A public health consultant from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has warned New Year revellers to stay in and stay safe this weekend, amid great concern over recent very large increases in cases linked to the new variant of coronavirus.
Normally at this time of year, thousands of party-goers would be heading out on to the town and to house parties to celebrate New Year and the final weekend of the festive season, but in an attempt to prevent an explosion of cases, people are being asked not to even think about this.
Dr Daniel Carter, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at NHSGGC, said staying in this weekend was of critical importance, now more than ever. “There are very large increases in cases across GGC and particularly in areas such as Inverclyde which previously had relatively low levels,” he said.
“This is due to people still mixing together and the new variant of the virus that spreads more easily. We urge everyone not to mix with anyone other than their own household at this time of such sharp increases in cases.”
He went on to remind people that we will soon be able to be vaccinated and so this harsh warning is also at time when we can say it won’t be for much longer.
“Whilst these constraints are hard on everyone, they are there for a good reason – to protect you, your friends and your family.”
Earlier this week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that the new variant – thought to spread much faster than the virus which first appeared in Scotland in the Spring – was quickly becoming the dominant COVID strain, and said Scottish Government advice to stay home, save lives and protect the NHS was more important than ever.
Dr Carter added: ““We are all painfully aware of the huge human cost that the virus has inflicted on the people across Scotland, and of all the important events which we have missed this year. With vaccination now being rolled out there really is some light at the end of the tunnel – but we are not there yet.
“Please keep that – and the safety of the most vulnerable in our society – in mind when you are deciding whether to go out or stay in this New Year.”
Dr Carter reminded people that, in addition to the current restrictions, the most effective way to keep us all safe from the virus was to follow the FACTS advice – wear a Face covering in enclosed spaces, Avoid crowded places, Clean hands and surfaces regularly, Two-metre distancing, and Self-isolate and seek a test immediately if you display symptoms.
New Year celebrations in most parts of the world will be extremely muted this year, but millions of us will try to mark the arrival of the 2021 in a Covid-compliant way. What are the origins of our New Year traditions?
Former primary school teacher LAURA STEELE of education resource experts PlanBee is your guide:
Out with the old, in with the new… 2020 is nearly over, and I think it’s safe to say that most of us are very eager indeed to say goodbye to this year, and to welcome 2021 in the hope that it will be a better year for all.
Across the UK, on 31 December, as the clock strikes midnight, people (would, in an ordinary year) hold hands and sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ to welcome the new year in. But where exactly did this song originate? And how much of it can you remember?
The song was written by famous Scottish poet Robert Burns in 1788, who based it on an old folk song. In the Scots language, the phrase ‘auld lang syne‘ roughly translates as ‘for old times’ sake‘. It is a song about reunion and reconciliation; a reflection of times past, and a promise to move forward together. It can evoke feelings of belonging and friendship.
Although its origins are in Scotland, ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is now sung all over the world on new Year’s Eve.
In Scotland, ‘Hogmanay’ is the Scots word for the last day of the year. The celebrations begin on New Year’s Eve and last until the 2 January (which is also a public holiday in Scotland).
Hogmanay’s origins are thought to be Viking – the Norse invaders began by celebrating the winter solstice on the 21 December, culminating in wild parties at the end of the month. Modern-day celebrations include torch-lit parades, fire festivals, huge fireworks displays, and music performances.
Another popular tradition in Scotland is that of ‘first-footing’. The first guest to enter a house in the new year must bring a gift (these can range from salt or coal, to shortbread and whiskey). This is intended to bring luck to the householder. Traditionally, tall, dark-haired men are preferred as the first guests!
In Spain, on each of the twelve strokes of the clock at midnight, a grape is eaten. This is thought to bring good luck for the coming months.
Just before midnight, people in Denmark stand on chairs, ready to jump off them at midnight and ‘leap’ into January.
In Switzerland, it is traditional to drop a dollop of cream on the floor to bring a prosperous new year.
On New Year’s Eve in Greece, an onion is hung on the front door as a symbol of rebirth. On New Year’s Day, parents wake their children up by tapping them on the head with the onion!
In Brazil, people dress in white clothes to symbolise their hopes for good luck and peace for the new year. If you live near a beach, it is tradition to jump over seven waves – for each wave, you receive a wish.
Doughnuts are eaten in Germany. They ‘Pfannkuchens’ are filled with jam or liquor. As a practical joke, some may contain mustard or other unsavoury fillings – if you are unfortunate enough to choose one of these, this is seen as bad luck!
On the last day of the year, people in Columbia carry an empty suitcase around with them in the hope of a travel-filled 12 months to come.
In Estonia, on New Year’s Day, people attempt to eat either seven, nine or 12 times throughout the day. These are all lucky numbers, and it is believed that the more they eat, the more plentiful the food will be in the coming year.
Another increasingly popular New Year’s Day tradition in many parts of the world is the Polar Plunge, or Polar Bear Plunge.
People visit their nearest beach, some in fancy dress, and take a dip in the sea. A lot of the events are for charity, with those brave enough to take the icy swim being sponsored by those who aren’t!
Many people across the world make New Year’s resolutions, or promises to themselves to achieve certain goals in the coming year. This seems to be one of the oldest traditions we follow – the ancient Babylonians are thought to have been the first people to make resolutions around 4,000 years ago. Their promises included paying debts and returning any items they had borrowed.
Laura Steele was a primary school teacher for 11 years and joined PlanBee in 2016.
Figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives have shown that 1,219 ambulance journeys between St. John’s hospital Children’s ward and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary took place between September 2016 and August 2020 – an average of 25 journeys a month over the four year period.
