Category: North Edinburgh News

HMRC: More than 29,000 families in Scotland used Tax-Free Childcare in the last year

New Tax-Free Childcare statistics from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have revealed that 29,110 families in Scotland received up to £2,000 towards the cost of their childcare during the 2021 to 2022 tax year, up from 20,330 in the previous year.

Tax-Free Childcare provides thousands of eligible working families with vital financial support towards the cost of their childcare with the government paying £240 million annually in top-up payments to families using the scheme.

For thousands of families who use Tax-Free Childcare, the money they save each month on their childcare costs is money that goes back into their pockets.

For every £8 paid into a Tax-Free Childcare online account, families will automatically receive an additional £2 in government top-up, and it is available for children aged up to 11, or 17 if the child has a disability.

Families receive up to £500 every three months, per child, or £1,000 if their child is disabled, helping towards the cost of before and after-school clubs, childminders and nurseries, holiday clubs and other approved childcare schemes.

But hundreds of thousands of families could be missing out, with recent research published by HMRC estimating that about 1.3 million families could be eligible for this government support. Parents and carers are being urged to check their eligibility and register for Tax-Free Childcare via GOV.UK.

Across the UK, 512,415 families used Tax-Free Childcare in the 2021 to 2022 tax year, compared to 374,135 in the 2020 to 2021 tax year.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Tax-Free Childcare can make a big difference to families, helping with the bills for things like nurseries, childminders and after school clubs. It’s easy to register – search ‘Tax-Free Childcare’ on GOV.UK.”

Helen Whately, HM Treasury’s Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: “It’s fantastic that more parents are taking up Tax-Free Childcare. This support provides a helping hand with childcare costs for working families.

“With over one million families eligible, I want to encourage parents to take advantage of Tax-Free Childcare and keep the extra pounds in their pocket.”

The latest monthly comparisons for Scotland also show that a record number of families were using their Tax-Free Childcare account in March 2022 – 22,710 families compared to 15,240 in March 2021 – an increase of 7,470 families.

The scheme offers a 20% government funded top-up on money deposited into Tax-Free Childcare accounts, which can be used to pay their childcare provider. Accounts can be opened at any time of the year and can be used straight away, and money can be deposited at any time and used when needed.

For example, if parents and carers have school-aged children and use holiday clubs during school holidays, they could deposit money into their accounts throughout the year. This means they could spread the cost of childcare while also benefitting from the 20% government top-up. Any unused money that is deposited can be simply withdrawn at any time.

Tax-Free Childcare is also available for pre-school aged children attending nurseries, childminders, or other childcare providers. Families with younger children will often have higher childcare costs than families with older children, so the tax-free savings can really make a difference.

Childcare providers can also sign up for a childcare provider account via GOV.UK to receive payments from parents and carers via the scheme.

A growing majority in Northern Ireland think Brexit has increased the likelihood of a united Ireland

The 2021 results of Northern Ireland’s leading social attitudes survey are released today (Thursday 26 May) by ARK – a joint initiative between Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University. It shows rising support for Irish unification, nationalist identification and for the NI Protocol compared to 2020. 

The NI Life & Times (NILT) Survey shows 48 per cent support for NI remaining in the Union, but this has been declining since 2016.  

Unionist and nationalist identities have become stronger, and the proportion of those who are ‘neither’ unionist nor nationalist has decreased since 2018.  

These results are analysed in a report released today: ‘Political attitudes in NI after Brexit and under the Protocol’, co-authored by Professor Katy Hayward, Dr Milena Komarova and Ben Rosher of Queen’s University Belfast. 

