Reacting to the 2023 Scottish House Condition Survey results, Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “The latest statistics released today show that 317,000 older households (37%) were in fuel poverty in Scotland in 2023, with 1 in 4 older households (25%) living in extreme fuel poverty.This is extremely concerning and shows a step change will be required to meet Scotland’s fuel poverty targets.
“As well as this, almost half (49%) of people in later life live in homes with an EPC rating of band D or below. Cold homes are hazardous to health, especially for older people. Every day, our helpline hears from people in later life who are wearing a coat indoors, washing less and skipping meals. In a socially just and wealthy nation no older person should be in fuel poverty.
“While it is welcome that the Scottish Government is working with energy companies to encourage them to put in place social tariffs for financially vulnerable customers, there is more that can be done.
“We’re calling on the Scottish Government to urgently create a strategy to tackle pensioner poverty. With 317,000 older households in fuel poverty, this can’t come soon enough. Today’s figures underscore the need for strategic action to lower bills by improving energy efficiency support and making sure the energy social security older people can access is sufficient.”
Fuel poverty targets were introduced in Scotland through the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Act 2019.
Interim targets for 2030 state:
a) no more than 15% of households in Scotland are in fuel poverty,
(b)no more than 5% of households in Scotland are in extreme fuel poverty.
Scotland Office Minister’s visit to focus on clean energy
Recently launched Skills Passport allowing workers more flexibility to move between sectors
North East companies shining example of clean energy initiatives and economic growth
Scotland’s clean energy future will be top of the agenda as Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill visits Aberdeenshire and Angus today (Mon) to meet with companies at the cutting edge of the green revolution.
Minister McNeill will meet with the iconic Scottish brand, Mackie’s, who have invested in sustainable energy through wind turbines, solar panels and biomass projects at their base in Rothienorman, outside Inverurie.
As part of the UK Government’s commitment to a clean energy future for the North East, the Minister will also visit 3t Training Services in Dyce who are helping to provide training to energy workers looking to transfer their skills and experience in oil and gas into renewables.
Ahead of her visit, Ms McNeill said: “The UK Government is committed to a clean energy future that helps economic growth and creates skilled jobs. We are already seeing fantastic examples of businesses in the North East who are leading the way and showing that cutting their emissions while continuing to grow go hand in hand.
“This is an exciting time for the region. With GB Energy being headquartered in Aberdeen, the north east is vital to our clean energy plans.
“As part of our Plan for Change, the UK Government, alongside the Scottish Government and industry, are working to remove the red tape for our skilled oil and gas workers who are looking to work in clean energy. These people have incredible skills and experience that should be utilised and we are ensuring they are supported through this transition. I’m looking forward to meeting with some of them as well as those helping to train them.”
Jamie Purves, General Manager at 3t’s Dyce training centre, emphasised the importance of upskilling and industry collaboration in ensuring a smooth energy transition. He said: “The North East has long been a centre of excellence in energy, and we are committed to making sure its workforce continues to thrive as the sector evolves.
“At 3t, we work closely with industry and Government to provide the specialist training and support needed to help energy professionals move seamlessly into renewables.
“The Skills Passport is a game-changer. It simplifies the transition process and ensures we retain the invaluable expertise developed in oil and gas. This is about securing a sustainable future while creating new opportunities for workers and businesses alike.”
Working alongside the industry and Scottish Government, the UK Government has recently launched the Skills Passport initiative as part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change and clean energy superpower mission.
Oil and gas workers will be able to access the skills passport online, which will initially help them identify routes into several roles in offshore wind, including construction and maintenance – before being expanded over the coming year to recognise other pathways from oil and gas into the renewable sector.
This is in addition to Aberdeen being identified as one of four key growth regions in the UK for clean energy. Work is ongoing to identify the skills support needed in their area to deliver clean power by 2030.
The minister will also meet with Montrose Port, a recent recipient of the Carbon Reduction Award at the Scottish Green Energy awards. The port, which helps service windfarms including Scotland’s largest – SSE’s Seagreen – is currently going through an expansion as demand for renewable projects increases.
Single malt whisky-lovers are raising a glass as there’s an innovative new spirits start-up in town; Leith-based Tailored Spirits Co. have launched their first-ever whisky range under the brand nameThe Experimental Series.
