August 2022 – Page 16 – The NEN

UK commits millions to helping the world’s most vulnerable on World Humanitarian Day

The UK has announced £36 million in UK humanitarian funding to help people in Ukraine, East Africa and Syria

£36 million in UK funding committed to provide emergency care to those enduring conflict in Ukraine and Syria and food shortages in East Africa.
The UK continues to be a global leader supporting vulnerable people experiencing devastating conflict, extreme weather and lasting impacts of the pandemic.
Tributes paid to aid workers helping to deal with unprecedented humanitarian catastrophes, caused by global instability and exacerbated by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

People whose lives have been upended by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, drought and food shortages in East Africa, and conflict in Syria will be among those to benefit from £36 million in UK humanitarian funding announced today.

The announcement comes on United Nation’s World Humanitarian Day (Friday 19 August) as parts of the globe come under increasing strain from lasting effects of the pandemic, the increasing impact of climate change, and conflicts in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Local aid workers are at the forefront of the effort to alleviate the disastrous consequences of these crises as they provide humanitarian assistance for communities across the world. The UK’s funding announcement will support them to continue their essential work.

In Ukraine and Poland, where the majority of Ukrainians who have fled the conflict have travelled, £15 million in UK funding will support up to 200,000 of the most vulnerable impacted by Russia’s invasion.

This includes children, older people and those with disabilities. International aid organisation Mercy Corps will work with grassroots civil society groups to provide emergency assistance to cover basic needs, including food, water and sanitation, psychological support and childcare services.

In East Africa, where severe food insecurity threatens over 48 million people, the UK has allocated an additional £14 million to the countries on the frontline of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. This new spending, which will work immediately to save lives and prevent more people experiencing famine-like conditions, includes:

A £5 million boost to the UK Somalia programme, which is providing life-saving health, nutrition, food security and water and sanitation assistance to over half a million people in some of the most vulnerable families.
£6 million for the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund which will provide vital assistance to under-funded emergencies across Ethiopia, including drought and conflict-affected regions.
£3 million in emergency humanitarian funding to the World Food Programme, Sudan, helping reach approximately 120,000 vulnerable people with food assistance.

Minister of State for South and Central Asia, North Africa, UN and the Commonwealth and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said: “In 2022 millions more people are now in desperate need of humanitarian support.

“UK funding is ensuring that the UN and local partners can reach those affected by Russian aggression in Ukraine, drought in East Africa and ongoing conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan. We thank those on the ground who so often risk their own lives to help and protect them.

“Britain has a proud humanitarian tradition, and we will continue to support the most vulnerable, wherever they are.”

The Russian invasion is exacerbating the world food crisis, which is hitting the poorest hardest, particularly in East Africa. The UK and its allies have pushed hard for the UN grain initiative and the world is watching to ensure that Russia complies, so food continues to flow from Ukraine and feed the hungry.

The UK is also providing £1.5 million to deploy technology to identify whether grain sold by Russia on the world market has been stolen from Ukraine. A package of rail support to Ukraine will also ensure grain trains can run. Moreover, the UK is providing Ukraine with the military capability to help protect its ports, essential for the grain deal to be a success.

Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford said: “In the Horn of Africa, around 700,000 people are experiencing famine conditions – and in Somalia over 386,000 children are projected to be severely malnourished and at risk of death by the end of the year.

“UK aid in east Africa is providing life-saving support to the most vulnerable people in the hardest hit countries.

“We must now bring new stakeholders to the table to strengthen our international action towards the world’s worst humanitarian crisis today.”

The UK is also announcing a £7 million package to support Syrian refugees who have fled the conflict to Lebanon, delivered through the World Food Programme.

This funding will help provide more than 150,000 people with food, water and nutrition. This is part of the UK’s pledge to provide up to £158 million earlier this year at the Brussels Pledging Conference for the Syria Crisis, which will support food production, protect women and girls from violence and ensure humanitarian access to the North East of Syria, where the situation is deteriorating.

The UK is the third largest bilateral donor to the crisis in Syria, having committed over £3.8 billion to date in our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis. This includes support to the governments of Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey to cope with the protracted refugee presence by supporting displaced Syrians until they can return safely to Syria.

