Autumn Statement ‘has done nothing to end the living standards and growth crises’

ANALYSIS by TUC’s GEOFF TILY

• The real pay crisis is intensified and now expected to last 20 years.
• The politically charged National Insurance cut makes the smallest dent in the worse squeeze on household incomes since the 1950s.
• While the Chancellor has enjoyed higher revenues, he has chosen to play austerity politics rather than back public services on the brink – £20 billion has been taken from public services to fund the meagre tax cut.
• An ‘Autumn Budget for growth’ has meant the reduced growth in almost every year of the forecast.
• ‘Full expensing’ of capital expenditure is a seriously inefficient way to boost the economy.
• In spite of all the claims to the contrary, the Tories are still presiding over worst deterioration in public finances for more than 100 years.

Real wage and household disposable income crisis unended

The forecasts published alongside the statement by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) contained alarming news on real wages. According to the OBR forecasts, real wages are now not set to return to 2008 levels until 2028. The current pay squeeze will hit two decades.

This is a significant downgrade on the March forecast, when wages were returning to 2008 levels by 2026 – two years sooner than it now expects.

graph of total average weekly earnings, including OBR forecast

The forecast for broader living standards (as measured by real household disposable income per person) remains dire. After already declining in both the 2020/21 and 2022/23 financial years, further falls are expected over the next two.

While in fact a less bad forecast than March, the OBR stress that living standards “are forecast to be 3½ per cent lower in 2024-25 than their pre-pandemic level … this … represents the largest reduction in real living standards since ONS [Office for National Statistics] records began in the 1950s”.

year-on-year change in RHDI per person

The OBR also put into perspective the 2 per cent cut in National Insurance, reckoning it will boost living standards by around 0.5 per cent at the end of the forecast. This is a minor dent in an immense collapse, and of course as everybody has pointed out only reverses in a small way tax increases at past statements – even on their own terms the government are failing.

Minimum wage

Specifically for those on the minimum wage, the Chancellor has accepted the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission (LPC). This takes the wage floor to £11.44 an hour and extends coverage to everyone aged 21+. This is badly needed and follows pressure from unions and low-pay campaigners. But with prices sky high, and the OBR increasing its inflation forecasts, the minimum wage must be raised to £15 as soon as possible, and extended to all adult workers.

The Low Pay Commission’s recommendations take the minimum wage to 66% of median wages. This is an internationally recognised measure of relative low pay. However, the Chancellor’s claims that he has eliminated low pay should be taken with a pinch of salt. This is a measure of pay distribution which looks at how close low-paid workers are to the median worker. The floor has risen since 2010 but the middle has had no real pay rise over 13 years. The bottom has been catching up, in part, because wages are stagnant for everyone else. The government should set the LPC’s next minimum wage target at 75% of median wages, and this should be delivered alongside a plan for real wage growth for all workers.

Unemployment rise

The OBR has also predicted that unemployment will steadily rise from now until midway through 2025, estimating there will be 275,000 more people in unemployment than at the start of this year. At no point in the OBR forecasts do they predict unemployment will fall below the level at the start of the year.

obr unemployment forecast

It is unfair to put it mildly to penalise individuals for an economic climate which is out of their control.  The Chancellor decided to support compulsory work placements, but analysis show this punitive policy does not result in an improved employment outcome. 

Skills

The Government plans focus largely on reforms coming in for 16-18 year olds, overlooking the skills gap faced by those already in the labour market. On apprenticeships £50m for a 2-year pilot widely misses the mark.  In 2021/22, there were approximately 349,200 apprenticeship starts in England – a 31% decline from the pre-Apprenticeship Levy figures of 509,400 starts in 2015/16 (Source: CIPD). The funds are largely directed at male-dominated sectors, according to the Women’s Budget Group. Other measures are recycled and/or small – though the increase to the pitifully low apprenticeship minimum wage is be welcomed. 

Little has been done to reverse cuts to adult and further education budgets since 2010, with spending still significantly below where it was when the government took office. Celebrating an uptick in Level 4 apprenticeships just repeats the ‘virtuous cycle’ where those with the highest levels of qualification receive the most investment in their training. Graduates get most of the training as working adults, and almost half of adults from the lowest socio-economic group receive no training at all after leaving school.