In October this year (2020) NHS Lothian announced that St. John’s was reintroducing a 24/7 children’s ward, following years of a reduced service.
An extensive recruitment drive led to the recruitment of two consultants one locum and increased availability of Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioners.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, previously welcomed the recruitment of doctors and nurses, so that a 24/7 service could resume, but warned that any future recruitment challenges must be dealt with well in advance.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“I am delighted that 24/7 paediatric services have resumed this year at St. John’s hospital and it is a credit to the people of West Lothian who campaigned tirelessly to get these services reinstated.
“Far too many young patients and families have had to make the twenty miles trip to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary over the last four years .
“It is important that the workforce at St. John’s hospital is properly managed and any recruitment challenges are sorted far in advance so that we don’t go back to a situation where young patients are having to travel into Edinburgh to be taken care of.”
Police and council leaders have urged residents to adhere to national guidance as we welcome 2021.
Ahead of tonight’s midnight moment, Council Leader Adam McVey, Depute Leader Cammy Day and Police Scotland’s Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham, are reminding residents to adhere to the ongoing level 4 restrictions in the Capital.
Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham, said: We’re asking everyone to continue to do the right thing to stop the spread of this virus and protect public health as it’s clear that there is an ongoing risk.
“Remember that parties and indoor gatherings of different households are not permitted and we will continue to use our enforcement powers to disperse large groups of people where necessary.
“Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and guidance, and encourage compliance, but we will not hesitate to continue to use our enforcement powers as a last resort.
“Please follow the Scottish Government’s advice, which is to celebrate Hogmanay and the New Year with your own household only, in your own home.”
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “The best and safest place to celebrate Hogmanay this year is at home.
“Cases have increased significantly so please don’t go round to friends’ houses and keep adhering to the guidance – more gatherings at Hogmanay will cause increased risk to people across the Capital and in particular our NHS staff and services.
“Following the rules now is the quickest way to get restrictions lifted and hopefully we can look back at this Hogmanay as one of our final sacrifices in the battle against the virus.
“As 2020 comes to a close and with the roll out of vaccines underway, we can look more positively towards 2021. But for now, and this Hogmanay, please keep following the guidance, please stay at home and keep yourself and others safe.”
Deputy Leader Cammy Day said: Public safety must be our top priority as we continue the fight against Covid-19 and, by following the guidance as you have done so admirably since it began, you can play your part once more.
“We’ve worked closely with Underbelly and other partners to produce a fitting online celebration of Hogmanay and, having already paid tribute to our NHS and frontline workers with a fantastic pyrotechnic show on the Castle Esplanade, I would encourage everyone to tune in to the finale of the UK’s largest swarm drone display as we bid Fare Well to 2020. It’s a truly spectacular and moving show, befitting of Edinburgh’s status as the Home of Hogmanay.
“Let’s see out the year safely and look forward to a better and more positive 2021.”
Following the cancellation of the world famous street party, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay has moved to an entirely online celebration with a series of spectacular ‘moments’ that can be watched from home.
Featuring the UK’s largest swarm drone show, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay will bring to life an exciting new piece of writing by award-winning poet and Scots Makar, Jackie Kay. Fare Well is split into three, 5-minute parts, that can be viewed online at 7pm tonight.
The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), the country’s leading pro-EU body, is today urging Scots to defy Brexit and fight to rejoin the European Union.
EMiS is launching its own campaign for Scotland to rejoin the European Union as swiftly as possible – whatever its constitutional status.
Tier 4 restrictions have forced the cancellation of planned street protests against Brexit up and down the country, including at the Scottish Parliament and UK Government hub in the capital.
Instead, EMiS members and supporters will be protesting wherever and however possible against a bad deal on future EU-UK relations that poses a serious threat to Scotland’s future and that of its younger generations.
Mark Lazarowicz, EMiS convenor, says: ” With all the crises the world faces, the argument for the European Union is stronger than ever – and opinion polls show that support for EU membership is higher than it was at the time of the 2016 referendum, both in Scotland and across the whole of the UK.
“Whether Scotland becomes part of the EU again as an independent nation state, or through the UK as a whole, we know it will not happen overnight. But being a realist doesn’t mean we stop campaigning for our country to be part of that wider European project again.”
Today marks the end of UK membership of the EU Single Market and Customs Union. From 1 January 2021, more than 5m Scots will lose the right to live, travel and work freely in 31 other European countries.
As we prepare for this sad day, we in the European Movement in Scotland are united in this pledge:
“We declare that Scotland is a European country, embracing our common values of peace, democracy, human rights, equality, sustainability and solidarity.
The clear wish of the great majority of the Scottish people is that Scotland should be within the European Union.
We commit to working to bring this about, whatever Scotland’s constitutional status”.
We are calling on as many as possible to share pictures of themselves displaying the EU stars – a symbol of European unity – in some form, accompanied by the hashtag #WeWillBeBack.
We urge all those who feel the same to join us at the European Movement in Scotland (euromovescotland.org.uk @euromovescot), so that our fellow Europeans can hear us loud and clear!
I think we can all agree we will be glad to see the back of 2020 (writes Scottish Secretary ALISTER JACK).
We have spent months living through a global pandemic and our lives are almost unrecognisable from a year ago. For many, the tin lid on 2020 was the last minute – but sadly essential – restrictions on Christmas and immediately after.
These restrictions, and the personal sacrifices so many people have made throughout the pandemic, are not easy, but they are vital if we want to continue to protect our NHS and save lives.
