Category: North Edinburgh News

Employment Rights Act 2025: What’s changing from 6 April

TUC GUIDE

A further wave of employment rights introduced under the Employment Rights Act 2025 came into force yesterday (6 April).

Trade union campaigning has delivered a transformative package of new rights. The April changes will improve statutory sick pay for millions of workers, enable more working parents to take leave and give more workers a voice at work, by making it easier for unions to get recognised by employers for the purposes of representation and negotiation. 

But changes delivered by the ERA will go much further than just these protections, with wide ranging new rights coming into force in a staggered timetable.

The first tranche of rights, which revoked large sections of anti-trade union legislation came into force on the 18 February 2026.

Further rights are scheduled to come into force on October 6 2026, with many more to follow in 2027. 

Keep an eye on our Employment Rights Act homepage for further details.

What’s changing from April 6?

Statutory sick pay 

No more earnings threshold and no more waiting days. All eligible employees can receive Statutory Sick Pay regardless of how much they earn. From their first full day of sickness absence. 

Day one rights to Paternity Leave or Unpaid Parental Leave  

Currently there are lengthy qualifying periods before working parents become entitled to paternity and parental leave. Both types of leave will become “day one” rights. Employees will also be able take Paternity Leave and Pay after Shared Parental Leave and Pay (currently they can’t). 

Stronger protections against unfair redundancy  

If an employer fails to comply with collective redundancy consultation obligations, employees may be entitled to a higher “protective award” (fine paid by the employer). The maximum protective award that an employment tribunal can make where an employer has not properly consulted during large scale redundancies – is increasing from 90 days’ pay to 180 days’ pay. 

Whistleblowing protections – sexual harassment 

Workers will have stronger legal protection if they ‘blow the whistle’ on sexual harassment at work. If a worker makes a whistleblowing disclosure about sexual harassment they may be protected from detriment (adverse treatment) and dismissal by their employer, as long as certain conditions are met. 

New Fair Work Agency enforcement body 

A new government agency called the Fair Work Agency will: 

  • Bring together enforcement of key workplace rights in one place.
  • Work closely with Acas to provide better support and guidance to workers about their rights.
  • Investigate employers who break the law.
  • Issue penalties to employers who don’t comply.
  • Enforce rights including the national minimum wage. 

Trade unions will have representation on the Fair Work Agency Advisory Board, ensuring workers’ voices are heard in how the agency operates. 

Easier union recognition 

The process for statutory recognition of a trade union has been simplified: 

  • When applying for recognition to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), unions will no longer have to show that a majority of the bargaining unit is likely to support recognition. The requirement that ten per cent of the bargaining unit are members remains in place, although the government has committed to consult on lowering this later this year.
  • A simple majority voting in support will secure recognition. The requirement that 40 per cent of workers in the bargaining unit must vote in favour to achieve recognition will be abolished. 

What this means for you

The ERA will continue to transform the lives of all workers in years ahead. 

Improvements to statutory sick pay will mean that up to 9.6 million workers will have improved rights if they are unwell. Trade unions will be given groundbreaking new rights enabling them to access workplaces and speak to workers who have never seen or heard from trade unions before. 

And enforcement of core workplace rights will improve as the new Fair Work Agency is given new powers, a wider remit, and increased resources.  

The changes are too significant and too wide reaching to reference in one blog. But the TUC will be developing its guidance to reflect the new changes as they happen. 

More information

  • Learn about the full range of new rights in our guide.
  • Talk to your union rep about the new rights, think about how they might impact colleagues in your workplace and think about next steps.
  • Keep an eye out for an extensive, new Trade Union Education offering.
  • Share this with colleagues in your workplace. 

New CEO for Eric Liddell Community

The Eric Liddell Community, the Edinburgh-based dementia care charity, is pleased to announce the appointment of Megan Veronesi as its new Chief Executive Officer, following a careful and considered recruitment process.

Megan formally takes up the role on 1 April 2026, succeeding John MacMillan, who has served as CEO since 2016.

Megan brings more than 15 years of experience across the third sector, having held senior roles at organisations including Royal Trinity Hospice, Firstport, and Edinburgh World Heritage. Most recently working as a freelance interim CEO and consultant, Megan has provided strategic leadership, guidance, and practical support to a broad range of charities and social enterprises.

