davepickering

Power to Switch: government encourages energy consumers to shop around

A new government campaign has been launched to encourage consumers to shop around for the best energy deals

13.5 million households across the UK are missing out on their share of £2.7 billion by sticking with their energy company, according to the Department of Energy & Climate Change. They say that by shopping around and taking advantage of the best energy deals on the market, millions of people can save around £200 – and some can save even more.

The ‘Power to Switch’ campaign, launched today, encourages people to switch supplier and save money by visiting www.BeAnEnergyShopper.com. With 26 energy companies on the market and some fixed deals £100 cheaper than they were a year ago, there’s never been a better time to find a great deal, switch and save.

Launching the campaign, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “When it comes to switching, the power is in people’s hands to get a better deal and save. We’ve reformed the market so that there are more suppliers, more competition, and a much faster and simpler process to switch. That means millions of people can switch supplier and save hundreds of pounds today.”

Energy and Climate Change Minister Amber Rudd said: “We’ve already taken £50 off bills and now we’re urging people to take advantage of the most competitive energy market we’ve ever had to save hundreds of pounds. With Ofgem’s strengthened Confidence Code for price comparison sites, people will be able to have greater confidence than ever before that by switching, they’ll see real savings.”

The Government’s programme of energy market reform includes:

Halving switching times – it now takes only 17 days to switch energy supplier down from 5 weeks last year;
Encouraging new suppliers on to the market – there are now 20 independent suppliers;
Legislating to back Ofgem reforms that force energy companies to make energy bills clearer – and providing information for customers about how to switch.

Ofgem has recently strengthened its Confidence Code for price comparison websites, setting tighter standards on how tariffs are displayed with websites given until the end of March to comply.

Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert, said: “We need to shout loud about the benefits of switching tariff. Too many people think energy firms are ‘all the same’. That’s far from true, there are huge differences on both price and customer service.

“The worry is that news of recent price cuts, even though they were paltry, will have given many false confidence that they’re on a decent deal. Examine the figures and the ugly truth is very different.

“Even after price cuts, someone on a Big 6 supplier standard tariff with typical use will pay £1,158 a year, whereas switch to the cheapest tariff and they’d pay just over £900 a year. So it’s worth people taking 10 minutes to see if they can save themselves £250 ― at an hourly rate of £1,500 if someone else was offering this to you as work, would you turn it down?”

The ‘Power to Switch’ campaign will run for four weeks and will include national, regional and online advertising, encouraging people to switch and save.

For more information about how to switch energy supplier visit www.BeAnEnergyShopper.com or call the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234.

Six Nations Rugby travel advice

Scotland play host to Wales in their first home game of this Six Nations tournament today and 67,000 spectators – a few of them Scots! – will flock to Murrayfield Stadium for the sell-out match.

The fixture is the first Six Nations home game since Edinburgh Trams passenger services began last year and the operator is putting in place arrangements to cater to the many thousands of fans who are expected to travel to and from the match by tram.

Advice for anyone planning to travel by tram can be found on the Edinburgh Trams website. Passengers are also advised to keep an eye out for updates from Edinburgh Trams’ Control team on the day via @EdinburghTrams.

To ensure pedestrian safety and to minimise traffic disruption, pedestrian diversions will be implemented around the Haymarket Station area following the match.

The City of Edinburgh Council is working closely with Police Scotland to keep road and pedestrian traffic moving smoothly before and after the game.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: “Six Nations home games are always a very exciting fixture in Edinburgh’s events calendar and I know there will be thousands and thousands of people getting ready to make the trip to Murrayfield Stadium on Sunday. I’d encourage everyone to plan their journey carefully and take heed of travel and parking information so that they can have as enjoyable a time as possible. Good luck to Scotland!”

A number of temporary road closures and parking restrictions will be in place.

Police and stewards will be on hand to help direct members of the public from the Stadium to the city centre.

Those heading back into the city centre on foot will be diverted left off the main road up Magdala Crescent to continue back into town.

Pedestrians travelling by rail from Haymarket Station will be guided along the main road towards Haymarket and stewards will be on hand to provide further assistance and advice as they approach the Station.