I want to send my deepest condolences to all those who have lost loved ones to this cruel virus. We must not lose sight of the individual lives behind the statistics and we must keep working together to ensure that we defeat this virus for good.
But as we say farewell to 2020, we should also take a moment to consider just how much we have all achieved in this most difficult of years.
Over the past few months, we have risen to the challenge of this new virus. Confronting it with collective resilience, compassion, and generosity.
I would like to thank everyone who has done so much this year.
Our frontline workers – from health care staff to supermarket workers, teachers and everyone in between – have been nothing short of heroic. Looking after the ill, supporting the vulnerable, and keeping the country going. They have been an inspiration to us all. And our armed forces have been magnificent, helping all parts of the country throughout the pandemic.
So many others have done their bit too. From picking up shopping and prescriptions for those who needed it, to organising spirit-lifting video chats and amazing charity fundraisers – individuals up and down the country have gone out of their way to look after friends, relatives, and neighbours, as well as strangers in need.
With vaccines now rolling out across the UK, we are starting to see light at the end of the covid tunnel. We can now look to 2021 with optimism and confidence, and make it a year of successful recovery and regeneration.
We have put in place the foundations to build back better from covid. From the New Year, with a great deal now in place with the EU, our coastal communities will flourish, and we will open up new global opportunities for Scottish businesses.
The UK Government will continue to drive forward its ambitious programme of economic growth, through city deals, our Union connectivity review, and new freeports across the UK. We will continue to lead the world on climate change and will bring the world to Glasgow for COP26 in November.
With the UK pulling together, 2021 will put us firmly on the road to recovery.
The last thing we need in a year of opportunity is for Scotland to be mired in calls for another unwanted, divisive independence referendum. Now is not the time. Scottish people want instead to see the UK Government and the devolved administrations working together, in everyone’s best interest. We urge the Scottish Government to work with us to focus on supporting jobs and driving Scotland’s economic recovery.
As we begin this new chapter, my firm hope is that, UK-wide, we embrace the many opportunities ahead of us. I believe that our future is bright.
I wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year, and a better 2021.
10 Dry January tipsfrom RUARI FAIRBAIRNS, Co-Founder and CEO of Edinburgh’s One Year No Beer:
How to set yourself up for successfully drinking less next year, when so many of us have relied on alcohol to help get through the pandemic:
2020 has been such a challenging year for so many, but it’s time to think about how to start planning for success – God knows we all deserve some!
With this in mind, here are my 10 top tips to help you get ahead of the game so that you can go into 2021, firmly on your A-game.
Be sure to stock up on alcohol-free drinks so that when you’re feeling the need to drink something at the end of a long day, there are plenty of tasty alternatives for you to enjoy. Why not order yourself a new different alcohol-free drink to try every weekend throughout January and February so that you can look forward to having a tasting session and enjoying and talking about the different flavours? Make it exciting!
Cutting back on the booze will also do wonders for your bank balance so pick something that you have wanted for a long time and then set aside the money that you would have otherwise spent on alcohol, so that you can save up for it and finally buy it.
Make a promise to yourself that you are going to get healthy in 2021 – use the calorie calculator on the OYNB website to calculate how many calories you will be saving by cutting back on the booze.
Remind yourself of the importance of sleep when it comes to mental and physical health – alcohol disrupts sleep patterns, it’s a myth that a glass of wine will help you to relax enough to sleep. Alcohol causes slow-wave and REM sleep cycles to be impacted, resulting in shorter sleep cycles which are disrupted. After removing alcohol from your diet you will sleep in deeper and longer cycles and this will really help your body to rest and repair each night.
Set yourself a fitness goal – whether it’s a marathon, or simply a 5km walk around the local park, once alcohol is removed from your diet, your body will have more energy for physical exercise, so help yourself to stay on track, by picking something to focus on and work towards.
Speaking of exercise, remind yourself that this is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no point abstaining from alcohol in January, only to go full throttle at it again in February. This will simply do more damage than good. Take some time to educate yourself about the shorter-term benefits of abstaining from alcohol – these only improve over time.
Forgive yourself for ‘blips’ – Much like dieting, which is also bad for you! – people slip up from time to time and instead of giving up because you are disappointed in yourself, learn to quickly forgive yourself so that you can put it behind you and get back on track. There’s no use wallowing in one bad decision or a moment of weakness. In fact, focus on your Streak achieved instead!
Address barriers to your success head-on by explaining to your friends and loved ones, what you are doing and why – maybe even ask them to get on board and join you. By speaking directly to these people and explaining why you are not drinking, it will help you to get them on side, and enable them to see things from your perspective.
Tune in to the impact of alcohol on your mental health – Alcohol is one of the most common and unhelpful coping strategies for stress, depression and anxiety. Yet overuse of alcohol can contribute to the worsening of mental health issues and lead to lower moods and anxiety. Using alcohol will not address any mental health problems, but only make these issues worse.
Finally, if you are still struggling with all of this, take some time to identify what might be sitting at the root cause of your need to drink alcohol – is it your job? Are you having problems in your relationship? Have you got money worries? If you take some time to uncover the triggers, then this will go a long way to helping you to address them.
Founded in 2015, OYNB is an award-winning behaviour change programme and online toolkit for surviving modern society alcohol-free, aimed at anyone drinking more than 3 glasses of wine a week.
With a member base of over 80,000, they believe that having a community is crucial to making a positive lifestyle change, and so the founders are constantly finding new and exciting ways to provide this support.
