January can be a particularly challenging time for mental health. The combination of shorter days, colder weather, financial pressures after Christmas, and a sense of anti-climax following the festive period can affect many of us. For members of the veteran community, these challenges can be even more pronounced.
Many veterans face ongoing issues linked to their service, including anxiety, depression, loneliness and difficulty adjusting to civilian life. During the winter months, feelings of isolation can intensify, especially for those living alone or with limited support networks.
At the RAF Benevolent Fund, we see first-hand how vital timely, accessible support can be. We offer a confidential Listening and Counselling Service, providing serving personnel, veterans and their families with a safe space to talk through challenges and access professional support. We are also preparing to launch an online wellbeing portal, which will give easy access to trusted mental health resources and self-help tools.
Loneliness is another major concern at this time of year. To help combat this, we run Telephone Friendship Groups and facilitate local veteran meet-ups across the country, helping people reconnect, share experiences and feel less alone during the darker months. In addition, our financial support can help relieve some of the pressures associated with higher energy bills and living costs over winter, which are often a significant source of stress.
No one in the RAF Family should feel they have to face these challenges alone. Support is available, and reaching out can be the first step towards making a positive change.
For more information, please visit rafbf.org or call 0300 102 1919.
With permission Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on AI, social media and online safety.
No woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology.
Yet in recent days, the Grok AI tool on the social media platform X has been used to create and share degrading, non-consensual intimate deepfakes.
The content which has circulated on X is vile. It is not just an affront to decent society – it is illegal.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reports “criminal imagery” of children as young as 11, including girls sexualised and topless.
This is Child Sexual Abuse.
We’ve seen reports of photos being shared of women in bikinis, tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood. And much, much more.
Lives can and have been devastated by this content, which is designed to harass, torment, and violate people’s dignity.
They are not harmless images – they are weapons of abuse, disproportionately aimed at women and girls.
And they are illegal.
Last week, X limited the image creation function to paid subscribers.
This does not go anywhere near far enough.
It is insulting to victims to say you can still have this service if you are willing to pay.
And it is monetising abuse.
So let me be crystal clear: sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent – including images of people in their underwear – is a criminal offence.
Under the Online Safety Act, sharing images – or threatening to share them – is a criminal offence. For individuals, and for platforms.
My predecessor – the Right Honourable Member for Hove and Portslade – made this a ‘priority offence’, so services have to take proactive action to stop this content from appearing in the first place.
The Data Act, passed last year, made it a criminal offence to create – or request the creation of – non-consensual intimate images.
And today, I can announce to the House that this offence will be brought into force this week and that I will make it a priority offence in the Online Safety Act too.
This means individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such content – including on X – and anyone who does this should expect to face the full extent of the law.
But the responsibilities do not just lie with individuals for their own behaviour.
The platforms that host such material must be held accountable – including X.
Madam Deputy Speaker, Ofcom this morning confirmed that they have opened a formal investigation into X and will assess their compliance with the Online Safety Act.
The government expects Ofcom to set out a timeline for the investigation as soon as possible.
The public – and most importantly, the victims of Grok’s activities – expect swift and decisive action. So this must not take months and months.
But X doesn’t have to wait for the Ofcom investigation to conclude. They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform.
If they do not, Ofcom will have the backing of this government to use the full powers which Parliament has given them.
And I would remind X – and all other platforms – that this includes the power to issue fines worth millions of dollars, or 10% of a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue.
And in the most serious cases, Ofcom can apply for a court order to stop UK users accessing the site.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this government will do everything in our power to keep women and especially children safe online.
So I can today confirm that we will build on all the measures I have already outlined and legislate in the Crime and Policing Bill – which is currently going through Parliament – to criminalise nudification apps.
This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images, targeting the problem at its source.
And in addition to all of these actions, we expect technology companies to introduce the steps recommended by Ofcom’s guidance on how to make platforms safer for women and girls without delay.
And if they do not, I am prepared to go further.
Because this government believes tackling violence against women and girls is as important online as it is in the real world.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this is not – as some would claim – about restricting freedom of speech, something I and the whole government hold very dear.
It is about tackling violence against women and girls.
It’s about upholding basic British values of decency and respect, and ensuring the standards we expect offline are upheld online.
And it is about exercising our sovereign power and responsibility to uphold the laws of the land.