Social security

It is a low bar for this Government when they boast that benefits are being uprated in line with September’s rate of inflation, which is standard practice. Though they have severed the link between inflation and the uprating of benefits numerous times since 2010 – which has slashed vital financial support for families.

And while the Local Housing Allowance has been restored to the 30th percentile after it was last frozen in 2020, it will be frozen again and support reduced for ever-increasing rental prices.     

There were also significant cuts to benefit entitlements for some people with long term health conditions. They are expected to lose £400 a month compared to current system, and face the threat of sanctions to enter employment.

The rate at which prices are increasing may have slowed, but families are still struggling with the essentials. Over the last two years the cost of energy has increased by 49 percent while food prices have increased by 28 percent.

Energy prices

And energy bills are a glaring omission from this Autumn Statement.

Household energy bills remain 50% higher than they were in the winter of 2021-2022 (approximately £600 higher for an average household). This means that an estimated 6.3 million households are in fuel poverty (spending more than 10% of their income on energy), and more than 1 million households are in extreme fuel poverty (spending 20% or more of their income on energy). (Estimate by Friends of the Earth  and National Energy Action as government data are not yet available.)

Energy prices are expected to remain high or increase. Ofgem today raised the domestic energy price cap by 5%, based on wholesale price volatility.

Many employers will also struggle with rising and volatile energy bills. The UK consistently has some of the highest electricity prices for business in Europe, affecting the ability of UK manufacturers to compete internationally. Unions representing manufacturing workers have consistently campaigned alongside employer bodies for measures to rein in excessive and volatile wholesale energy prices – but these issues seem to be far from the list of priorities of the current Government.

Public services and public finances crises continue

As the OBR gently warn, “it is worth dwelling for a moment on something the Chancellor didn’t announce in his Autumn Statement – which is any major change to departmental spending plans despite significantly higher inflation”.

 The government has added “just” £5 billion a year in cash terms to departmental budgets, and this means that “the real spending power of these budgets is eroded by around £19 billion” relative to the previous forecast (as on their chart below).

change in real total DEL spending from 2022-2023

In 2023-24 the increased budget is allocated for public sector pay increases (£3.9 billion for the NHS in 2023-24, and £0.4 and £1.4 billion for other departments in 2023-24 and 2024-25, respectively). Overall, the OBR have departmental spending growing by 0.9 per cent a year in real terms, down from 1.1 per cent at the March Budget.  

Given the government’s political priorities on spending, the OBR stress that unprotected departmental spending is projected to fall by between 2.3 and 4.1 per cent a year in real terms from 2025-26. They wryly observe this (austerity) would “present challenges” and cite the Institute for Government’s recent report finding that “performance in eight out of nine major public services has declined since 2010”.  Plainly there is no intention to resolve the crisis in public services and public service recruitment. And ultimately

The public finances overall

For the public finances as a whole, the government has enjoyed a momentary windfall – with less bad than expected growth outturn and higher inflation meaning tax gains (especially with tax thresholds not being uprated) outweighing higher interest and other costs. This has been spent on the NI cut and expensing.

But the Chancellor has made hollow boasts about the improved condition of the public finances. The overall management of the economy for 13 years has meant a disastrous failure for them. Immediately less bad GDP outcomes (next section) have meant marginally improved ratios for this statement. But overall the Conservatives have presided over a huge increase in debt from 65 per cent of GDP in 2009-10 to 98 per cent of GDP in the current financial year. This is an unprecedented deterioration relative to all economic cycles for more than a century.

Growth crisis unended

At the end of his speech the chancellor proclaimed an “Autumn Statement for Growth”. But nothing announced yesterday changed the bottom line. While the forecasts reflected ONS revisions to GDP data and a less bad than expected 2022, growth over the next two years is revised steeply down. And on a medium term view the OBR warn:

“we have revised DOWN our estimate of the medium-term potential GROWTH rate of the economy to 1.6 per cent, from 1.8 per cent in March” (our emphasis)

The worse growth performance for the UK economy in a century just got worse again.

“Full expensing”

Of the onslaught in policy measures, the most prominent was making permanent the full expensing of business capital investment. The Chancellor chose to disregard OBR analysis showing both precursor measures (the super-deduction and temporary full expensing in the March 2021 and March 2023 Budgets) had a lower impact on investment levels than predicted (see OBR, Economic and Fiscal Outlook, November 2023, pp 33 – 34).