OYNB is not an abstinence programme; it is not about eliminating alcohol entirely. It’s about empowering people to break down old habits and build new ones, creating a positive mindset that lets the individual take back control and make clear-sighted decisions. They are now developing technology that will enable members to connect over their common goals, such as caffeine, sugar, gambling and social media.
‘To be clear: that means no gatherings, no house parties, and no first footing.‘
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon updated the Scottish Parliament yesterday:
I will give a short update on today’s statistics and a few other issues. The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 2,045. That represents 11.3% of the total number of tests, and takes the total number of confirmed cases in Scotland to 124,831.
That is a significant number of new cases, and it demonstrates the severity of the situation we face right now.
1,133 people are currently in hospital – 41 more than yesterday. And 69 people are in intensive care, which is four more than yesterday.
I’m also sad to report that 43 additional deaths have been registered in the last 24 hours of patients who had tested positive. In total, 137 deaths have been registered in the past seven days. That takes total number of deaths, under this daily measurement, to 4,510.
National Records of Scotland have not published their usual weekly update today because not all registration offices have been open throughout the festive period. However, the figures published last week showed that the total number of deaths is now over 6,000.
Each one of those deaths is heartbreaking. And so again, I want to send my condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one.
There are three other issues I want to cover today.
The first is the Oxford/Astra Zeneca vaccine that has today been authorised for supply in the UK by the medicines regulator.
This is really good news.
It means there are now two effective Covid vaccines available for use in the UK.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is also logistically easier to deliver than the Pfizer one.
And, crucially, the UK has secured a much higher number of doses of this vaccine.
It is also now recommended that the second dose of both vaccines can be given up to 12 weeks after the first, rather then three.
That means we can now prioritise providing a first dose to as many people as possible – rather than providing the required two doses in as short a time as possible.
This will allow more people to be vaccinated more quickly.
We have been preparing for the deployment of the Oxford/Astrazeneca vaccine for some time and I can confirm that it will be administered in Scotland from Monday.
As of Sunday, more than 92,000 people have already received their first shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
But today’s news means that more people will get their first dose of a Covid vaccine, sooner than anticipated.
The second issue I want to touch on are the restrictions now in place across the country.
On Boxing Day, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, and some other island communities moved to Level 3 protections. At the same time, the rest of Scotland – the vast majority – moved to level 4.
This is not the way that any of us wanted to end 2020 – or start the new year. But these new restrictions reflect the severity of the threat posed by this new variant.
Analysis done by Public Health Scotland shows that, yesterday, 42.8% of positive tests processed for Scotland in the Lighthouse Laboratory Network had the S gene drop out that is indicative of the new strain.
That is a higher than the 38% suggested by ONS analysis for week beginning 14 December. And that in turn compared to just six per cent at the end of November.
So this new strain appears to be fast becoming the dominant one in Scotland.
And that is obviously a cause for real concern – given that it is thought to be significantly more transmissible.
As I indicated before Christmas, the severity of this challenge means we can’t rule out the need for restrictions that are even tighter than the current level 4.
We continue to assess the situation carefully, on a daily basis, and will keep Parliament updated should any changes be required over the remainder of the festive period.
As we learn more about the new variant, we also continue to review when pupils can safely return to classrooms.
The new strain has already made a normal scheduled return impossible but we continue to assess whether it will be possible to reopen schools as planned on 18 January.
That is what we all want and, to be clear, that remains our planning assumption. But we will continue to put the safety of pupils, teachers and staff first. And we will ensure as much notice as possible to parents of any changes we consider to be necessary.
For now, of course, it is vital that we all do as much as possible to suppress transmission.
That means limiting our interactions with people in other households, beyond those which are absolutely essential.
To remind everyone, our very strong advice is that people should stay at home just now, as much as possible. And when we do go out, we should stay as close to home as possible.
With a few limited exceptions, none of us should be visiting each other’s homes right now.
None of us should be travelling to other local authority areas – unless it’s for an essential purpose.
And there must be no non-essential travel between Scotland and other parts of the UK. That advice also applies to overseas travel.
We should also remember the FACTS advice:
face coverings
avoid crowded places
clean hands and surfaces
keep two metres distance from people from other households
and self-isolate, and get tested immediately, if you have symptoms.
Let me stress testing centres are open throughout the entire festive period. So if you do experience Covid symptoms, please don’t wait. Book a test immediately.
It’s worth noting that the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub is also open, over the festive period.
Support of this kind is particularly vital, at a time when so many of us are missing loved ones and normal social interaction. So if you feel the restrictions are affecting your mental health – and you need help or advice – please don’t hesitate to call the number 111.
Finally today, I want to say a few words about Hogmanay.
I know most of us, and I certainly speak for myself here, will be glad to see the back of 2020.
And today’s news about the new vaccine should give all of us greater hope for the year ahead.
But for now, it is really vital to do everything we can to suppress this virus.
To keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. And to protect the NHS.
So we must mark this new year responsibly and in line with the restrictions in place.
To be clear, that means no gatherings, no house parties, and no first footing.
Instead, we should bring in 2021 in our own homes with just our own household.
This new strain is very serious – I cannot stress that enough.
And our prospects for the rest of the year will be better if we get off to a safe start.
So I urge everyone to be responsible on Hogmanay.
I know it’s hard – particularly for young people.
But it is how we best protect ourselves and our loved ones.
It helps the NHS too. And they need our help.
In Scotland, so far, the numbers in hospital and ICU are not at the peak of the first wave. But the NHS is under pressure.
So everything we do as individuals to stop this virus spreading helps reduce the number of people who will end up in hospital and ICU beds over the next few weeks.
And that really matters.