I hope this is a time when MPs on all sides of the House will stand up for British laws and British values and call out the platforms that allow explicit, degrading and illegal content.
It is time to choose a side.
If I may Madam Deputy Speaker, I would also like to address calls from MPs on all sides of this House for the government to end its participation on X.
I understand why many colleagues have come to this conclusion when X seems so unwilling to clean up its act. The government will of course keep our participation under review.
But our job is to protect women and girls from illegal and harmful content wherever it is found.
It is also worth bearing in mind, with 19 million people on X in this country, and more than a quarter using it as their primary source of news, that our views – and often simply the facts – need to be heard.
Madam Deputy Speaker, let me conclude by saying this.
AI is a transformative technology which has the potential to bring about extraordinary and welcome change.
Creating jobs and growth. Diagnosing and treating diseases. Helping children learn at school. Tackling climate change. And so much more besides.
But in order to seize these opportunities, people must feel confident that they and their children are safe online and that AI is not used for destructive and abusive ends.
Many tech companies want to and are acting responsibly. But when they do not, we must and we will act.
Innovation should serve humanity; not degrade it.
So we will leave no stone unturned in our determination to stamp out these demeaning, degrading and illegal images.
If that means strengthening the existing laws, we are prepared to do so.
Because this government stands on the side of decency.
We stand on the side of the law.
We stand for basic British values supported by the vast majority of people in this country.
Almost 340,000 Self Assessment filers have already paid their tax bill using the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) app.
It is quick and easy to pay via the HMRC app and set up payment reminders.
Taxpayers need to file their return and pay tax they owe by 31 January.
The number of people using the HMRC app to pay their Self Assessment tax bill has increased by nearly 65%.
Almost 340,000 people have used it to pay since 6 April 2025, an increase of 132,788 people compared to the same period last year.
Self Assessment customers need to file their tax return online for the 2024 to 2025 tax year and pay any tax owed by 31 January 2026. HMRC is encouraging those yet to start theirs, to go to GOV.UK and do it now. Anyone who misses the deadline could be subject to an automatic £100 penalty.
Filing tax returns ahead of the deadline means knowing how much tax to pay sooner. It is quick and easy to pay via the HMRC app and set up payment reminders to make sure the deadline isn’t missed.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said:“The Self Assessment deadline is less than one month away, and thousands of people have already paid their tax bill via the HMRC app. It is quick and easy to do, and you can also see your payment history.
“Search ‘download the HMRC app’ on GOV.UK to access the app and make your Self Assessment payment.”
People unable to pay any tax owed in full may be able to set up a Time To Pay arrangement, if they meet the eligibility criteria and they owe less than £30,000.
Alternative options include paying directly through a bank account, direct debit or paying online via GOV.UK. A full list of payment options can be found on GOV.UK.
HMRC expects more than 12 million tax returns to be filed by the deadline. Those who miss the deadline will be issued with a penalty:
an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time
after three months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900
after six months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater
after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater
There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, six months and 12 months. If tax remains unpaid after the deadline, interest will also be charged on the amount owed, in addition to the penalties above.
Customers who need assistance to complete their Self Assessment can access support and guidance online 24/7, including YouTube videos, webinars, digital assistant and step-by-step guidance covering different sections of a tax return. Most queries can be resolved online.
Customers who need to speak to an adviser can call HMRC, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Phone lines close on Friday 30 January and reopen on Monday 2 February – after the deadline. For full phone support, contact HMRC before Friday 30 January. On Saturday 31 January, HMRC will offer webchat support through its Online Services Helpdesk.
The new High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) PAYE digital service means thousands of Child Benefit claimants who are only in Self Assessment to pay HICBC can choose to pay the charge back through their tax code.
Eligible customers can call HMRC before the filing deadline to say they want to be removed from Self Assessment to use the digital service. Where a tax return has already been filed, customers can choose to stop from the following tax year. HMRC will then amend their tax code and they will be registered to pay HICBC through PAYE.
Customers do not need to include their 2025 Winter Fuel Payment, or Pension Age Winter Heating payment in Scotland, on their tax return for the 2024 to 2025 tax year as payments received in Autumn 2025 will be recovered in the 2025 to 2026 tax return, due by 31 January 2027.
