To To kick-start the week, we’ve launched our Building Carer Friendly Communities report, making the case for action across the UK to improve recognition and support for unpaid carers.
Carer friendly communities are places, spaces, services and community groups where unpaid carers are recognised, understood and valued. They make support part of everyday life, ensuring carers get the opportunities and help they need.
While many communities are committed to supporting carers, this is not always the case. Concerningly, our new research found that nearly half (44%) of carers do not feel their role is understood or valued by their community.
When communities are not carer friendly, the impact can be significant. More than a third (36%) of current and former carers who felt that organisations or services were not carer friendly said this had affected their physical or mental health.
Our new report sets out the action needed by the Government and by communities across the UK to help make a lasting difference to the lives of unpaid carers.
The Government will not achieve its ambition of delivering the highest growth in the G7 unless it undertakes sweeping reforms to Britain’s investment institutions, the Business and Trade Committee has warned.
In a major new report, the Committee concludes that Britain suffers from a deep investment paradox.
The UK is home to one of the world’s leading financial centres, pension funds managing £3 trillion in assets, at least £264 billion of undeployed investment capital and world-class universities that have created more than 1,300 spin-out companies in the last twelve years – But an estimated 380,000 businesses that want finance cannot get it.
Decades of individually defensible policy decisions have collectively weakened the institutions that should connect British savings with British enterprise. And so Britain exports capital, sells promising scale-ups too early, and struggles to finance the growth companies that could power higher living standards.
The report concludes that Britain must mobilise an additional £180–200 billion of investment every year to match the investment performance of the strongest economies in the G7.
Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Business and Trade Committee, said: “Britain is not short of money. We are short of institutions capable of putting that money to work.
“We have £3 trillion in pension assets, £264 billion of undeployed investment capital, £610 billion sitting in cash savings accounts and one of the world’s great financial centres. Yet 380,000 businesses that want finance cannot get it.
“For too long we have exported our savings and sold our scale-ups and watched other countries capture the rewards.
“If Britain wants the highest growth rate in the G7, we need the best system in the G7 for turning savings into investment and ideas into world-leading companies.”
Exciting FREE open studios event returns to Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studios
Featuring the work of over 30 artists from paintings to photography and illustrations to fashion
Meet the artists and makers and get the chance to win an original piece of art in a free raffle
Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studios are delighted to be opening our doors to the public again this Summer for another exciting Open Studios weekend onSaturday 20th & Sunday 21st June from 12noon – 5pm.
Come along to meet the local designers and makers in their studios and browse a wide range of original artworks and gifts. Everything is handmade here in the heart of Edinburgh.
Fine art / painting / ceramics / illustration / animation / fashion / textiles / photography
There will also be a FREE raffle featuring exclusive prizes donated by Abbeymount Studios artists.
With over 30 artists and creatives taking part, there really is something for everyone. Artists include Edinburgh-born printmaker Rob Stevenson Art, who transforms his photography with bold, bright colours. His work is shaped by the cities he’s lived in and loved, blending precise imagery with the energy of larger-scale street art.
Also participating is up-and-coming wildlife artist Kirsten Mirrey whose work is inspired by the nature and wildlife around her growing up. The most recent collection of work spanning the past five years has been focusing on both exotic and endangered wildlife in a highly realistic style. Each piece is created “hair by hair” and can take many months to complete.
The world of textiles and fashion is also covered with the work of award-winning slow fashion designer Jen Byrne. Sustainability & ethics are at the heart of her process and inform every decision while impeccable quality and attention to detail are staples of the brand. Jen’s limited edition pieces reflect the changing landscape of a craft made using exclusively what can be found second hand or as waste textiles.
The poster for the Open Studios weekend was designed by Abbeymount-based illustrator and children’s book author Trista Yen. She works digitally but picked up her painting brushes again recently to explore more possibilities of illustration.
Out of the Blue Abbeymount Studio Manager Bob Guilianotti says: “We’re delighted to be opening the doors of Abbeymount to the public again for our Open Studios weekend.
“There’s an exciting choice of artists and makers to meet as well as the chance to explore this historic building. It’s a chance to meet our resident artists and makers as they demonstrate their work and discuss their inspirations.”
Out of the Blue CEO Rob Hoon adds. “Out of the Blue are delighted that Abbeymount Studios artists take the trouble to show their expertise to the world.
“Open Studios is an increasingly popular event that illustrates the breadth of creative talent working away all year round” .