She brings a strong track record in organisational leadership, with particular expertise in strengthening operations, diversifying and growing income, and increasing the impact of important charitable work.

Megan Veronesi, CEO of The Eric Liddell Community, said: “It is an honour to join The Eric Liddell Community as Chief Executive Officer. The charity plays a vital role in supporting people living with dementia and unpaid carers, while also serving as a vibrant and treasured community hub in the heart of Edinburgh. 

“I look forward to working closely with the team, volunteers and partners to build on these strong foundations and ensure long-term sustainability in an increasingly complex environment. Together, we can help to reduce loneliness and isolation for more people and families at some of the most challenging times in their lives.”

Irene Adams OBE, Chair of The Eric Liddell Community, added: “We are delighted to welcome Megan Veronesi as our new Chief Executive Officer.

“Megan’s breadth of experience and leadership within the sector make her exceptionally well placed to lead the charity through its next phase of development. We look forward to working with her to continue delivering meaningful impact for those we support.”

Megan joins the organisation at a pivotal time, following the publication of its 2026 manifesto, which outlines key priorities including improving support for people living with dementia, unpaid carers, and volunteers, as well as addressing ongoing challenges around third sector funding and the implementation of dementia policy. She will lead the organisation through its next phase of development, with a focus on expanding its reach and deepening its impact across the community.

To find out more about The Eric Liddell Community, please visit: 

The Eric Liddell Community.

Record monthly fuel price increases in March

Petrol and diesel increase by record monthly amounts

  • Diesel goes up by 40p in a month – 18p more than the previous record set four years ago
  • 20p monthly hike in the average price of petrol surpasses June 2022 record of 16.6p
  • Full tanks of petrol and diesel go up by £11 and £22 in March

The average prices of petrol and diesel both increased by record monthly amounts in March on the back of the conflict in Iran, analysis of RAC Fuel Watch data reveals.*

A litre of unleaded rose by 20p from 132.83p on 1 March to 152.83p by the end, surpassing the previous all-time biggest monthly jump of 16.6p seen at the end of June 2022 when petrol went up from 174.84p to 191.43p.

The increase in the average price of diesel was even more dramatic, going up 40p in March to 182.77p from 142.38p – almost doubling the previous record rise of 22p seen in March 2022 where the price went from 155.23p to 177.29p at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite the record rises seen in March, average fuel prices are still some way off the all-time highs of summer 2022 when petrol peaked at an average of 191.5p (3 July) and diesel at 199p a litre (25 June).

The sudden hikes have added £11 to the cost of filling a 55-litre family car, which now stands at nearly £84 (£84.06), and £22 for the diesel equivalent, with a tank topping £100 (£100.52)

RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “March has been truly unprecedented – fuel prices have never risen this fast in a single month. But while this is the biggest pence-per-litre increase ever in a month, it’s not as great in real terms as those seen during the 1973 oil crisis when the price of a barrel quadrupled.

“The increases drivers have had to endure in March 2026 far exceed those seen in the early days of the war in Ukraine. 

“While the monthly rise in a litre of petrol is bad enough, the jump in the cost of diesel is even harder to swallow at 40p a litre – 18p more than the previous monthly record. With long-term RAC research showing eight-in-10 people are dependent on their vehicles, these costs must really be taking their toll on both households as well as businesses.

“Ahead of the Easter getaway, which is expected to be the busiest on the roads since 2022 with nearly 21m leisure journeys planned, we urge drivers to fill up as usual and to use the myRAC app to find the cheapest forecourts near them.”

Drivers looking to save money on their fill-ups should take advantage of the fuel finder feature in the free myRAC app. The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store or Google Play, and drivers don’t need to be RAC members to use it. Up to 10 searches a day can be made over a two, five or 10-mile radius, with each giving the five cheapest prices. 

The RAC Fuel Watch web page has more information about the average price of petrol and diesel at the big four supermarkets and at motorway services.

It also features graphs showing average prices since 2000 as well as a daily financial breakdown of the cost of a litre of petrol and diesel.

Swinney: Scotland fans must not be priced out of the World Cup

John Swinney has called on FIFA to end dynamic pricing for World Cup tickets after supporters were hit with eye-watering costs to follow Scotland this summer.

