Young people are set to benefit from expanded employment support through a further 80 new Youth Hubs as the Government continues to provide opportunity across the UK.
80 new Youth Hub locations confirmed across Great Britain.
Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) Trust partners with DWP to support Britain’s Youth Hubs – taking jobs and opportunity straight to the heart of communities.
Expansion builds on commitment for every local area across Great Britain to have a Youth Hub.
Work with wider stakeholders – including the English Premier League – ongoing, to give every young person access to support locally.
Young people are set to benefit from expanded employment support through a further 80 new Youth Hubs as the Government continues to provide opportunity across the country.
Youth Hubs bring together Jobcentre Plus, local authority services, employers and training providers under one roof to support young people aged 16 to 24.
As part of this expansion, every Youth Hub will meet a set of minimum standards, ensuring young people can access on-site jobcentre support alongside mental health and housing support, skills and training opportunities, careers guidance and direct connections to employers with live job and apprenticeship opportunities.
The expansion is the latest step towards bringing Youth Hubs to every area in Great Britain to establish a national network and address the almost one million young people not earning or learning – a rise of 248,000 between 2021 to 2024 – so that every young person can progress wherever they live.
To mark the expansion, the Work and Pensions Secretary opened Scotland’s first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair in Glasgow’s iconic Concert Hall, bringing employers, training providers and support services together to connect young people with jobs, skills and opportunities in the area.
Over 2,400 young people looking for work met leading employers including Scottish Power, HSBC, Barclays, Police Scotland, the Army, Royal Air Force, NHS24, Kier Construction and the Scottish Professional Football League Trust.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Today marks a major boost for young people with 80 new Youth Hubs and Scotland’s first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair driving opportunity.
“We are delivering support in every region, connecting young people with employers, and meeting them where they are so they can move into work, as we reform the welfare state into a working state.
“This is about breaking down barriers, opening doors and ensuring every young person can earn or learn, wherever they live.”
The Scottish Professional Football League Trust will partner with DWP to deliver Youth Hubs across Scotland, as the Government continues its drive to deliver support to young people where they are.
This builds on work across England, where Premier League is working with DWP to support the Youth Guarantee and help young people access jobs, training and support.
80 new Youth Hubs are coming to communities across Great Britain@SPFLTrust is partnering with us to deliver 10 of these across Scotland, where today’s Scottish Youth Guarantee Jobsfair brought together employers, young people and opportunity https://t.co/8KzwaaaOkypic.twitter.com/xtpQHevQ6q
— Department for Work and Pensions (@DWPgovuk) March 25, 2026
Nicky Reid, SPFL Trust Chief Executive, said: “We’re extremely proud to have been chosen to deliver these vital Youth Hubs in partnership with the DWP across the country.
“Football clubs and their associated community trusts are places where many young people feel a strong sense of connection, making them a natural fit for this programme.
“These initiatives will play a crucial role in helping participants access the training and support they need to take the next step in their careers or education.”
Youth Hubs will be expanded to over 360 areas across Great Britain over the next three years, from Manchester and Salford to Dundee and Newport.
The 80 new Hubs are launching across Scotland, Wales and England with delivery already well under way and the expansion seeing Youth Hubs open from November 2025.
Today’s announcement is part of the £2.5 billion investment in the Youth Guarantee and changes to the Growth and Skills Levy to prioritise young apprentices, which together create 200,000 jobs and apprenticeship opportunities.
This includes a Youth Jobs Grant worth £3,000 for employers for every young person they hire aged 18-24 who has been on UC for six months, an expanded Jobs Guarantee for 18-to-24-year-olds, and new foundation apprenticeships in key sectors.
These commitments come alongside the government’s expansion of its innovative ‘Pathfinder’ programme to Nottingham and the North East, following early success in Wakefield. Like the Youth Hub model, Pathfinders bring together local councils, mayors and health teams and partners to design employment support that reflects the specific needs, employers and job markets in each community.
