Average house prices in Edinburgh have risen to almost £355,000, according to a firm of independent solicitors and estate agents.
Lindsays says its average sale price in the capital during 2025 was £354,522 – up 2.6% on the previous 12 months (£345,310).
Its property market experts expect 2026 to be another year of similar price increases, with demand from homebuyers continuing to outstrip supply across the city.
Edinburgh-headquartered Lindsays believes the current city market remains strong, with properties generally selling at about their home report valuation level.
Maurice Allan, Managing Director of Residential Property at Lindsays,said: “There’s a good balance to the market right now. There’s no reason to suspect that’s going to change.
“The big issue that we always have in Edinburgh is lack of supply. There are always people moving here – it’s a place people want to be – but there are very few places to build new homes within the city itself. That creates a very particular dynamic to the local market.
“We expect 2026 to be much in line with the past 12 months. There are certainly no signs of a downturn.
“A market without extremes is always the healthiest. We want to see fluidity in the market, where it’s relatively easy to buy and relatively easy to sell. That’s what we have right now.”
Lindsays reported a busy end to the market in 2025, with a good number of prospects in the pipeline moving into this year (2026).
The firm also operates an estate agency in Dundee, where its average house price sale during 2025 was £217,751.
Chris Todd, Partner and Head of Residential Property at Lindsays,said: “One of the most significant factors that we’re going to see during 2026 will be around the cost of borrowing.
“We can expect a degree of certainty around interest rates. We do not expect any significant change in those.
“That provides a level of certainty, with mortgage lending fairly readily available. That all points towards a balanced, steady market for the next 12 months.”
According to the latest statistics from the UK House Price Index, the average price of a property in Scotland is £194,000, up 5.3% on the year.
“One old battered brown box was my life story of residential care – that was all I was worth.”
Survey reveals nine in 10 people left with questions or concerns after receiving their care records.
ICO launches ‘Better Records Together’ campaign with new resources to support both people with care experience and the organisations handling their records.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has called for further improvements across local authorities in Scotland after warning that many people trying to access their own care records are being let down.
Research from the ICO found that people are facing systemic and demoralising challenges when it comes to their care records.
Over two thirds (71%) of people struggled with poor communication from the local authority and 69% said the process took longer than expected – with one person still waiting sixteen years later.
When care records were received, over half (59%) did not receive enough information and nearly nine in 10 (87%) were left with questions or concerns.
John Edwards, Information Commissioner, said: “This is so much more than a request for personal information. These are people fighting to access their own biography – their own identity – that is in the custody of an organisation.
“It is a brave and emotional step, especially from people who have already been let down by the care system in Scotland. But these requests are too often met with cold bureaucracy, long delays and pages of unexplained redactions, which can have devastating consequences.
“This current picture is unacceptable – but there are many people who play a role in creating better records and better access. As the data protection regulator, we can bring clarity to how these roles work together to thread people’s stories.
“We can build a clear pathway by ensuring everyone has the tools they need – equipping organisations with the certainty and skills to handle requests with care and compassion, and empowering people with the confidence and support to advocate for their own rights.
“Real change must come from the top – so today I am calling on local authority leaders across Scotland to take action. We know frontline staff want to get this right but are struggling with lack of resource and guidance. Improving this process starts at the beginning – when a child enters the care system, their information should be recorded with their rights in mind, knowing that they may request it later. This will reduce the administrative burden and keep the person at the very heart of the process, so future generations do not face the same struggle.”
Jackie McCartney, care experienced campaigner and Ambassador for the Rees Foundation, said: “I can remember the social worker arriving with my care records – she carried one old battered brown box. That was all I was worth. That box was my life story of residential care, with sixteen years of my life inside.
“She told me not to worry – ‘there’s not a lot in there’ – but I wanted to talk to her. Because this total stranger knew more about my life than I did. She had read my story before I had, and decided what I could or could not see. These were my puzzle pieces of how and why I had become a child in care.
“I opened my box and looked inside. I can still feel the pain and disappointment. My records were not even in date order, with whole years of my life missing and no medical records. There were so many blank pages with nothing on, and so much information redacted.
“The whole process must have more compassion and care. I want organisations to see this is more than data, files and words on a page – this is real people’s lives and stories.”