So as this awful year draws to a close, let me again thank everyone across Scotland for your sacrifice and patience, and for looking out for each other.
We do have every reason to believe that the spring of 2021 will bring better times. But we must first get through these difficult few weeks of winter.
So let’s stick with it, and keep looking after each other.
And let me wish everyone across the chamber, and at home, when it comes, a better, brighter and happier new year.
Tesco, Superdrug and St Johnstone FC among culprits
139 companies, including major household names, have short-changed their employees and have been fined
offending firms failed to pay £6.7 million to their workers, in a completely unacceptable breach of employment law
Business Minister Paul Scully says the list should be a ‘wake-up call’ to rogue bosses, as department relaunches naming scheme after 2-year pause
Almost 140 companies, including some of the UK’s biggest household names, are being named and shamed today for failing to pay their workers the minimum wage.
Investigated between 2016 and 2018, the 139 named companies failed to pay £6.7 million to over 95,000 workers in total, in a flagrant breach of employment law. The offending companies range in size from small businesses to large multinationals who employ thousands of people across the UK.
Preserving and enforcing workers’ rights is a priority for this government. While the vast majority of businesses follow the law and uphold workers’ rights, the publication of the list is intended to serve as a warning to rogue employers that the government will take action against those who fail to pay their employees properly.
This is the first time the government has named and shamed companies for failing to pay National Minimum Wage since 2018, following reforms to the process to ensure only the worst offenders are targeted.
Business Minister Paul Scully said: “Paying the minimum wage is not optional, it is the law. It is never acceptable for any employer to short-change their workers, but it is especially disappointing to see huge household names who absolutely should know better on this list.
“This should serve as a wake-up call to named employers and a reminder to everyone of the importance of paying workers what they are legally entitled to.
“Make no mistake, those who fail to follow minimum wage rules will be caught out and made to pay up.”
One of the main causes of minimum wage breaches was low-paid employees being made to cover work costs, which would eat into their pay packet, such as paying for uniform, training or parking fees.
Also, some employers failed to raise employees’ pay after they had a birthday which should have moved them into a different National Minimum Wage bracket.
Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage have to pay back arrears of wages to the worker at current minimum wage rates. They also face hefty financial penalties of up to 200% of arrears – capped at £10,000 per worker – which are paid to the government. Each of the companies named today have paid back their workers, and were forced to pay financial penalties.
While not all breaches of minimum wage rules are intentional, it is the responsibility of all employers to ensure they are following the law. With this round, we are also publishing a short educational bulletin that summarises public guidance on paying workers and common reasons for underpayment – helping to ensure that workers are not short-changed in future.
The companies the government is naming today were served a notice of underpayment between September 2016 and July 2018, following investigations by HMRC.
Last month, the government announced a measured increase in National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates, which will come into effect from April 2021. Every worker is entitled to the National Minimum Wage, no matter their age or profession.
This is the full list of companies named for failing to pay the National Minimum Wage:
Tesco stores Limited, Welwyn Hatfield AL7, failed to pay £5,096,946.13 to 78,199 workers
Pizza Hut (U.K.) Limited, City of Edinburgh WD6, failed to pay £845,936.41 to 10,980 workers
The Lowry Hotel Limited, trading as The Lowry Hotel, Salford EC4A, failed to pay £63,431.51 to 99 workers
Doherty & Gray Limited, Mid and East Antrim BT42, failed to pay £43,470.16 to 128 workers
Independent Care & Support Ltd, Medway ME2, failed to pay £40,275.17 to 55 workers
Amber Valley Council for Voluntary Services, trading as Amber Valley Centre for Voluntary Services, Amber Valley DE5, failed to pay £37,346.46 to 104 workers
Premier Care Limited, Salford M27, failed to pay £31.198.61 to 407 workers
Hill Biscuits Limited, Tameside OL7, failed to pay £25,867.06 to 247 workers