Introducing full expensing is forecast by the OBR to lead to an increase in business investment of £14 billion between now and 2028-29 and to cost £29.5 bn over the same period. This would appear then to be an extremely inefficient means of increasing business investment, reflecting huge ‘deadweight’ effects, whereby businesses gain generous tax relief on investment that would (likely) have taken place anyway.

The OBR estimates that the measure will raise the capital stock by 0.2 per cent by 2028-29 – a positive, but small, and very costly impact.

Pension saving

The chancellor also had high hopes for the role workers’ £2.5tn of pension savings could play in boosting our flagging economy. But while there were some welcome steps such as setting up a new growth fund through the British Business Bank the plans rely mostly on merging pension schemes in ways that are unlikely to be in the interests of their members, and leaning on funds to put more money into global private equity. These measures were also over shadowed by a poorly thought through proposal to upend the workplace pension system. See our fuller commentary here.  

Industrial strategy?

As the Chancellor noted, the lack of long-term certainty over policy decisions (including industrial strategy, taxes, and climate commitments) is a drawback to business decisions to invest. But there was no reassurance in the Autumn Statement that the Government would provide that certainty. While reannouncements of investment commitments to support the automotive, advanced manufacturing, and energy sectors – amounting to £4.5 billion are welcome, this represents only a small proportion of the investment requirements of the Biden-style industrial strategy that the UK needs.

Ending the failure  

The failure – as Labour have repeatedly identified – is still a failure of growth. The government need to invest in a stronger economy where growth and fairness go hand in hand, where decent pay means workers spend and businesses produce to meet that spending.  A virtuous cycle comes when businesses invest in the face of expansion and optimism, and stronger public services re-enforce the upward dynamic. Fairer and sustainable growth will then support the public finances.

Yet the government continues to take us in the wrong direction. Yesterday’s Autumn Statement showed more strongly than ever why it is time for a change.

Autumn Statement ‘ushers in new era of welfare reform’

A ‘bold new vision for welfare’ backed by nearly £30 billion has been set out by Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride

  • Millions of people will benefit from next generation of welfare reforms and extra support for those most in need, announced at Autumn Statement
  • Benefits increased by 6.7% and pensions by 8.5%, maintaining commitment to seeing the country through cost of living pressures
  • DWP Secretary Mel Stride heralds new era offering a “brighter future for millions”

The plans offer unprecedented employment and health support to help over a million people, while protecting those in most need from cost of living pressures – including raising pensions and benefits and increasing help with housing costs.  

Long term decisions to provide unprecedented help for people to move off welfare and into work were at the heart of the Government’s plan for growth set out at the Autumn Statement.  

While unemployment has been almost halved since 2010, the £2.5bn Back to Work plan will help thousands of people with disabilities, long-term health conditions and the long-term unemployed, to move into jobs. This comes alongside new guarantees for those on the highest tier of health benefits around keeping benefit support to cushion those who try work.  

The transformative employment programme comes as the Government continues to protect the most vulnerable, delivering a Triple Lock-protected boost for pensioners and raising benefits in line with inflation next year, worth £20bn taken together.  

The changes mean the full rate of the new State Pension will go up by £17.35 per week, while families on Universal Credit will be on average £470 better off next year. 

Around 1.6 million households will also benefit from an increase to the Local Housing Allowance – and will be around £800 a year better off on average. Worth more than £7bn over five years, this commitment will support low-income families in the private rented sector with rent costs and help prevent homelessness.  

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP said: “Work changes lives. With the next generation of welfare reforms, we will help thousands of people to realise their aspirations and move off benefits into work, while continuing to support the most in need. 

“We are taking long term decisions that will build a brighter future for millions, offering unprecedented support to open up opportunity and grow the economy, building on our record that has seen almost four million more people in work since 2010. 

“Our reforms will remove the barriers to work that we know some people still face, while we’re boosting benefits and pensions to help with cost of living pressures.”

