Comedian Paul Black has been out and about in Edinburgh as the “money mule man” to raise awareness of the fraudulent activity.
Money muleing is on the up since the pandemic and sees criminals recruit individuals – predominantly young people – to channel illicit funds via their bank accounts to create a fake paper trail.
Members of the public who stuck to their guns and said no were rewarded with £100, while those who fell for temptation and took the quick cash fix went home empty handed.
The consequences of acting as a money mule are severe, with those involved facing a prison sentence of up to 14 years and banned from having a bank account.
In the wake of COP26, targets to slow climate change have been set across the world. As the host of the climate conference, Scotland has set the ambitious target of reaching net zero emissions by 2045 (Sturgeon, 2021).
Scotland aims to reduce emissions in areas such as transport and housing with numerous initiatives set for the coming years. However, are these targets inclusive for everyone in Scotland? How financial inequality excludes lower income households from reducing their emissions and accessing government support to do so will be explored.
The transport sector creates significant carbon emissions causing climate change (Apostolicas, 2019). This has driven the innovation of electric vehicles. In order to reach net zero, the target for Scotland (and the rest of Britain) is to stop the sale of new petrol/diesel cars after 2035 (Burch, Gilchrist, 2018).
A higher uptake of electric cars within society will be beneficial for reaching climate change targets, however, considering all members of society, this is not realistic. Electric cars have a significantly higher upfront costs and therefore an individual could buy a larger petrol/diesel car for the price of a smaller electric vehicle (Mehta, 2021).
Due to these drawbacks, financial incentives are needed to convince a lot of the public to opt for an electric car (Rotaris, Giansoldati, Scorrano, 2021).
In Scotland there is financial support to aid individuals buying an electric car. Interest free loans up to £28,000 paid back in up to 6 years for new electric cars and up to £20,000 paid back in up to 5 years for used electric cars are available (Net Zero Nation, 2021).
The cheapest used electric car that can currently be purchased costs from £9,675 however, numerous used petrol/diesel cars can be purchased for below £5000 (Buyacar, 2021). Therefore, interest-free loans are not enough to make electric cars accessible/desirable to low-income households.
Grants could be provided to low-income households to facilitate the purchase of an electric car and even the playing field of choice between electric and petrol/diesel vehicles.
Alternatively, government intervention into reducing the costs of electric cars would make them more accessible. The Scottish government should look to partner with electric car manufacturers such as Nissan to fund innovation and reduce tax on production of electric vehicles. With a significant reduction in the price of electric cars to match the price of petrol/diesel cars the financial barrier of purchasing would be removed and uptake across Scotland would increase, hence reducing transport emissions.
One of the benefits of owning an electric vehicle is their low running cost.
Charging points have been installed across Scotland which initiatives to increase accessibility set. However, electric cars are mainly charged by a charging point which is installed at the owner’s home.
The installation of a home charging point costs around £800 (DriveElectric, 2020). Grants of up to 75% of the cost of installing home charge points are available (Gov, 2021).
As of April 2022, this will only be available to homeowners living in flats and people in rented accommodation. This change demonstrates governments aim to aid lower income households more in purchasing an electric vehicle.
Nevertheless, even with a grant of the maximum, 75% of an £800 would still leave a £200 installation cost, which is significant in particular to individuals in rented accommodation. Can people be expected to invest this much into installing a charge point into a home that is not theirs?
In 2018 there were 2.48 million households in Scotland, 14% were in the private rented sector, 22 – 25% in the social rented sector and 61-62% in the owner-occupied sector (Gov, 2019). A large proportion of people in Scotland do not live in a property they own.
Arguably, households in rented accommodation are excluded from accessing means to reduce emissions. In particular low-income households.
Some individuals in Scotland have enough disposable income to invest in an electric vehicle and charging point with/without government loans and grants dependent on their eligibility.
However, for those without sufficient disposable income available, loans and grants are not enough, excluding a large portion of society from reducing their emissions. But transport is not the only area where financial inequality is prevalent and hinders Scotland’s climate change aims.