Key points 

  • Belfast/Good Friday Agreement is seen as the best basis for governing Northern Ireland, with only 6 per cent expressing absolute opposition to it. 
  • There has been an increase in reporting of nationalist identities (from 19 per cent in 2020 to 26 per cent in 2021). 
  • Nearly half of respondents (48 per cent) believe that the long-term policy for Northern Ireland should be to remain part of the UK (down from 54 per cent in 2020).  
  • One third (34 per cent) state they would vote for a united Ireland tomorrow. 
  • 63 per cent of respondents believe that a united Ireland is more likely after Brexit (a rise of five percentage points on 2020).  
  • The plurality of unionists (47 per cent) and majority of nationalists (83 per cent) and those who are ‘neither’ unionist nor nationalist (67 per cent) believe that this is the case.  
  • There has been a sharp rise in unionists saying Brexit has made them less in favour of a united Ireland – from 11 per cent in 2019 to 32 per cent in 2021. 
  • The proportion who think the Protocol is ‘on balance a good thing’ has more than doubled to 33 per cent (15 per cent in 2020). 33 per cent think it a ‘mixed bag’ while 21 per cent think it ‘on balance a bad thing’.  
  • Different identity groups have different opinions on the Protocol. The plurality of unionists think it on balance bad for NI (44 per cent) although 40 per cent think it ‘a mixed bag’. The plurality of ‘neithers’ think it is ‘a mixed bag’ (41 per cent). A large majority of nationalists think that it is on balance good (69 per cent). 
  • Contrary to the Legacy and Reconciliation Bill currently under consideration by the UK Parliament, only 29 per cent support an ending of Troubles-related investigations and prosecutions. 
  • There is majority support for progress in full implementation of the 1998 Agreement. 62 per cent want to see a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland and 59 per cent want to see the re-establishment of the Civic Forum.  

 The report covers four main themes: 

Belfast/Good Friday Agreement 

Support for the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement remains strong in Northern Ireland (65 per cent), with only six per cent wanting to see it gone altogether.  

In something of a boost for Alliance Party demands, 59 per cent want to see key votes in the Assembly passed on the basis of a weighted majority (not necessarily with a cross-community requirement). Only 19 per cent support the current rules for the use of Petition of Concern to block legislation in the Assembly.  

Political identities 

An exclusively Irish (i.e., ‘Irish not British’) identity is now held by the largest proportion of the population (26 per cent, up seven percentage points on 2020), compared to 21 per cent holding an exclusively British (‘British not Irish’) identity (slightly lower than in 2020).  

Those who self-identify as ‘neither’ unionist nor nationalist remain the largest group in Northern Ireland. However, the proportion of this group has shrunk since 2019, and now stands at 37 per cent. There has also been a slight drop in the reporting of unionist identities (from 35 to 32 per cent), and a significant increase in those holding nationalist identities (from 19 to 26 per cent) compared to 2020. 

Constitutional status 

The proportion of respondents who believe the UK will exist in its current form in 20 years’ time is equal to that believing that there will be a united Ireland in the same timeframe (just under four in ten).  

A plurality of respondents (48 per cent) continues to believe that the long-term policy should be for Northern Ireland to remain part of the UK. This is six percentage points lower than in 2020. At the same time, support for a united Ireland as a long-term policy has increased by four percentage points (30 per cent). 

Brexit and the Protocol 

Awareness of, and support for, the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland has increased markedly since 2020. 65 per cent claim knowledge of it. 37 per cent of respondents feel that Brexit has made them more in favour of a united Ireland (73 per cent of nationalists and 37 per cent of neithers).

There has been a steep rise in the proportion of unionists saying that Brexit makes them less in favour of Irish unity (32 per cent compared to 11 per cent in 2019).  

Commenting on the report findings, Katy Hayward, Professor of Political Sociology Queen’s and Senior Fellow, UK in a Changing Europe, said: “If the NI Assembly election of 5 May was a defining moment, it only compounded the the political flux that has troubled Northern Ireland since the Brexit referendum. 

“The NI Life and Times Survey offers a unique insight into how the local population is responding to the realisation that things won’t and can’t be the same again. The differing expectations and concerns reflected in this data will no doubt prove testing for our democratic institutions as well as for our politicians in the months and years to come.” 

The results of the report will be presented in a webinar at 5pm BST on Thursday 26 May by Paula Devine (co-director of ARK), Ben Rosher, Professor Katy Hayward, and Professor Sir John Curtice.