The whisky bottler’s inaugural release aims to ‘redefine tradition’, with a belief that single cask spirits are not just about heritage, but also ‘curiosity, exploration and innovation’.
The Experimental Series* are one-of-a-kind micro-batch experiments, limited-edition whiskies chosen to push the boundaries of what a single cask whisky can be. The series consists of a CroftengeaLoch Lomond 7-year-old costing £59.50 producing only 52 bottles, a Fettercairn 13-year-old release of 84 bottles priced at £74.50, and an Ardmore 8-year-old limited to just 60 bottles priced at £64.50 each – all available on the company’s website:
The meticulous design style is inspired by travel luggage labels, provoking memories of places whisky-lovers have visited, with the bottle shape being a nod to those found in a scientific lab. A removable tab or ‘lab ticket’ containing a four-letter-code in alphabetical order per release, offers a collectors item for spirits enthusiasts to track each experiment.
The company has announced that customers who collect six of the The Experimental Series lab tickets will gain exclusive access to a very special upcoming experimental release.
Tailored Spirits Co. is a groundbreaking new start-up that specialises in privately owned whisky casks. The company has been tipped by business leaders to transform the way owners of single cask whisky understand and realise the value of their rare spirits. After launching in 2024, Tailored Spirits Co. immediately gained recognition and momentum by winning the top spot at the coveted Scottish Edge nation-wide entrepreneurial competition, landing the business with funding of £100k.
The line-up of Founders are a trio of industry professionals who all bring their own unique expertise to the table; Tom Costello covers all things Brand & Creative, with Carl Johnstone managing Commercial & Operations and Adam Harding leading the Spirits, Sales & Strategy.
The highly-experienced team stand by one clear mantra ‘From the warehouse to your house’ with one very clear vision – ‘to bridge the gap between the commercial scale of whisky and the needs of a single cask owner’.
Commenting on their first-ever whisky launch, Adam Harding, Co-Founder & Director, said: “We are beyond delighted to release our first-ever whisky range.This release is all about redefining tradition, honouring heritage but championing curiosity, exploration and innovation.
Since launching Tailored Spirits Co. in 2023, we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from the whisky industry. It is such a warm & welcoming environment and we are so excited to release our first spirits into the whisky world.”
Adding his thoughts on the meticulous bottle design, Tom Costello, Co-Founder & Director, said: “We love making whiskies look as attractive and eye-catching as possible.
“The Experimental Series was a dream to design. It showcases the beauty of experimentation, something that’s not bound by tradition, a true exploration of flavour and design. For me the fact they can never be replicated made our first release really special.”
Carl Johnstone, Co-Founder & Director, gave his vision for the future of the company: “As a business, our story is one of continued growth and development. We have an awareness of a growing demand in a rapidly changing industry.
“This allows us to work closely with private clients all over the world. Our business started with a dram, and that’s exactly where our clients’ dreams and passions begin. Our role is to make the journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.”
Tailored Spirits Co. are experts in spirits, specialising in whisky supply, creating exceptional brands and bottlings. An Edinburgh-based, global-serving company who guide clients through the complexities of spirits bottling projects and ensure their dreams are achieved.
If you are anxious about debt or struggling to keep on top of bills, you are definitely not alone! Rising costs in energy, groceries and fuel has resulted in lots of people struggling to cope.
Granton Information Centre is here to help you with free, confidential, and impartial advice. If you would like to make an appointment with one of our advisers, please get in touch on 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458 or email appointments@gic.org.uk
Budget Deals, Budget Revisions, and Budget Pressures
There was a lot of focus this week on the Budget deal struck by the Scottish Government, which will allow the Budget to be supported by the Scottish Green Party and the Scottish Liberal Democrats (write Fraser of Allander Institute’s MAIRI SPOWAGE and SANJAM SURI).
In early January, Anas Sarwar announced that Scottish Labour would abstain on the Budget as the Scottish Government were likely to secure support from the budget from one or other of these parties. Of course, this meant that the Scottish Government did not need to secure support from other parties to ensure that the budget would pass.
However, no doubt John Swinney will be pleased that he can demonstrate working across the chamber, and particularly constitutional boundaries, to come to a deal.
On the face of it, the price paid for the support of these parties seems pretty cheap (in the scheme of the SG Budget!), totalling £16.7m.