Although Russell Road is currently closed for Network Rail works, pedestrians will be able to use two dedicated lanes to access and exit the Stadium.

Information about getting to and from Murrayfield Stadium by tram, bus or rail can be found on the Scottish Rugby website.

And the game itself? I’m something of an expert having played for Royal High School’s sixth XV on a number of occasions (yes, okay, twice then and that was over forty years ago, but still …) and I reckon if Scotland can get the basics right we can run the Welsh pretty close today. Cut out the elaborate, ‘fancy Dan’ nonsense, keep it simple and we’re in with a chance.

England exposed some surprising Welsh frailties last weekend and Wales are there to be beaten this afternoon – but Scotland will have to improve and avoid silly mistakes. Unforced errors and conceding daft penalties could prove suicidal, for even when the Welsh are not functioning at concert pitch they can always call on the unerring boot of Leigh Halfpenny. Be brave, Scotland, but beware …

And on another (musical) note – isn’t the Welsh National Anthem the most stirring of them all? Enjoy the game (kick off 3pm)!

Extra £2m for ambulance service

The Scottish Government is to invest an additional £2 million in the Scottish Ambulance (SAS) next financial year. The cash has been earmarked to progress service developments that will improve patient care.

The extra funding will be used to help the ambulance service deliver their refreshed strategy, Towards 2020: Taking Care to the Patient, that will support the overall vision for the health service to provide more care to patients at home or in the community and help to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

To achieve this, more investment will be targeted at developing the clinical skills of the current ambulance service workforce to operate to the full scope of their practice, as well creating new roles with enhanced skill sets.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Scottish Ambulance Service play a vital role in the delivery of NHS care for patients, often being the first to attend to a patient who is unwell. They have a key part to play in this Government’s vision for a health service that works around the needs of a patient and delivers the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“That is why we are supporting the vision set out in this strategy with this additional funding which will help accelerate the pace of change and mean patients will start to benefit sooner. I know how committed and dedicated ambulance staff are to delivering high quality patient care day in and day out, and it is important we ensure they are equipped with the appropriate skills, training and clinical support to be able to deliver more care in the community.

“Our vision for a health service that meets the changing needs of our population, also needs our local services to evolve. With this vision, and investment, the ambulance service will be better prepared to meet the needs and the challenges of the future, working with local services.”

Over the course of the five-year strategy, the SAS aims to decrease A&E attendances by around 12 per cent by taking high quality care to people in the community and bringing those who need it directly to specialist care, rather than having to be admitted through emergency departments.

It also outlines plans to take forward investment in new technology to enhance diagnostic capacity and clinical decision support to frontline staff, as well as making further improvements to pre-hospital cardiac care by leading a national programme of improvement for out of hospital cardiac arrest.

Pauline Howie, Chief Executive, Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Our strategy recognises the principle that care should be appropriate to need, so we will continue to respond rapidly to serious emergencies while developing care pathways that are integrated with other health and social services in local communities to enable patients to be treated safely at home or in their community when appropriate.

“Last year over 77,000 patients avoided attendance at A&E after being treating safely at home by our teams and we continued to improve cardiac arrest survival rates.

“Our strategy is supported by a programme to develop our staff to meet the changing needs of patients within the new landscape of integrated health and social care in Scotland.”

Towards 2020: Taking Care to the Patient, A Strategic Framework for 2015-2020, is available at:

http://www.scottishambulance.com/UserFiles/file/TheService/Publications/Strategic%20Plan_Online%

Universal Credit ‘makes work pay’

The national roll out of Universal Credit begins tomorrow

Jobcentres from the rural Highlands of Scotland, down through the Vale of York and into London are moving over to the new benefit on Monday 16 February, says the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Edinburgh is among the first tranche to move over to UC.

Universal Credit eventually replaces six existing income-based benefits – Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Employment and Support Allowance, Working and Child Tax Credits and Housing Benefit.

As part of the accelerated roll out announced by the Secretary of State, Iain Duncan Smith in September, over 150 Jobcentres will come on board in the next 2 months. It will then be available in all Jobcentres by this time next year.