Please register to attend here: 

https://ukandeu.ac.uk/events/public-opinion-and-northern-irelands-constitutional-future/  

Sue Gray report: Shameless Johnson to carry on regardless

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s response to Sue Gray’s scathing report into multiple parties in Downing Street during lockdown

Earlier today Sue Gray published her final report, which I commissioned to get to the bottom of things and set the record straight, and I’m grateful to her for her work.

She has identified a number of failings, some official, some political, – and some that I accept are entirely my own, for which I take full responsibility.

I want to start by saying that I am humbled by what happened, and I renew my wholehearted apology for the gathering in the Cabinet Room on the 19th June 2020 – my birthday, for which I received a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Now that Sue Gray has completed her inquiry and everyone can read her report, I want in all humility and without mitigating what has happened to offer a few points of context.

10 Downing Street is not just my official residence but the headquarters of the Government, where hundreds of people work, and because they directly support the Prime Minister, the regulations allowed them to continue attending their offices for work purposes throughout the lockdowns.

Sue Gray describes them as “tight knit groups of officials and advisers” who “worked long hours under difficult conditions”.

These were the public servants who secured the PPE that saved many lives, established the biggest testing programme in Europe, and enabled the development and distribution of the vaccines that succeeded in protecting so many people.

When some of these officials and advisers were leaving their jobs, I briefly attended gatherings to thank them for everything they had done because I believe that recognising achievement and preserving morale are essential duties of leadership.

The police did not find my attendance at these occasions to be in breach of the rules, but they found otherwise in respect of some of those gatherings after I had left, or when I was not in the building.

Downing Street and the Cabinet Office together have hundreds of rooms, and again I say this not in any way to extenuate my personal responsibility, but to give the context of these events.

And I was appalled to learn that there have been “multiple examples” in Sue Gray’s phrase of disrespectful and poor treatment of cleaning and security personnel, and this afternoon, I personally apologised to those dedicated members of staff for what happened. and I expect anyone who behaved in that way to do the same.

As Sue Gray acknowledges, I have acted on her recommendations to make a series of changes.

10 Downing Street now has its own Permanent Secretary charged with upholding the highest standards.

I have appointed a new leadership team, including a new Chief of Staff and a new Principal Private Secretary and I have made it easier for any member of staff to voice any worries they may have and Sue Gray writes that she is “reassured” by this reform.

And it is precisely because I have learned this lesson that I feel an even greater weight of responsibility to deliver on the priorities of the British people, and lead our country through some of the most challenging times in recent history.

I will work every hour to ease the hardship caused by the rising cost of living, To protect our nation from the aftershocks of Covid, stand firm against Putin’s aggression, and to unite and level up across our United Kingdom, that is the mission that drives this government and that is the mission that I will continue to pursue.

THE SUE GRAY REPORT IN FULL:

2022-05-25_FINAL_FINDINGS_OF_SECOND_PERMANENT_SECRETARY_INTO_ALLEGED_GATHERINGSDownload

Council: Lorna Slater calls for Labour and Lib Dems to reject Tory alliance

The Scottish Greens co-leader and Lothian MSP, Lorna Slater, has called for Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors in Edinburgh to work together with other progressive parties, rather than lining up in an alliance with the Tories.

Her call comes as Edinburgh Councillors vote to form an administration. This week the membership of the Edinburgh Green Party voted to support a draft coalition agreement with SNP councillors and will take the proposal to today’s Council meeting.

Scottish Greens MSP Lorna Slater said: “The last 24 hours have seen Labour and Liberal Democrat politicians in Westminster and Holyrood taking a stand against the cruel and out of touch Tory government and rightly calling for the Prime Minister to resign.

“We are living in a cost of living crisis and thousands of people across our city are struggling to make ends meet. The Tories do not have any solutions, and are actively making it worse. Energy bills are skyrocketing and the Tory solution is more cuts and austerity.

“This month’s election saw the Conservatives losing half of their councillors and thousands of votes in Edinburgh. Many people across our city will be shocked to see Labour and Liberal Democrat Councillors lining up in alliance with the Tories to form an administration.