Since 2012, across Syria and the region, the UK has provided over 28.3 million food rations, over 24 million medical consultations, 6.3 million cash grants/vouchers, 11 million relief packages and over 15.2 million vaccines. Our aid provides life-saving support to millions of Syrians, supporting refugees to remain in countries in the region, and enabling their host communities to accommodate them.

The UK has consistently been one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors globally and have been at the forefront of driving more effective and innovative approaches to crisis prevention, preparedness, and response.  Since 2015, the UK has reached 32.6 million people with humanitarian aid, saving lives and alleviating suffering in places like Syria, Ethiopia, and Afghanistan.

Now in Ukraine, the UK is working alongside trusted partners to deliver its £220 million humanitarian pledge.

Mercy Corps Ukraine Response Director, Michael Young, said: “In Ukraine and Poland, we have partnered directly with local organisations that know their community needs best and are working quickly to deliver humanitarian aid.

“With this funding, our partners will continue to deliver emergency assistance and ship essential supplies such as food and hygiene items to people affected by heavy fighting, as well as providing reliable information on where to access basic services, safe routes, legal rights for refugees and people displaced inside Ukraine.”

Today: Fresh Start Meet & Eat

Join Fresh Start today for a lunchtime for Meet & Eat!

This is a free lunch time get together between 12-1.30pm at our Kitchen at 28-30 Ferry Road Drive, EH4 4BR and will run every week.

Everyone is welcome to pop along and have their lunch free of charge.

We will have a set menu, with one hot dish and pudding available.

No need to book, just turn up, hope to see you there

It’s a great way to get to meet new people in the local community and have some delicious food!

Rail Strikes: How the Tory government is blocking a negotiated resolution

TUC: We’re not saying the Transport Secretary ‘should get involved’ – we’re saying he’s already involved

During the last round of rail strikes the Department for Transport put out a statement saying: “It’s extremely misleading to suggest the Transport Secretary should get involved in these negotiations.”

To be clear, trade unions are not saying the Transport Secretary ‘should get involved’. We are saying he already is involved.

And that’s the problem. He is deeply involved, yet pretends he isn’t.

We know this because it is there in black and white in the contracts between the government and the train operating companies (TOCs).

The TUC commissioned an independent legal opinion from Michael Ford QC, who looked in detail at these contacts.

His opinion, which you can download here, advises that the Transport Secretary has “very extensive powers” over what can be agreed between rail operators and unions, and “very significant contractual power” to direct how industrial disputes are handled.

The contracts require TOCs to abide by the Transport Secretary’s Dispute Handling Policy. In addition to this, the Transport Secretary may give TOCs a Dispute Handling Plan to direct them in a specific dispute.

According to Michael Ford QC, this means that the Transport Secretary has “overarching direction and control of the strike… either because the strategy is agreed with the Secretary of State or because the Secretary of State simply directs how the strike is to be handled”.

The contracts also make clear that TOCs face financial penalties if they agree with unions changes to pay, terms & conditions, redundancies, or restructuring that fall outside of the mandate given by the Transport Secretary in these documents.

For the rail firms, it is like negotiating with a brick wall – and Grant Shapps is the mason who built it.

To the public, this brick wall is invisible. And Grant Shapps would prefer that nobody knows it exists. When asked in parliamentary questions to publish the Dispute Handling Plan, his department refused.

But surely it is in the public interest to know the truth about this dispute.

We hope that with public attention returning to the dispute again during this week’s action, he will finally come clean on some important questions:

Why is Grant Shapps pretending he has no role in negotiations when he sets the mandate for employers on pay, term & conditions, redundancies and restructuring?
What are the secret red lines that Grant Shapps has set, and that will trigger financial penalties if the train operating companies cross them?
Why won’t he publish the Dispute Handling Policy and any Dispute Handling Plans so that the public know what the government is demanding? After all, the rail unions have been very open with the public on their demands.

Rail workers do not want this dispute to be prolonged. But due to the Conservative government, the negotiations are a sham.

Genuine negotiations can only happen in an employment dispute if both the employer and the union are in control over the agreements they can reach.

Rail unions would prefer Grant Shapps to give back control of the negotiating mandate to the TOCs. But if he keeps a tight grip on the negotiating mandate, then he should at least come clean on his demands.

