Almost 45,000 disabled children and young people to be supported this year
Families of almost 45,000 disabled children and young people are set to receive winter heating support, as Scotland’s unique benefit marks its fifth anniversary.
Child Winter Heating Payments will be issued from next week to families caring for children with the highest disability support needs. All payments are automatic and are expected to be made by the end of October.
In total, £11.4 million is expected to be put in the pockets of families who need it the most.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I’m proud that this benefit payment – available only in Scotland – will help families of almost 45,000 disabled children and young people keep their homes warm this winter.
“Child Winter Heating Payment was introduced by the Scottish Government five years ago and is providing vital support to families facing the extra costs of caring for a disabled child or young person who needs the highest level of disability support.
“The payment represents Scotland’s commitment to supporting its most vulnerable families, providing targeted help that isn’t available elsewhere in the UK.”
Joana who works at Oaklands School in Edinburgh and who is mother to Maddie, aged 17, gets Child Disability Payment and Child Winter Heating Payment.
Maddie has various conditions including rheumatoid arthritis and autism.
She said: “You’ve got Christmas coming up, the weather is changing, bills are going up, food is going up and that little help, it just means you think right let’s put the heating up. When that Child Winter Heating payment come in it is like winning the lottery. You are so used to money going out and then it comes in. It does make such a difference, 100 per cent.”
Child Winter Heating Payment is paid automatically to the families of children and young people under 19 who receive the highest levels of disability support.
Migrants granted asylum in the UK will no longer be automatically given settlement and family reunion rights, under ‘landmark policy changes’ outlined by the Prime Minister
Changes to the leave granted to asylum seekers in the UK will mean they are no longer automatically given settlement and family reunion rights, balancing protection against persecution with controlling our borders
Will make the system fairer, in line with our European allies and reduce incentives for asylum seekers travelling illegally to the UK, bypassing other safe countries
Came as Prime Minister ‘drives forward progress on tackling illegal migration’ at Thursday’s EPC Summit in Copenhagen
Migrants granted asylum in the UK will no longer be automatically given settlement and family reunion rights, under landmark policy changes outlined by the Prime Minister today (Thursday 2 October).
In her forthcoming asylum policy reform, the Home Secretary will introduce a fundamental change to the rights provided to those granted asylum in the UK, looking to end automatic family reunion rights and altering the requirements for long-term settlement in the UK.
The Prime Minister announced the reforms ahead of his attendance at the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen, where he co-chaired a roundtable with leaders on innovative approaches to tackling illegal migration.
The fundamental reforms will be the basis of a fairer system where – as the Home Secretary indicated in her speech to Conference – the route to settlement should be longer, and be earned via contribution to the country. They are also aimed at addressing the pull factors driving high levels of illegal migration to the UK.
The latest step in unpicking the business model of criminal people smugglers and securing our border under the Plan for Change, it builds on progress in recent weeks to show those who come here illegally that the UK is not a soft touch. This follows the first small boat migrant returns to France under the UK-France Treaty and the government unveiling plans to crack down on illegal working through digital ID.
The changes will bring an end to the unfair system that sees those crossing the channel in a small boat having greater rights to settlement and family reunion than those who arrive through proper legal routes and even British citizens.
In line with ‘our values as a tolerant and fair minded country’, genuine refugees will not be returned to their home country – and will be entitled to a package of core protection should they receive a positive decision – but they will face a new, longer route to settlement requiring them to contribute, replacing the current 5 years, and they will not have the automatic right to family reunion.
Full detail of the reforms will be set out in an Asylum Policy Statement set to be unveiled later in the Autumn.
The asylum core protection announcement builds on plans set out by the Home Secretary earlier this week for a series of further conditions that migrants will have to meet before gaining indefinite leave to remain (settlement) in this country.
This includes being in work, making a certain level of National Insurance contributions, not taking any benefits payments, learning English to a high standard, having a spotless criminal record, and giving back by, for example, working in your local community.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “I believe that if you want to come to the UK, you should contribute to our society. That is the tolerant and fair approach to migration that our communities are built on, but the current system is not fit for purpose.
“That is why we’re making fundamental changes to what those granted asylum are afforded in the UK. Settlement must be earned by contributing to our country, not by paying a people smuggler to cross the channel in a boat.
“The UK will continue to play its role in welcoming genuine refugees fleeing persecution. But we must also address the pull factors driving dangerous and illegal small boats crossings. There will be no golden ticket to settling in the UK, people will have to earn it.”
The Prime Minister is set to discuss the changes, as well as other ways European countries can work together to tackle the shared challenge of illegal migration, at the EPC Summit.
In a meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen, the leaders are set to announce a new partnership backed by up to £3 million to tackle the causes of migration upstream in Western Balkan countries, including by encouraging people to stay in the region and take up jobs there.