With the Scottish Liberal Democrats (TOTAL £7.7m):
Increase Drugs and Neonatal Service Investment. +£2.5m
Strengthen support for Hospices. Increase the funding from £4m to £5m. +£1m
Invest in targeted support for the College sector. +£3.5m in creating an Offshore Wind Skills Programme and College Care Skill Programme.
Support the continuation of Corseford College. + 0.7m
Offer flexibility to Orkney Island Council in terms of capital and resource funding.
With the Scottish Greens (~£9m):
Establish a £2 bus fare cap pilot in a regional transport partnership area. +£3m in 25-26 (£10m in total)
Increase Nature Restoration funding. increase from £23 million to £26 million. +£3m
Extend free school meal eligibility in S1-S3 in 8 local authority areas – covering pupils in an urban, rural, semi-urban and island authorities in receipt of Scottish Child Payment. +£3m (although it looks like most costs will fall in 2026/27, so not sure about the exact cost in 2025-26)
The Scottish Government say that this will be funded by another draw down from the Scotwind fund (more on Scotwind below) of £3 million to support the capital spending on nature restoration, and the remaining amendments are funded through debt servicing costs which they expect will be lower than they expected at the Draft Budget in early December.
The Spring Budget Revision changes the picture for 2024-25 considerably
Getting less coverage this week is the Spring Budget Revision, which was laid before parliament on Thursday. This is a pretty technical document, with the “supporting notes” document running to 146 pages. This is for the current year, and now reflects the additional Barnett consequentials which were announced through the UK Budget for 2024-25
[By way of background, these revisions happen twice a year, once in the Autumn and once in the Spring, to update the parliament to changes in the funding positions for the current fiscal year. The Budget bill will normally be passed by late February. The ABR comes in roughly Oct/Nov, then the Spring one in Jan/Feb]
The Government did not include any of these announcements in the baseline comparisons for the Budget in December. When asked about the uplifts for 2024-25 in the wake of the UK Budget, they said that the £1.4bn extra in resource funding for 2024-25 was “in line with internal planning assumptions”. This was in the context of the clear budgetary pressures earlier in the financial year, which lead to the emergency budget announcements in September 2024.
The Scottish Fiscal Commission were not please with this, saying “This is a material limitation to information available to the Scottish Parliament for its scrutiny of the Budget and in the spending analysis we can do.”
The SBR published yesterday shows how this money has been allocated in the current year.
The highlights for us are:
The £338m resource borrowing that had been planned to cover for a forecast error reconciliation will not be necessary (so they had planned that borrowing into the 2024-25 budget due to this negative reconciliation from previous years, and now do not need to use it because of the funding received)
That the planned £424m drawdown for the Scotwind licencing fund will all now be returned (they had already announced that they would reduce this drawdown by £300m at the Budget but now they are returning all of it because of the funding received)
That £103m more than planned will be put into the Scotland reserve.
Two things are demonstrated by where the money has gone – first, that it does not seem credible that it was in line with “internal planning assumptions”, in the context of emergency budget measures prior to the UK Budget followed by cancelling of already planned borrowing. Second, it would have helped scrutiny for the 2025-26 Budget if this had been included in the baseline presented at the Scottish Budget, given the SFC role in assessing borrowing and use of the reserve and the role of the Finance and Public Administration Committee.
The restoration of the Scotwind fund is welcome – let’s hope now it will be exclusively committed to capital/infrastructure spending to support the energy transition. It would be good if this could be formally done so the money cannot be used in this way in the future.
Employer NICs likely to cause more budget pressures
We’ve covered the impacts that the employer NICS rises could cause to public services in Scotland.
As a reminder, the Chancellor increased both the rate of employer NICS (from 13.8% to 15%) and lowered the threshold at which employers have to start paying NICS (from £9,100 to £5,000). At the time of the Budget, the Treasury said that public sector employers will be compensated – but no amounts were confirmed, which caused the Scottish Government to (quite rightly) raise concerns about the uncertainty that this would cause.
We’ve heard from the Scottish Government that the expected impact is expected to range anywhere between £550m (for public sector workers), and £750m (including indirect employees such as childcare, higher education, social care). We estimated around £500 for the direct public sector. The rumoured amount on the table from the Treasury is £280-300m. Our blog explains the reasons behind these different amounts.
[But, in short, the difference between the SG and the Treasury is what “compensating” the public sector means – the actual cost, or the actual cost if the size and pay bill of the public sector in Scotland was proportionately the same as the UK.]