The Scottish government has been working to “promote home upgrades” to meet the net zero target (Sturgeon, 2021). Across the UK people’s homes contribute 22% of emissions (Sustainable Energy Association, 2019). However, as seen in the transport sector, sufficient support is not provided to lower income households.
As mentioned, over a 3rd of households in Scotland in 2018 were private or social rented (Gov, 2019).
The Future Homes Standard will be introduced in 2025 which will increase efficiency requirements of new homes being built (Gov, 2025). People who buy, rent or build their own new home are rarely low income.
Targets for existing property have also been set to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. T
he Scottish governments Housing to 2040 plan sets out objectives for increasing home efficiency. It states “To lead by example, we will aim for all new homes delivered by Registered Social Landlords and local authorities to be zero emissions homes by 2026” (Gov, 2021).
The objective is there but the execution is not.
In 2018 it was found that 1 in 3 homes in Scotland did not meet the living home standard (Shelter Scotland, 2018).
The government is failing to improve energy efficiency in social houses. In Scotland, 38,046 social housing properties failed to meet minimum standards and 25,564 were exempt from meeting the standard (Campbell, 2021).
This is detrimental to the reduction of emissions within the housing sector but also highlights the issue of fuel poverty within Scotland. Moodie argues “the hardest to fix homes are being left until last” and as lots of social housing is old and inefficient, this is widening the gap between those in energy efficient housing and those in fuel poverty (from Campbell, 2021).
Moodie further argues, support that is available to homeowners and private tenants is not available to those in social housing (from Campbell, 2021). Therefore, financial inequality is evident in the housing sector in hindering the provision of energy efficient housing.
As with purchasing an electric car, government financial support is available to make homes more energy efficient. Interest free loans are available to cover costs of installing various renewables systems (Gov, 2021).
Furthermore, households can receive a maximum of 40% cashback (with a maximum of £6000) for certain energy efficient improvements (Gov, 2021). This is an incentive for homeowners with sufficient disposable income to invest in making their home more efficient, especially due to increasing energy prices which are predicted to soar for years to come, yet a large proportion of society cannot afford to make these changes despite loans available (Jack, 2022).
The possibility of receiving cashback for efficiency improvements is not a sure enough return for many individuals who cannot afford to invest in upgrading their home.
For those living in private rented accommodation, this issue is amplified as individuals will not invest thousands of their own income in improving the efficiency of a home that is not theirs.
If they have to move, they have lost this investment therefore government support available is not appealing enough. Hence, those who cannot afford to improve their homes energy efficiency will suffer more as costs rise as well as their emissions remaining high.
To tackle issues of incentivising home energy efficiency and installation of charge points in rental property, landlords must be encouraged as oppose to tenants. A reduction of tax on landlord’s rental income for properties based on energy efficiency level and presence of an electric vehicle charge point would encourage improvements. Furthermore, moving into a rental property with a charge point makes purchasing an electric vehicle more accessible.
To conclude, the negative impact of financial inequality on Scotland’s aim to reach net zero by 2045 is evident in the transport and housing sector.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon states “that focus on justice and fairness will be central to Scotland’s whole approach to COP26” (Sturgeon, 2021). However, is there justice and fairness in the support available for the Scottish public to reduce their emissions?
With only zero interest loans available to aid the purchase electric vehicles, high upfront costs still prevent lower income households from accessing them.
Similarly, with interest free loans and cashback available to increase home energy efficiency, households with enough disposable income have incentive to upgrade homes however, support is not sufficient in aiding those with lower incomes.
The large proportion of the public who rent property are not incentivised to make improvements and as energy prices soar, the issue of fuel poverty increases with the government’s claims to upgrade the energy efficiency of social housing failing.
Scotland’s target of reaching net zero emissions is not attainable by 2045 with current inequality. It is clear that the if changes are not made, financial inequality within Scotland will prevent Scotland from meeting its net zero goal and tackling the climate crisis.