The Pathfinder programme forms part of the government’s broader ambition to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to employment support, providing personalised, practical help to people before they reach crisis point.
These steps ‘show the Government’s commitment to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to earn or learn’.
Ten young people (aged 14-18) have taken part in a six-month course with Tinderbox Collective and North Edinburgh Community Festival to learn how to organise a festival.
The course, Festival Futures, culminates this weekend (Saturday 28th March) in West Pilton for the launch event for North Edinburgh Community Festival.
The launch event will feature live music from local performers, a games hub, food stalls, community stalls and sports activities.
Local young people are behind the organisation of the launch event for North Edinburgh Community Festival, taking place in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre tomorrow (Saturday 28th March) from 12-2pm.
Festival Futures, a six-month project between Tinderbox Collective and North Edinburgh Community Festival, has allowed ten young people from North Edinburgh to get hands-on experience, workshops and work experience on how to run a live event. This festival launch is the culmination of their work and has given the young people the chance to step behind the scenes and learn how a real community festival comes to life.
The launch event will host live music from local young performers who have been honing their skills and shaping their sound in youth clubs and community spaces delivered by Tinderbox Collective and Granton Youth, including Lotas, Georgia Amery, Abraham Olivier, and Leon Highway.
There will be community stalls from local organisations including Granton Baptist Church, Spartans, Childrens’ Holiday Venture, Project Esperanza and more, as well as sports activities and food stalls. Tinderbox Games Club will also be hosting an escape room they have designed, letting people try out computer games they have designed over the last year.
This weekend’s event marks the launch of the programme for the 2026 North Edinburgh Community Festival, which will take place on 16th May.
Returning for its fifth edition, the much-loved festival continues its mission as a family friendly fun day out for all the residents in North Edinburgh, and a vital community anchor which brings people together, strengthens local pride, and connects thousands with essential services and opportunities.
During the festival itself, Tinderbox Collective will be producing and running the Main Stage, which brings together choirs, youth bands and community performers from across North Edinburgh.
The North Edinburgh Community Choir – a vibrant group of around 100 singers from Pirniehall, St David’s Craigroyston and Forthview Primary Schools and Craigroyston High School – will return to perform, and Tinderbox’s Tuesday Music Club band – made of up thirty young people from across North Edinburgh – will also take to the stage with original tunes and reimagined covers they’ve been developing together.
Tinderbox Collective will also join forces with Granton Youth to produce the North by North West stage which will feature emerging young musicians and new talent still to be announced.
Adele Conn, Festival Director of North Edinburgh Community Festival, said: “I’m incredibly proud of the young people in our Festival Futures programme; their creativity, commitment, and professionalism over the last six months have been nothing short of inspiring.
“Seeing them lead today’s launch with such confidence and pride is a real joy, and they should each feel immensely proud of what they’ve achieved.”
The North Edinburgh Community Festival launch takes place tomorrow – Saturday 28th March, from 12 – 2pm at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre and is free to attend.
The full festival will follow on Saturday 16th May 2026 at West Pilton Park and the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.
We are hosting a coffee morning on 28th March @ 10am – 2pm in RWCC for our Do you Recognise theme.
We have a box of photos of individuals in sports groups, plays, social events etc all in the old RWCC building & we are planning to post a few up on our fb page & ask for people to help identify who these North Edinburgh individuals are.
On the 28th, we will have them all on display in our hall on boards, for people to look at, write names, comments, stories beside each of them.
Would you be interested in coming along to take part / share and have a wee look.,
Keep your eyes peeled for our publicity on our facebook, rwcc noticeboard and please spread the word!
Pupils from across Edinburgh took to the stage at Murrayfield Stadium and Easter Road Stadium this week as they participated in Powering Futures Live – a series of regional showcase events which brought over 2,000 pupils from across the country to some of Scotland’s most iconic venues to present to, and network with, over 300 business leaders working across Scotland’s economy.