Having boosted international cooperation with key partners, the PM will also take the opportunity to reflect on progress made to date to disrupt and deter people smuggling upstream, and discuss how to go further, including through reform of implementation of the ECHR.
This will include the fact the UK is contributing up to £5.75 million under Italy’s Rome Process to tackle migration upstream in key African source and transit companies, reducing movements of migrants towards Europe and supporting the voluntary return of people to countries of origin.
The UK and Germany will deepen collaboration between their respective justice systems to combat migrant smuggling by strengthening law enforcement efforts to bring migrant smuggler networks to justice.
This will include a focus on efforts to seize and disrupt the supply of dangerous small boats equipment and prosecute smugglers, taking full advantage of Germany’s law change to criminalise facilitation of irregular migration to the UK, expected before the end the year.
First Minister speaks out on Manchester synagogue attack
First Minister John Swinney has urged communities to stand united in condemnation at the violence inflicted upon the Jewish community with the attack at the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester.
Mr Swinney said now more than ever, division and hatred of all forms – especially the evil of antisemitism – must be rejected and communities must stand firm against those that seek to divide our country.
Last night the First Minister expressed his horror at the Heaton Park attacks during a private visit to the Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation, where he was able to reiterate his solidarity with Scotland’s Jewish community and stress the additional and dedicated Police Scotland patrols around synagogues and other Jewish venues in Scotland.
In an expression of solidarity, flags flying from Scottish Government buildings have been lowered until 20:00 today.
Mr Swinney also received a briefing from the UK Government Security Minister, and Scotland’s Justice Secretary has had further conversations with the Chief Constable of Police Scotland to ensure every necessary step is being taken in Scotland to provide reassurance to Jewish communities.
Speaking uesterday, First Minister John Swinney said: “The horror of the violence inflicted upon the Jewish Community with the Heaton Park attack is utterly unimaginable. I cannot stress enough my sympathy with those families and their friends who have lost their loved ones, and my solidarity with the Jewish community in Scotland and across the whole of the United Kingdom.
“I know just what a distressing time this is for our Jewish communities, with fears and worry over the consequences of Heaton Park playing on their mind. I can assure our Jewish community that we will do everything necessary to ensure their continued safety, and additional security and policing is in place around synagogues and Jewish community venues.
“When society is faced with unimaginable horror, we must take solace in the things that unite us. We must stand firm against those that seek to divide us. Now more than ever, division and all form of hatred – especially evil antisemitism – must be rejected and I urge communities across Scotland to stand firm against those that seek to divide our country.
“Scotland’s diversity and our inclusive outlook is one of our greatest strengths. It is a precious commodity which we must all work to cherish and maintain, especially at moments of strain.
“In this spirit, I take great pride in Drumlanrig Peace Accord, which was agreed in Scotland and marks a profound step forward in fostering mutual respect and understanding between Jewish and Muslim communities.
“Scotland stands ready to support efforts that build bridges, promote solidarity, and ensure that all our citizens can face challenges together in peace and unity.”
Attack on Heaton Hebrew Congregation: Statement from Timothy Lovat, Chair, Jewish Council of Scotland, Henry Lovat, President, Glasgow Jewish Representative Council and Matthew Shaps, Chair, Edinburgh Hebrew Congregation (written 2nd October 2025, following the conclusion of Yom Kippur):
“We are devastated by the terrorist attack that took place this morning at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation in Manchester, on Yom Kippur.
The victims, their families, and the entire Manchester Jewish community are in our thoughts and prayers during this time of profound grief and fear.
This awful attack is a tragic reminder of the manner in which hatred and intolerance towards Jewish people – whether put explicitly as such or directed (nominally) at “Zionists” or other euphemisms – can translate into deadly acts of violence aimed at our community.
Sentiments of concern and condolence from those whose words and conduct have previously increased rather than addressed the fears of our community, will inevitably ring hollow.
Rather, to be meaningful any words of concern must now be matched by substantive action to confront and combat antisemitism in all its forms.
Anti-Jewish sentiment and communal fears in the UK have been stoked by our political leaders’ use of inflammatory and irresponsible language about the ongoing, tragic conflict in Israel and Gaza.
With this in mind, we call on political and community leaders across Scotland to act urgently to stop fanning the flames of hatred, and – once again – to work with and alongside, rather than vilifying and alienating, the Jewish community of Scotland, to support rather than undermine community cohesion across our nation.
We thank Police Scotland for their continued engagement with and support for Jewish communities across Scotland at this extremely fraught juncture.
Last, we would once again urge all members of the community attending synagogues or other community premises to follow all instructions from police and security, and in particular not to congregate outside communal premises and to keep doors closed at all times.”
Rainforest projects are to benefit from more than £3 million funding to protect biodiversity and build ecosystem resilience to climate change.
