding exhibitions featuring Jules Bradbury and Johanna Flanigan, with a third artist to be announced.
Also continuing are the Reconfigure Life Drawing Exhibition, and the third annual Group Show, for which applications will open in December.
The In Vitro Residency programme, in partnership with the Hugo Burge Foundation will include residencies and exhibitions from Flore Gardner and Juliana Capes, while Summerhall’s creative learning programme will offer a programme of workshops, running Wednesday to Sunday between 11am to 5pm from November through April in the Histology lab.
Summerhall Arts will also continue its work with screen culture through the Edinburgh Short Film Festival.
Sam Chapman, Head of Visual Arts and Cinema at Summerhall Arts, said: “Our visual arts and cinema programme is an essential part of Summerhall Arts’ year-round commitment to artists.
“It is about much more than presenting exhibitions and films – it is about creating opportunities for artists to develop their practice, experiment with new ideas, make connections and reach audiences.
“Through our exhibitions, commissions, residencies, partnerships and moving image programme, we are able to support artists at different stages of their careers and give them a platform within a genuinely interdisciplinary environment.
“That sense of connection is particularly important in Scotland, where artists and arts organisations are often working across different disciplines and sectors.
“We want Summerhall to be a place where artists can come to develop an idea, take a creative risk, meet other artists and audiences, and build something that can continue beyond these walls.
“The strength of Scotland’s visual arts and wider cultural ecology depends on having spaces where that work can happen throughout the year.”
A CULTURAL ECOSYSTEM THAT DOESN’T STOP IN AUGUST
The work audiences see at the Edinburgh Fringe, Scotland’s festivals and on stages around the country often begins months or years earlier, with artists needing somewhere to experiment, develop ideas, rehearse, receive feedback and take creative risks.
Sam Gough, Chief Executive of Summerhall Arts, said: “The success of August is only one part of the story. What audiences see at the Fringe is often the result of months or years of development, experimentation, rehearsal and support.
“The Surgeries are particularly important because they give artists somewhere to take those first risks, but the real value comes from what happens afterwards – the relationships that continue, the work that develops and the opportunities that open up.
“We have seen artists come through our many development programmes and go on to win Fringe Firsts, be part of the Made in Scotland showcase, national tours, major festivals and international collaborations. That is why year-round support matters.
“The Fringe and Scotland’s festivals do not exist in isolation; they are part of a wider cultural ecosystem that depends on artists having places to develop work throughout the year.
“At a time when that ecosystem is under enormous pressure, with organisations including The Skinny and the CCA among those lost or facing significant challenges in recent years, protecting year-round cultural infrastructure and the spaces where artists can take risks is vital. The future of our festivals depends on the artists and organisations that create and develop the work long before it reaches August.
“As Edinburgh considers the future of the Tourist Levy, it is important that the income generated by visitors is recognised as an opportunity to invest in the cultural infrastructure that makes the city what it is. Supporting year-round venues, artists and risk-takers helps sustain the whole ecosystem, not simply the festival period.”
REMOVING BARRIERS FOR AUDIENCES
Alongside its support for artists, Summerhall Arts is also looking at how audiences can access work.
While the exhibitions programme is always free to attend, the organisation is now introducing a new Pay What You Want approach to the performance programme, removing the requirement for audiences to qualify for a concession.
Rather than asking audiences to prove that they are unemployed, a student or eligible for another concession, audiences can simply choose the price they want to pay to support the performance and Summerhall Arts.
The approach forms part of Summerhall Arts’ wider commitment to removing barriers and creating a more open relationship between artists, audiences and the organisation.
From a first experiment in a Surgery to a Fringe First-winning production; from a residency to a national tour; from a development week to an international collaboration, Summerhall Arts’ year-round work is helping artists build sustainable creative journeys.
As Edinburgh’s cultural calendar moves beyond the intensity of August, Summerhall Arts continues to invest in the artists, ideas and organisations that will shape Scotland’s future cultural landscape.
The Armed Forces Pledge will unite people across Britain to stand with millions who have served, as Mark Ormrod warns his generation of veterans is disappearing from public view
The Veterans’ Foundation is calling on people across Britain to show veterans they have not been forgotten, as it launches The Armed Forces Pledge – Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans.
People across Britain can add their name to The Armed Forces Pledge and leave a message of support, creating Britain’s biggest thank you to the more than 1.8 million veterans living in the UK today.