And on the eve of this national roll out, new research shows that Universal Credit is getting people into work more quickly and so helping them to earn more.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Iain Duncan Smith said: “This government’s welfare reforms have saved the taxpayer £50 billion and restored fairness to the system.

“The centrepiece of these reforms – Universal Credit – begins national roll out tomorrow. This landmark event is a key part of our long term economic plan, which guarantees you will always be better off in work than on benefits.

“The evidence today shows that under Universal Credit, people move into work more quickly and earn more money, giving them increased financial security. It is very impressive that we have seen these results so soon and that this is having a real impact on people’s lives. This is a cultural change which will alter the landscape of work for a generation.”

The government’s research shows that, over a 4 month period, claimants are:

13% more likely to have been in work than those on Jobseeker’s Allowance
earning more money

Similar to previous findings, the report also confirms that new Universal Credit claimants in the expanded sites are more likely than Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants to:

believe the benefit system is encouraging them to find work
take any job they are able to do
spend more time looking for work

Th DWP says that once fully rolled out, Universal Credit will boost the economy by £7 billion every year.

The Research

Read Universal Credit at Work – spring 2015

The research was carried out by tracking claimants from July 2013 to April 2014 in the areas of:

Warrington
Wigan
Oldham
Ashton-under-Lyne

These results based on income data from Real Time Information (RTI) were compared to a similar group of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants.

Universal Credit Claims

More than 50,000 people have already made a claim to Universal Credit. It is available in 96 jobcentres including all of the north-west and is available to couples too. Claims from families and lone parents are also being taken in 32 sites.

Read the list of places where Universal Credit will be available between February and July 2015

uc-national-expansion

Scotland Office: 14 reasons to love Scotland

February 14 may be over, but perhaps thoughts of love are still in the air? The Scotland Office suggests you take a little look at 14 reasons to love Scotland.

As they say, from the scenery to the golf, and not forgetting the talented people and the food, there’s certainly a lot to love … and I reckon they could have added a few more too. What do you think?

Contracts signed for new Sick Kids hospital

Construction of a major new healthcare facility is set to start after the financial contracts were agreed yesterday. The new £150 million building will see services from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service brought together in a modern and high-quality setting at Little France.

Construction works will start over the next few weeks and the new building, which will adjoin the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, is expected to open in autumn 2017.

The six storey building (including basement) will have a large atrium with a shop and café, a stunning skylight linking both hospital entrances, a helipad on the roof and a link building adjoining adult and paediatric emergency departments.

It will also bring with it an increase in single rooms with ensuite facilities and a range of new technology.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “This is a momentous date for this project and I’m personally very pleased that work will soon be about to begin on the new co-located Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences.

“The new development brings paediatric care, specialist neonatal care, neurosciences and adult and children’s emergency departments all together in one place, making access to services much easier for patients and health professionals alike.

“The Scottish Government is investing over £2 billion in Scotland’s health infrastructure over the spending review period, with this development being one of many that demonstrate the Scottish Government’s commitment to continually improving health services. The investment in this development will ensure the hospital campus at Little France can continue to develop as a modern hub of research and medical practice.”

Susan Goldsmith, Finance Director, NHS Lothian said: “We are delighted to have reached this point and now look forward with anticipation to seeing the new facility taking shape over the coming years.

“This is an extremely exciting time in the proud history of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, along with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, which will find a high-quality new home at Little France from 2017.

“The building designs have been heavily influenced by staff, patients and families and, in addition to offering a modern, light and spacious environment, will also enhance the clinical services we deliver.”

Mark Bradshaw, IHS Lothian and Macquarie Capital said: “We are excited that construction will soon start on The Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences. This state-of-the-art facility will allow the delivery of quality healthcare services to the people of the Lothian region and beyond for decades to come.

“It has been a pleasure to partner with the Lothian NHS Board and the Scottish Futures Trust to develop an innovative and competitive financing structure that will ensure value for money over the next 25 years.”

Peter Reekie, Scottish Futures Trust, deputy chief executive and director of investments said: “This is a fantastic deal for NHS Lothian and its partners, bringing investment into the Lothians and allowing construction to start on a great new building which will support many hundreds of jobs as it is built.”

