The Scottish Government has made a remarkable “commitment” to reducing car-kilometres by 20% over the 2019 pre-covid figures, by year 2030 – primarily as a response to the climate crisis, although with many additional side-benefits for public health and community.
Edinburgh City Council has followed this up with a 30% ambition – albeit a “target” rather than a commitment.
Our online public meeting on Monday 21 February brings together Scottish Government Minister Patrick Harvie MSP, responsible for active travel policies and Cllr Lesley Macinnes, the City’s Transport Convener, to explain, debate and be challenged on the route to achieving these very tough ambitions.
Dr Caroline Brown, member of Spokes and of the Transform Scotland policy forum, will critique the government and council approaches; and this will be followed by an hour of debate between the panel members, prompted by your questions.
Almost 100,000 Self Assessment customers across the UK have used online payment plans to spread the cost of their tax bill into manageable monthly instalments since April 2021, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.
Once a customer has filed their 2020/21 Self Assessment tax return, they can set up a Time to Pay arrangement for up to 12 months on debts up to £30,000, that they’re unable to pay in full. This can be done online at GOV.UK without speaking to HMRC.
Since April 2021, Self Assessment customers have used the online Time to Pay service to pay more than £310 million worth of tax in instalments. If a customer owes more than £30,000, or needs longer to pay, they should contact HMRC to discuss payment options.
The deadline for filing tax returns, paying any tax owed or setting up a payment plan was 31 January but, this year, HMRC has given customers extra time to meet their obligations without facing penalties.
This means:
· anyone who did not file their return by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late filing penalty if they file by 28 February
· anyone who did not pay their tax liabilities by the 31 January deadline will not receive a late payment penalty if they pay their tax in full, or set up a time to pay arrangement, by 1 April
From 1 February, all outstanding amounts were subject to interest.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We understand some customers might be worrying about paying their Self Assessment bill this year, and we want to support them.
“To see if you’re eligible to set up a payment plan, go to GOV.UK and search ‘pay my Self Assessment’.”
other COVID-19 grants and support payments such as self-isolation payments, local authority grants and those for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme
The £500 one-off payment for working households receiving tax credits should not be reported in Self Assessment.
It is important that customers check and make any changes to their tax return to make sure any SEISS or other COVID-19 support payments have been reported correctly in their Self Assessment.
HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information. Customers should always type in the full online address www.gov.uk/hmrc to get the correct link for filing their Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge.
HMRC sees high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department.
If you’re in doubt, do not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but contact HMRC straight away and search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.
Why a rampaging bin might not be covered by home or business insurance
Winter storms inevitably bring storm damage, and one of the major culprits these days are wheelie bins being blown into cars and property. Recent storms have caused many £1000s of pounds worth of damage to cars, garden fences and untold hours will be wasted collecting litter from streets and car parks.
And according to one waste and recycling company, if you’ve not made a reasonable effort to prevent your bins from getting loose, you might not be covered by insurance.
Waste collection company Divert.co.uk says rampaging wheelie bins can cause thousands of pounds of damage for which the householder or business owner from where it came could be held responsible.
We’ve all seen videos of bins being blown down the street during storms, says Divert.co.uk spokesman Mark Hall, “but what many people forget is that they’re heavy and can pack a real punch if they hit anything.
What’s the damage, then?
The average domestic wheelie bin, when empty, weighs around 10kg (22lbs in the old money). A wheeled commercial bin weighs between 15-50kg (33-110 pounds).
Allowed to run free in gale-force winds gusting up to 50mph, the potential for damage is enormous.
Blown out into the street, even a domestic bin can cause thousands of pounds of damage to a car. Even a small dent could cost you between £50-£150, and that might not be covered by your insurance excess, so it’ll come straight out of your pocket.
And that’s if your insurance is valid because here’s the small print: Insurance companies – always looking to protect their bottom line – might not payout if you have not made a reasonable attempt to secure your bins.
We repeat, in bold type: Your insurance may not be valid.
“The nightmare scenario is your bin pummelling your neighbour’s brand new Tesla,” says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall. “You might need to be as rich as Elon Musk to get out of that if your insurance turns you down.”
So, should I tie down my bins?
Securing your wheelie bins on your domestic or commercial property protects you from any liability should they cause damage to other people’s property.
In most cases, you don’t need to do anything elaborate. For a domestic bin, a bungee cord securing the bin to a fence, downpipe or other fixture would be sufficient.
You can also buy a bracket handle that fixes your bin to the wall if you want a more elegant and secure solution.