Welfare reforms announced at the Autumn Statement include:  

  • Uprating working age benefits in line with September’s CPI index figure of 6.7%.
  • Uprating state pensions in line with September’s earnings figure of 8.5%.
  • Increasing the Local Housing Allowance to cover the 30TH percentile – worth an average of £830 per year.
  • Expanded jobcentre support including intensive help for those on Universal Credit
  • Introducing the Chance to Work Guarantee, which will tear down barriers to work for millions of claimants to try work with no fear of reassessment or losing their health benefit top-ups.
  • Increasing mental health support for jobseekers by expanding NHS Talking Therapies treatment and the Individual Placement and Support programme, supporting almost 500,000 over five years.
  • Matching 100,000 people per year with existing vacancies and supporting them in that role through Universal Support.
  • Rolling out WorkWell to support people at risk of falling into long-term unemployment due to sickness or disability.
  • Reforming the Work Capability Assessment for new health benefit claimants to better reflect the opportunities available in the modern world of work.
  • Stricter sanctions for people who should be looking for work but aren’t engaging with jobcentre support.
  • Building on the Mansion House reforms with further steps to improve private pension returns and grow the economy.
  • Introducing new Government powers to request data from organisations such as banks when accounts are showing signals of fraud and error.

The Government’s ‘radical new plan’ will stem the flow people falling out of work and onto inactivity benefits due to physical or mental health problems, as it takes the long-term decisions to help people realise their dreams to find a job and build a better life. 

With this unprecedented level of employment support comes tougher enforcement of sanctions for fit and able people who should be looking for work but aren’t. 

Work coaches will use tools to track people’s attendance at jobs fairs and interviews, and close benefit claims of those able to work who have been sanctioned and no longer receiving money after six months.  

Taken together, the package will make sure those who are vulnerable or on the lowest incomes are protected, with intensive support to get them back into work, while ensuring fairness to the taxpayer.  

TORY GOVERNMENT OR TUC – WHO DO YOU BELIEVE ?

Major Black Friday deals at Fort Kinnaird

Picture – Chris Watt Photography 07887554193 info@chriswatt.com www.chriswatt.com

Christmas has come early at Fort Kinnaird as retailers reveal a range of exclusive, money-saving Black Friday deals for shoppers in Edinburgh – with many discounts already available in stores now. 

Savvy shoppers can discover offers including up to 50% off in store at Mamas & Papas, up to 60% off at Mountain Warehouse, up to £250 of saving per booking with TUI, up to 50% at H.Samuel and a range of tech deals at Currys, with more still set to be revealed.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Black Friday can be a great opportunity to tick off some of your Christmas list, or maybe even treat yourself ahead of the festive season, and lots of our retailers will be offering a wide range of exclusive deals. 

“A number of retailers are launching bigger deals than ever before, and with many offers also running until the end of the month there are plenty of opportunities for shoppers to take advantage of savings.”

A full list of the Black Friday offers currently available at Fort Kinnaird can be found here, with more still to be added.

*Please see individual retailer websites for terms and conditions. 

Fort Kinnaird is open from 9am – 9pm on weekdays, and 9am – 6pm on weekends.  

UK commits further support to get aid into Gaza

Foreign Secretary announces further funding to tackle growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza

  • On day two of a visit to Israel and the OPTs, Foreign Secretary David Cameron – Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton’ – announces further UK funding to tackle the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
  • In meetings in Israel, Foreign Secretary pressed to open up greater access for lifesaving support including medical supplies and fuel.
  • As the fourth UK aircraft of humanitarian aid arrives in Egypt, the  UK pledges £30 million additional aid funding for Gaza.

Following a series of meetings with senior Israeli politicians on Thursday, the Foreign Secretary’s talks today will focus on how UK efforts can help alleviate the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

He will also discuss supporting the Palestinian Authority, including through training and capacity building, and look towards a long-term political solution to the crisis.

The Foreign Secretary will also meet aid agencies delivering UK-funded humanitarian support in Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary has announced that the UK will provide a further £30 million in humanitarian aid which will support trusted partners, including UN agencies on the ground, to deliver lifesaving aid to people in Gaza. 

It brings to £60 million the additional aid announced by the UK for Palestinian civilians since the crisis started in October. 

Foreign Secretary, David Cameron said: “We are hopeful that today will see the release of hostages, and I am urging all parties to continue to work towards the release of every hostage. A pause will also allow access for life-saving aid to the people of Gaza.  

“I am proud that a fourth UK flight carrying critical supplies landed in Egypt today, and I can announce new £30m of funding which will be spent on vital aid such as shelter and medical provisions.