Across the city, 225 pupils from seven schools – St Augustine’s RC High School, Trinity Academy, Balerno Community High School, Liberton High School, Drummond Community High School, Craigmount High School and Portobello High School – have spent the past 30 weeks working in teams to research, develop answers to real world challenges posed by leading Scottish businesses.
They then delivered their work in a presentation to a panel of professionals working in leading businesses across the Lothians, including Aecom, HSBC, PwC and Hitachi Rail, where they presented their innovative solutions.
Powering Futures Live, which was sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland, marks the end of a year-long journey for participants in the Powering Futures Schools Challenge Programme, bringing education and industry together for a series of regional events at Ayr Racecourse, The Crichton, Stirling Court Hotel, Pittodrie Stadium, Ross Country FC, Hampden Park, Easter Road and Murrayfield stadium.
This academic year marked the largest participation in the Powering Futures programme to date, with over 100 schools across the country and around 2,300 pupils taking part for 2025-2026.
Having undertaken their final presentations at Powering Futures Live, all participants are now expected to earn an SCQF Level 6 qualification – equivalent to a Scottish Higher.
The challenges for this year’s cohort were set by leading Scottish industries, reflecting the priorities shaping Scotland’s future economy:
Seafood Scotland – ‘Fish-Tales’: Helping Scots to rediscover their local superfood by designing a campaign that reconnects Scottish people with local sustainable seafood
Vital Energi with the Centre for Net Zero High Density Buildings (CeNZ-HighDB) and HCI Skills Gateway – ‘Hot Stuff’: Design a town for 2,500 new homes that showcases the opportunities that new heating technology offers – creating communities where heating is affordable, efficient and low carbon
BAM and Siemens Energy – ‘Watt’s Next?’: creating a nine-month timeline of experiences and events that redesigns how young people can discover careers in clean energy, and be connected with potential employers
SSEN Transmission – ‘Power-Up’: Create a plan for moving the equipment and materials for new electricity infrastructure to a remote environment whilst minimising the impact to local communities and the environment.
Industry mentors from these organisations worked directly with pupils in the classroom, guiding their research and helping develop creative solutions, directly bridging the gap between education and business and helping employers to engage with the workforce of the future.
Powering Futures was established in 2020 to empower young people with the skills, critical thinking and confidence to enter the workplace. At its heart is the Powering Futures Challenge Programme, which tasks teams of S5 and S6 pupils with solving a problem set by industry.
The programme supports pupils in developing skills in teamwork, problem-solving and presenting, and culminates with pupils presenting their creative solutions to a panel of industry judges. At the end of the process, participants will gain a SCQF Level 6 qualification, equivalent to a Scottish Higher.
Jennfier Tempany, Co-Founder of Powering Futuressaid: “We were delighted to have 225 pupils from across Edinburgh attend Powering Futures Live at Murrayfield and Easter Road this week, and we were blown away by the innovation and creativity in their final presentations.
“This has been our biggest cohort of young people taking part in the Powering Futures Challenge programme, and Powering Futures Live marks the pinnacle of their exciting journey.
“What makes Powering Futures Live so special is the way it brings education and business directly together, giving young people the opportunity to showcase their talent, harness their skills and present the solutions they have collaborated on for the past year.
“By empowering young people through our pioneering Powering Futures Challenge Programme, we can help them develop the critical skills that employers are looking for in their future workforce as well as establishing those essential links between the businesses of today and the workers of tomorrow who will power Scotland’s future.”
Jeni Adamson, Industry Engagement Manager at Seafood Scotland said: “As both a student mentor and challenge setter, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the journey from the classroom to final presentations.
“The commitment and creativity displayed by the students at the live events I have attended has been outstanding, and the quality of solutions presented across all challenges has been incredibly impressive.
“Every student I’ve encountered on the programme has grabbed the opportunity with both hands, which is inspiring to see.”