And he should agree to meet with rail unions after months of refusing to. Otherwise, how can any progress be made?

Edinburgh-based drinks innovators now available in prestigious local establishments

Latest prestigious listings for drinks innovators Buck & Birch

Gleneagles Town House and Johnnie Walker Experience among Edinburgh establishments impressed by wilderness foragers

Discerning drinkers at some of Edinburgh’s most prestigious establishments now have the chance to savour Buck & Birch’s uniquely curated spirits and liqueurs.

The wilderness foragers and flavour alchemists specialise in capturing the essences of the Scottish countryside, conjuring them into innovative, award-winning drinks.

Now their distinctive brand, famed for its ingredients sourced from the forests and hedgerows around their East Lothian distillery, is available in Edinburgh’s Gleneagles Town House, Virgin Hotel and the Johnnie Walker Experience amongst others.

They are the latest establishments to stock the East Lothian-based innovators’ drinks which include: Ana Birch Syrup Caramel Liqueur, a warm buttery caramel with undertones of birch syrup and toasted nuts; Birch Wild Botanical Spirit, pure spirit married with raw sap and seasoned with wild birch flavours harvested throughout the seasons; Aelder Wild Elderberry Elixir with the flavour of dark stone fruits and hints of bitter chocolate and spice; and Amarosa Rosehip Rum Liqueur, ripe with the taste of green apples, honey and herbs, spiced vanilla and molasses.

Buck & Birch Creative Director and co-founder, Tom Chisholm says he’s delighted such prominent establishments are recognising their unique take on the countryside’s natural bounty:

“We go to enormous lengths to do justice to the ingredients we use, layering the flavours to achieve the depth and texture and balance we’re looking for, but it’s a real labour of love.

“We’re so lucky, our job is an absolute joy, and to know that more and more people are sharing our enthusiasm for Scotland’s wild harvest and our products, through these latest stockists, makes what we do even more fulfilling.”

Head Bartender at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Miran Chauhan has said: “At Johnnie Walker Princes Street, our aim is to pair our liquids with those who also share our storytelling, environmentally conscious and flavour focused ethos.

“The Buck and Birch liqueurs fit in perfectly and help drive our creativity and innovation within cocktails.”

To view the full selection of drinks available for purchase, visit:

www.buckandbirch.com

Edinburgh salon owner shortlisted for prestigious national award

Christopher Laird, co-owner of salon November Collective in Livingston, near Edinburgh, has been shortlisted for one of hairdressing’s most exciting awards.

Christopher, 24, is up for the One To Watch title at Creative Head’s The It List, a competition open to stylists under 30 from across the UK.

Presented by leading industry magazine Creative HEAD and exclusively sponsored by global hair brand ghd, The It List, now in its 13th year, provides an unparalleled platform for young hairdressers to shine, with six categories recognising hairdressing’s new stars of the future.

Entering required the submission of a detailed dossier outlining Christopher’s career story to date, along with an image gallery showcasing his strongest work. As one of five finalists in his category, he’ll now attend the Grand Final on Monday 5^th September at London’s world-renowned Tate Modern, where he’ll compete for the coveted trophy.

Winners also receive an exclusive experience and gift from sponsor ghd, plus 12 months of profile-boosting coverage across the Creative HEAD print, digital and event platforms.

Christopher opened November Collective, along with co-owner Emma-Louise Cantwell, less than a year ago at the age of just 23.

Having worked as an educator for some of hairdressing’s biggest brands, as well as styling for celebrities, opening a salon was a natural progression and the duo have created an inclusive, creative space specialising in glamorous, wearable hair and professional beauty treatments.

‘Making the It List finals is a dream come true!’ says Christopher. “I faced a lot of criticism in my early career and it feels as though I’m finally being taken seriously.

“I’ve worked really hard to get to this point in my life and to have that recognised by a brand as respected as Creative Head means the world. I’d love to bring the trophy home to Edinburgh but just to be shortlisted is a huge honour.”

NHS Lothian: Winter vaccines

If you’re aged 65 and over, you’ll receive a letter in the coming weeks inviting you to get your flu vaccination and a COVID-19 booster.

It’s quick and safe to get both vaccinations at the same time, so you’ll only need one appointment. If you’re unable to attend, please let us know.