The funding will be used to help save Scotland’s temperate rainforest – made up of native woodlands found on the west coast, where consistent levels of rainfall and relatively mild, year-round temperatures provide the right conditions for some of the world’s rarest mosses, liverworts and lichens – from the effects of the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
This year 1,350 hectares of priority rainforest habitat will benefit from funding to:
remove rhododendron, a non-native invasive species that robs plants of nutrients, moisture and light, to give other plants space to grow
restore plantations on ancient woodland sites
prevent damage to young trees and ground vegetation through deer management
Announcing the funding during Scotland’s Climate Week, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “Scotland is home to its own temperate rainforest boasting a variety of rare species and habitats, and we are already delivering work to protect and expand this precious environment. We have some of the best remaining rainforest sites in Europe.
“Forestry Land Scotland are already carrying out immense work within the rainforest zone and have restored more than 2,654 hectares since 2023, and this additional funding of more than £3 million will help us to go further faster.
“Rainforests can capture up to one million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year so protecting them is essential to help us reach net zero emissions by 2045 and, crucially, tackle biodiversity loss.”
As the colder months approach, Aldi is reminding shoppers in Edinburgh of the most essential items to donate to foodbanks via its in-store donation points.
A list of priority items has been created based on the demands of foodbanks, charities and community groups across the UK and includes everything from tinned food to cereals and cleaning products.
According to community giving platform Neighbourly, who works with Aldi stores to redistribute customer food donations to good causes, the demand for foodbanks can increase by nearly 30% over the colder months.
Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “We know autumn and winter are busy periods for foodbanks and organisations like Neighbourly who support those in need across the UK.
“We’re so grateful to all customers that have used our in-store donation points so far this year, and we hope this list of items will make it easy for shoppers to pick those that are most needed over the colder months.”
Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, added: “With many foodbanks and local charities facing increased demand in the months ahead, any extra support we can get will be vital.
“By highlighting the most needed items, we hope to make it easier for Aldi shoppers to support their local communities.”
£2.95 million awarded to harness academic ideas for commercial use
An anti-cancer drug that researchers believe may be up to 500 times more effective than current treatments is among 18 projects receiving pilot funding to develop innovative ideas into commercial success.
The £2.95 million Proof of Concept Fund will support the commercialisation of ground-breaking research across ten Scottish universities including the project targeting blood and solid cancers at the University of Edinburgh. The £125,000 awarded to the project will fund further studies, ensuring it meets industry standards.
The pilot Proof of Concept Fund is awarded to projects that address significant global challenges across a range of sectors including Life Sciences, Quantum, Photonics, Aerospace, AI and Fintech. Projects include:
A laser system which quickly detects aircraft engine faults
A non-invasive, radiation-free ultrasound to detect breast cancer
A more sustainable and healthier alternative to palm oil
Funding will enable researchers to demonstrate the feasibility of projects through developing prototypes, market exploration and achieving regulatory approvals to derisk new technologies and attract investment. The projects have significant and largely untapped economic opportunities, with potential wide-ranging societal benefits.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes saw demonstrations from three of the successful projects receiving funding during a visit to the University of Edinburgh Institute for Genetics and Cancer.
Ms Forbes said: “Our first National Innovation Week was a declaration of intent by the Scottish Government. Innovation must be our national endeavour and we are supporting it across all areas of society.
“Scotland’s world-class universities have the ideas and inventions to help tackle global problems and improve lives. This new Proof of Concept Fund and will help bridge the gap between theory and practice, translating research into real-world impact which in turn drives Scotland’s economic transformation.
“The successful projects that we are supporting are quite simply inspiring. They have the potential to be lifesaving and life changing.”
Professor David Argyle, Vice-Principal and Head of College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, said: “The transition from ground-breaking discovery to real-world application is one of the most critical stages in research.
“This funding is a welcome endorsement of the exceptional innovation underway across Scotland, supporting academics to achieve commercial success.
“At Edinburgh, the investment in pioneering cancer treatments, lab-grown tissue models and improved detection of aircraft faults shows how this work can hugely benefit people’s lives while also strengthening the economy.”
Short-term prisoners due for release within the next six months are to be released early under emergency proposals to tackle prison overcrowding, with stringent safeguards to protect public safety, if Parliament agrees.
The prison population has surged by more than 200 in the past three months and now stands at 8,363, one of the highest levels ever recorded. Following significant measures over the past two years to address unprecedented rises in prisoner numbers, Justice Secretary Angela Constance told MSPs further action is needed to ensure the sustained, safe and effective operation of prisons.
Subject to Parliament’s approval, this would mean:
Short-term prisoners serving under four years and within 180 days of their scheduled release eligible for emergency release.
Anyone serving a sentence for sexual offences or domestic abuse, and any registered sex offenders, excluded from the release plan.
Prison governors given a veto on an eligible person’s release if they believe they pose an immediate risk to specific individuals or groups.