A programme which provides paths to employment for disabled young adults has returned, with new opportunities for internships in the Capital.
Edinburgh’s Project SEARCH has been helping people to gain vital employment skills and prepare for work since 2014 and is back after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic.
This year, 21 young people will be able to take forward placements, including roles with the City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian. For the first time, seven of these positions will be available with Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, which has signed up to become the programme’s first new employer in seven years.
Internships will be complemented with additional training and a ‘ready for work’ qualification from Edinburgh College.
Councillor Kate Campbell, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “Our goal is that 100% of the people who join Project SEARCH find employment before the end of the course or quickly after graduating.
“It’s an opportunity to support young people so that they can build confidence and learn the skills they’ll need to have fulfilling careers. But it’s also an opportunity for organisations to learn how they can become better employers, providing opportunities for young disabled people who may face additional barriers, and even more so with the pandemic.
“As employers learn more about the benefits to their organisation from becoming a disability confident employer, I hope opportunities for young disabled people will increase across the city.
“So, it’s fantastic to have private sector, as well as public sector, employers involved this year.”
Mandy Watt, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Vice Convener, added: “Some of the young people applying to Project SEARCH have graduated from school virtually – and now they face the prospect of not knowing how to take their first step into the world of work.
“Disability shouldn’t be a barrier to entering employment, but we know that all too often it is. Programmes like this are working to change things and open learning and employment opportunities for our young people, allowing them to work towards their own futures.
“The addition of Virgin Hotels to the list of employers on board is really welcome news. It sets a new standard for other organisations to consider signing up. As one of the city’s newest hotels, the partnership will create even more diverse roles for people to try out and learn from.”
Adam Gray, Regional Director of People, Scotland for Virgin Hotels said: “We are really looking forward to being the first hospitality organisation to take part in Project SEARCH in Edinburgh.
“Our new hotel opening creates lot of opportunity for employment in Edinburgh and we feel the young people from Project SEARCH are a great fit for Virgin. We pride ourselves on creating an open, diverse culture for our teammates where they can come to work and be their true self.
“We cannot wait to get started meeting the young people and creating meaningful placement opportunities for them.”
Rory Young, a Project SEARCH graduate who now works full time for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I joined Project SEARCH in August 2019 and completed three placements during my internship.
“The Project really helped me to gain a variety of office-based work experience and increase my confidence within a workplace and I was supported with job seeking and job skills.
“I’ve now working as a Licensing Support Assistant. I do a variety of tasks such as dealing with all mail, printing, and issuing licenses, updating licence records, and supporting colleagues who are managing applications. I’m really enjoying the job and have fitted in really well with all my colleagues.”
The Project SEARCH course has been designed to support young people to learn relevant and transferrable skills while working in a business environment. Participants will take part in three internships where they can learn new skills and improve their confidence, while gaining over 800 hours of work practice.
Everyone enrolled will be supported by an employment specialist and a learning and engagement officer and all study works towards an SQA Employability Award that demonstrates job readiness to employers.
Types of internships available previously have included administration, reception, mailroom, catering, hospitality, librarian, portering, domestic assistant, stores department and clinical support work.
To be eligible for Edinburgh Project SEARCH you must:
Be between 16 and 29 years old
Want to secure a full-time job (16+ hours)
Be based in the Lothians
Have a recognised disability
Be willing to commit to the programme full-time for one year
Be able to travel alone or learn how to do this by the time the course starts.
With as many as 1 in 5 people thought to be neurodivergent, Scotland will host an international event exploring hard-hitting topics ranging from stigma to sexual taboos associated with neurodivergence and provide a platform for work that showcases the diversity and expertise of neurodivergent people.
The ‘It Takes All Kinds of Minds’ global event at the EICC in Edinburgh will run from 13 – 14 March 2023 bringing together more than 50 of the world’s top neurodiversity thinkers, alongside healthcare experts, policy decision-makers, educators, employers, and families. Neurodivergent people will be represented in every part of the programme and amongst the delegates.