For multiple or heavier bins, it’s worth investing in a corral or enclosure for your wheeled containers. They also look tidier than having a row of bins outside your property.
All of these solutions also secures them against bin theft, which is a bizarre, yet growing phenomenon.
Not only do thieves love wheelie bins as a means to carry swag away from a break-in, but they’re also stolen and burned by feckless youths who live under the belief that inhaling the fumes gets you high.
Public service announcement: Huffing bin fumes does not get you high.
And securing your bins makes sense even before you consider the insurance aspect.
That’s because there’s nothing worse than stepping out in a cold, wet, and blustery morning to find your bin blown over and having to chase rubbish down the street.
Nobody wants to do that, says Divert.co.uk’s Mark Hall. “Save yourself a morning of misery – secure your wheelie bin.”
Over 658,000 Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments have been made to 126,055 carers since this additional payment, unique in the UK, was introduced in September 2018.
In total, £188 million has been paid to carers since launch and just under 82,000 eligible carers received a payment in December 2021.
Recognising the impacts of the pandemic on unpaid carers, these payments included an additional Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment, making the total December payment value £462.80.
Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer’s Allowance on a particular date.
There are two Carer’s Allowance Supplement eligibility dates each year – one in April and one in October. The eligibility dates for 2022 will be Monday 11 April 2022 and Monday 10 October 2022.
The Minister for Social Security, Ben Macpherson said: “In recognising the vital contribution of unpaid carers in our society, Carer’s Allowance Supplement was the first payment we introduced when we established our new social security system in 2018.
“Providing this supplementary payment rights the wrong that Carer’s Allowance on its own is the lowest of all working age benefits in the UK.
“The impacts of the pandemic put additional pressure on tens of thousands of carers across the country. That is why we also paid an additional Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement Payment in 2020 and 2021.
“The Scottish Government’s additional payments meant that eligible carers in Scotland received up to £694.20 more in support last year than carers in the rest of the UK.”
Carer’s Allowance Supplement is paid automatically twice a year to carers who are living in Scotland and receive Carer’s Allowance, paid by the Department for Work and Pensions, on specified qualifying dates. The qualifying date for the December 2021 double payment was 11 October 2021
There are two Carer’s Allowance Supplement eligibility dates each year – one in April and one in October. The eligibility dates for 2022 are Monday 11 April 2022 and Monday 10 October 2022. Payment months will be June and December 2022 which follows previous payment cycles, with exact date to be confirmed closer to the time
Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be uprated from April 2022. The new Carer’s Allowance Supplement rate for 2022 will be £237.90
Edinburgh residents struggling with rising energy costs are being offered advice and support with their bills as part of a city-wide campaign aimed at helping those most in need.
Run by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with Changeworks and Home Energy Scotland, the campaign seeks to support people experiencing, or most at risk from, fuel poverty with energy savings advice so they can save money on their bills.
As well as helping residents find out if they’re eligible for grants or funding for energy efficiency home improvements, help is also being offered to people dealing with fuel debt and high energy
prices.https://www.youtube.com/embed/fLEMCaTKgdM
In key areas of the city, home owners and private tenants are being urged to call Home Energy Scotland for support, free on 0808 808 2282 and Council tenants are being urged to call the Energy Advice Service for free on 0800 870 8800.
Council Leader Adam McVey said: “This valuable campaign comes at a time when many households across the city will be faced with a choice of heating their homes or eating – due to rising food and energy bills as well as a £1,000 cut in universal credit payments for those who need support most- all contributing to this cost of living crisis.
“We want to do all we can to help make sure people most at need are able to access the advice and support available to them so that they can live in warmer, more comfortable homes.
“I urge anyone in the city struggling with their bills to call Home Energy Scotland or the Energy Advice Service so they can get the support they need today.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day added: “Rising home energy costs are leaving many people across Edinburgh worried about how they will pay their gas and electricity bills.
“We want to make sure that people know there is help and support there for them. If you’re a Council tenant, this is through our Energy Advice Service, run in partnership with Changeworks, and for people who own their own home, support is there from Home Energy Scotland.
“Their advisors have lots of excellent advice and tips to help people save money on bills so get in touch as they will be happy to share them. Making a few small changes can add up to a big difference.”
Laura Webb, Fuel Poverty and Low Carbon Operations Director at Changeworks said: “Through our work delivering the Home Energy Scotland service in the South East of Scotland and providing the Energy Advice Service for City of Edinburgh Council tenants we have seen increasing demand for support as people find themselves struggling with high bills and fuel debt.