John-george Nicholson said: “We understand who we are through stories. The ones we tell ourselves and the ones others think and write about us. Growing up in care, the state became my storyteller, taking on the role most people’s families play. My files hold many of those stories, yet for years they seemed to forget who I was.
“I first accessed my records at 22 – 126 pages. Almost 25 years later, I asked again and received more than 800. They are tough and often traumatic to read (when I first received them in the post, they came without warning), but they are also a kind of treasure chest: fragments of memory, windows into a past I’d tried to forget. At first, they broke me. But over time, they became maps, continually changing as I age – helping me understand, make sense of the damage, navigate the past and future, and see that it wasn’t my fault. I was just a kid in a broken system.
“But the system is still broken, and record-keeping is a critical element of this – our storytelling. Too often the whole child is lost in forms and reports, their voice minimised or unheard. That has to change. Every child in care deserves records that see them, protect them, and help them heal and thrive.”
Better Records Together
The ICO has launched its ‘Better Records Together’ campaign by publishing a suite of practical resources to help tackle the current issues. The campaign includes:
new standards for organisations providing clarity on how to handle requests with care, as well as good practice measures to better support people from the moment they enter the care system.
clear advice for people requesting their records to help them to navigate the process and access support.
UK-wide supervision pilot running across 2025/26, monitoring the performance of 19 organisations to drive improvements.
In a letter sent to senior leaders, the Information Commissioner has made clear that if improvements are not made, organisations may face regulatory action.
The ICO has been proactively engaging with all 32 local authorities in Scotland after receiving complaints of long delays when care records were requested. Many local authorities have seen increases in requests over the last few years in relation to Scotland’s Redress Scheme, where people who suffered abuse while in care can apply for redress using supporting documents such as care records.
Some improvements have already been made across many local authorities in Scotland following the ICO’s engagement, but these must be sustained and further improvements made.
The regulator is working with charities, advocacy groups and other third parties to ensure their support reaches those who need them most.
Nicola Killean, Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, said: “The Information Commissioner’s Office’s campaign to support improved access to records by people with care experience is an important one. It is vital that children with care experience have access to their own records, in a way that is straightforward and easy for them to navigate.
“Children who have care experience have the same rights as every other child under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), but they also have extra safeguards. If a child can’t live with their family, this includes having the right to special protection and help.
“Care experienced children and young people have been clear over many years about the importance of proper recording of their time in care. It can help them come to terms with their experience, understand why decisions may have been made, and give them a sense of agency over their own lives. It supports children’s rights to identity, rights to a fair hearing and due process, and rights to respect for private and family life.”
Flora Henderson, Director, In Care Survivors Alliance, said: “In Care Survivors Alliance is heartened to see the publication of Information Commissioner’s Office latest guidance around care records.
This work is vital work in ensuring that people who are care experienced can access their records in a timely, supported and transparent way. We are aware how difficult information access requests can be for individuals, especially when lack of support can create a significant negative impact.
“As such, ICO’s guidance is of considerable value. We encourage all those who hold, create or respond to requests for care records to join the collective effort in empowering people to exercise their rights and access their records.”
Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive, Children First, said: “Children First supports the ‘Better Records Together’ campaign because people must be able to understand their past in a way that feels meaningful.
“For many care experienced people records are the only way to fill the gaps in their history and make sense of who they are. That’s why we prioritise recording children and families’ hopes and dreams, as well as meetings and support.
“We make sure that our historical records are as easy to access as possible. Records aren’t just paperwork, they are the threads that weave together the story of your life.”
A spokesperson for Who Cares? Scotland, said: “We welcome the Better Records Together project and are excited for the improvements to accessing records for Care Experienced people it will bring.
“We often hear from our members about the difficult and sometimes traumatic experience it can be to get access to their records and then read them. That’s why we’re proud to support the Information Commissioner’s Office with this new phase of their project.”
Visit the ICO’s Better Records Together webpage to access the resources and find out more about its work to support both people with care experience and the organisations that handle their records.
We are overwhelmed & humbled by messages of thanks, support & solidarity following our CEO’s decision to decline her MBE nomination.
As an organisation run by disabled people for disabled people it’s important we speak up & speak out about issues affecting us.