Edinburgh will play host to the international conference organised by the Salvesen Mindroom Centre, an international centre of excellence focusing on all kinds of neurodiversity.
The neurodiverse speaker line-up will include neuroscientists and nutritionists, campaigners, clinicians, artists, actors, and activists.
Keynotes will include Professor Sue Gathercole, OBE, of the University of Cambridge – an expert in cognition and education, and Chair of the UK’s REF panel for Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, and Dr Kathy Leadbitter of University of Manchester, who has pioneered work on neurodiversity-informed early intervention.
Other key speakers include Swedish clinician and psychiatrist Dr Lotta Borg Skoglund, who has been commended for her research into gender and neurodiversity, as well as her efforts to break down stigmas faced by neurodivergent young people.
She will be joined by popular Scandinavian writer and speaker Pelle Sandstrak who uses humour to share experiences of living with Tourette syndrome, jewellery designer Charlotte Garnet who launched an “anti-anxiety” collection, and leading sexologist Professor Lotta Löfgren of University of Malmö.
Looking ahead to next year’s event, Sophie Dow, Founder of the Salvesen Mindroom Centre and Co-Chair of ITAKOM said:“Since launching in 2000, Salvesen Mindroom Centre has been committed to raising awareness of neurodiversity, supporting families and funding research to improve the lives of neurodivergent people.
“It Takes All Kinds of Minds is a conference like no other. It will bring together science and reality by drawing on personal, practitioner and academic experience from around the world. Uniting different perspectives will help us all to understand neurodiversity better and we look forward to welcoming guests from around the globe.”
Dr Sue Fletcher-Watson, Director of the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre and Chair of the It Takes All Kinds of Minds conference, said: “Neurodiversity is such a powerful idea but its transformational potential is only just beginning to be explored.
“ITAKOM will provide a platform for experts to share their findings and ideas, and for collective exploration of how they can be applied. That’s why we’re bringing together lived, research and practitioner expertise at the ‘It Takes All Kinds of Minds’ event next year.”
Marshall Dallas, EICC Chief Executive, said:“We are thrilled that the ‘It Takes All Kinds of Minds’ conference has chosen Edinburgh and the EICC. As a pioneering hub for life sciences, Edinburgh is very well placed to host to this major international event in the field of neurodiversity.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone involved in the event to the EICC next March.”
The conference will run from 13 – 14 March 2023. Early-bird tickets are £195 for personal tickets, £295 for delegates with funding, and £137 for those on reduced incomes. They can be booked at itakom.org.
To mark the one-year countdown, Salvesen Mindroom Centre partnered with the EICC to host an event on Thursday, 24th March 2022 as part of the conference centre’s ‘EICC Live’ series.
‘EICC Live: Beautiful Brain’ featured world-renowned neurological experts and was the most popular event in the series to date, breaking previous sign-up records.
With the bank holiday Easter weekend fast approaching, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, is reminding dog owners to keep chocolate out of reach of our four-legged friends.
As Easter eggs and other tasty cocoa treats find their way into homes, the charity hopes to raise awareness of the continued risk that the consumption of chocolate poses to our canine companions. Dogs Trust is providing top tips and advice for owners on how to have a dog-friendly Easter.
Josie Cocks, Dogs Trust Veterinary Surgeon,explains the importance of not allowing dogs to eat human chocolate: “Chocolate is poisonous to dogs, so owners should ensure they keep it out of reach of their four-legged friends. Whilst some chocolate is more toxic than others, any amount is potentially harmful to your dog.
“If you suspect your dog has eaten chocolate, we advise owners to contact their vets immediately. Chocolate poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst, excitability, drooling, seizures and potentially kidney and heart failure.”
The charity advises:
Never give your pooch any human chocolate as a treat. Ensure that children and visitors understand why and adhere to this rule too.
Make sure that bins are dog-proof to prevent them scavenging through rubbish.
Never leave any chocolate unsupervised, such as cakes cooling on worktop surfaces.
Teach your dog to move away from something when you ask them to ‘leave it’. This valuable life skill will come in handy if your dog reaches for something they shouldn’t have.