“It is time for progressive parties to work together and build on the achievements that were made over the last term. That is why, even at this late stage, I am urging Edinburgh’s Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors to work with us, rather than lining up with the Tories. 

“We must grasp this crucial opportunity to build the fairer, greener city that our communities voted for.”

The SNP is the biggest party in Edinburgh, returning 19 councillors at this month’s elections.

The SNP has ran Edinburgh with the support of Labour in a so-called ‘Capital Coalition’ for ten years, but Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar ruled out any further coalitions in the run up to the local government elections.

Speaking after Labour launched it’s manifesto for the council elections, Mr Sarwar was emphatic: “And I think it’s right for us to say we shouldn’t be picking and choosing which is the good versus the bad. Both are bad for our country. Both are decimating local communities. And therefore I think it’s right that we see no formal coalition with the SNP or the Tories.” 

That seemed clear enough – but it now appears Mr Sarwar actually ruled out coalitions with the SNP, but finds partnerships with the Tories quite acceptable? For some disgusted Labour supporters that really is a step too far.

Mr Sarwar denies misleading voters.

5th MAY ELECTION RESULTS (62 councillors elected)

SNP – 19

LIB – 13

LAB – 12

GRN – 10

CON – 8

The council meeting takes place this morning at 10am. We will know who will be running our city later today.

Get your tickets for Scottish Platinum Jubilee Youth Spectacular

TV presenter, magician and comedian, Stephen Mulhern, is urging people to grab their tickets so they don’t miss out on the highly anticipated event known as the Platinum Jubilee Youth Spectacular at St Ninians, near Kelty in Fife.

This event is also being promoted through a newly-launched radio campaign.

The Youth Spectacular which is part of Her Majesty the Queens Platinum Jubilee celebrations, is taking place on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June.  The amazing young talent who are participating will be performing on a newly constructed arena on the site of the former opencast mine at St Ninians.

The event is sponsored by National Pride UK who jointly own the site and are planning its future development.  The event is being organised by local Events Manager, Michael Boyle and the former Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo impresario, Brigadier Sir Melville Jameson.

Tickets are being snapped up by the public as progress moves swiftly ahead on delivering what is set to be a weekend for all to remember the Platinum Jubilee and to be inspired by the performance and the setting. 

The performers confirmed to date include:

·         The Imps Motorcycle Display Team, the world’s foremost youth display team

·         Katie Robertson, the award-winning ‘Wheeled Piper’

·         Massed pipes and drums from Scottish schools

·         Massed military bands

·         The musical skills of the massed army cadet force brass bands

·         Highland dancing displays and other dancers

·         The world-famous Red Hot Chilli Pipers

Stephen Mulhern, hosting the event, urged people to ensure they don’t miss out and said: “I am incredibly excited to be hosting this amazing event. Bringing together a fabulous line-up of young talented performers on what was a former coal mining site is truly awe-inspiring.

“This will be a truly inspiring spectacular event and I would urge people to get their tickets quickly to avoid disappointment.”

Irene Bisset, Chair of National Pride UK, said: “We’re delighted that tickets to this fantastic event in celebration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee are proving popular, testament to the tremendous young talent that will perform. 

“The local communities are coming together to show great support for what we are sure will be a fantastic celebration and a brilliant event for all the family to enjoy. We look forward to welcoming everyone onto St Ninians and having a great weekend of fun.”

Tickets are available to buy at: https://platinumjubileeyouthspectacular.co.uk/get-tickets.html

Kids return to lessons with a splash: swim programme sees 87% recovery


Scottish Swimming has carried out research with the 36 organisations which help deliver the Learn to Swim Framework, including a majority of local Leisure Trusts/Local Authorities and a number of independent aquatic providers.

So far 27 have returned their most up-to-date participation figures, with those numbers showing that 70,186 youngsters are currently enrolled. Of those 27 Leisure Trusts and other delivery partners, 12 have actually exceeded their pre-pandemic participation levels.