The First Minister has written to FIFA President Gianni Infantino urging him to introduce a fairer ticketing model, warning that too many members of the Tartan Army risk being priced out of Scotland’s first men’s World Cup since 1998.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said: “The Tartan Army are the greatest supporters in the world, and have waited almost 30 years for the World Cup. They should not be priced out by dynamic ticket pricing.

“I’ve written to FIFA to urge fairer and more affordable prices. Football should be about fans, not finances.”

Full letter from the First Minister to FIFA President Gianni Infantino:

Dear Gianni Infantino,

As you will know, this summer Scotland will return to the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998.

Our victory against Denmark led to the most remarkable scenes as people across Scotland celebrated one of the proudest moments in our recent sporting memory.

Steve Clarke and the team have instilled a sense of confidence and pride in our country that only our national game can bring.

That incredible moment for our nation will live long in the memory and in just a few months’ time thousands will embark on a trip to America to follow Scotland in our games against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil and, with a bit of magic from the boys, beyond that too.

Our Tartan Army has the chance to see our men’s national team at a World Cup for the first time in decades, but our historic return has been marred by FIFA’s dynamic pricing model that has made the trip simply unaffordable for so many loyal supporters.

This model has made this the most expensive World Cup in history and it is the opposite of what football, and indeed the biggest sporting occasion on the planet, should be about.

Scotland fans, travelling across the globe, are entirely justified in calling for you to put an end to this pricing model, particularly during a cost of living crisis when people are really struggling. I am urging you to act to introduce a fair, affordable ticketing model for fans going forward.

Scotland gave birth to our beautiful game and its management has been entrusted to you. But as you know football belongs to fans. It is now imperative you take responsibility to ensure that remains the case.

Yours sincerely,

John Swinney

First Minister of Scotland

Major new £1.5m Scottish project to focus on “sabotaging” cancer cells

SABOTAGING CANCER COULD OPEN DOOR TO NEW TREATMENTS

RESEARCHERS IN EDINBURGH AIM TO ‘TRICK’ BOWEL CANCER

SCIENTISTS in Edinburgh are launching a £1.5 million Cancer Research UK-funded study to find a way to ‘sabotage’ bowel cancer cells.

Cancer cells can often disguise themselves, preventing the immune system from recognising them as a threat and destroying them. The team, at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer (IGC) at the University of Edinburgh, aims to disrupt cancer’s DNA messaging system, causing errors that make the cells visible to immune defences.

Exploring how to trigger this vulnerability, the study’s long-term goal is to identify new treatments to tackle bowel cancer more effectively.

Project leader Dr Kevin Myant, of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre and IGC, said: “Around 85 per cent of patients with bowel cancer find immunotherapy isn’t effective for them. Our new project aims to explore why and find new ways to make bowel cancer more responsive to this type of treatment.

“Immunotherapy is exciting as it has the potential to be curative, not just manage the disease, and has the benefit of reducing side effects to patients.

“We hope this project will find a way to shine a light on bowel cancer cells so they are no longer invisible to our immune system, by disrupting the messages telling cancer cells to grow.”

Bowel cancer kills 16,800 people in the UK (1,700 in Scotland) every year and is increasingly being diagnosed in younger people.

A recent study by the American Cancer Society published in The Lancet Oncology showed early-onset bowel cancer rates in adults aged 25-49 are rising in 27 of 50 countries studied and at a faster rate in young women in Scotland and England than in young men.

Often, in cancer, the immune system doesn’t see cancer cells as a threat as they are generated from inside the body.

This research will focus on the body’s messaging system, RNA, which takes information from DNA and tells cells when to grow and where.

The team aims to sabotage this system, through a process called RNA splicing, to disrupt these messages and introduce errors which will effectively “light up” bowel cancer cells to the immune system so it can destroy them.

Cancer Research UK Director of Research, Dr Catherine Elliott, said: “Immunotherapies, where a patient’s own immune system is harnessed to tackle cancer, are a key area of cancer research and for some patients, they are providing transformational improvements but not all patients respond to them.

“Being able to use the power of our own immune system to tackle cancer could offer more effective treatments and lead to the kind of breakthroughs which can revolutionise cancer treatment and care.