Keep a close eye on your dog whilst out walking, to avoid them scoffing discarded food that is potentially harmful.
Although our canine companions won’t be eating human chocolate, there are plenty of other ways for them to enjoy the holiday weekend.
Charlotte Huggins, Canine Behaviour Officer at Dogs Trust,offers some suggestions: “There are plenty of exciting things we can do with our pets over the holiday weekend.
“Taking them on their own Easter hunt around the house or garden, that includes dog-friendly treats instead of chocolate is a great way of bonding and giving our dogs lots of stimulation.
“You could also use the front of Easter egg boxes to teach your dog to do the snoot challenge or use the boxes to hide their toys or treats in for them to sniff out. If you want to have a go at something a little bit different, get a couple of boxes set a little distance apart and holding your dog’s treats or favourite toy in one hand, slowly start to guide them in a figure of eight around the two boxes. Then reward your dog!
“Dog owners could also build them their own Easter bunny burrow, or ‘Doggy Den’ so your furry friend has a cosy, comfortable place to sleep undisturbed in the house.”
Charity Meningitis Now is inviting families from across Scotland with an experience of meningitis to join in the fun at its free Family Day at The Falkirk Wheel.
The day includes a 360-degree trip on the world’s only rotating boat lift, rising 35 metres to link the Forth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal, and offering spectacular views across the Heart of Scotland.
As well as the opportunity to explore the centre’s activities those coming along can also join a private boat trip and take part in other family fun entertainment throughout the day. There will also be an opportunity to find out more about the support available from Meningitis Now for those fighting back from the disease.
The Falkirk Wheel Visitors Centre is fully accessible and any dietary needs will be catered for. Refreshments and lunch are provided.
The Family Day takes place on Saturday 7 May and families from across Scotland are invited.
Registration for the all-day event, aimed at children and young people up to age 18 who have been affected by meningitis and their family, is now open on the charity’s website at www.MeningitisNow.org.
Alison Yelland, Meningitis Now’s Community Support Officer in Scotland, said: “Our Family Days are a great way for those affected by this devastating disease to join together, share their experiences and most importantly, have fun.
“Whether a child in your family has had meningitis or you as a parent or carer have been affected, we would like to invite you to join us and other families to relax and talk with people who understand what the impact of this disease is like.”
Meningitis Now’s free Family Days, supported by Children in Need, are held in different locations up and down the UK to allow as many families as possible to attend.
They are designed to provide parents, guardians or grandparents with the opportunity to meet other local families who have been affected by meningitis and find out more about the support available to them through Meningitis Now.
Those attending can join in the activities with the children or spend time chatting informally with other parents and Meningitis Now staff.
“We know that the impact of meningitis reaches much further than the individual concerned,” Alison added.“It can have a huge effect on all those closest to them, especially family and friends.
“Meningitis changes lives and futures, which is why bringing together families with similar experiences of the disease is so important.
“Having a fun day with your family may seem a small thing, but when your family has lived through the trauma of meningitis together, it means so much.”
Places on the Family Day are limited and registration will be operated on a first come first served basis. Meningitis Now will operate a waiting list if the event is oversubscribed.
To find out more about the day and register visit the website.
Meningitis Now is working towards a future where no one in the UK loses their life to meningitis and everyone affected gets the support they need.
It does this by funding research into vaccines and prevention, raising awareness so people know what to look for and what action to take if they suspect meningitis and rebuilding futures by providing dedicated support to people living with the impact of the disease.
Visit the website at www.MeningitisNow.org to find out more and learn the signs and symptoms.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is set to upgrade its Floodline messaging system and incorporate other hazard notifications for communities and businesses across Scotland.
Since 2011, the Flood Warning Dissemination system has issued regional flood alerts and local flood warnings to at risk areas 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone can sign up to receive advance notice of flooding via an automated text or phone call for the area where they live, work or travel.
Work is now beginning to transform the system and improve the customer experience by using advanced digital technology.