Details of the Open Studios Weekend, as well as a list of participating artists and makers can be found on the Out of the Blue website.
Young people are facing a starter jobs drought after vacancies suitable for first-time workers fell by almost half over the past decade, according to new research.
Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data by the Work Foundation and Lancaster University found average weekly starter job vacancies dropped by 49%, from 139,000 in 2016-17 to 71,000 in 2025-26, tightening competition for young people seeking their first step into work.
The study, carried out in partnership with Liverpool City Council, also found that the number of starter jobs available in 2025-26 was at its lowest level since the Covid pandemic.
The researchers said there was only one starter job vacancy for every three young people aged 16 to 24 who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) across the UK in late 2025.
The picture was even more stark in some regions, with six NEET young people competing for every starter vacancy in the North East and five in the East Midlands.
Researchers warned that competition is significantly higher than these figures suggest, as young people who are NEET are also competing against students, workers seeking a new role and older people returning to the labour market.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said: “This research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.
“The Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people, particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.”
Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, commented: “Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives.
“They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”
Young people face jobs drought as ‘starter’ vacancies fall by half in last decade
· Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows ‘starter’ jobs – vacancies that would be accessible for someone entering the workforce for the first time – have fallen by 49% over the last decade
· Figures suggest the number of starter jobs available for young people in 2025-26, averaging 71,000 vacancies a week, is the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21
· Young people’s chances of finding work varies significantly depending on where they live – there are six young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the North East for every starter job vacancy, compared to a national average of three to one
· Researchers call on Government to prioritise a more localised approach to place-based barriers to youth employment, alongside a focus on job creation and more support for young people while they are in education.
The Government’s youth employment drive faces a significant challenge as young people face a ‘starter’ jobs drought.
Researchers from the Work Foundation and Lancaster University, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, studied job vacancy data and undertook focus groups with young people in Morecambe and Liverpool.
The research shows that nationally, average weekly starter job vacancies have fallen by almost half (49%) from 2016-17 to 2025-26. And while total vacancies have fallen in recent years, the decline in starter jobs has been 1.6 times faster than for other jobs in the last 12 months (8.1% compared to 12.8%).
The largest contributor to the fall in starter jobs are declines in associate professional occupations – such as roles in human resources, business sales executives, and advertising and marketing roles – with average weekly vacancies falling by 73% from 2016/17 to 2025/26. Roles in sales and customer service occupations (such as retail assistants and call centre operatives) have also fallen by 59% since 2016/17.
In Oct-Dec 2025, there was only one starter job vacancy per three NEET young people in the UK.[1] Competition for these jobs is even higher than these figures suggest, as NEET young people will be competing with applicants who are in education, those already in work and looking to change jobs, as well as older workers looking to re-enter the workforce.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said, “The Milburn Review has rightly highlighted the systemic failures that make it much harder for many young people to enter and remain in employment. But this research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.
“The implications are clear – the Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people – particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.
“And we need to see more powers and funding devolved to address other place-based barriers to work, such as poor transport connectivity and skills, which often mean young people are unable to access employment opportunities that do exist.
“Without action to create more good-quality jobs, we risk investing heavily in reforms to education and employment support, while still leaving too many young people without a viable route into sustainable work.”
Where you live influences your experience of being NEET
Adzuna data suggests that NEET young people in the North and the Midlands face a more significant starter jobs shortage and are more constrained by the ongoing weakening in local labour markets:
In Oct-Dec 2025 in the North East, there were six NEET young people for every starter job vacancy, and in East Midlands, there were five
The quality of starter jobs also varies by region with starter job vacancies for young people in the North West much more likely to be temporary than those for the wider UK population in 2025.
Young people who participated in the study in Morecambe and Liverpool also reported a series of place-based challenges to employment.
Many participants described struggling early in life, shaping how they later engaged with support services such as JobCentres and council-funded programmes. Young people were grateful for support they received through the local council and voluntary sector, but awareness of these opportunities varied, and many voluntary sector schemes are struggling for long-term funding.
Participants also stated that hiring processes were complex, impersonal, and demoralising, with applications receiving little or no feedback. AI recruitment and automation appeared to create additional barriers for young people with lower attainment from secondary education.
Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, together with colleagues, commented: “The young people we met in Morecambe and Liverpool aspire to be in education, work, or training but they feel alienated from the labour market.
“Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives. They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”
In response to the rising numbers of NEET young people, the UK Government has announced a £1 billion package to support youth employment initiatives and have commissioned the Milburn Review to identify the factors driving the rise in the NEET numbers.