Euan Lowe, Scottish Swimming Chief Executive Officer, said: “It’s extremely positive to see such a high number of children return to swimming lessons. It tells us what an appealing and enduring programme we have created in Learn to Swim.

“Leisure Trusts have done an impressive job in getting youngsters back in the water so quickly and the fact that some of them are already ahead of pre-pandemic levels is nothing short of astonishing.

“Unfortunately, many swimming teachers moved on during the pandemic, whether to pursue alternative careers or for a variety of other reasons. The result is that some lesson providers will be more cautious about the rate of recovery, because they simply may not have enough swimming teachers to service the pent-up demand.

“We will be working very closely with all of the Trusts over the coming months to focus on recruitment, training and retention of swimming instructors, because what is clear to see is that the Learn to Swim programme is as popular as it has ever been.”

The Framework is being delivered across Scotland by 36 Leisure Trusts and aquatic providers in more than 160 pools.

It is aimed at youngsters from birth upwards and provides consistently high-quality teaching at least once a week and which progresses through a series of lessons and levels over a number of years.

Over the first four years of the partnership, Learn to Swim has provided lessons to around 106,000 kids.  It aims to reach another 100,000 kids by 2025.

Research into the cognitive benefits for young people who take swimming lessons has shown they achieve a range of developmental milestones earlier than those who don’t, regardless of their gender or background.

Children who are members of a swimming club and who compete regularly, develop core competencies – such as target-setting, teamwork, resilience, time management and leadership attributes – which can help them greatly in their future careers and lives.

Learn to Swim is championed by Scotland’s swimming superstars, World Champions and Olympic and Paralympic medallists Duncan Scott and Toni Shaw as its Ambassadors.

More information on the Learn to Swim Framework can be found on the dedicated website:  https://learntoswim.scot/

Scottish Government announces latest plans for children’s rights legislation

Plans to progress Scotland’s ground-breaking children’s rights legislation have been announced by Deputy First Minister John Swinney.

The UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill was backed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament in March 2021, but could not be implemented because of a legal challenge brought by the UK Government. In October, the Supreme Court ruled that certain parts of the Bill were outwith the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government has now set out how it will address this. Over the next few weeks, there will be targeted engagement with relevant organisations and children and young people on proposed changes to the Bill. These will then be brought before Parliament via the Reconsideration Stage.

The Deputy First Minister said: “The UNCRC Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament to deliver the highest protection possible for children’s rights. The Supreme Court ruling was bitterly disappointing, but we have fully respected and carefully considered its implications.

“We sought support from the UK Government to make modest adjustments to the Scotland Act to address the issues with the devolution settlement that the Supreme Court ruling highlighted. Despite their public commitment to engage constructively, this was rejected by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

“As a result, we will remove UK Acts from the remedial provisions within the Bill, which is a dilution of the effect of the legislation, and we will consult with children and young people on the proposed changes.

“It is disappointing that this will not become law in the form which our Parliament agreed. However, we can now move forward with legislation to build a Scotland where respect for human rights anchors our society and the institutions which govern and deliver public services.”

Corra Foundation announces £1m Henry Duncan Grants

Funding to support children and young people experiencing inequality

Corra’s Henry Duncan Grants are open to organisations supporting children and young people (aged 6-26 years) experiencing inequality. Grassroots organisations with an annual income of £500,000 or less can apply for up to £8,000 a year for up to five years.

This year Corra is working alongside children and young people to support the design and decision-making processes for Henry Duncan Grants.

The theme for this year was developed with children and young people, and two key priority areas were identified:

  • Organisations that are supporting children and young people to shape their own lives.  
  • Organisations that are supporting children and young people to develop skills for the future. 

Carolyn Sawers, Corra Acting CEO said: “Our strategy is all about listening to people’s voices, shifting power and getting alongside people to create change. This means grant making needs to be shaped by the people it exists to serve.

“We’re enormously grateful to the children and young people who helped us design this year’s Henry Duncan Grants, and to those who will participate in making the funding decisions.