Some key features of the new facility include:

233 beds and 10 theatres. 154 beds in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, 67 beds in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and 12 beds in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service.
11 beds will be added to the critical care department within the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
The specifically designed family hotel will mean that the experience for families whose child has to spend time in hospital is more homely.
Conjoined children’s and adult Emergency Departments will mean that the most appropriate services are available to teenagers who currently do not always fit well into either service.
Patients in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service suffering from physical illness and mental health problems will benefit from the immediate availability of both specialities.
The Department of Clinical Neurosciences will make neurology and neurosurgery available to all age groups on a single site, meaning potentially quicker treatment is available. One advantage will be that patients who present to the Emergency Department at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and who subsequently turn out to need neurosurgery will no longer need to be transferred to the Western General Hospital.
The most modern imaging equipment within the Department of Clinical Neurosciences along with its adjacency to the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic and the Clinical Research Imaging Centre will allow the Department of Clinical Neurosciences to further enhance its position as a leading clinical and academic neurosciences centre.

SFRS: stay safe on Valentine’s Day

Firefighters are urging the public to make sure they don’t risk tragedy if they plan to turn up the heat on Valentine’s Day …

With people throughout Scotland set to enjoy a romantic evening with someone special, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is reminding everyone how they can prevent distraction leading to disaster.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, the SFRS director of prevention and protection, said: “Many people will be marking Valentine’s Day with a romantic meal at home so it’s important that they aren’t leaving themselves and their loved ones at needless risk from fire.

“Kitchens are the most common starting point of house fires and someone getting distracted while they’re cooking is a very common cause.

“It only takes a moment for a fire to start and if you’re not concentrating then cooking even the simplest meal can lead to a serious incident.

“The chance of a fire happening dramatically increases if a person tries to cook while they’re under the influence of alcohol – we all need to accept these things just don’t mix.”

People should never walk away from a cooker while the grill or hob is on.

As householders look to set a romantic atmosphere SFRS is also making clear that even the small flame from a candle can lead to a home, or lives, being lost to fire.

ACO Ramsay added: “Candles are very popular decorations but they’re also a significant fire risk and anyone using them needs to make sure they do so safely.

“It’s vital lit candles aren’t left unattended or placed where they could be accidentally knocked over or set fire to things like furniture, curtains or clothing.

“The fact is fires tend to start when our attention stops. Understanding the hazards and choosing to take a few very easy steps to address them really does save lives.”

Where fires do start, early warning is crucial if people are to get to safety, with working smoke alarms known to save lives, prevent injuries and minimize damage to property.

Householders can also install heat alarms in kitchens as these devices will detect a fire early without being activated by smoke produced from cooking.

Flower of Scotland is fans’ choice

The majority of Scotland supporters are in favour of Flower of Scotland being officially recognised as the country’s national anthem, the SFA has announced.

The Scottish FA was asked to provide football’s view by the Scottish Parliamentary Petition Committee and the decision to ask the fans was met with an overwhelming 35,000 responses in 48 hours.

Of those polled across the SFA’s Scotland Supporters Club (SSC) membership, and a social media audience in excess of 500,000, 56% were in favour of the Scottish Government officially recognising the anthem, with 44% opposed to the formalisation.

The poll was circulated to 35,000 SSC members as well as through the Scottish FA’s Official Twitter account and Scotland National Team Facebook page.

Interestingly, there was a marked difference between SSC respondents and the social media view. While 65% of the 23,000 social media responses were in favour of official recognition, 60% of the 12,606 SSC respondents were not in favour.

The Scottish FA also gave fans the opportunity to suggest alternatives to Flower of Scotland, which has proven hugely popular in the sporting arena and has been performed at Hampden Park by the likes of Amy Macdonald, Nina Nesbitt, Julie Fowlis, Donnie Munro and last year’s X Factor runner-up, Nicholas McDonald.