It is estimated that in the region of 440 prisoners could be released during the initial tranches in November and December.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “This is not an action I propose lightly. I am grateful to prison staff working tirelessly in difficult circumstances and want to ensure they and those who live in prisons are kept safe, so immediate action is now necessary.
“There will be strict safeguards in place to protect public safety, which is my paramount concern. The release will only apply to those serving short sentences under four years and due to be released within the next six months and will exclude those serving sentences for sexual offences or domestic abuse. There will also be a governor veto where they consider that a prisoner poses an immediate risk of harm to specific individuals or groups.
“I absolutely recognise that the early release of prisoners can be a cause for concern for victims. We will engage with victim support organisations to ensure that information on the change in release date is available to them.
“Scotland is not alone in the UK in having to deal with a high prison population, despite the continuing action we are taking to deal with an unprecedented rise in numbers. While there is no single reason, there has been a significant rise in long-term prisoners, continuing high numbers of sentences of under a year despite the presumption against, and an increase in sentence length. This has led to an increase in numbers that needs to be alleviated.”
Victims who have already signed up to the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS) will be told automatically by the Scottish Prison Service if there is a change to the date of release of the prisoner in their case.
Victims who are not signed up to the VNS can also contact the Scottish Prison Service directly to receive information or nominate Victim Support Scotland, Rape Crisis Scotland, ASSIST or Children First to receive information about prisoner release on their behalf.
Wider measures to deal with the rising prison population that continue to be taken include maximising capacity of the prison estate, some short-term prisoners being eligible for release when they reach 40% of sentence served and optimising the use of Home Detention Curfew.
In the longer term, an independent Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission is considering how imprisonment and community-based interventions are used, which will help inform further measures in order to establish a sustainable prison population.
Scotland’s first legally-binding targets to improve biodiversity must be accompanied by meaningful actions and reinforced by sufficient public resources, says Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in a new report.
The Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, sets out its recommendations as to how statutory targets should be set, monitored, reviewed and reported on.
In its report, the Committee also calls for a clear timetable for introducing the statutory targets and for clarity on how the Scottish Government would respond to instances where they are not achieved or are significantly off-track.
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill places a duty on Ministers to set the first legally-binding biodiversity targets in Scotland, recognising that previous non-statutory approaches have failed to halt nature decline.
The Bill also provides Scottish Ministers with powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations; make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed; and make detailed changes to wild deer legislation, to reduce the impacts of deer on Scotland’s natural environment.
Committee Convener Finlay Carson MSP said: “The rate of nature loss in Scotland over recent decades is deeply concerning and it’s clear that the current approach being taken to halt or reverse biodiversity declines has failed.
“Following our detailed scrutiny of this Bill, we support the introduction of statutory targets as a means of galvanising action on the societal-wide changes needed to improve biodiversity and tackle the nature emergency.
“But we are also clear that statutory targets will not have the success we want to see unless they are underpinned by action and investment, via both finance and expertise, to make sure their aspirations are delivered.”
Part 2 of the Bill gives Scottish Ministers powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations. Following widespread concerns from stakeholders about the broad scope of the proposed powers and the lack of sufficient safeguards in place, there were mixed views within the Committee regarding whether Part 2 in its current form is required or whether it should be revised.
In relation to National Parks (Part 3), the Committee says it is in broad agreement with the proposals set out in the bill to make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed. This includes public bodies taking account of National Park Plans and giving Scottish Ministers the power to set up a fixed penalty notice regime to enforce park byelaws.
On deer management (Part 4), the report agrees it would be helpful for NatureScot to have additional ‘intervention’ powers ‘in its toolkit’, to address nature degradation on land as a result of wild deer populations.
But the Committee was clear this should not be at the expense of voluntary deer management and called on the Scottish Government to make sure it “does not erode the trust and consensus that has been carefully built within the deer management sector in recent years”.
Furthermore, the Committee encourages the Scottish Government to continue to support the wild venison sector, especially by exploring opportunities to expand consumption through local supply chains and public procurement.
The Convener continued: “Notwithstanding the recommendations in our report about how some of the Bill’s provisions could be strengthened and improved, we support the general principles of this Bill.
“Having sought to hear from a diverse range of stakeholders throughout our inquiry, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to consider and support our scrutiny.”
More or less trees, foxes or gulls? Get that grass cut or let the wildflowers grow? Is nature helping with your mental health, or helping kids let off steam? Are there ways we could help nature thrive more, or should we tarmac the lot?!
Would you be up for chatting about nature in Granton for an hour for a £10 voucher (for Morrisons or Granton Garden Bakery – your choice)?
We’ll be running focus groups: Tuesday 7th October: 10-11am or 11.30am-12.30, at Pilton Community Health Project, 73 Boswall Parkway. (tea/coffee and biscuits provided).