Whatever the final amount, it is unlikely the whole cost to the public sector will be covered. We said at the time of the Budget that the Scottish Government hadn’t budgeted for this likely shortfall.
Kate Forbes said this week that the public sector in Scotland will have to “absorb” the shortfall- which basically means that the public sector would have to find savings or efficiencies elsewhere to absorb the budgetary impacts of higher NICS.
The confirmation of the compensation will not come until the Supplementary Estimates are published (which might be as late as the end of February). This means that bodies like councils, who are currently trying to set their budgets, will likely have to plan on the basis of absorbing maybe 40-70% of this additional cost until they get confirmation.
Scottish Opera’s much-loved Primary Schools Tour visits over 120 schools from 3 February until 27 June with The Tale o’ Tam o’ Shanter, a show created to re-introduce young people to the works of celebrated poet, Robert Burns.
Based on Tam o’ Shanter, this fast-paced adventure was written especially for children in primaries 5, 6 and 7, and the fully-booked tour heads to schools in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Stirling, the Highlands, Clackmannanshire, Aberdeen, Angus, Fife, Lanarkshire, Argyll and Bute, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, the Scottish Borders, West Lothian and Shetland, as well as Newcastle.
Last performed in 2017, The Tale o’ Tam o’ Shanter features original lyrics by Ross Stenhouse and music by Karen MacIver, who composed the score for Special Delivery, the Christmas 2024 co-production between Scottish Opera, Visible Fictions and Lanterhouse at Cumbernauld Theatre. She also wrote the music for RED, performed by Scottish Opera Young Company last summer.
The show follows the farmer Tam o’ Shanter, as he makes his way home from market day with his faithful horse Meg. As the night grows darker, the rain falls and the wind shrieks through the branches of the trees, he finds himself outside the church where he discovers a coven of witches dancing. Fascinated, Tam stops to watch, but suddenly one of them spots him, and he and Meg must run for their lives.
Schools are provided with high quality, online teaching resources in advance, including a teachers’ support pack, to help introduce the songs from The Tale o’ Tam o’ Shanter to pupils. A team of Scottish Opera performers and arts education specialists then spend a day rehearsing and preparing the pupils for a 30-minute, choreographed, fully-costumed performance for family and friends, helping teachers deliver aspects of A Curriculum for Excellence.
Forming part of a suite of Scottish Opera’s digital offerings for schools, which includes The Curse of MacCabbra Opera House, How The Dragon Was Made, and Vikings! The Quest for the Dragon’s Treasure, The Tale o’ Tam o’ Shanter has been re-imagined and expanded to make it even more accessible and adaptable for all schools in Scotland to take part.
Schools can now engage with the production as a digital only learning and teaching experience, using online resources currently available on Scottish Opera’s website, to prepare the children for all aspects of presenting a performance to an audience.
This online delivery method — which includes Scottish Opera singers appearing on screen in classrooms to sing alongside the class — makes the project even easier and more affordable for teachers to engage with, particularly in those schools without specialist music teachers at primary level.
With 50-plus years of experience in classrooms, Scottish Opera’s Outreach and Education Programme has developed this approach because it recognised that the in-person learning Primary Schools Tour experience reaches capacity very quickly each year, so a complementary strand of the programme has been created in the form of a set of exclusivelyonline resources — so many more schools across Scotland can participate — and at a much lower cost per pupil.
Scottish Opera’s Director of Outreach and Education, Jane Davidson said: ‘Our children’s operas make learning both enjoyable and challenging, giving pupils the opportunity to engage their creative and expressive capacities.
“Originally commissioned in 2002, this vibrant interpretation of Burns’ iconic poem enables a new generation to explore the culture, identity and language that remain key to the enduring appeal of Scotland’s most famous poet.
“With the aim of making Tam accessible to many more schools, the project is now available in two formats, and both involve downloading digital resources which prepare them for performance.’
The Tale o’ Tam o’ Shanter is kindly supported by The Jean Armour Burns Trust, The David and June Gordon Memorial Trust, The Harbinson Charitable Trust, The W M Mann Foundation and Scottish Opera’s Education Angels.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh arrives in India today [2nd February] on a three-day visit, with a focus on championing young people and promoting the benefits of non-formal education across the world.