Sendon Garage Services Limited, Lambeth SW8, failed to pay £24,869.52 to 2 workers
Natural Nails Beauty London Ltd, Haringey N15, failed to pay £15,265.58 to 4 workers
Superdrug Stores PLC, Croydon CR0, failed to pay £15,228.57 to 2222 workers
St Johnstone Football Club Limited (The), Peth and Kinross PH1, failed to pay £14,266.74 to 28 workers
Home Grown Hotels Limited, New Forest SO43, failed to pay £13,790.44 to 25 workers
Rebus Construction Ltd, Hart RH12, failed to pay £13,379.94 to 5 workers
Mrs Emma Hartley, trading as Whitehall Hairdressing, Leeds, failed to pay £12,882.14 to 2 workers
The Walshford Inn Limited, trading as The Bridge Hotel & Spa, Harrogate W1W, failed to pay £11,947.23 to 26 workers
Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Armagh City, Banbrige and Craigavon, failed to pay £11,285.34 to 269 workers
Müller UK & Ireland Group LLP, Shropshire TF9, failed to pay £10,702.11 to 54 workers
Dakota Forth Bridge Limited – Dissolved 20/03/2020, City of Edinburgh S70, failed to pay £10,236.50 to 4 workers
Pinnacle PSG Limited, City of London NW1, failed to pay £10,166.03 to 10 workers
Preystone Property Investments Limited, trading as Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, Northumberland NE48, failed to pay £9767.15 to 26 workers
Western Brand Poultry Products (NI) Ltd, Fermanagh and Omagh BT92, failed to pay £9,275 to 50 workers
Nahid Residential Limited, trading as Manor House Hotel, Guildford GU1, failed to pay £9,159.53 to 5 workers
Norfolk Coastal Pubs Limited, trading as The Golden Fleece, North Norfolk NR23 failed to pay £8,141.69 to 14 workers
Worldwide Foods (Birmingham) Limited, trading as Al-Halal Supermarket, Birmingham B10, failed to pay £8,062.88 to 1 worker
Eat Food Limited, trading as Albatta Restaurant, Colchester CO1, failed to pay £7,987.15 to 5 workers
G & J Properties Limited, Bolton BL7, failed to pay £7,858.16 to 1 worker
Adi’s Hand Car Wash Ltd – Dissolved 19/02/2019, Barking and Dagenham RM8, failed to pay £7,750.84 to 2 workers
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust, Lisburn and Castlereagh BT16, failed to pay £7,564.66 to 193 workers
Discount Wallpapers Limited, trading as O’Neills Decorating Centre, Bolton WA12, failed to pay £7,446.14 to 11 workers
Sturgess & Thompson Limited, Leicester LE1, failed to pay £7,385.40 to 2 workers
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, Belfast BT9, failed to pay £7,303.41 to 192 workers
Helio Leisure Limited, trading as Helio Fitness, Fylde FY3, failed to pay £7,298.69 to 26 workers
Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Antrim and Newtownabbey, failed to pay £6,900.72 to 146 workers
Hoar Cross Hall Limited, East Staffordshire OX7, failed to pay £6,651.94 to 26 workers
Renard Resources Limited, Westminster WC2E, failed to pay £6,492.95 to 484 workers
Imago @ Loughborough Limited ,Charnwood LE11, failed to pay £6,319.05 to 101 workers
Western Health and Social Care Trust, Derry City and Strabane, failed to pay £6,170.97 to 170 workers
Littlemoss Preservation Limited, Tameside M43, failed to pay £5,434.18 to 4 workers
Mr Phillip Brookman, trading as Phillip Brookman Decorator & Plasterer, Cardiff failed to pay £5,141.70 to 1 worker
O & H Electrical Limited, Torbay TQ2, failed to pay, £5,139.02 to 6 workers
Mr Jonathan Evans, trading as Jonty Evans Equestrian Activities, Gloucester, failed to pay £5,008.16 to 5 workers
SKL Professional Recruitment Agency Limited, trading as SKL Homecare, Hertsmere WD19, failed to pay £4,628.69 to 43 workers
Wigan Rugby League Club Limited, trading as Wigan Warriors, Wigan WN5, failed to pay £4,559.24 to 1 worker
Mr Blerim Bajrami, trading as Secure Hand Car wash, Cannock Chase, failed to pay £4,475.01 to 3 workers
Tring Park Day Nursery Ltd, Dacorum HP23, failed to pay £4,415.63 to 2 workers
Pet Charmer Ltd – Company in liquidation April 2019, trading as Wild Animal Adventures and Pet Mania, Stockton-on-Tees LS15, failed to pay £4,168.90 to 1 worker
WKW Partnership Limited, trading as Cairngorm Hotel, Highland KA21, failed to pay £4,057.00 to 7 workers
Mr Roan Bradshaw and Ms Joy Bradshaw, trading as First Glance, Lewisham, failed to pay £3,997.58 to 1 worker
Costco Wholesale UK Limited , Hertsmere WD25, failed to pay £3,747.52 to 58 workers
Gregg Little Testing Centre Limited, County Durham TS18, failed to pay £3,703.90 to 4 workers
Solent Build Group Limited – Company Status Liquidation 06/12/2018, Southampton SO51, failed to pay £3,676.33 to 1 worker
Blakerin International Holdings Limited, trading as Cumbria Park Hotel, Carlisle LA12, failed to pay £3,611.13 to 46 workers
Multitech Site Services Limited, Uttlesford CM6, failed to pay £3,294.52 to 1 worker