Appointments for all other priority groups will be made available as the programme progresses and eligible cohorts should wait until they are contacted or called forward.

SEPA: Water abstraction suspensions lifted in Fife after rainfall, but licences suspended in the Borders

Water abstraction suspensions are being lifted in the River Eden catchment after strong compliance from farming community and recent rainfall.
Suspensions are being imposed in parts of the River Tweed catchment from 23.59 on Thursday 18 August as the river continues to show signs of stress and little improvement from limited recent rainfall.
Prolonged dry weather is forecast, which means any improvement in the situation is likely to be short-term and water users are being urged to continue being efficient.

Overview

Support and compliance from Scottish farmers, coupled with recent rainfall, has led to water abstraction suspensions being lifted in the River Eden catchment.

River flows in the area have made some recovery after several days of wet weather and peaked on Monday. They have since slowly fallen again but still remain nearly two-and-a-half times higher than they were on Saturday, before abstraction ceased and the rainfall arrived.

However, in the Scottish Borders, the recent rainfall has not been enough to make up for longer-term deficits and recovery in the River Tweed. To prevent further stress and harm on the local water environment, SEPA will be imposing suspensions on water abstraction licences in parts of this catchment from 23:59 on Thursday 18 August.

More prolonged dry weather is forecast and SEPA will continue to monitor conditions and take appropriate action until the risk of water scarcity has reduced.

As has been the case throughout this summer, the east of Scotland has been particularly affected by water scarcity with every area currently in Alert, Moderate Scarcity or Significant Scarcity. In order for water levels to return to Normal Conditions, we would need to experience up to double the amount of rainfall we’d usually have in August.

River Eden, Fife

A total of 56 full suspensions and 23 partial suspensions were put in place on Sunday 14 August. Exemptions were given to a small number of soft fruit farmers, following a Ministerial Direction from Scottish Government. Soft fruit is a perennial crop which typically has more efficient irrigation methods and a lower water impact.

These suspensions were lifted at 1pm on Wednesday 17 August.

SEPA officers have been engaging with farmers in the area since the suspensions came into effect and reported no non-compliances. Instead, they witnessed good practice with farmers taking the right steps to protect local water environments and having planned ahead for the conditions by using alternative water sources such as boreholes.

River Tweed, Scottish Borders

The water environment in parts of the River Tweed catchment reached Significant Scarcity last week, the highest category for water scarcity defined by SEPA. Recent rainfall has not been enough to reverse the current situation, which has been building up over a long period of time. The long-term forecast is a return to dry conditions.

The temporary suspensions will be in place from 23.59 on Thursday 18 August, affecting around 30 licence holders, predominantly within the agriculture sector. This action is being taken to allow water levels to recover and to minimise potential long-term harm to the environment. SEPA is working with Scottish Government to assess the options for a small number of abstraction licences in other sectors.

Those abstractors affected will receive suspension notices. These will be for the minimum time necessary and will be lifted as soon as possible. Continuing to abstract without a licence is an offence, and SEPA officers will be engaging with abstractors to ensure compliance. As soon as conditions improve sufficiently, the suspensions will be lifted.

There is clear evidence for the need to suspend abstraction licenses to protect the sustainability of local water environments. Last week in the Tweed catchment, Mouthbridge at Blackadder Water dropped to its lowest flow since records began in 1974. Lyne Station recorded its fourth lowest flow in 53 years, only 2003 was lower.

Suspensions are part of Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan, which is designed to ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity during prolonged dry periods. The Plan clearly sets out what actions SEPA and abstractors are required to take at each stage of water scarcity.

Support from farming community

Rob Morris, Senior Manager, Rural Economy Unit at SEPA, said: “We are so pleased with how farmers in the River Eden catchment responded to the urgent water scarcity situation.

“We thank them sincerely for doing the right thing and complying with the abstraction suspensions. We saw a significant 38% rise in the river level in just a few hours from when suspensions were imposed at midnight to when rainfall started later on Sunday afternoon.

“This shows the impact their actions had, and their support has been critical in allowing water levels to recover to a point where suspensions are no longer required.

“Suspending abstraction licences is only done when necessary and is not a decision we take lightly. While we stress that the suspensions on the River Tweed will last for as short a time as possible, the science is telling us that without action there is a substantial risk of impacts on fish populations, natural habitats and longer-term damage to watercourses. As shown in Fife, these will be in place for the shortest time possible.