We’re on leave till 5th Jan & will respond to questions/requests asap.
Meantime, please check out our website, FB & Insta accounts which may answer queries on what we do, how to become a member, how we can help you, & how to support our work. https://gda.scot
Our latest ebulletin https://mailchi.mp/…/un-international-day-of-disabled… celebrates International Day of Disabled People and provides info about the Disability Equality Plan for Scotland & related Improving Access Fund (deadline 19.01.26)
“I am writing this letter to thank you for the proposed award of Member of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year 2026 Honours List for services to disabled people and to let you know that regrettably, I must decline at this time…” read Tressa Burke’s letterbelow:
This Midwinter, something remarkable is stirring on the banks of the River Nith. The Stove Network has announced the launch of Phanto Spectra, a brand-new immersive installation forming part of the Northern Lights Dumfries trail at the 2026 Big Burns Supper.
Running from 15th – 17th January 2026, Phanto Spectra will transform the banks of the River Nith into an immersive, auditory exploration of Dumfries’ deep cultural connection with Scotland’s Travelling Showpeople.
Created as part of the Stove’s Hear Here initiative and created by artist Martin Joseph O’Neill, the work invites audiences to step into an evocative blend of sound, scenic design, storytelling and place-based memory.
Phanto Spectra appears in the festival programme as one of the highlighted installations within the Northern Lights trail, described as “An odyssey of the fair. A ghost in the town. A ride through memory, presence, and what is yet to come.”
A Living Landscape of Memory and Light
Drawing on centuries of Showpeople heritage dating back to the 1500s, Phanto Spectra uses binaural sound and theatrical sleight of hand to reveal hidden stories and celebrate the remarkable cultural contributions of travelling fairs. Audiences are invited to listen to spectral voices and rediscover the town’s deep connection to these traditions, as the surrounding environment subtly shifts in response to movement.
The installation has been developed through collaboration with Showpeople, local artists, historians and community groups. It reimagines the riverbank as a dreamlike landscape where past and present overlap in a fluid and immersive experience. The work also reflects on the changing future of Dumfries’ waterfront and the social questions raised by ongoing flood defence developments.
A Major New Work for Northern Lights Dumfries
Phanto Spectra joins the expanded 2026 Northern Lights programme, which features 16 free light and sound installations across Dumfries. This forms part of a large-scale creative reimagining of public space during the festival period.
Big Burns Supper’s refreshed 2026 format introduces new collaborations between artists, cultural partners and community organisations throughout the town. These include installations such as Burns Light, Washing Line, Birds on a Wire and Divided
The work is supported by £20,000 of Experiment funding from Immersive Arts UK, enabling the project to explore innovative approaches to immersive storytelling, accessibility, public engagement and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.
The Stove Network has emphasised the importance of this moment for the town and the relevance of immersive storytelling in shaping local conversations – “The Stove is thrilled and honoured to be part of this important national project.
“This funding will allow us to use immersive technologies to bring to life the compelling stories of less-represented groups in our town, at a moment of significant decision-making about Dumfries’ future.”
Most events in the Northern Lights trail are free to attend. Optional VIP tickets are available to support event sustainability and to provide queue-skipping options during Big Burns Supper 2026.
Event Details
Phanto Spectra
Dates: 15 to 17 January 2026
Location: River Nith, Dumfries.
Presenting
Partners: Northern Lights and Big Burns Supper Festival
Created by: Martin Joseph O’Neill for The Stove Network
Supported by: Immersive Arts UK and Hear Here initiative
Hogmanay and the first few days of 2026 will be very busy for the 111 service, which may mean a prolonged wait for calls to be answered. Here’s what you can do to help yourself, save time, and help us care for those in the most need first.
NHS inform has a range of symptom checkers for common illnesses and conditions you can use to help you decide what to do next: https://nhs24.info/symptom-checkers
Check out the winter illness hub on NHS inform if you need help with colds, flu, coughs, sickness bugs, etc: https://nhs24.info/winter-illness
If you are using a mobile phone to call please switch to WiFi calling and ensure your device is charged. This will help to prevent your call being disconnected. Some mobile providers disconnect calls due to network capacity demand. NHS 24 does not cut calls.