Taking account of the findings of the study, and seeking to build on these initial interventions, the study calls on the UK Government to:
Adopt a bolder, more localised approach to the Youth Job Guarantee, with a focus on providing secure, purposeful, and accessible employment opportunities
Strengthen the devolution roadmap in England to ensure all places are equipped to tackle the specific barriers to youth employment they face
Boost support during education to improve young people’s transition into work and reduce the risk of disengagement.
Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:“Youth unemployment is one of the most important challenges facing young people today, and it’s vital that both local and national government address it head on.
“In Liverpool, we’re taking a proactive, evidence-led approach, working with partners including Lancaster University to better understand the barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.
“Through our Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme, we are testing new and innovative ways to support young people into education, employment and training. This includes tailored mentoring, creative and sports-based programmes, and practical support for employers to help them recruit and retain young people, including those who are care-experienced or have disabilities.
“We’re also investing directly in our young people, committing additional funding to prevent youth unemployment, providing targeted careers support in schools, and creating new roles focused on increasing participation in education and employment.
“This is about making sure every young person in Liverpool has the opportunity, support and confidence to succeed, whatever their starting point.”
Yak Patel, Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions, said: “This research reflects what we are seeing locally in Morecambe, where too many young people feel disconnected from the systems intended to support them. While opportunities for young people remain limited, we also see the strength that exists within communities.”
“Local organisations are often best placed to build trust, understand the realities young people face, and help connect them to meaningful opportunities. But this work requires sustained investment and much stronger coordination with wider services and support systems.
“If we are serious about improving outcomes for young people, we need more joined-up, place-based approaches that put community insight at their heart.”
● Five bursaries, to the value of £1,500 each will be awarded
● Applications close on Friday 26 June
● Scottish International Storytelling Festival (21 to 31 Oct 2026), confirms programme launch date as Tuesday, 15 September.
To mark World Environment Day (Friday 5 June), the next round of storytelling bursaries, set up to commemorate the life and work of storyteller Andy Hunter, who was a true advocate for our natural environment, is now open.
Andy Hunter, who died in 2015, was passionate about the Earth, its people and live oral storytelling. He was an avid cyclist and through his project Storybikes, he combined storytelling, sustainable travel and deep attention to place, encouraging people to slow down, listen, and connect more meaningfully with landscapes, communities and one another.
His Bursary fund, set up by his wife Anne in 2018, is administered by TRACS (Traditional Arts and Crafts Scotland) and five awards of £1,500 each will be made this year.
The fund aims to nurture the work of storytellers whose practice is rooted in place, sustainability, community, and the living tradition of oral storytelling.
Since its inception, it has supported many storytellers and new projects across Scotland including, storytelling walks for New Scots in Holyrood Park, projects working with disabled people, intergenerational cèilidhs in libraries and schools, foraging and rope-making workshops, nature-connected papercraft and storytelling installations, and sustainable storytelling journeys such as Ian Stephen’s sailing trip from Lewis to Iceland and the Faroes, which was shared with audiences during the 2025 Scottish International Storytelling Festival.
Speaking about her late husband, fellow storyteller Anne Hunter who has generously provided funding for the bursaries since 2018 said: ‘Andy believed in the power of storytelling to facilitate contemplation, attention and deep connections between people, place and the natural world.
“For me and Jacinta (Andy’s daughter) the bursary engenders a dynamic conversation with Andy’s core principles, facilitating projects and ideas that are always developing and often going beyond anything we, or he, might have imagined.
“I hope storytellers are encouraged to be audacious in their research and explorations, to share generously and continue to find meaningful ways to bring people together through story and our precious, fragile earth.’
This year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival, which returns from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 31 October, will also explore the rich relationships between storytelling and the natural environment under the theme ‘Bird and Beast’.
Led by the Festival’s new Director Daniel Abercrombie, the festival programme will look at the traditional and contemporary ties between humans, birds and the animal world and will include ten pieces of new work supported by the festival’s open call; guest storytellers from Turkey, Italy, Ireland and North America amongst others; Scotland-wide storytelling events, talks, workshops, and exhibitions for children and adults; and the return of the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Words of the Wild nature writing competition.
The Scottish International Storytelling Festival is made possible thanks to continued support from Creative Scotland’s Multi-Year Funding and the Scottish Government Expanded Festivals Fund.
Full details of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival programme will be announced on Tuesday, 15 September.