“One of the things we’ll be looking for is organisations that engage children and young people in their own design and decision-making processes.”

Corra welcomes applications from organisations working to:

  • Provide advice and advocacy services that are person-centred and led by the child/children or young person/people. 
  • Support safe spaces for children and young people to connect with each other and access support. 

At least £300,000 (approximately 30%) of the fund budget will support organisations that are led by Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities. This reflects the historic inequity of funding and Corra’s proactive focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

The closing date for applications is 12pm on Tuesday 5 July.

Corra will be holding information sessions for organisations interested in applying to Henry Duncan Grants as well as opportunities to discuss ideas with a Grants Advisor.

To find out more, including how to sign up please visit the Corra Foundation website.

Edinburgh College set to showcase facilities during May Open Days

Edinburgh College is opening its doors and showcasing its facilities during two open days later this week as it gears to make a full return to campuses in August.

The College, which has four campuses across the capital region, is hosting two open days on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 May.

Midlothian and Milton Road Campuses will be open from 12-3pm on Friday 27 May, and Granton and Sighthill Campuses will be open from 10am-2pm on Saturday 28 May.

Prospective students, parents, guardians, business owners and those in employment are invited to head to College campuses to find out more about course options; find out more about funding options and accommodation; and meet representatives from Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA).

The College offers courses and professional training across a wide range of subjects within the Creative Industries, Engineering and Built Environment, Health Wellbeing and Social Sciences, and Tourism Hospitality and Business.

Perspective students can find out more about beginner-level courses, pathways to university, short courses, as well as continuous professional development courses – something for learners at any stage of their education journey or career.

Guided tours of campus facilities will take place throughout the events, with staff on hand to answer questions and to provide demonstrations along the way. In addition, student showcases and performances will also take place on the day, while free refreshments will also be on offer.

Edinburgh College Principal, Audrey Cumberford, said: “It’s fantastic to be throwing our doors open wide to the public and giving prospective students and visitors a real flavour of what it is like to study at one of Scotland’s largest colleges.

“After disruption to on-campus learning caused by the pandemic, we are delighted to be looking ahead to academic session 2022/23 when most course delivery will return to our campuses which house state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to best prepare students for successful careers in their chosen area of study.

“We look forward to welcoming people from across the region to our May open days – we’ll see you on campus!”

For more information and to register attendance at May Open Days, visit: 

https://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/open-days-may-2022

Ten years of success for Scotland’s Family Nurse Partnerships

More than 10,000 young mothers and their children have been helped by a decade-long programme since it began as a pilot in NHS Lothian.

An analysis report on the Family Nurse Partnership shows positive results for mothers and babies in areas such as breastfeeding rates and stopping smoking, with most children meeting all their milestones, and 95% receiving all their immunisations.

The Family Nurse Partnership supports young, first-time mothers to prepare for motherhood and throughout the first two years of their child’s life.

Women’s Health Minister Maree Todd met mothers and staff who have taken part. She said: “Over 10,000 young women have now received support through this programme since it started, which is a fantastic milestone.

“Family nurses help mothers to think about the future, what kind of parent they want to be and their goals and aspirations for other areas of their lives like education and employment.

“Earlier this year we committed to expanding the programme to all young first time mothers aged 21 and under by the end of 2024. Where possible, we will also target first time mothers under the age of 25 who are care experienced or from the most deprived communities. This expansion will mean we can support up to an additional 500 families per year by 2025.”

Val Alexander, service manager of the Family Nurse Partnership, who has been with the programme since it began, said: “We are so proud of the Family Nurse Partnership and everything our clients have achieved. 

“The Family Nurse Partnership programme works to support young, first-time mothers to prepare for motherhood and continues that support for them and their child through the first two years.

“FNP was first delivered in NHS Lothian and to see it extended across Scotland to reach thousands more families is something very special for all of us.

“This 10-year analysis of the delivery of the service across Scotland will help us to see how far we have come and map out our goals and ambitions for the future of the programme and young families.”