“We’ll continue to monitor river levels across Scotland, and make our decisions based on science and the need to need to prevent long-term damage to local water environments that we rely on. With further dry weather in the forecast, it’s important that everyone abstracting water continues to manage their water use carefully.”

Protecting our water environment

The combination of very low flows and high temperatures in watercourses leads to deaths of fish, invertebrates and plants. While some parts of river ecology can recover quickly, others such as fish and plant populations can take years to recover. Some populations, such as pearl mussels, could be permanently lost.

The current conditions are a consequence of drier weather this year, with only four of the last 12 months recording above average rainfall. The east of Scotland also experienced the driest January in more than 80 years and groundwater levels are the lowest they have been since records began in 2009.

Although there has been some recent rainfall in the east and an immediate increase in river flows, it has not been enough to recover the longer-term deficits.

Further advice and guidance

It is vital that farmers and other water abstractors are prepared for these conditions as climate change means water scarcity will be a more regular occurrence. We are committed to working with businesses to build resilience into their systems. This could be switching to a borehole or incorporating appropriate off-line storage lagoons on their land.

Where suspensions are not in place, we are asking businesses that abstract water to only do so when absolutely necessary, stagger their operations, irrigate at night where possible, reduce volumes and durations or pause abstractions altogether.

Abstractors in Alert and Early Warning areas should be planning ahead for their upcoming water requirements and working with neighbouring water users to schedule abstractions where possible. Equipment should also be checked for any leaks.

Abstractors may be able to switch to groundwater as their source and can apply to do so on our website. Applications from Significant Scarcity areas will be prioritised and fast-tracked.

Anyone concerned about meeting licence conditions or wishing to discuss contingency measures are encouraged to contact SEPA by emailing waterscarcity@sepa.org.uk

For more information on water scarcity and to view the latest report, visit: www.sepa.org.uk/waterscarcity

Stand Up for The Bin Workers!

Wednesday August 24, 9pm at The Stand Comedy Club

Gala comedy benefit to support striking refuse workers, starring Mark Thomas, Jason Byrne, Jo Caulfield, Kiri Pritchard-McLean, Mark Nelson, Shazia Mirza, Susie McCabe, Rachel Fairburn, Vladimir McTavish and Danny Bhoy

Edinburgh refuse workers, like all of us, are being hit hard by the cost-of-living crisis. They are on strike for a living wage. The money raised from the benefit, organised by The Stand Comedy Club & English comedian Mark Thomas, ‘One of the few stand-ups still to carry the political standard of alternative comedy’ (Chortle), will go straight to their official strike fund.

Mark Thomas (below) says: “These are the workers who got us through Covid and now they are being told to take a real cut in their wages. It’s unacceptable and they deserve our support in fighting back.”

GMB Support Worker Kirsten Muat says: “Too many local government workers across Scotland are already suffering in work poverty. The bin men in Edinburgh are striking to try and put an end to that.

“GMB are incredibly grateful to everyone supporting the striking workers, including all the comedians and members of the public coming along to the benefit gig.”

The support will go along to ensuring workers in Edinburgh waste and their families can survive this cost of living crisis and sustain action.

Progress to becoming a fairer, greener Scotland?

Marking one year of the Bute House Agreement

New funding has been announced to cut carbon emissions in homes and commercial properties, as the Scottish Government continues to focus on delivering its net zero targets and support families with the cost of living.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie announced £16.2 million funding for five zero emission heat networks during a visit to ng Homes in Glasgow.

The announcement coincides with the first anniversary of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group signing the Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together to build a green economic recovery from COVID, respond to the climate emergency and create a fairer country.

In its first year the agreement has delivered a range of benefits for households, communities and businesses and seen work begin on a number of longer-term reforms.

Particular progress has been made across a range of areas including:

Doubling the Scottish Child Payment to £20 per week per eligible child from April 2022, with plans to extend eligibility to under 16s and further increasing the payment to £25 per week by the end of 2022.
Bringing ScotRail into public ownership.
Introducing free bus travel for under 22s to cut the cost of living for young people, encourage sustainable travel behaviours early in their lives and improve access to education, leisure, and work.
Investing a record £150 million in active travel in 2022-23, including more than doubling the funding for the National Cycle Network, a new walking fund, and supporting pilots for free bikes for school age children who cannot afford them.
Publishing Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation setting out how Scotland will transition to a wellbeing economy.