Veterans’ Foundation Ambassador and former Royal Marine Mark Ormrod MBE will formally launch the Pledge at Merchants Hall in Edinburgh on the evening of 30 September, at an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Veterans’ Foundation, which was founded in the city in 2016.
Earlier that day, Mark Veterans’ Foundation Trustee Guy Cartwright and representatives from Scottish grant recipient organisations including Scottish Veterans Residences, Vector24 and Housing Options Scotland for a media photocall at Whitefoord House, 53 Canongate, Edinburgh, a Scottish Veterans Residences site.
“My generation of veterans is disappearing from view,” Mark said. “When I was injured, Afghanistan was everywhere. You turned on the television and you saw it. You saw young men and women coming home with life-changing injuries.
“You saw families waiting at bedsides, families grieving, families suddenly having to rebuild their lives around someone who had come home completely changed – or who wasn’t coming home at all.
“People knew what was happening. But, nearly 19 years later, Afghanistan isn’t on the news. War isn’t sexy anymore – but we’re still here. I’m still here, and my legs aren’t going to grow back.”
The Armed Forces Pledge is intended to show that, however much time has passed, the service and sacrifice of those who served continue to be recognised and valued.
Today’s veterans span generations. They include those who served during National Service and in Northern Ireland, the Falklands and the Balkans, alongside a generation who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and men and women who have left the Armed Forces much more recently.
They are living and working in communities across the country, raising families, building careers, and running businesses. Most make a successful transition into civilian life and will never need specialist support.
But leaving the Armed Forces does not always mean leaving the consequences of service behind. For some veterans and their families, the need for support is immediate. For others, it can emerge years or even decades later, through physical or mental health problems, difficulties with housing or employment, isolation, financial hardship or pressures on family life.
Don’t forget about us
Mark Ormrod MBE was 24 and serving with 40 Commando Royal Marines in Afghanistan when, on Christmas Eve 2007, he knelt on an improvised explosive device, losing both legs and his right arm. Three weeks later, the previously six-foot-two Royal Marine was told he would never walk again.
With the support of his family, the military community and charities, Mark rebuilt his life and went on to become a multiple-medal-winning Invictus Games competitor and build a successful new career.
“I had my family, the military community and charities that gave me opportunities, and I know how lucky that makes me,” Mark said. “I’ve had an incredible life. I’ve competed at the Invictus Games, won medals, travelled the world and built a career. People know my story, but there are thousands of veterans whose stories we never hear.
“They’re not at the Invictus Games and they’re not being interviewed, but what they gave matters just as much. They still served our nation, they’re still living with whatever their service left them with, and they’re part of my military family.”
This year marks 20 years since British forces deployed to Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan, where Mark would be catastrophically injured. More than 150,000 UK military personnel would serve in Afghanistan during the campaign.
“Some people needed help straight away, while others built careers, raised families and got on with their lives before, ten or twenty years later, something catches up with them,” Mark said. “For some of us, when the uniform comes off, the battle continues.
“That’s what worries me – the veterans you don’t see. The ones who aren’t in the news or at Invictus, whose families might be quietly trying to hold things together. They served this country and then simply disappeared back into everyday life. Don’t forget about them.”
Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans
The Veterans’ Foundation has created the Armed Forces Pledge to give people across Britain a simple way to show that the Armed Forces community has not been forgotten. By adding their name and leaving a message of support for veterans, serving personnel and their families, they will become part of Britain’s biggest thank you to veterans – recognising the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community long after a conflict has disappeared from the headlines or someone has taken off their uniform.
Jane Gurney, Chief Executive of the Veterans’ Foundation, said: “The Armed Forces community is enormously diverse. Behind the word ‘veteran’ are people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences, most of whom are simply getting on with their lives and making an enormous contribution to the communities around them.
“But sometimes service can leave a legacy, and when somebody does need support – whether that is during service, immediately after leaving the Armed Forces or many years later – we want to ensure the right help is there.
“For ten years, the Veterans’ Foundation has backed the organisations closest to those people and their families. We have awarded more than £40 million, but we know there is much more to do.
“The Armed Forces Pledge is an opportunity for the whole country to stand alongside our community. It is a thank you for what they have given, but it is also a very simple way of saying: we remember you, we value your service and we are still with you.”
The Veterans’ Foundation was founded in Edinburgh ten years ago. Since 2016, the Foundation has awarded more than £40 million through more than 1,500 grants to over 600 organisations supporting veterans, serving personnel and their families across the UK, and has set an ambition to invest £200 million in the Armed Forces community by its twentieth anniversary.