NHS 24’s staff are working exceptionally hard to answer as many calls as we can, quickly and safely. Please be patient and we will answer. If you can try the above options first, it could save you time.
We want to help you get the right care, in the right place.
As winter bites and forecasters predict another spell of frosty weather, UK motorists are being urged to allow greater stopping distances to help prevent avoidable collisions.
Car insurance experts at Quotezone.co.uk are warning that wintry conditions like snow and ice require stopping distances up to 10 times greater than usual.
Winter also sees a rise in UK road accidents due to reduced daylight hours and challenging weather conditions – with drivers six times more likely to have an accident between October and March.*
As driving conditions become more difficult and potentially hazardous, it’s crucial that motorists understand how dramatically stopping distances can increase.
In dry weather, the Highway Code advises stopping distances of 23 metres at 30mph, 53 metres at 50mph, and 96 metres at 70mph – the equivalent of around 24 car lengths.**
However, these distances can increase significantly in winter. Snow and icy conditions can require up to 10 times the usual distance, while wet weather demands at least double the normal stopping distance.***
It’s also important to remember that stopping distance isn’t just about braking. It also includes thinking distance – the distance a vehicle travels from the moment a driver perceives a hazard, to the time they react by applying the brakes, allowing the vehicle to come to a complete stop.
If drivers are tired, stressed or distracted, it can affect the thinking distance and reduce the speed at which drivers react, taking even longer for the vehicle to come to a halt.
Greg Wilson, CEO and car insurance expert at Quotezone said: “It’s crucial that drivers don’t underestimate winter weather and are fully prepared for worsening conditions.
“With accidents more likely throughout the winter months, remembering stopping distances and giving other drivers plenty of space is key – the more time and visibility drivers have, the more likely they will be able to react in time and avoid dangerous situations.
“If drivers are involved in an accident when driving in ice or snow, their insurer could challenge the claim if they were found to be driving negligently, such as ignoring safety advice or speeding – drivers need to adhere to the rules of the road no matter what the conditions, to avoid reckless driving.”
Double your stopping distance on wet roads and increase the distance up to 10 times the normal amount when roads are icy and snowy.
Reduce your speed
You have more time to react to hazards and maintain control when you’re driving at a lower speed. Speed limits are the absolute maximum speed you can legally travel – when conditions are poor, drive below the speed limit.
Leave plenty of space
Your visibility can be reduced by fog, frost, or heavy rain. Always keep extra distance between yourself and the car in front during these weather conditions.
Check tyres before driving
Before you set off, ensure tyre tread is above the legal minimum UK limit of 1.6mm and that tyres contain enough pressure – accurate tyre pressure improves grip.
Keep windows and lights clear
Frost, ice, snow, and condensation should be removed from all windows before setting off, and when visibility is low, use headlights to make sure you are visible to others.
Brake gently
Where possible, use engine braking to maintain control, and when driving in ice or snow, avoid sudden braking or acceleration.
Be prepared for black ice
Locations such as shaded roads, bridges and overpasses are most commonly prone to black ice. If you hit black ice, don’t hit the brakes, maintain your speed and keep the steering wheel straight, avoiding any sudden movements.
Pack winter essentials
Carry an ice scraper, de-icer, warm clothing, a blanket, and emergency supplies – ensure you keep your phone charged or carry a portable charger in case of emergencies.
Adjust for fog and poor visibility
Slow down and increase the distance between yourself and the vehicle in front. Use low-beam headlights when driving in fog and only turn on fog lights when visibility drops below 100 metres.
Plan your journey
Look at the weather forecast and check for traffic updates before setting off, allowing extra time to reach your destination when conditions are poor. If weather warnings are in place only travel if it is essential.
Quotezone helps millions of drivers every year compare and find savings on all sorts of car insurance products, such as young driver insurance, van insurance and breakdown cover.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION – PLEASE READ AND SHARE
NHS inform has a range of symptom checkers for common illnesses and conditions you can use to help you decide what to do next: 
Check out the winter illness hub on NHS inform if you need help with colds, flu, coughs, sickness bugs, etc: 
If your call is related to medicines please visit 
By using NHS resources wisely, we can keep well and get the care we need quickly, safely and as close to home as possible.