Dr Jaskaram Bains and Dr Bernie Chand, Hanwell Dental Practice, Unknown, failed to pay £3,072.25 to 5 workers
Byron Hamburgers Limited, Westminster W1D, failed to pay £3,062.03 to 77 workers
Nina’s Nursery (Davenport) Limited, Stockport SK2, failed to pay £3,058.20 to 18 workers
Walton Bannus Estates Limited, Harborough LE17, failed to pay £3,051.60 to 2 workers
Circus in Schools Limited – Notice of voluntary strike-off – Nov 17, Cornwall TR13, failed to pay £2,958.85 to 2 workers
KKM Enterprises Limited- Liquidation- 23/08/2019, trading as The Cleaning Company, Redbridge B77, failed to pay £2,876.68 to 4 workers
The Bobby Dhanjal Practice Limited, trading as Bobby Dhanjal Wealth Management, Blaby LE19, failed to pay £2,868.69 to 3 workers
Manor House Country Hotel Limited, Fermanagh and Omagh BT94, failed to pay £2,837.04 to 139 workers
Morden Estates Company Limited, Dorset BH20, failed to pay £2,761.45 to 43 workers
The Education Development Service Ltd, Telford and Wrekin TF4, failed to pay £2,520.40 to 2 workers
Mr Malcolm Gilmour and Mr David Gilmour, trading as Gilmour Bros, South Lanarkshire, failed to pay £2,446.58 to 3 workers
Storrs Hall Limited, South Lakeland BB1, failed to pay £2,402.23 to 3 workers
DCS&D Limited Heritage Healthcare, Darlington DL1, failed to pay £2,393.39 to 13 workers
Rainbow Room (East Kilbride) Limited, South Lanarkshire G74, failed to pay £2,378.77 to 15 workers
Mr Darran Vaughan, trading as VAS Car Sales, Newry, Mourne and Down, failed to pay £2,351.41 to 1 worker
Mr Gnanenran Arumugam, trading as Lavender Convenience Store, Cheshire East, failed to pay £2,335.88 to 1 worker
The Calderdale Community Childcare Company Ltd, Calderdale HX2, failed to pay £2,321.81 to 2 workers
Gzim Workshop Limited Valeting Car wash, Haringey N17, failed to pay £2,297.21 to 3 workers
Alaska Fast Foods Ltd – Dissolved 05/02/2019, trading as Freddy’s Chicken & Pizza, Hyndburn M21, failed to pay £2,180.93 to 7 workers
Tracy Hart, trading as Little Oaks Pre School, Dacorum, failed to pay £2,134.47 to 1 worker
Chi Yip Group Limited , Oldham M24, failed to pay £2,121.51 to 14 workers
Four Pillars Hotels Limited, Harrogate HG2, failed to pay £2,092.55 to 29 workers
Mr William Fleeson, trading as Rainbow Room International, Stirling, failed to pay £2,089.66 to 11 workers
D & D Decorators Limited, East Ayrshire KA3, failed to pay £2,080.35 to 1 worker
Kiddi Day Care Limited-Liquidation of the company commenced Feb 2019, trading as Blue Giraffe Childcare, Birmingham SA1, failed to pay £1,978.57 to 9 workers
Dessian Products Limited, Belfast BT12, failed to pay £1,885.00 to 1 worker
Crewe Hotel Trading Limited, trading as Holiday Inn Express Crewe, Cheshire East S43, failed to pay £1,871.52 to 19 workers
Fast Fresh Ltd- Liquidated Dec 2019, trading as Subway, Sunderland BN1, failed to pay £1,833.02 to 3 workers
Document Transport Limited, trading as Kegworth Hotel, North West Leicestershire PE2, failed to pay £1,801.07 to 10 workers
Larne Coachworks Limited, Mid and East Antrim BT1, failed to pay £1,791.69 to 1 worker
Mrs Therese Ann Binns, trading as Winston Churchill, Bradford, failed to pay £1,774.35 to 3 workers
Mr Brian Wilde, Ms Mariella Gabbutt, Mr Tony Wilde, Mr Joseph Wilde, trading as J & B Wilde & Sons, Manchester, failed to pay £1,717.23 to 4 workers
UKS Group Limited, Bristol, City of BS1, failed to pay £1,666.88 to 13 workers
LM Bubble Tea Ltd, trading as Mooboo, Liverpool L15, failed to pay £1,628.49 to 14 workers
The Wensleydale Heifer Limited, Richmondshire DL8, failed to pay £1,625.89 to 3 workers
Fewcott Healthcare Limited, Cherwell OX27, failed to pay £1,575.00 to 2 workers
Hotel Birmingham Ltd , trading as Travellers Inn, Sandwell B69, failed to pay £1,516.25 to 3 workers
Keasim Glasgow Limited, trading as Malones Glasgow, Glasgow City G2, failed to pay £1,503.43 to 1 worker
Shades Hair Design Limited- Dissolved 18/12/2018, trading as Shades Hair & Beauty, Bridgend CF32, failed to pay £1,487.98 to 2 workers
Signature Inns Limited, trading as Westmead Hotel, Bromsgrove B48, failed to pay £1,456.81 to 5 workers
Kingsland Engineering Company Limited (The), North Norfolk NR26, failed to pay £1,331.79 to 4 workers
The Roxburghe Hotel Edinburgh Limited (we have been notified that this company is no longer operating and that the Roxburghe Hotel is under new management), City of Edinburgh EH3, failed to pay £1,317.43 to 47 workers
Business Services Organisation, Belfast BT2, failed to pay £1,310.69 to 32 workers
Clare McFarlane and Suzanne McGill, trading as Rainbow Room International, South Lanarkshire, failed to pay £1,304.77 to 16 workers
Mrs Krystle Purdy, trading as Krystalized, Epping Forest, failed to pay £1,294.13 to 1 worker.