His Royal Highness will travel to Mumbai and Delhi to promote The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, delivered as The International Award for Young People (IAYP) in India: a non-formal education and learning framework supporting young people to find their purpose, place and passion in the world. Since its inception in India in 1962, the Award has helped more than 150,000 students from 325 schools and educational institutions across the country.
In addition to meeting with members of the government, Prince Edward is scheduled to undertake varied engagements spanning the breadth of the living bridge that connects the UK and India. This includes discussions with Indian education and business leaders and philanthropists, and joining events that celebrate our shared love for sport and the arts.
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said: “I am delighted to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to India. The visit is an important reminder of the vibrant and enduring links between our countries, including through a 1.7 million-strong Indian diaspora in the UK.
“The UK-India partnership is helping drive solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. By investing in our youth today and ensuring they have all the opportunities to succeed, we can continue to build on the shared vision of a better tomorrow.”
Kapil Bhalla, National Director, The International Award for Young People, India said: “We are deeply honoured to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh to India as part of his continued commitment to inspiring young people worldwide.
“His visit reaffirms the transformative impact of The International Award for Young People in empowering the youth of India to realise their full potential. His Royal Highness’ presence is a testament to the enduring legacy of this programme and its ability to connect communities across the globe.”
At the conclusion of the visit to India, The Duke will travel on to join The Duchess of Edinburgh in visiting Nepal.
Ronaq, one of Edinburgh’s most popular Indian restaurants, is spicing things up with the launch of a lunchtime tapas menu.
Available from this weekend (Saturday, 1 February), the new menu at the Comely Bank BYOB will feature four sections – starter, mains, accompaniments and afters.
The usual traditional classics such as pakora, chicken biryani, lamb jalfrazi and vegetable korma will all be featured alongside an array of other mouth-watering meals, while fans of fish curry won’t be disappointed by the Machli Balti, haddock cooked with green peppers, coriander, cumin, cardamoms, pimento and cinnamon.
Diners can choose one dish from each section for £9.95.
There is also a children’s menu offering chicken tikka, chicken curry, chicken korma and fish fingers from £6.95.
The tapas will be served from 12-2pm Monday-Friday, and from 2pm-5pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
“We’re excited to introduce this new lunchtime offering for our customers,” said owner Mohammed Shoaib.
“Tapas are a fun way to enjoy a number of different dishes and there is something for everybody on the menu. It’s an ideal way to taste a variety of the flavours which we are renowned for.
“They can also be served quite quickly, ideal for people who may be on their lunch break from work and a little short of time.”
Gordon Macdonald SNP MSP has raised serious concerns regarding the upcoming closure of the Bank of Scotland branch in Wester Hailes, warning of the impact of this decision on members of the community who rely on these services.
Lloyds Banking Group have announced that they are closing their Wester Hailes branch on 27 May 2025. This branch provides a crucial service to local residents and its closure risks harming those in the local community who rely on face-to-face banking services.
Gordon Macdonald MSP is therefore seeking a meeting with Lloyds Banking Group to discuss the potential impacts of their decision and to obtain further details regarding support for those most affected.
Commenting, Gordon Macdonald said: “This news will be very worrying for those who rely on the Bank of Scotland branch services at the Westside Plaza Shopping Centre in Wester Hailes.
“I am deeply concerned about the potential impact of this closure on members of the community who rely on these services particularly with the Post Office Branch in Wester Hailes also under review which would leave local customers with no means of face to face banking services.
“I am urgently seeking a meeting with the Bank of Scotland to understand the impact of this decision on my constituents, and my office is on hand to support constituents if needed.”
The locations affected:
· Alexandria (Banking Hub and Enhanced Deposit service to be introduced)
· Annan (Banking Hub to be introduced)
· Barrhead
· Bishopbriggs (Banking Hub to be introduced)
· Edinburgh Corstorphine West (Enhanced Deposit service to be introduced)
· Edinburgh Wester Hailes
· Helensburgh (Banking Hub to be introduced)
· Kirkintilloch (Community Banker service to be introduced)
· Moffat (Community Banker service to be introduced)
· Peebles (Community Banker service to be introduced)
· Pitlochry (Community Banker service to be introduced)
· Sanquhar (Community Banker service to be introduced)
· Thornhill (Enhanced Deposit service and Community Banker service to be introduced)
… and much more!