Campaigners have called for a Minimum Income Guarantee and an immediate increase in the Scottish Child Payment that will lift thousands out of poverty.
He said: “Poverty is a profound injustice that robs people of what they need to build a decent life for themselves and a better future for our country. These figures show that MSPs in the next Scottish Parliament need to invest much more in the social foundation we all rely on.
“Because of changes in the way the figures have been worked out, we have to be cautious about the comparisons we make. But they show some welcome progress over the last few years, with the overall number of people in poverty falling by about 130,000 since 2021/22, and the number of children in poverty from 540,000 to 420,000.
“But we have serious concerns that those numbers could increase again, as people face yet another energy crisis and the prospect of rocketing living costs across the board.
“The figures show that there are 630,000 people in severe poverty – with children making up 150,000 of them. It is simply wrong that so many of our fellow citizens find themselves pushed so close to deprivation.”
The Poverty Alliance repeated its calls to boost the Scottish Child Payment to £55 a week.
Peter Kelly said: “Our new MSPs will have a legal responsibility to make sure that fewer than 10% of Scotland’s children are in poverty by 2030/31. Today’s figures show that 21% of our children are living with that daily injustice.
“We simply cannot allow this to continue. The Scottish Government can help by strengthening the support we give to households with children, and the UK Government can help by scrapping the unjust benefit cap.
“And over the course of the next Parliament, we will continue to build public support for real Living Wages and a Minimum Income Guarantee that will make sure everyone has what they need to use their talents for the benefit of themselves, their households, and all of us.”
Responding to today’s statistics on household incomes and poverty which show one in five children in Scotland are trapped in poverty, Chief Executive of Children First, Mary Glasgow said: “A small drop in child poverty does not change the urgent need for action to tackle Scotland’s childhood emergency and meet Scotland’s 2030 child poverty target.
“It is not acceptable that one in five children in Scotland are living in poverty. It has a devastating impact on children’s mental health, wellbeing, education and prospects that can last into adulthood. Reducing child poverty is an investment in Scotland’s future, improving public health, strengthening communities and reducing public costs in the long term.
“In the run up to the election, every political party must prioritise policies that support families, strengthen incomes and uphold Scotland’s commitment to eradicating child poverty.”
Commenting on today’s latest official poverty statistics, Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “Today’s statistics show there are still too many pensioners living in poverty in Scotland.
“As the national charity supporting older people on low incomes, we know that older people are skipping meals, washing in cold water and not turning the heating on. This is wrong and a social injustice.
“As the Holyrood elections approach, all political parties must prioritise action to reduce pensioner poverty. This should start with a national strategy, a plan setting out the key actions to reduce poverty in older age and act as a map for how we will get there.
“They must also pledge to improve the social security support for older people on low incomes, and commit to supporting older people improve the energy efficiency of homes.
“We also urge the UK Government to introduce a social tariff for energy across the whole of the UK to reduce the cost of heating for older people on low incomes. The UK Government must also improve the take-up and adequacy of the payments they administer to older people.
“The levels of poverty in later life are too high in Scotland, and with around 1.7 million older people now in poverty across the UK, today’s figures must be a call to action.”
TRUSSELL commented: “It’s encouraging that child poverty is falling in Scotland. It shows the power of investing in social security.
“But it’s not acceptable that 1 in 5 children are locked in poverty. All parties must commit to decisive action to ensure every child has a decent start in life.”
Cara Hilton, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Trussell, said: “Today, the Family Resources Survey has revealed a heartbreaking injustice; persistently high numbers of people across Scotland are trapped in the grip of severe hardship.
“While the latest figures indicate that some people are getting back on their feet, the numbers of people facing hunger in our communities are still too high. As we find ourselves yet again facing uncertain times, we know that progress can be too easily undone. People just surviving could once again be pushed over the edge if the price of food and bills increases.