To make the Armed Forces Pledge, add your name and leave a message at: veteransfoundation.org.uk/
THE Civil Service Strollers who play in the Lowland League East, the 5th tier of football in Scotland, are playing Formartine United from the Highland League in the 1st round of the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup this Saturday.
We are hoping for a good crowd at Christie Gillies Park at Marine Drive to cheer us on to a win and hopefully play one of the top SPFL teams in the next round.
Kick Off is 3.00pm Admission is £15 and Concessions are £8. Tickets can also be purchased on the Fanbase App
For more information about The Strollers see our website:
A new excise duty on vaping products has come into force in the UK today (1 October 2026) to reduce the affordability and appeal of vaping, especially to young people and non-smokers.
Vaping Products Duty is charged at £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid and will be paid by manufacturers, importers and warehousekeepers approved by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). It is a commercial decision whether the duty cost is passed on to retailers and consumers.
HMRC has also launched the Vaping Duty Stamps Scheme. Once fully rolled out, vaping duty stamps will provide digital traceability throughout the supply chain, enhancing consumer protection, and helping the high street by strengthening the fight against illicit trade.
This will also support the government’s commitment to back legitimate businesses, crack down on rogue operators and create fairer, safer high streets.
To support businesses, HMRC has introduced a six-month grace period meaning wholesalers and retailers can sell any existing eligible unstamped, non-duty liable, stock until 31 March 2027.
But from 1 April 2027, all vaping products sold in the UK must carry a valid vaping duty stamp and consumers should only buy duty-stamped vaping products. Anyone who suspects a vaping product may be illicit can report it to HMRC.
Tobacco duty rates have increased today to maintain the financial incentive for current tobacco smokers to switch to vaping. This is a one-off (pro-rata) increase of £2.20 per 100 cigarettes or per 50 grams of tobacco, in addition to the standard tobacco duty escalator.
James Murray, Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General, said: Our new measures will help get illicit vapes off high streets across the country.
“We’re backing all those retailers who play by the rules by making it easier for law enforcement agencies to take action against those who don’t.”
Karin Smyth, Minister of State for Health, said: “Our public heath advice is clear: while vaping is less harmful than smoking and can help adult smokers to quit, children and non-smokers should never vape.
“These measures are an important step in our ambition to tackle youth vaping by reducing the affordability of vaping products, which goes hand-in-hand with the work we are already doing to tackle the appeal and availability of vapes on our high streets.”
Further changes to vaping and tobacco-related products that come into effect today are:
An estimated 1.4 million payments will be made to people across Scotland to help with heating their homes this winter, with payments set to begin from October.
The Scottish Government’s unique package of winter heating benefits provides guaranteed support to pensioners, low-income households and families with disabled children and young people.
Pension Age Winter Heating Payment has replaced Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland, providing people of State Pension age with a payment between £105.55 and £316.70 depending on their age and household circumstances. Payments are issued to all eligible pensioners but are recovered from those with an individual income of over £35,000 by HMRC. Payments will begin from November and continue throughout the winter.
Child Winter Heating Payment supports households with disabled children and young people who have the highest care needs in the winter months. This type of assistance is not available anywhere else in the UK. This year payments will start from week commencing 5 October.
Winter Heating Payment is a guaranteed, annual payment for low-income households in receipt of certain benefits. This is paid irrespective of how cold the temperature gets outside, unlike the UK Government’s Cold Weather Payment which is only paid if the average temperature reaches, or is forecast to reach, freezing or below for a full week. Payments will begin from December.
For the majority of eligible people, the winter heating benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland are paid automatically with no need to apply.
Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Over a million people are set to benefit from the Scottish Government’s package of winter heating support – which is stronger than anywhere else in the UK.
“With energy costs predicted to rise again, this could be a valuable lifeline for older people, families on low incomes, disabled children and young people.
“We are committed to treating people with the dignity, fairness and respect they deserve. Our approach supports those most in need. The Scottish Government will continue to ensure vulnerable people get the financial help they need this winter.”
In winter 2025/26, over 1.57 million payments were issued for Child Winter Heating Payment, Winter Heating Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment.
More than 1.46 million clients received at least one of the three winter heating benefits.
Read last year’s winter heating benefit statistics: Winter Heating Benefits: Statistics for Winter 2025/2026 – Social Security Scotland