“We need more research to understand the differences in patient responses to therapies and how to improve these, and Cancer Research UK is delighted to fund this innovative and potentially transformative research.”

Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK. Despite this, treatment options remain limited, particularly for patients who are diagnosed at later stages of the disease.

Scotland is disproportionately affected by the disease with around 4,000 people diagnosed each year.

NHS 24: Easter Weekend advice

Important info below, please share ⤵️⚠️

You can save yourself time on the way to feeling better by using NHS inform to get the right care in the right place.

Depending on your situation, you might not have to phone 111.

Quick links:

💻 symptom checkers: https://nhs24.info/symptom-checkers

💊 accessing medicines: https://nhs24.info/accessing-medicines

🏥 Scotland’s Service Directory: https://nhs24.info/servicedirectory

💙 urgent mental health help: https://nhs24.info/urgent-mental-health

Thank you 💙

New screening for rare condition in newborns

Test could enable earlier treatment and improve life chances

Scotland is now the first part of the UK to screen newborn babies for a rare condition which causes progressive muscle wastage.

The test for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which can affect movement, breathing and swallowing, began this week. Previously, people affected will have been tested once they displayed symptoms.

The Scottish Government and pharmaceutical company Novartis are funding a two-year evaluation to assess how well SMA screening can detect the condition earlier, allowing babies to receive treatment as soon as possible.

On average, three to four babies per year are born with SMA in Scotland.

All parents are now offered SMA screening for their newborns through the existing blood spot test, which is taken around day four after birth.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Scotland is the first country in the UK to start the evaluation of SMA screening.

“SMA can have devastating implications for babies and their families, and this investment demonstrates our commitment to early detection through our screening programme.

“I thank SMA UK and local campaigners who have worked so hard to highlight this issue and Novartis for its funding. By detecting SMA before symptoms develop, screening could allow earlier treatment which could be life-changing and help secure the best possible care and support for babies and families.”

SMA UK charity CEO Giles Lomax said: “This milestone represents an important step forward for the SMA community.

“With all three treatments now routinely available through NHS Scotland alongside newborn screening, the future for anyone diagnosed with SMA is very different compared to their peers who were diagnosed symptomatically.

“These babies will now have the opportunity to grow up without life-long health care needs and the complexity and challenges of living with SMA.

“I would like to thank the Scottish Government, the numerous clinicians and the Scottish Muscle Network as well as Novartis for their on-going support to drive change.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Consultant Clinical Scientist and Director of the screening laboratory Dr Sarah Smith said: “We are working closely with the UK National Screening Committee and other UK laboratories to assess the screen in a real‑life setting.

“Our staff have worked tirelessly to begin screening as quickly as possible so we can start to understand the impact that earlier treatment may have on babies born with this condition.” 

UK and Ireland Chief Medical Officer at Novartis Rob Hastings said: “We are delighted that Scotland has become the first nation in the UK to introduce newborn screening for SMA, helping ensure families benefit from timely diagnosis.

“This programme marks a significant step forward in early detection and intervention, giving babies the chance to receive the care they need as soon as possible.

“Early identification of SMA can make a meaningful difference to children and their families, and we are confident Scotland’s participation will provide the evidence needed to make SMA a long term screening programme.”

Scottish Director of Screening Dr Tasmin Sommerfield said: “I am delighted that Scotland is following the advice of the UK National Screening Committee and commencing this in-service evaluation of SMA screening.

“It will allow babies with SMA to receive the best care and treatment as soon as possible.”

The Scottish Government provided funding of £95,000 towards the SMA screening evaluation, with Novartis providing £435,400.

NHS Lothian neurosurgeon featured on CNN for pioneering live brain tissue donation initiative

The Department of Clinical Neurosciences at Little France recently welcomed a news crew from CNN International to highlight a world‑leading partnership between the neurosurgery team and researchers at the University of Edinburgh.

Spearheaded by neurosurgeon Paul Brennan and Race Against Dementia Fellow Dr Claire Durrant, the programme involves keeping living human brain tissue – removed during routine neurosurgery – alive for study in the laboratory.

This pioneering research has enabled scientists to show, for the first time, how a toxic form of a protein linked to Alzheimer’s can attach to and damage the connections between brain cells.