“Food banks in our community provided more than 220,000 food parcels in Scotland in 2025 – that’s 64% more than in 2015. These new figures from the government confirm that 500,000 people are facing hunger across Scotland. This isn’t right.
“With the Holyrood election just six weeks away, Trussell is calling on all political parties to commit to building a Scotland where everyone can afford the essentials and where every child has a decent start in life.
“This should include immediate investment to increase the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week, increasing to £55 by the end of the next Holyrood session. We need the Scottish government to build firmer foundations for people on the lowest incomes so all of us have the support we need to thrive.”
Latest poverty statistics published
Two poverty statistics publications were released by the Scottish Government yesterday. Poverty and income inequality in Scotland 2022-25 covers the period up to March 2025, presenting poverty rates for children, working-age adults and pensioners.
Methodological changes have been applied to the statistics in this report as the Department for Work and Pensions have linked the source data from the Family Resources Survey to administrative records on social security benefits.
As a result, there have been revisions to previously published poverty rates back to 2021/22, and further revisions are planned as part of on-going development work. Users should therefore note that caution is needed when interpreting the statistics to assess trends over time.
The most recent three-year averages for 2022-25 show that:
Around 17 per cent of Scotland’s population (940,000 people) were living in relative poverty after housing costs. This was 15 per cent (840,000 people) before housing costs. Poverty rates for Scotland’s population have been broadly stable for around a decade.
Children are more likely to be in relative poverty: 21 per cent of children are in relative poverty after housing costs, compared to 13 per cent of pensioners and 18 per cent of working-age adults. Children in relative poverty are more likely to be in a working household; 75% of children in relative poverty have at least one person working in the household while 25% have no-one in household working.
The median household income before housing costs was £707 per week and after housing costs was £636. Prior to 2021/22, median incomes had increased slowly but steadily since the recession in 2008/09.
Persistent Poverty in Scotland 2010-24 presents statistics on people who live in relative poverty for at least three out of the last four years. The latest figures show that around one in ten people in Scotland (11 per cent) were in persistent poverty, after housing costs, between 2020 and 2024. Persistent poverty rates were highest for children (17 per cent), and lower for working-age adults (10 per cent) and pensioners (9 per cent).
Persistent poverty is an important measure because the longer someone is in poverty, the more it impacts on their health, well-being, and overall life chances. These impacts can affect an individual throughout their lifetime.
Further information on the two publications is set out below:
This Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland publication contains statistics on poverty, child poverty, poverty risks for various equality characteristics, household income and income inequality for Scotland. This report also includes statistics on household food security. The data comes from the Department for Work and Pensions’ Family Resources Survey (FRS), Households Below Average Income dataset. Comparable UK income and poverty figures are published on the same day by DWP.
Statistics from this report have been revised, back to 2021/22, due to a methodology change. The FRS is now linked to administrative data, which means the majority of FRS responses for benefit income and tax credits have been replaced with data from DWP’s administrative sources. Further years of linked estimates back to survey year 2018/19 will be published in summer 2026 in a follow up release. The absolute poverty measure has also been amended as a result of the data linkage; full details can be found in the report.
This publication has been designated as official statistics in development in line with the other devolved administrations in order to acknowledge the changes to the methodology and that there will be a period of flux as further methodological changes are implemented. Future changes are announced by DWP in their release strategy, which is updated periodically as plans develop. A statistical blog has been published on the Scottish Government website to inform users of developments.
Figures are presented in the main report are three-year averages of each estimate. Three-year estimates are better to identify trends over time. The four child poverty measures in the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act are based on single-year figures. These statistics are available in the reference tables and in the child poverty summary.The single-year estimates exhibit more year-on-year fluctuation compared to the three-year averages and should be interpreted with caution.
This Persistent Poverty in Scotland publication presents estimates of the proportion of people in Scotland who live in persistent poverty. The data comes from the Understanding Society Survey, and the latest statistics cover the period from 2020 to 2024. Statistics from this report are badged as official statistics.