“It is vital to protect civilians from harm, and we are urgently looking at all avenues to get aid into Gaza, including land, maritime and air routes.”

Today’s additional funding comes as the fourth UK aircraft carrying humanitarian aid landed in Al Arish, Egypt, for onward transfer to Gaza. The RAF flight carried 23 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including 4,500 blankets and 4,500 sleeping mats for distribution by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). 

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The RAF continues to deliver on the UK’s commitment to helping those in need by operating flights into the region to provide urgent humanitarian support which will save civilian lives. 

“The UK is driving international efforts to support the humanitarian response in Gaza, working closely alongside partners and allies to de-escalate the situation.”

During his visit, the Foreign Secretary continued to urge all parties to make progress on the agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, to allow the release of a number of hostages and a pause in the fighting and ensure the agreement is adhered to in full.

New Ukraine Welcome Hub and Aid Warehouse opened

A new Welcome Hub for assisting Ukrainians in Edinburgh and an adjacent warehouse for aid and donations was officially opened yesterday by Council Leader Cammy Day.

The Council Leader was joined by Chief Executive Andrew Kerr, Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack, Chair of the Associations of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Edinburgh Branch, Hannah Beaton-Hawryluk, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations’ Council (EVOC), Bridie Ashrowan, Chief Officer of Volunteer Edinburgh, Paul Wilson, and other key stakeholders. 

The Hub is at the Vega Building in Flassches Yard to the west of the city, and was previously based at the NatWest Group’s Gogarburn House. The Hub is the primary entry point for direct arrivals into Scotland of which there have been over 11,000 since February 2022. Volunteers have contributed over 7,000 hours of welcoming work at Edinburgh Airport during this period.

The main Council support team for is now based at the Hub, for the approximately 3,000 Ukrainians (representing up to 900 households), currently in Edinburgh. Over 350 children and young people are in our education system.

This support now represents the shift in focus from triaging new arrivals to offering longer term help and support. From accessing advice on housing, education, employment, and other key service areas to meeting new people and developing social ties, this facility is key.

The Local Employability Partnership is made up of 12 key organisations whose collective efforts have directly supported over 1,200 individuals and helped 75% of displaced Ukrainians move into employment. The main focus is now on upskilling, development and closing the wage gap between qualifications and experience in Ukraine and Scotland.

The aid warehouse is also an integral component of the city’s response. Not only does this allow vital supplies to be delivered to Ukraine but it also provides essentials for the Ukrainian population in Edinburgh.

More information on support for Ukrainians in Edinburgh can be found on our website.

Council Leader Cammy Day said: “Since the first days of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, Edinburgh has stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and that solidarity and support remains undiminished.

I”t was fantastic to show the Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, around our new Welcome Hub and aid warehouse. It was particularly fitting to do so alongside some of the key members of the Edinburgh partnership who have integral to the city’s monumental response to supporting Ukrainians into the Capital. The work that has been undertaken during this period has been nothing short of excellent.

“As we shift our focus from welcoming our Ukrainian guests to helping with settling into their new lives here in Edinburgh, this strength of partnership is as important as ever. I’d like to wholeheartedly thank all our partners and the people of Edinburgh for all their efforts. We’re also very grateful to NatWest Group for allowing us to use Gogarburn House as the first Hub location and for their continued support.

“To our Ukrainian friends currently residing in Edinburgh, I’d like to repeat my message that this city is your home for as long as you require it. We’re continuing to identify long-term housing opportunities for all our residents and will continue to work with the Scottish Government going forward to identify funding opportunities.

“We pride ourselves on being a diverse, welcoming, and cosmopolitan city and our Ukrainian neighbours add much to Edinburgh’s social and cultural fabric.”

Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack said: “It was a huge pleasure today to meet representatives of Edinburgh’s Ukrainian community, third sector and local authority partners.

“This demonstrates the strength of partnership in Edinburgh to support Ukrainians. The Edinburgh welcome hub and aid warehouse is a fantastic initiative, offering support to Ukrainians fleeing the war, supporting Ukrainians to settle here in the longer term, as well as delivering aid to those in Ukraine.

“It is a great example of the voluntary and community sector working in partnership with Edinburgh City Council. The UK Government’s support for our friends in Ukraine is absolute, and I am very pleased that we have been able to offer refuge in Scotland to so many Ukrainians.”