Oakminster Healthcare Limited, trading as Cumbrae House Care Home, Glasgow City G41, failed to pay £1,292.30 to 21 workers
Rainbows Day Care (Pembrokeshire) Limited-Company dissolved 03/03/2020, Pembrokeshire SA66, failed to pay £1,273.38 to 46 workers
Maltings Entertainment Limited, trading as Carbon Nightclub and The Mill Bar and Grill Restaurant, Mid Suffolk IP6, failed to pay £1,263.44 to 1 worker
Ben Ong UK Limited – Company Status Liquidation 28/11/2018, Barnet N12, failed to pay £1,257.12 to 3 workers
Mr Nosh Fusha, trading as Green Lane Car Wash, Walsall, failed to pay £1,254.73 to 1 worker
Cygnet Health Care Limited, Tonbridge and Malling TN15, failed to pay £1,249.55 to 15 workers
Thurlaston Meadows Care Home Ltd, Rugby CV23, failed to pay £1,223.54 to 1 worker
Trent Park Catering Limited Companies Status- Active Proposal to Strike Off, trading as Trent Park Café, Enfield EN4, failed to pay £1,213.77 to 10 workers
Lord Hill Hotel Limited, Shropshire SY2, failed to pay £1,168.91 to 18 workers
Smart Solutions (Recruitment) Limited, Newport NP18, failed to pay £1,152.09 to 90 workers
Black Rock Hotels Limited, trading as Leighinmohr House Hotel,Mid and East Antrim BT42, failed to pay £1,138.05 to 30 workers
Gino’s Dial-A-Pizza Ltd, Cannock Chase WS11, failed to pay £1,117.38 to 7 workers
Mitras Automotive (UK) Limited, Cheshire West and Chester CW7, failed to pay£1,048.29 to 3 workers
Anjana Bhog Sweets Limited-Dissolved 17/09/19, Brent UB3, failed to pay £1,020.00 to 1 worker
Mr Mohammed Nasir, trading as Omar Khayyam, City of Edinburgh, failed to pay £935.31 to 2 workers
About Face Beauty Clinic Limited, Glasgow City G74, failed to pay £924.51 to 6 workers
Mr Howard Coy, trading as H Coy & Son, Melton failed to pay £902.29 to 1 worker
Jameson Knight Estates Limited-Dissolved 29/01/2019, Tower Hamlets E2, failed to pay £885.06 to 2 workers
Croome International Transport Limited, Maidstone ME17, failed to pay £869.19 to 8 workers
Rainbow Room (24 Royal Exchange Square) Limited, Glasgow City G1, failed to pay £851.70 to 6 workers
The Coaching Inn Group (No2) Limited-Application for voluntary strike-off – Dec 2019, Boston PE21, failed to pay £811.88 to 2 workers
Cotswold Motor Group Limited, Cheltenham GL51, failed to pay £796.31 to 2 workers
Glenpac Bacon Products Limited , Newry, Mourne and Down BT35, failed to pay £752.02 to 2 workers
Mistsolar Limited, trading as Bridgend Ford, Bridgend CF31, failed to pay £739.00 to 1 worker
Robinson’s of Failsworth (Bakers) Limited, Tameside M35, failed to pay £736.82 to 9 workers
Mr Timothy Lock and Mrs Beatrice Lock, trading as Woodborough Hall, Gedling, failed to pay £723.60 to 2 workers
Nova Display Limited, Leeds LS25, failed to pay £722.78 to 1 worker
Dessert House on the River Limited- Compulsory notice to strike off – 17/03/20 suspended 29/04/20, trading as Kaspa’s Desserts, Lewisham M16, failed to pay £719.10 to 1 worker
Mr Edwin Minchin, trading as Eddie’s Diner, Great Yarmouth, failed to pay £670.13 to 3 workers
The Izaak Walton Hotel (Dovedale) Ltd, Staffordshire Moorlands LA22, failed to pay £667.60 to 2 workers
Mr David Blake, trading as Foxhills Farm and Riding Centre, Walsall, failed to pay£667.54 to 1 worker
Shaoke Hospitality Ltd- Dissolved 30/04/2020, trading as Mooboo, Leeds L15, failed to pay £664.94 to 5 workers
Richard Webster & Co Limited, Eastleigh SO50, failed to pay £621.23 to 1 worker
Newemoo Limited, Birmingham B5, failed to pay £591.86 to 2 workers
Regional Buildings Assessments LLP, Hyndburn BB1, failed to pay £562.89 to 2 workers
Ace Hospitality Ltd, trading as Holiday Inn Express Birmingham- South A45, Birmingham B73, failed to pay £556.15 to 14 workers
Mrs Elizabeth Norris and Dr Terry Hooper, trading as St Bart’s Day Nurseries, Dover, failed to pay £552.53 to 9 workers
The Club Company (UK) Limited, Wokingham RG10, failed to pay £540.30 to 11 workers
Eat Tokyo Limited, Barnet NW11, failed to pay £530.83 to 2 workers
Molescroft Nursing Home (Holdings) Limited, trading as Beverley Grange Nursing Home, East Riding of Yorkshire HU13, failed to pay £510.24 to 1 worker
The Naming Scheme was paused in 2018 so that an evaluation into its effectiveness could be carried out. On 11 February 2020 the government announced that the Naming Scheme would resume.
The government undertook a review of the Naming Scheme in order to ascertain its effectiveness and ensure naming was used in the most efficient way. The review was published in February 2020.
Police Scotland is advising drivers that the Met Office has issued a Yellow Weather Warning for snow and ice covering a number of areas across Scotland today (Thursday, 31 December).
The local authority areas affected will be Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian, Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire.
The Met Office warning lasts until 2pm on Thursday, 31 December. Conditions for travel may be hazardous and extra caution should be exercised.
What to expect:
Snow and ice may bring some disruption late in to Thursday morning or early afternoon.
Northerly winds will bring showers of rain, sleet and snow across the north of Northern Ireland as well as northern, western and south of Scotland.
Snow accumulations will mostly be confined to ground above 100m away from coasts, but some temporary slushy deposits are possible to low levels at times. 1-3cm is likely to accumulate above 100m, and as much as 5-10cm above 250m, this mostly across high ground of Scotland. Some accumulations of 1-3 cm are likely, again mainly over higher ground, but 5 cm or more is possible over parts of southern Scotland.
What to do:
If you are travelling you should ensure that you and your vehicle are adequately prepared for the conditions, making sure you have sufficient fuel and supplies, such as warm clothing, food & water in the event of being delayed for several hours.
Make sure that there is sufficient tread on the tyres fitted to your vehicle, ensure tyres are correctly inflated and that the screen wash is filled.
Charge your mobile phone and have the ability to charge it further if necessary.
Plan your route as well as alternatives to your planned route.
Drive to the conditions, leaving sufficient distance between you and the vehicle in front to allow you to use smooth braking, steering and acceleration to minimise skid risk.
Listen to media broadcasts especially local radio and Traffic Scotland Radio or visit www.trafficscotland.org.