“Our expert advisors are here to help and are already working hard to help Edinburgh residents save money and lessen the impacts of rising fuel costs.
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council on this campaign and encourage the people of Edinburgh to get in touch for further support.”
Last year, 790 Council tenants were supported through the Energy Advice Service with gas and electricity billing issues and with support around supplier debt. The service also gained around £170,000 of savings for the tenants.
Home Energy Scotland has also helped 24,000 homeowners and private tenants across Scotland to benefit from the Scottish Government funded Warmer Homes Scotland programme since it launched in 2015. Eight out of ten have received completely free energy efficiency improvements, with each of them also saving on average around £300 on their energy bills per year.
Home Energy Scotland is a free advice service funded by the Scottish Government. They work hand in hand with the Council’s Energy Advice Service to make sure people in Edinburgh get all the support they need from their friendly advisors.
Leading Scottish care home group, Renaissance Care, has set out plans to increase inclusivity and security among its workforce.
The Group, which operates 16 care homes throughout Scotland with over 1,200 staff, launched the initiative in January with a commitment to supplying sanitary items for female staff in all its facilities with the provision of sanitary towels and tampons in all staff bathrooms.
The move is part of the group’s efforts to create a safe and happy working environment and comes following calls from The British Medical Association for these essentials to be accessible to all healthcare staff throughout Scotland.
Corinne Morrison-Gillies, Interim People Services, said: “Sanitary items are not a luxury; they are a necessity and should be treated as such by employers. The nature of our job in the care sector means our staff do not have regular working patterns therefore can easily be caught off guard by their menstrual cycle, adding undue pressure to what can be a challenging job.
“Our staff work incredibly hard, and the last thing they should have to worry about is having access to, what we consider, bare essentials. By having free period products available in all our care homes we hope to remove barriers and create an open and safe working environment for our employees.”
Renaissance Care Group has a strong people service strategy which focuses on learning and development for individual staff members, as well as onus on creating a person-centered culture of inclusivity and care.
Cats Protection is urging the Scottish Government to do more to ensure people who rent their own homes can benefit from owning a pet cat.
The charity says that the widespread use of blanket ‘no pets’ policies is unfair and outdated, and that an overhaul of how pets are viewed in the rented sector is urgently needed.
Cats Protection’s Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Scotland Alice Palombo said: “The pandemic has really highlighted just how important pets are in our lives – whether it’s providing companionship to people living alone, comfort for those with ongoing health conditions or simply a fun and much-loved part of family life.
“Yet as the law stands, it can be impossible for people who rent their home to own a cat. It cannot be right that pet ownership is largely reserved for those people who own their own home.”
Research from Cats Protection’s Cats and Their Stats Scotland report, published in 2021, shows just how important cats are to people who are able to own them – with 94% of owners in Scotland saying their cat is part of the family and 91% saying their cats bring them joy.
The Scottish Government is currently consulting on proposals to allow tenants to keep pets in rented housing, and Cats Protection is asking its supporters to back the proposals.
Alice said: “This consultation is a big step in the right direction and we’re urging the Scottish Government to continue this momentum. Scotland is a nation of animal lovers and it’s only right that everyone should have the chance to own a cat if they wish.”
Mum-of-two Stephanie Wood, of Balornock, Glasgow, is backing the charity’s campaign after she was forced to give up the family’s much-loved cat Whoopie when she struggled to find a new pet-friendly home.
The heart-breaking decision, just before the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, came at a particularly stressful time for Stephanie, who works as a clinical healthcare assistant in two NHS hospitals. It meant her daughters – then aged six and one – faced lockdown without their beloved cat and denied Stephanie the comforting and calming presence of a pet.
Stephanie explained: “Our landlord decided to sell the property we were renting, and I found myself in the position of having four weeks to find a new home. I was aware the lockdown was on the horizon, so it felt like a real panic to find somewhere. When I did find a suitable home, the landlord said she’d only consider a pet once we’d been there for six months.
“It seemed like an impossible situation and we had no choice but to give Whoopie up to Cats Protection. It was heart-breaking – me and the girls are still very upset about it. Whoopie was part of our family, she was fun, affectionate and a big part of our lives. She used to sleep snuggled up to my eldest daughter and she had a really calming effect on us all.
“Working for the NHS during the pandemic was incredibly difficult at times, and I often thought how lovely it would have been to come home to Whoopie, but sadly that was not possible. It just feels incredibly unfair that families like mine are denied such a simple pleasure of owning a pet cat.”
You can support cat owning tenants by using Cats Protection’s simple online form – it takes only a couple of minutes to complete.