Chair of the Associations of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Edinburgh Branch, Hannah Beaton-Hawryluk, said: “Over the last 20 months, our community has grown to over 3,000 people who have sought safety in Edinburgh. 

“With the support of partners, volunteers, and external agencies, we’ve been able to expand our work at the Ukrainian Community Centre to provide ongoing support and a safe social space for the community. 

“Today was a great opportunity to meet with the Secretary of State to express our gratitude for the support of the UK Government and to press for further support particularly around providing certainty on routes to longer term resettlement which is one of the biggest concerns for our community.  We look forward to an ongoing, and open, dialogue with the UK Government.

Bridie Ashrowan, Chief Executive of EVOC said:Today was a great opportunity to meet with the Secretary of State to highlight the vital work of Edinburgh’s voluntary and community sector, and the ongoing partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council to support Ukrainians seeking safe refuge in the city. 

“Since the start of the war in February 2022, Edinburgh’s community, and voluntary sector – with the support of EVOC and Volunteer Edinburgh, the City of Edinburgh Council, and all public partners – have worked closely to mobilise partners.

“This has delivered a range of support services including food provision, mental health services, employability support and cultural experiences. The impact has resulted people getting jobs, learning English, having early mental health support and importantly, experiences of friendship that are incredibly moving to hear about and key to life in a new country after fleeing war. 

“Looking ahead, it is essential that community and voluntary sector organisations in Edinburgh are effectively resourced so that they can continue to play a key role in the long term, sustainable integration of the Ukrainian community in Edinburgh – for as long as Ukrainians require to seek safety.

RoSPA’s warning to public against bad bargains this Black Friday

With Black Friday sales in full swing, leading accident prevention charity The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is urging shoppers to know what to look for to ensure they’re buying safe products:

  1. Only purchase from reputable traders

If a trader does not have a high street presence in the UK, check online reviews before buying.  Online sellers should have a UK address listed on their website.

  1. Look for the appropriate toy safety marks

In England, Scotland and Wales only buy costumes or toys which carry UKCA or CE marks. In the case of Northern Ireland look for the UKNI symbol along with the UKCA or CE mark.

Shoppers can also look for the Lion Mark, which members of the British Toy and Hobby Association can use to mark a safe product.

All fancy-dress costumes, including wigs and face masks, should be flame-retardant in accordance with EN71 part 2 – the safety standard for flammability of toys. 

Additionally, items sold in the UK by a member of the British Retail Consortium (BRC) are likely to have been made to a higher standard of fire safety and labelled with the words ‘This garment has undergone additional safety testing for flammability.’

  1. Make sure toys are age appropriate

Age recommendations on toys are based on research from manufacturers and considers safety, which is why we recommend using age-appropriate toys, and being mindful of younger siblings accessing them.

  1. Beware of button batteries

Many toys and gadgets run on lithium-ion button batteries, which can cause catastrophic injuries if ingested. While The Toy Safety Regulations state that toys with button batteries in should have lockable battery compartments, they might still become unsecure or damaged.

Be extra vigilant with all bargains bought this Black Friday, particularly with electronic devices, flameless candles and musical greetings cards.

  1. Be mindful of magnets

From decorations and toys to fake piercings and more, magnets are often found in products. Much like button batteries, if they are ingested, they have the potential to cause significant injuries.

  1. Inspect your electricals

The Black Friday sales can be the time that people wait to make their electrical purchases, but products without the appropriate safety marks can cause fires and devastation.  In England, Scotland and Wales only buy electricals which carry UKCA or CE marks. In the case of Northern Ireland look for the UKNI symbol along with the UKCA or CE mark.

The above advice also applies to e-scooters and e-bikes, and they should always be charged in a place outside the home if possible.

Philip LeShirley, Product Safety Advisor at RoSPA, said: “Black Friday and Cyber Monday provide great opportunities for consumers to save money, especially when buying Christmas presents for loved ones. 

“RoPSA encourages all consumers to do some checks on sellers and products before they purchase items, as some “bargains” can in fact be unsafe products, or not suitable for the age of the recipient.”

SEPA urges the public to sign up for free flood messages following October’s severe weather

With parts of Scotland recording their wettest October on record, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are appealing for as many people as possible to sign up for free flood Alerts and Warnings.