Scottish fans will pay 54p beer duty on their pint, which is the second highest of any of their Group C competitors.
The World Cup group stages could bring in an additional £7m for Scotland’s pubs, as over one million extra pints could be poured for fans across the nation.
The SBPA is calling for a cut to beer duty to help struggling pubs retain their place as the home of live sport.
New analysis from the British Beer and Pub Association finds that Scottish fans will pay the second-highest rate of beer duty in their group during the World Cup at 54p a pint.
Scotland sits behind Morocco where the tax on beer is levied at 90p a pint, leagues above Haiti (30p per pint) and Brazil (16.2p per pint).
Almost 1.5 million extra pints could be poured in Scotland during the Group stages, bringing in an additional £7m in revenue for Scottish pubs.
The trade association says that, should Scotland make it all the way to the final, it could mean an additional revenue bounce of £28 million for Scottish pubs, with venues benefitting from the flexibility shown by the majority of local Licensing Boards.
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, said: “The World Cup will be an important boost for Scotland’s pubs and brewers, bringing fans together in the nation’s living room.
“You simply cannot beat the cheers from a packed pub, a perfectly poured pint in hand, and the electric atmosphere as matches unfold.
“Pubs are the best places for community spirit and celebration, and I’d urge everyone to support their local this summer and head to the pub to watch the match and make memories.
“Government can further support our pubs and brewers by cutting beer duty to the European average so we can keep a pint affordable for all.”
Despite the predicted World Cup windfall, pubs across the country continue to navigate eye-watering employment costs, energy prices and some of the highest beer duty rates in Europe.
The SBPA are committed to working with Government to establish a long-term plan to deliver permanently lower bills, cutting beer duty and VAT, and reducing the regulatory burden pubs face.
The Timms Review into Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is expanding its engagement to hear from more disabled people, following the closure of the Call for Evidence on 28 May
New resources launched to help organisations run workshops and events with disabled people and those with long term health conditions
The workshops cover three key themes: what PIP is for, what it is like to apply, and how decisions are made.
All materials are available on GOV.UK. and organisations can submit insights from their Workshop in a Box until 17 July.
Launched last autumn, the Timms Review is being co-produced with disabled people and aims to make sure the benefit is fit and fair for the future and better reflects the impact of people’s conditions in the modern world.
New resources are now being made available to support organisations and communities across the country to run workshops, bringing together disabled people to share their experiences and views. These sessions will focus on key aspects of the system, including what PIP is for, people’s experience of applying, and how decisions are made.
Their responses will shape the Review, with its launch following the closure of the Call for Evidence last month which received 38,000 responses.
Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, said: Hearing from disabled people across the UK is vitally important to inform the Review.
£That is why we are co-producing this review with disabled people every step of the way — to make sure that PIP is truly fair and fit for the future.
“I encourage any organisation that is able to host a workshop to do so, because we need to hear the views and lived experience of as many disabled people as possible.”
The resources include downloadable, ready-to-use engagement materials to help organisations across the UK engage with the review, run their own sessions with the people they advocate for, the public, or other stakeholders.
While the workshops are designed primarily for disabled people and those with long-term conditions, organisations are encouraged to adapt the materials for carers, advisors, and others with relevant knowledge and experience of PIP.
Co-chair Sharon Brennan said: “It is vital to the success of the review that we hear from as many people as possible about their thoughts on PIP, especially those whose voices are less heard such as those from marginalised communities or who are do not feel comfortable engaging with government-led consultations.
“We hope this new engagement method allows people to have conversations that matter with the organisations that they most trust so their lived experiences can shape the outcomes of our Review.
It is open to anyone who would like to host a session, including Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs), disability and health charities, community groups, and elected representatives.
Organisations can sign up for information sessions on how to conduct a workshop in a box taking place on 10 and 16 June and access the materials via the Timms Review webpage on gov.uk. Those taking part will need to submit their insights by 17 July to directly inform the steering group’s recommendations.
The newly released resources which make up the ‘Workshop in a Box’ are one of six evidence and engagement strands within the Review’s programme. The others are analysing existing data and research; carrying out new quantitative survey research; hearing evidence from experts; and running deliberative events.
We have approached a small number of organisations to offer financial support to deliver accessible workshops with local groups and communities in their networks. These organisations have been identified for their ability to reach individuals and groups who are less likely to engage with government research or public consultations, including those from marginalised or underrepresented communities.
An interim report will be published in the coming months, providing a fuller update on the steering group’s work to date.