Poverty statistics are used by the Scottish Government and other organisations to monitor progress in tackling poverty and child poverty, and to analyse what drives poverty and what works for tackling poverty and income inequality.
Relative poverty: A person is in relative poverty if their current household income is less than 60% of the current UK median. Relative poverty statistics fall if income growth at the lower end of the income distribution is greater than overall income growth.
Absolute poverty: A person is in absolute poverty if their current household income is less than 60% of the UK median in a given reference year, adjusted for inflation. Absolute poverty statistics fall if low income households are seeing their incomes rise faster than inflation. Due to the structural break introduced by the data linkage the reference year for absolute poverty has been moved from 2010/11 to 2024/25.
Combined low income and material deprivation identifies the proportion of children in households with incomes below 70% of the median UK income and going without certain basic essential goods and services.
Persistent poverty identifies the number of people in relative poverty for three or more out of four years. People who live in poverty for several years may be affected by it throughout their lifetime.
The poverty publications present poverty figures before and after housing costs. Before-housing-costs figures are a basic measure of household income from earnings and benefits. After-housing-costs figures subtract spending on rents, mortgage interest payments and other unavoidable housing costs from this basic income. In Scotland, poverty statistics focus mainly on poverty after housing costs.
Engineering students at one of the country’s leading STEM‑focused universities are offering the public a rare chance to see the ideas shaping the world around us.
Hosted at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh campus on April 01, the Civil Engineering Degree Show will feature real‑world projects developed by students across all years of learning.
The event centres on new thinking driving the future of transport, sustainable energy, coastal protection, Net Zero buildings and the water systems essential to everyday life.
The exhibition takes place on campus and is designed for anyone with an interest in how Scotland’s infrastructure develops, including industry, schools, local authorities and members of the public.
Rod Macdonald, Associate Professor at the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, who is leading the event said: “This is a unique opportunity for visitors to speak directly with the people who will design and deliver the infrastructure our communities depend on.”
“Our students are already thinking at the scale of Scotland’s major transport links, our future energy needs, our coastal resilience and the systems that support safe, sustainable living.
“It’s been incredibly inspiring working alongside them on their various projects and it’s great to see how they are all thinking beyond today, looking at what society will need decades from now, and translating that into innovative, practical designs.”
The show takes place from 2–6pm in the James Watt Centre Foyer, offering the public the opportunity to meet the students and academics behind the projects.
Eleven exhibitions will be on display, highlighting the breadth of civil engineering work at Heriot‑Watt, from early concept models to complex design projects tackling real‑world challenges.
Projects on display will explore how smarter cities and infrastructure could be designed in the future, while also addressing climate and sustainability challenges, the creation of energy‑efficient infrastructure, improved transport for growing populations and new ways to build communities that are resilient by design.
Shadi Mohamed, Associate Professor at the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society added: “Each exhibition shows a different stage of learning, from first‑year students beginning design work to the final‑year teams completing Professional Design Projects that mirror real‑world industry challenges.
“Visitors will see how our students are planning for future transport, energy, coastal resilience, water networks and Net Zero buildings, all shown through models, visuals and direct conversations with the teams.”
Last year’s Degree Show included a standout project that explored how Edinburgh’s South Suburban Line could be reopened to passengers for the first time in more than sixty years, using low‑carbon tram‑train technology to better connect communities across the city.
The work drew strong public interest and showed how students at Heriot‑Watt apply their learning to real infrastructure challenges facing Scotland.
Events like the degree show reflect the practical approach that prepares graduates from Heriot‑Watt to step into roles with the technical confidence and real‑world experience needed to contribute from day one.
Students also benefit from practical learning opportunities such as ConStructEdScotland, where second years’ 3work alongside professional engineers and tradespeople to build full‑scale structures, gaining early insight into how designs become real projects.
The University’s approach prepares students to understand both local and global challenges, with an emphasis on sustainability, resilience and long‑term community benefit.