National survey to determine whether Covid-19 continues to impact puppy buying
The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is once again calling on puppy owners to take part in a national online survey to understand the pre-purchase motivations and behaviours of owners of puppies purchased during 2021.
Data from the survey, known as “Pandemic Puppies – The Next Generation”, will be used as a comparison to previous years (2019 and 2020), to determine whether the changes in puppy buying in the UK seen during the COVID-19 pandemic have returned to their pre-pandemic baseline or persisted into 2021.
Following the major success of the RVC’s first study in 2020, this follow-up study will investigate the legacy of this period and the future of UK puppy buying culture, particularly given pandemic restrictions continue to lift within the UK.
While many owners were likely making well-intentioned purchases, the demand has inevitably increased the risk to puppy health and welfare. Vets are concerned that the pandemic puppy boom is persisting, consequently adding pressure to veterinary services in the UK.
Therefore, the findings of this study will be used to help support owners regarding their dogs’ future welfare as well as informing the approach that key players within the veterinary and animal welfare sectors should take when sharing educational messaging with prospective owners to better promote canine welfare.
Dr Rowena Packer, Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science at the RVC said:“The COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the way many of us bought our household goods, with online ordering and delivery a common feature of lockdown life.
“The pandemic also led to changes in the way the UK bought puppies during 2020, due to the many restrictions to travel and social contact during this period.
“Many of these so-called ‘Pandemic Puppies’ became much-cherished companions, helping households cope with lockdown life; however, there are concerns that some owners were duped into buying from unscrupulous breeders. We are interested in whether pandemic-related changes in puppy buying persisted into 2021, so we can best support owners of puppies bought during this period going forward.
“We would love to hear from anyone who purchased a puppy during 2021 to share their experiences.”
Results from the Winter 2020 survey – which involved more than 7,500 respondents – uncovered several changes in buying habits. Owners were more likely to buy a younger puppy, pay a deposit without seeing their puppy, be first-time dog owners with children in their household, and pay more than £2,000.
Other factors included owners being more likely to see their puppy without their littermates and collecting their puppy from outside their breeders’ property or having it delivered.
These pandemic-related changes, such as viewing and purchasing puppies online, and having them delivered directly to owners may be perceived as ‘convenient’ by some but in fact, threaten canine welfare.
Posing harms to both puppies and breeding dogs, understanding whether this online culture is preferred by consumers, and if so, how to change it to protect canine welfare will be key.
“Pandemic Puppies – The Next Generation” is now open for responses, with findings expected by the summer.
Respondents to the online survey must be over 18 years of age, residents in the UK, have brought home a puppy (any breed or cross breed) aged under 16 weeks during 2021, and to have purchased their puppy from a private seller rather than rehomed or bred the puppy themselves.
A partnership agreement to establish two ‘Green’ Freeports in Scotland has been reached between Scottish and UK Ministers.
Following ‘robust’ discussions in recent months, both governments have agreed:
to establish a joint applicant prospectus, with Ministers and officials from both the Scottish and UK Government having an equal say throughout the assessment and selection process
that applicants in Scotland are required to contribute towards a just transition to net-zero emissions by 2045, delivering net-zero benefits and creating new green jobs
that applicants in Scotland are required to set out how they will support high-quality employment opportunities that offer good salaries and conditions, and how fair work practices will be embedded in the green freeport area
Ministers have agreed that a joint offer set out in a prospectus offers the maximum benefits for the Scottish economy as both governments will be able to deliver tax reliefs and other incentives through a combination of devolved and reserved powers.
As a result of the recent negotiations, UK Ministers are expected to provide up to £52 million in seed funding to help establish Green Freeports in Scotland which is in line with funding offered to Freeports across England.
Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “I am pleased we have been able to reach an agreement on a joint approach that recognises the distinct needs of Scotland’s economy and enshrines the Scottish Government’s commitment to achieving net-zero and embedding fair work practices through public investment.
“The Scottish Government will have an equal say on all bids, and will expect bidders to adhere to fair work practices including payment of the Real Living Wage.
“Scotland has a rich history of innovative manufacturers and so as we look to grasp the many opportunities of achieving net-zero, the establishment of internationally competitive clusters of excellence will help us create new green jobs, deliver a just transition and support our economic transformation.
“We can only seize Scotland’s economic potential if we create secure, sustainable and satisfying jobs that also help build a fairer, more prosperous economy for everyone. That is my absolute priority and establishing Green Freeports will be integral to achieving this.”
Secretary of State Michael Gove said: “This is a truly exciting moment for Scotland, and I am delighted we will be working together with the Scottish Government to set up two new Green Freeports.