Caledonia, the Dougie MacLean classic, figured prominently along with Scotland the Brave as suggested alternatives but there was also significant support for the creation of a new anthem, with notable mentions, also, for the Proclaimers favourite, 500 Miles, and the United Kingdom’s National Anthem, God Save The Queen.

The feedback has now been submitted to the Parliamentary Petition Committee.

A Scottish FA spokesperson said: “The response to the committee’s enquiry has been incredible. The easy option would have been to gauge the Board’s view but the wider consultation not only demonstrates the passion and engagement of our 35,000 Supporters Club members but also highlights the power of social media.

“While the majority of responses were in favour of Flower of Scotland being officially recognised by the Scottish Government, there is also plenty food for thought in the feedback analysis.

“There is clearly an appetite among a section of supporters to give consideration to a new anthem. Scotland the Brave retains an affinity among an element of the supporters with the popularity of The Proclaimers’ crowd-pleaser endures.”

All aboard Lothian Buses to the Mad Hatter’s Midnight Tea Party!

The MoonWalk Scotland’s amazing Pink Bus is back – and thanks to Lothian Buses, it’s en route to the Mad Hatter’s Midnight Tea Party! For the third year, Lothian Buses are uniting with MoonWalk organisers breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, as Official Transport Partner for the iconic night-time walking challenge.

The MoonWalk celebrates its 10^th anniversary on 13 June this year, when thousands of women, men and young Walkers will join together at Edinburgh’s Inverleith Park to celebrate a decade of incredible Scottish fundraising and decorated bras, before setting off on their Walking challenges. With this year’s Alice in Wonderland inspired theme, organisers are expecting a night full of fun, wonder and madness!

Between now and The MoonWalk Scotland in June, Lothian Buses’ specially branded bright Pink Bus will once again become a familiar sight on bus routes all over Edinburgh and the Lothians, and will be the centre piece of several special roadshows in the build up to the event.

On the night itself, Lothian Buses will provide a special service from Edinburgh City Centre to Inverleith Park and will also transport hundreds of the charity’s fantastic Volunteers to and from their positions on The MoonWalk route. Participants in the New Moon challenge (6.55 miles) will also be chauffeured by Lothian Buses back from their finish line to MoonWalk City, where they will watch films in Walk the Walk’s huge Pink Tent.

Lothian Buses are not only providing the wheels to and from The MoonWalk Wonderland, but some of the company’s staff are also ditching their regular uniforms for Alice in Wonderland inspired costumes, as they take part in The MoonWalk themselves.

The MoonWalk Scotland has raised almost £18 million over the last ten years, with most of the money staying in Scotland, to help improve the lives of people with cancer. Walk the Walk makes a huge difference across the country, granting large amounts to projects and charities who would otherwise take many years to raise the money on their own.

There is a walking distance for every age and ability, from the 6.55 miles New Moon challenge, now in its third year, to the Half Moon (13.1 miles), Full Moon (26.2 miles) and for those wanting a thrilling new goal, the double marathon Over The Moon (52.4 miles).

Nina Barough CBE, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk said: “I am absolutely delighted that Lothian Buses are once again uniting with Walk the Walk as our Official Transport Partner for 2015, and especially as this year will be a big year, as we celebrate our ten years of MoonWalking in Scotland.

“Lothian Buses will have a busy night ahead of them, transporting our Walkers from the centre of Edinburgh to the best party in town at Inverleith, helping to deploy our Volunteers and Marshalls around the course, and collecting all our New Mooners from their Finish Line and delivering them back to MoonWalk City.

“And as for the incredible pink MoonWalk Scotland bus, it will be out on the streets of Edinburgh and the Lothians, always spreading the word – it’s a daily reminder to encourage people to sign up for The MoonWalk and help to really make a huge difference to people with breast cancer across Scotland.”

Tina McMurray, a Lothian Buses driver who is leading the company’s MoonWalkers on 13 June said: “We are delighted that once again thanks to the support of our employers, Lothian Buses, staff can get involved with The MoonWalk for the third year running. We are all really excited for the night itself and helping this great cause.”

Entries are now open for The MooonWalk Scotland 2015. To sign up as a walker or volunteer, go to www.walkthewalk.org/moonwalkscotland