These strengths are supported by close relationships with partners such as the Civil Engineering Industry Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from AECOM, ARUP, Balfour Beatty, Halcrow, Jacobs, Buro Happold and WSP Group, ensuring teaching stays aligned with industry needs.
To learn more about the Degree Show, please visit:
NEW RETIREMENT VILLAGE WILL PROVIDE 48 HOMES ON FORMER ST GEORGE’S SCHOOLCAMPUS SITE
Vivere Extra Care Group is pleased to have gained a ‘minded to approve’ planning consent from The City of Edinburgh Council for Edinburgh’s first fully integrated community of extra care homes, located on the 2.2 acre Lansdowne House site on Coltbridge Terrace in Murayfield.
Once complete, the new community will provide 48 extra care homes, communal resident’s lounges and facilites, on site parking, landscaped gardens and Edinburgh and Scotland’s first Zero Carbon 5G heat network, located on the vacant brownfield former Lower School Campus site of St George’s School.
The former school campus will be returned to its residential origins since it was originally a grand Victorian villa set in landscaped grounds including a Victorian lodge house and stables, formerly known as Coltbridge Hall, built in 1875, designed by architect T.B. McFadzen.
The new extra care community will help to address the proven demand in Edinburgh for age-appropriate housing with 24/7 care services that supports residents to age-in-place and retain their independence, an alternative to a care home.
Vivere Extra Care Groupplan to invest circa £25 million to restore and refurbish the historic buildings on the site and undertake the construction to return Lansdowne House to its residential origins.
During the refurbishment and construction period the new project will contribute to the Edinburgh economy providing over 100 construction jobs including a local builder apprentiship programme for 16-25 year olds.
When the new community is operational, it will support up to 16 full-time jobs on site and local business partners in Edinburgh, contributing almost £625,000 per annual (estimate) to the local economy, with the residents themselves contributing almost £430,000 per annum to the local economy in taxes and spending.
Central to the proposals is a commitment by Vivere Extra Care Group to protect, conserve and sensitively refurbish the listed buildings, alongside new build elements which will be thoughtfully designed to complement the character of the Victorian buildings.
Inside the main two storey Victorian villa (Category C Listed) all the heritage rooms on the ground floor will be fully retained and carefully restored to provide communal lounges and shared amenity spaces for residents.
The high-quality facilities will include a bistro, private dining, a multi-purpose room for a range of activities and a hobby/craft room encouraging socialising. The rooms on the upper floor will be transformed into heritage apartments offering large living spaces and beautiful retained period features.
The scheme will also offer a Health Club, including a full equipped fitness-studio, an activity area for classes such as Pilates and Yoga, a physiotherapy treatment room and post-operative services. The on-site management team will support the residents on a day-to-day basis and estate management services will ensure the maintenance of the buildings and grounds.
In the grounds, the current modern buildings will be replaced with new high quality buildings, with the grounds enhanced with landscaped gardens, including the modern reinstatement of the original sunken garden of 1875, with new planting and existing trees protected in order to enhance the residential character and quality of the place.
The landscaping will enhance the biodiversity of the site by increasing the percentage of usable green space by creating a range of garden types, with green and blue roofs enhancing biodiversity as well as slowing rainwater down before going into the main drainage system.
Scott Curran, Co-Founding Director of Vivere Extra Care Group says: “Vivere Extra Care Group is pleased to have gained a ‘minded to approve’ planning consent from The City of Edinburgh Council for Edinburgh’s first fully integrated community of extra care homes on the 2.2 acre Lansdowne House site.
“We thank The City of Edinburgh Council and members of the local community for working closely with us to help finalise our proposals for the project.”
Vivere Co-Founding DirectorBeatrix Lehnert adds: “This is an important step in the provision of much needed extra care housing in Edinburgh. Lansdowne is the first of four planned developments we have in the pipeline in Edinburgh over the next five years.