SEPA are Scotland’s national flood forecasting and warning authority. Advance notice of flooding is provided using forecast weather information from the Met Office in combination with SEPA’s own rainfall and river level observations, and advanced hydrological modelling.

When flooding impacts are forecast, regional Alerts, local Warnings or, in worst case scenarios local Severe Warnings, are issued to those signed up to receive them via phone call or text.

Last month alone, more than 200 messages were issued to communities across Scotland experiencing flooding following prolonged and intense rainfall. The north-east of Scotland in particular faced very serious impacts during Storm Babet.

Pascal Lardet, Flood Warning Unit Manager at SEPA, said: “Around 4,000 people signed up to receive our Alerts and Warnings last month, demonstrating just how vital this information is during severe weather.

“However, we’re urging those who aren’t signed up yet not to wait until the next storm hits and take action now to sign up to our free Floodline service.

“It’s widely accepted that climate change is resulting in more extreme weather. Flooding will become more of a regular occurrence and it’s vital that communities are supported to prepare more effectively for the impacts to keep themselves and their families safe.

SEPA are continuing to expand Scotland’s flood warning service network and have recently added six local Flood Warning areas along the River Carron near Falkirk. Approximately 1,500 properties are at risk of flooding in these areas, which were identified in Scotland’s Flood Risk Management Plans as a priority.

Pascal Lardet added: “By using data from two gauging stations and a new flood forecasting model, SEPA are able to give between three to six hours advance warning of flood risk to those around the River Carron.

“Receiving our messages allows communities and businesses more time to act and reduce the risk of damage and disruption. This may involve deploying flood protection products, moving vehicles from at risk areas and changing travel plans.”

Sign up to receive free regional Flood Alert and local Flood Warning messages to your phone, for free, letting you know when the area where you live, work or travel through is at risk of flooding.

You can register online at floodline.sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup/.

Getting into the Spirit of Christmas

  • A night of festive cheer aims to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK
  • Call for local community to join the festivities organised by Stagecoach Performing Arts
  • Helping to support groundbreaking research and life changing support

People in Glasgow and surrounding areas are invited to the Spirit of Christmas annual concert, an evening of uplifting performances, full of festive cheer, on Friday 1 and Saturday 2 December.

The Spirit of Christmas annual concert will take place at Broom Parish Church, Newton Mearns, hosted by Stagecoach Performing Arts. This year will be full of festive songs brought to you by the students of Stagecoach Glasgow.

Gordon Smith, ex-professional footballer and Muscular Dystrophy UK’s ambassador, will be addressing the audience on the Saturday evening to sing with the children.

Jodie Whitham, Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Regional Development Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland said: “The Spirit of Christmas always feels like the start of the festive season.

“What a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit, with a night of uplifting music, in such beautiful surroundings.

“It’s truly joyful, with so many people giving their time to help us raise awareness and vital funds for people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions. Make sure you don’t miss out on these magical nights!”

Tickets will be available to purchase on the door on each of the evenings.

  • Adult: £10
  • Child or concession £5
  • Family (two adults and two children) £25

For more information on Muscular Dystrophy UK visit musculardystrophyuk.org or call the free helpline on 0800 652 6352 (open Mon – Thurs 10am – 2pm). 

Scottish Government must ‘supercharge’ efforts to tackle child poverty

A new report from Holyrood’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee calls on the Scottish Government to take steps to “supercharge” its efforts to tackle child poverty.

The Committee has been undertaking an inquiry into the issue, focusing on parental employment, which the Government sees as key to reducing the number of children living in poverty.

During the inquiry the Committee travelled to several places in Scotland to hear the views of parents. Not being able to access childcare from a child’s first birthday to when they start school, both during the school term and holidays, was the most common barrier to employment that they talked about with affordability and flexibility seen as critical.

Parents spoke of needing to find work that fitted in with school hours, while one contributor reflected that women could not develop in their careers until their children had reached high school age. In response, the Committee calls on the Government to accelerate its work on expanding the availability of childcare.

Public transport is a major theme in the report. Witnesses in urban and rural areas spoke about a range of issues including access and cost. The report asks the Government to consider how public transport services can be designed and better supported to provide affordable, frequent and direct services that support the type of trips more regularly made by parents.