The team hopes the discovery will help identify medications with the greatest potential to prevent the loss of synapses—the vital connections that allow messages to flow between brain cells and support healthy brain function.

Paul Brennan said: “During neurosurgery, there is always a small amount of healthy brain tissue that must be removed in order to reach, for example, a tumour and typically that tissue would be thrown away. Our partnership with Claire and her team means we can package up that healthy, living tissue and send it to the lab for testing.

“Even the tiniest piece “contains thousands of cells, and we can learn a great deal from it. Research of this type has been underway for some time, but this collaboration allows us to study living human brain tissue in a way that hasn’t routinely been possible before.”

The tissue is collected with the patient’s consent, in a process similar to organ donation. Aidan McAllister (28) chose to donate his healthy brain tissue during an operation to remove a tumour. He said: “My grandad passed away from Alzheimer’s a few years ago. We were really close – he lived just across the road and we saw each other every day. His dementia became so severe that he didn’t know who he was or who we were.

“It’s a really brutal disease. When Paul asked if I’d consider donating some of my brain tissue during surgery, I thought if it could help people like my grandad, then I wanted to do it.”

Dr Claire Durrant said: “We believe this research could accelerate the journey from lab findings to patient treatments, bringing us one step closer to a world free from the heartbreak of dementia.

“It was fantastic to be able to show the CNN team what we do and to highlight the vital, world-leading research taking place in Edinburgh.”

Missing youth: Renewed appeal

HAVE YOU SEEN AHMAD?

POLICE continue to appeal for the help of the public to trace Ahmad Bader, 15, who has been reported missing from Edinburgh.

Ahmad was last seen around 4pm on Monday, 30 March, 2026 in the Abbeyhill area.

He is described as around 6ft tall, of medium build with short black hair. When last seen, he was wearing a light blue navy tracksuit, a black gilet and black trainers.

Enquiries so far suggest that Ahmad is still in the Edinburgh area.

Chief Inspector Scott Kennedy said: “Concerns are growing for Ahmad’s welfare, and I am continuing to appeal to anyone who knows where Ahmad might be, or has any information, to contact officers.

“If anyone has seen someone matching Ahmad’s description in the Edinburgh area, please get in touch as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 1433 of 31 March, 2026.

Over 12 million pensioners to receive £575 State Pension boost

Over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pension rise by up to £575 from tomorrow (Monday 6 April), as both the basic and new State Pensions increase by 4.8% under the Triple Lock guarantee

  • Millions of pensioners to receive up to an additional £575 in their State Pension this year.
  • The Government’s Triple Lock commitment means pensioners’ incomes will rise by up to £2,100 over this parliament.
  • This year’s uprating of State Pensions and working-age benefits will help millions of people across the UK in the face of cost-of-living pressures.

The Government has already delivered above-inflation increases worth up to £395 in real terms over this Parliament. By its end, pensioners’ annual incomes are expected to rise by up to £2,100 – boosting financial security for millions.

Pension Credit will also rise by 4.8% and be worth an average of £4,300 a year, unlocking further support including help with housing costs, council tax and free television licenses. Between 2026 and 2027, the government will provide a £6 billion boost to spending on State Pensions and pensioner benefits.

The increases come into effect as the government takes wider action to ease pressure on household finances, including raising the National Living Wage, cutting an average of £150 from household energy bills, lifting the two child limit and freezing rail fares and prescription charges.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “I know global shocks, and the effects they have on our living costs, will be increasing anxiety for many households.

“This government will always protect our pensioners, and that’s why we are raising the full rate of new State Pension by up to £575 this coming year.”

Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said: “After a lifetime of work and contribution, people deserve a decent retirement.

“Raising the State Pensions faster than prices, ensuring it is a pension they can rely on, is how we make that a reality for millions.”

In addition to the range of action being taken by government to support families, most working-age benefits, and other benefits for people below State Pension age, will also increase by 3.8% helping millions of households.

This comes alongside action the Government is taking to incentivise work and tackle ill-health, including boosting the standard rate of Universal Credit by 6.2% – the first ever permanent, above-inflation increase – and tackling perverse incentives by introducing a lower Universal Credit health element rate of £217.26 per month for new claimants, compared to the higher rate of £429.80.