The Agreement set out a strategy for over a million homes to be using zero carbon heating systems by the end of the decade and allocating funds from a total planned investment of £1.8 billion to cut energy bills, improved building energy efficiency and reduce climate emissions.

Scotland’s Heat Network Fund offers long term funding support to deliver more climate-friendly ways of heating Scotland’s homes and buildings. It has enabled the rollout of new zero emission heat networks and communal heating systems, as well as the expansion and decarbonisation of existing heat networks across Scotland.

Moving forward, the Scottish Government is primarily focused on four key tasks: reducing child poverty; addressing the climate crisis; the recovery from COVID of Scotland’s public services including the delivery of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation; and the development of the prospectus for an independent Scotland and an independence referendum in October 2023.

The First Minister said: “The world has changed substantially since the Agreement was reached 12 months ago. The conflict in Ukraine and the rising cost of living crisis have profoundly impacted everyone’s lives.

“However, the stable and collaborative government provided by the Agreement, has helped to deliver immediate action in the face of these challenges, including supporting those displaced from Ukraine and using the powers that Ministers have to address the cost of living crisis.

“Action is needed now to support communities to respond to the cost of living and climate crises, and Scotland’s Heat Network Fund is just one of the many initiatives that the Scottish Government has already undertaken.

“The projects that receive support from the Fund will fully align with the Scottish Government’s aim to eradicate fuel poverty by supplying heat at affordable prices to consumers, which is especially important now when we are seeing record rises in the cost of heating.

“The Bute House Agreement was reached to equip us best to deal with the challenges we face, because we believe that new ideas and ways of working are required to deal with new problems. An unstable world needs more co-operation and more constructive working towards building a consensus, if governments are to be equal to what the people need of them.”

Mr Harvie said: “One year on from the Scottish Greens entering government as part of the Bute House Agreement, I am proud of what this Government is doing to build a fairer, greener Scotland.

“From free bus transport for young people to doubling the Scottish Child Payment, we are committed to accelerating action to tackle the climate and cost of living crises.

“The energy crisis households across Scotland now face is being driven by rocketing prices for gas, which we depend on for heat. We are clear that we need to redouble our efforts to improve the efficiency of our homes, making them more comfortable and cheaper to run, and end our reliance on gas for heat. That’s why we are investing £1.8 billion in our green homes and buildings programme.

“Delivering a just transition to net-zero and seizing the opportunities this presents is a major focus of the Scottish Government, and rapidly increasing Scotland’s renewable energy generating capacity and securing accompanying jobs and investment will be central to our work over the rest of the parliament.

“During the first year of the Agreement firm foundations have been built, demonstrating delivery and progress on shared policy priorities and adopting an approach that is both challenging and constructive.”

Bute House Agreement – One Year On report

delivering-greener-fairer-independent-scotland-one-year Download

Back to school? HMRC can help with childcare costs

Families receive up to £500 every three months (£2,000 a year) per child, or £1,000 (£4,000 a year) if their child is disabled, helping towards the cost of before and after-school clubs, childminders and nurseries, holiday clubs and other approved childcare schemes.

In June 2022, more than 23,200 working families in Scotland benefitted from Tax-Free Childcare – but thousands more could be missing out. Overall in June, HMRC paid out £41.6 million in top-up payments, which was shared between approximately 391,000 families across the UK.

Families can find out what childcare support is best for them via Childcare Choices.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Tax-Free Childcare can make a big difference to families in Scotland, helping with the bills for things like wraparound care for school children, nurseries, childminders and holiday clubs. It’s easy to register – search ‘Tax-Free Childcare’ on GOV.UK.”

More than one million families in the UK are entitled to some form of UK Government childcare support and the government is encouraging those eligible to not miss out on their entitlements.

For thousands of families who use Tax-Free Childcare, the money they save each month on their childcare costs is money that goes back into their pockets.

Accounts can be opened at any time of the year and can be used straight away, and money can be deposited at any time and used when needed.

Any unused money that is deposited can be simply withdrawn at any time.