The Committee’s report also encourages the Government to investigate how an integrated system of discounted travel offers for low-income working-age people could be provided. The Committee believes this would enable some families to access a wider range of employment opportunities by being able to travel further, more cost effectively.

Witnesses also identified an issue faced by parents who embark upon study to improve their career prospects. Student funding means that low-income parents at college or university would be ineligible for benefits such as Universal Credit. To help, the Committee calls for Scottish Child Payment eligibility to be extended.


Bob Doris MSP, speaking on behalf of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said: “In Best Start, Bright Futures, the Scottish Government said that parental employment is a key driver to meet the statutory targets to address child poverty. Our report looks at how the aims of that plan could come closer to being realised.


“The Scottish Government believes that without its actions to date, 28% of children would be living in poverty. Even so, the Government expects to narrowly miss its interim child poverty targets, with modelling predicting that 19% of children will be living in poverty this year. Therefore, we are calling for the Government to take decisive action now by clarifying its priorities and commitments and producing explicit delivery and spending plans to make sure progress is on track.

“We recognise the good progress the Scottish Government has made in reducing child poverty. We now want to see the Government supercharge its efforts so that the ambitions it has set can become reality.”

Have you seen this man?

Police Scotland is appealing for information on the whereabouts of 34-year-old Ryan Gandy who went missing from the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh yesterday at around 5pm (Wednesday, 22 November, 2023).

He was last seen at Crewe Road South.

Ryan is described as being around 6ft tall, of slim build with dark receding hair.

He was wearing a blue Nike dry-fit top, black jogging bottoms, dark-coloured trainers, and a black Hoodrich gilet.

He has a tattoo with the word “Katy” on his right arm and scars on both sides of his face.

Officers are carrying out extensive searches and reviewing CCTV in an effort to trace him.

Members of the public are advised not to approach Mr Gandy if they see him but to contact police immediately.

Anyone who knows of his present whereabouts should contact Police Scotland on 101, or in an emergency on 999. Please quote incident number 2515 of Wednesday, 22 November, 2023.

Information can also be passed via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.

Winners of the first ever Scottish Chefs Nespresso Professional Student Coffee Challenge revealed

Ana Fernandez Santoz, Niamh Bortherston and Mairi Edwards from Edinburgh College, Milton Campus awarded prize by Michel Roux

Scottish Chefs, (Federation of Chefs Scotland) the organisation representing Scottish chefs, teamed up with Nespresso Professional for the first ever student coffee challenge.

The winning team from Edinburgh College, Milton Campus each received an invite to the Scottish Culinary Team dinner at Prestonfield House Hotel where they met Michel Roux, Patron of Scottish Chefs, and were presented with a signed book from him, plus a Nespresso M100 coffee machine for their college.

Teams were made up of three students, all in full time catering and hospitality college courses, and were given two hours to produce an afternoon tea selection alongside Nespresso coffee.

The winning menu from Ana Fernandez Santoz, Niamh Bortherston and Mairi Edwards was made up of Tiramisu x Mont Blanc, Coffee Apple Choux au Craquelin, Smoked Mackerel and Beetroot Tart and Puff Vegetable Samosa.

The judging panel of Joe Queen, Chair of The Scottish Chefs Culinary Committee, Kevin MacGillivray, International World Chefs Accredited Judge, Derek Johnston, the first winner of BBC MasterChef The Professionals, and Donna Dowson, Head of Sales UK, Nespresso, noted the winning team’s overall balance between sweet & savoury and the variety of pastry skills displayed by the students.

The standout item was the Smoked mackerel with beetroot with judges saying the flavours were an excellent combination.

Donna Dowson, Head of Sales UK, Nespresso, said: It was a privilege to support this competition, and help support the next generation of culinary superstars. It was inspiring to see the high standard on display and such imaginative menus to complement our coffee.

“When food is this delicious, being able to offer the best coffee is something we feel extremely passionate about, and we hope this is the first of many competitions to come.”

Joe Queen, Chair of the judges, said: “We are absolutely delighted to partner up with Nespresso on this new competition and help ignite their imagination of the students to develop new ideas and combinations to bring the Nespresso coffee into their creations. 

“The judges were really impressed with the quality and flavours produced on the day form the winning team from Edinburgh college.”