“Our proposals are aligned with the Scottish Government’s ambition to both raise life expectancy in Scotland and the provision of suitable housing and amenities for older people which help to enhance their health and wellbeing.”
For further information on Vivere Extra Care Group visit:
Ian Findlay Path Fund supports projects in Edinburgh
COMMUNITIES across Scotland are celebrating the impact of a £5.07 million investment in local path networks. Between 2022 and 2026, the Ian Findlay Path Fund, funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Walking Scotland, helped 62 projects across 17 council areas.
The fund has supported eight path projects in Edinburgh over four years, including the Dalmeny Path Development, the Coalie Park Improvement Project and the Gyle Park Path Network Upgrade 2023.
These initiatives have supported upgrades to path surfaces, improved accessibility and strengthened connections between local communities and green spaces, making it easier for residents to walk and wheel throughout the city.
Across Scotland, communities have upgraded more than 69 kilometres of path surfaces, created over 16 kilometres of new link paths and improved almost 29 kilometres of routes connecting neighbourhoods with local services and green spaces.
Projects have also removed 28 accessibility barriers, installed 92 seats along community paths and improved lighting, drainage and signage, helping to make routes safer and easier to use throughout the year.
Kevin Lafferty, Chief Executive Officer at Walking Scotland, said: “The Ian Findlay Path Fund has left a lasting legacy that people in Edinburgh will benefit from for years to come. These practical improvements make a real difference to people’s daily lives.
“When paths are safe, well-maintained and easy to use, people walk and wheel more. That benefits their health and their communities.
“It also helps the environment, as more people choosing to walk and wheel reduces the number of car journeys and carbon emissions.”
The fund was established in memory of Ian Findlay CBE, former Chief Executive Officer of Walking Scotland, whose work championed the importance of accessible paths and everyday walking and wheeling in building healthier, more connected communities across Scotland.
Kevin added, “The Ian Findlay Path Fund was the perfect way for all of us to pay tribute to Ian.I’m delighted that we can now look back and celebrate its many achievements.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said, “The Ian Findlay Path Fund has been an important part of our commitment to supporting communities across Scotland to create safe, accessible and attractive places to walk, wheel and enjoy their local environments.
“Since its inception, this fund has empowered local groups, who understand the needs and character of their own areas, to lead improvements that make every day active travel easier and more appealing.
“As the fund comes to a close this month, I want to pay tribute to the volunteers, community organisations and partners who have turned small scale, grassroots ideas into meaningful local change.
“Their work embodies the spirit of community led development and complements our wider national ambition to make walking, wheeling and cycling the natural choice for shorter journeys.
“While this chapter concludes this year, the legacy of the Ian Findlay Path Fund will continue in the strengthened connections, safer routes and more vibrant places it has helped deliver across Scotland.”
To find out more about the work of Walking Scotland, please visit:
Marking the achievement of the men’s national football team
First Minister John Swinney has confirmed that NHS staff will get the one-off national Bank holiday to mark Scotland’s return to the men’s football World Cup for the first time since 1998.
Health Secretary Neil Gray has written to staff representatives at the country’s largest employer to confirm they will have the chance to celebrate the sporting achievement.
The First Minister said: “The bank holiday on June 15 is a chance to get together with family and friends and make the most of the men’s national football team competing in the first World Cup finals for 28 years.
“I want to ensure that our hard-working NHS staff have that opportunity, so I am pleased to confirm all NHS Scotland staff will benefit from the extra holiday.
“The efforts of NHS staff have seen waits of over a year decreasing for eight consecutive months and new outpatient waits over a year more than halving since July 2025. I am deeply grateful for all they continue to do to drive progress and this holiday recognises that.
“Not only is this an historic sporting event, it’s also a chance for Scotland to be on the world stage, to attract business development, create tourism interest and make cultural and sporting connections.”
Measures will be put in place to ensure the NHS will continue to operate as it normally would on public holidays.