Self Assessment customers are sometimes targeted by criminals and should never share their HMRC login details with anyone, including a tax agent, if they have one. HMRC scams advice is available on GOV.UK.
Strachan House Care Home residents have a trip to Club 3000 Bingo
Residents and staff from Strachan House Care Home in Blackhall were in for a treat with a visit to the Club 3000 Bingo hall after residents asked to take their bingo skills out into the community.
Residents from the home were accompanied by the life enrichment staff team, they had an amazing time with 1 resident even winning one of the games bringing home £16. Ivy, one of the residents who hasn’t been to the bingo for many years said she was so excited to go and would love to go back.
Ivy refused to share her winnings with the team, sadly!
General Manager, Fran Fisher said: “Our residents and staff had a wonderful time at the Bingo, it’s something we often play here particularly on our first-floor community so it was a real treat to go out and play with other members of the local community.
“We do our best to provide a wide range of activities and entertainment at Strachan House as part of the lifestyle enrichment programme for residents, and this was one of our favourites!”
Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Strachan House provides nursing and dementia nursing care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.
Strachan House has built up an excellent reputation within its local community for regularly holding events and activities for its residents and surrounding neighbours.
LifeCare invites locals to get together with a packed programme this winter
LifeCare Edinburgh is inviting local people to stay connected with a full programme of free and welcoming community activities at its thriving Community Hub in the heart of Stockbridge.
January can feel long and isolating, but LifeCare’s hub offers a warm, friendly space for people of all ages to come together. From relaxed social groups to creative and wellbeing activities, the charity’s timetable is designed to lift spirits and build connections during the winter months.
The popular Chatty Café runs every Monday from 11am–1pm, offering a relaxed space for anyone who fancies a blether and a cuppa. Tables are set aside specifically for people who want to meet others and enjoy friendly conversation. Join us next Mon 19th to help celebrate our Chatty Café’s 2nd birthday complete with a piece of cake!
Families are welcome at the Pop-Up Play Area for Under 5s, available on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am–2pm, allowing parents and carers to relax in the café while children enjoy safe, fun play.
Creative types can join Craft in the Café on Tuesdays from 12.30–2.30pm. These informal sessions welcome knitters, crocheters and crafters of all abilities, with no need to book.
Wednesday afternoons from 1.45–3pm offer a Games Afternoon, with board games and puzzles including Scrabble, chess, dominoes and cards. The Community Natters discussion group will also be returning soon, with details to be announced.
At weekends, LifeCare’s Saturday Social runs from 12.30–3.30pm offering games, conversation and a hot lunch and drinks.
All these activities are provided for free thanks to our volunteers and funding from The National Lottery Community Fund.
LifeCare also provides a range of free, accessible health and wellbeing activities for unpaid carers, supported by the Short Breaks Fund. Carers are welcome to bring along the person they care for.
“Real Roads Don’t Reset”, warns a powerful new gaming-themed campaign to tackle speeding among young drivers, launched today by the Scottish Government, Road Safety Scotland and Police Scotland.
Around 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers are involved in a collision within the first year behind the wheel, while nearly 1 in 3 drivers killed while speeding are aged 16-25.
Spanning TV, streaming services, cinema, outdoor and digital advertising, supported by content from influencers, football and rugby partnerships and PR, the campaign reminds young people that unlike their favourite games, there are no second chances on real roads and the consequences of dangerous driving can be devastating.
It also highlights the tougher legal penalties for drivers in the first two years after passing their tests.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “When you speed, you’re risking not only your own life but those of your passengers and everyone else on the road.
“A collision can happen no matter how good a driver you think you are. One moment of lost control can cost you everything – leaving you with a life-changing injury, the loss of someone close, or even a prison sentence.
“A single avoidable mistake can leave you with a lifetime of regret.”
Chief Superintendent Scott McCarren, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing, said: “Skills behind the wheel of a car in a racing game have absolutely nothing to do with your ability in a real car.
“In real life, countless factors are at play including the weather, road conditions, weight of the car, number of passengers and the behaviour of other drivers on the road. Even a small error of judgement could have permanent consequences.”
He emphasised the particular dangers of speeding on rural routes: “Young drivers often assume country roads are quieter and safer but that’s far from the reality. Rural roads are unpredictable, with blind bends, hidden dips, farm vehicles, animals, poor lighting, and sudden hazards.