“Green Freeports help inject billions into the local economy, while levelling-up by creating jobs for local people, and opportunities for people all over the UK to flourish.
“By collaborating using opportunities like Green Freeports we can work to level-up the whole of the UK and bring benefits and opportunities to communities that need it most.”
The term ‘Green Freeports’ reflects the Scottish Government’s distinctive net zero aspirations. The UK Government will continue to use the term ‘Freeports’ for its programme in the rest of the UK.
Forth Ports – which owns and operates seven ports on Scotland’s East coast and the Port of Tilbury, which is part of the recently-announced Thames Freeport – has issued a statement following the announcement.
Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer at Forth Ports, said:“We welcome the announcement by the UK and Scottish governments of the forthcoming bid process for two Green Freeports in Scotland and confirm that we plan to participate in this process.
“A Firth of Forth Green Freeport will catalyse the decarbonisation of Scotland’s major industrial cluster, creating 50,000 new, high-quality jobs in renewable energy, manufacturing, sustainable fuels and construction.
“Building on our first-hand experience of freeports, we plan to create an ambitious set of programmes to harness the regeneration benefits of this economic policy.
“The legacy of our green freeport will be the creation of large-scale green manufacturing industries with significant export potential and a sustainable fuel cluster, alongside major upgrades to infrastructure and skills development among young adults to ensure a Team Scotland approach as the UK transitions to a decarbonised future.”
‘Palm Springs’ is the UK’s favourite Romantic comedy
‘Juno’ and ‘Groundhog Day’ take second and third on the list
‘Amelie’ and ‘Love Actually’ also make the top ten
New research has revealed that 2020’s ‘Palm Springs’ is the UK’s favourite rom-com.
The research, conducted by PokerListings.com looked at the number of Google searches, review scores and Wikipedia page views of the most popular rom-coms, to determine which one came out on top.
It found that 2020’s ‘Palm Springs’, starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, was the UK’s favourite. The film receives more than 193,000 searches a month, accompanied with a Rotten Tomatoes Audience score of 88%, which sees it sit at the top. Released digitally in 2020 in the US on Hulu where it broke the platform’s streaming records, it reached UK audiences via Prime Video in early 2021 to further appeal.
The coming-of-age movie ‘Juno’ sits in second place, with UK audiences searching the title more than 158,000 times a month. Starring Elliot Page and Michael Cera in leading roles, the film received praise from critics and audiences alike upon its release in 2007, also winning ‘Best Writing for an Original Screenplay’ at the 2008 Academy Awards. It arrived on Disney+ in December last year which introduced it to wider audiences nearly 15 years after its release.
The Bill Murray classic ‘Groundhog Day’ comes in third place, with more than 50,000 searches a month and with an 8/10 rating on IMDB, one of the highest on the list. It’s often spoken about as one of the most influential comedy movies of all time, with the common term ‘Groundhog Day’ referring to a day that keeps reoccurring, originating from the movie from its release in 1993.
Movie
RT Audience score
IMDB Rating
Number of monthly Google searches
Wiki Page daily average views
Palm Springs
88
7.4
193000
3,566
Juno
88
7.4
158600
3,369
Groundhog Day
88
8
50300
6,726
Love Actually
72
7.6
19200
10,068
Amelie
95
8.3
46300
4,507
Silver Linings Playbook
86
7.7
1550
8,123
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
91
7.6
5500
4,947
Some Like It Hot
94
8.2
2150
3,996
Notting Hill
79
7.1
28600
5,406
The Holiday
80
6.9
40100
4,897
‘Love Actually’ falls just outside the top three with the film not only being a popular rom-com but a fan favourite Christmas movie as well. The ensemble cast of stars like Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth makes it one of the most rewatchable British films.
In fifth place is the French movie ‘Amelie’ which was released in 2001. It’s the best-rated film in the list, with a Rotten Tomatoes Audience score of 95% and an 8.3/10 on IMDB. In the year it was released, it won ‘Best Film’ at the European Film Awards and was even nominated for five Academy Awards.
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from PokerListings said: “With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, it’s often that romantic comedies are the films couples turn to for their perfect combination of laughter and intimacy, and this list will hopefully provide some viewing inspiration. It’s fascinating to see how timeless films like ‘Groundhog Day’ and ‘Some Like It Hot’ are, with the classics competing with newer titles like ‘Palm Springs’ in the list.”
PokerListings.com is the world’s largest and most trusted online poker guide, offering the best online poker bonus deals guaranteed.