“Don’t assume you won’t be caught speeding because the road seems empty. Our officers are on patrol across the country, and you could face a fine, points, or you may have your license revoked. Don’t be the driver no one wants to get in the car with.”
An initial phase of the campaign focused on the dangers of drink and drug-driving, tying in with Police Scotland’s annual festive enforcement campaign.
Budgets reflect the choices and priorities of our Governments. Our political leaders have a responsibility to use them to build an economy and society in which all people the income necessary to live in decency and dignity.
In October 2025, thousands of people from across Scotland took to the streets of Edinburgh in the Scotland Demands Better campaign march and rally, the largest anti-poverty demonstration our country has seen in decades.
They stood together to demand that politicians build a Scotland free from poverty, creating the conditions for better jobs, better investment in life’s essentials and vitally, better social security.
In this briefing, we set out how MSPs can build a better future for Scotland’s children:
Hospital violence charity among 19 to share in £1 million fund
Medics Against Violence (MAV), a charity operating across 10 hospital Emergency Departments, is among 19 organisations to receive a share of more than £1 million from the Victim Surcharge Fund, which is financed by penalties imposed on offenders who received a court fine.
The funding will support MAV to offer practical assistance and essential items to people arriving at hospital after experiencing violence or exploitation. It will also enhance the charity’s Navigator programmes, which support people to make positive changes and connect them with community organisations.
This is the sixth round of payments from the Victim Surcharge Fund – which was established in November 2019 to provide practical help directly to victims of crime. This takes the total awarded to date from the Fund to £3,486,972.
Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown announced the latest funding allocation as she visited MAV’s Glasgow headquarters to learn more about its work.Ms Brown said: “It is only right that the people who commit crimes contribute towards helping victims and their families recover from trauma.
“I am pleased that since the first awards were made in January 2021, the fund has helped more than 7,000 people affected by crime, distributing almost £3.5 million in support to organisations that support victims of crime.
“The Victim Surcharge Fund allows organisations such as Medics Against Violence to respond quickly and compassionately by providing practical, immediate help to victims of crime when they need it most.”
David Duncan, Chief Executive Officer at Medics Against Violence, added: “Support from the Scottish Government’s Victim Surcharge Fund will be used directly to strengthen the help we provide to victims of crime through our Navigator programmes.
“This investment enables us to offer immediate practical assistance to people arriving in hospital after experiencing violence or exploitation, short‑term wellbeing support in the days that follow, and specialist, age‑appropriate care for children and young people who have been harmed.
“It also allows our Navigators to work alongside victims as they regain stability -advocating for access to housing, mental health services, financial advice, and community support.
“By reducing barriers for those who may feel isolated, frightened, or unsure where to turn, this funding ensures we can respond quickly, compassionately, and in a trauma‑informed way at the moments when victims of crime are most vulnerable. It makes a tangible difference to safety, recovery, and long‑term wellbeing.”
Debbie Adams, Director of Development and External Affairs at Victim Support Scotland, said: “We are extremely grateful to be recipients of the Scottish Government’s Victim Surcharge Fund. The VSF ensures that the fines received by offenders go directly towards helping people impacted by crime.
“In Victim Support Scotland’s case, the VSF goes towards our Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF), which provides a lifeline for people who are in urgent need of financial help as a result of a crime. It can provide life-essential things like emergency household goods, groceries, travel to a place of safety, costs to repair damaged items, and security equipment.
“In 2024-25, the EAF distributed £538,974 worth of funds to people in need. One EAF recipient said that the items they received enabled them to “safeguard our household“, highlighting how it can help people take back control after experiencing crime. This funding will enable us to provide ongoing direct, immediate assistance for those in urgent need.”
An 18-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man have been arrested and charged in connection with two attempted robberies in Edinburgh.
Around 9.30am yesterday (Monday, 12 January, 2026), Police received a report from a premises on Colinton Mains Drive. Later, around 9.50am, a second report from a premises on Oxgangs Road North was received.
There were no injuries.
An 18-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man have been charged in connection with the incidents. They’re due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Tuesday, 13 January.
Detective Inspector Alan Sharp said: “I want to thank members of the public who assisted with these incidents before officers arrived and the local community for their support during our enquiries.”