The new Future Flood and Incident Messaging Service (FFIMS) will involve an initial phase of developments over the next year, including dynamic and location-based alerts. This means notifications will be more targeted to users within a set radius of areas at risk of flooding.
Other digital communication options will be included such as mobile alerts and email to make accessing local and live flooding information easier than ever before.
A second development phase will see localised three-day flood forecasts developed in addition to the national Scottish Flood Forecast, which is planned to go live in the next couple of months.
Digital developments which are resilient will be at the heart of FFIMS and will integrate with social media, Google and other web notification systems. SEPA will also explore the integration of multiple hazards within the new system.
These include a water scarcity alerting service highlighting where droughts are possible. This gives businesses time to plan ahead for water extraction, protecting both them and the environment.
BT, supported by HTK, has been awarded the contract to provide the new service for the next 12 years, delivering the digital innovations required. The contract is also the first where suppliers are required to deliver ambitious targets in line with SEPA’s Regenerative Goal.
Within this decade, SEPA aims to reduce all of its emissions and impacts to zero or net zero, while at the same time taking actions that repair the environment.
Pascal Lardet, Flood Unit Manager for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said: “SEPA has a pivotal role to play in helping communities avoid flood risk where they can, adapt where they cannot and act when warned of flooding.
“Developing a messaging system, which is both resilient and innovative, is key to ensuring residents and businesses have the information relevant to them when it matters most.
“The science on climate change is clear that extreme weather events are likely to increase in the future. Flooding is just one example that poses a real threat to people and property. The impacts can be devastating and that’s why it’s more important than ever to have a system like this in place.”
Senga Thomson, BT’s public sector lead for Scotland, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with SEPA on this project to modernise this important service. As climate change continues to affect our homes and businesses, it’s vital that people can access real-time, accurate information on the risk of flooding in their area.
“BT already plays a unique role in keeping vital services connected, whatever the weather, including handling all 999 calls and supporting the emergency services in Scotland. We’re pleased we can extend our role to help transform the Floodline service to make it fit for the future.”
Marlon Bowser, co-founder and CEO of HTK commented; “I am delighted that our Horizon platform has been chosen to underpin this significant evolution of the Floodline service through enhanced digital and mobile communications, automation of incident messaging, and the increased personalisation of content.
“It is a genuine privilege to work with BT and SEPA on such an essential and worthwhile initiative.”
NFU Mutual has been named as the UK’s best home insurance provider in Which?’s annual home insurance satisfaction survey, while More Than finished last.
A survey of 1,284 policyholders ranked insurers on levels of satisfaction and likelihood to recommend the provider. Which? experts also examined the providers’ policies in detail – inspecting 85 policy elements. The resulting customer score and policy scores for buildings and contents cover were then combined to create a ‘total score’.
When it comes to cover, Which? found wild variations in the levels available from insurers. The top-scoring policy for contents cover – NatWest’s ‘Premier’ policy – earned a 90 per cent rating – while the lowest score, from Admiral’s ‘Admiral’ policy, was 43 per cent.
The consumer champion is advising home insurance customers to check carefully to ensure that a policy provides the level of cover they need. But, at a time when the cost of living crisis is putting huge pressure on budgets, it is also worth considering if there are unnecessary extras that could be dropped from existing policies, as small changes can lead to significant savings.
Overall, NFU Mutual fared best in Which?’s analysis. While its ‘Home and Lifestyle’ product was beaten by some other policies’ cover, the insurer received an impressive customer score of 87 per cent – propelling it to the top of the leaderboard.
With a highly impressive total score of 79 per cent, it charges no admin fees and has a single item cover limit of £7,500 (many insurers cap this at £2,000 or less). NFU Mutual was also the only provider to receive full marks from its customers for how it deals with queries.
NFU Mutual, along with Lloyds Bank, LV, and Saga were all awarded Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) status – an award that is based on Which?’s own assessment benchmarks, plus customer scores and star ratings gathered through its regular surveys.
Lloyds Bank was praised by customers for the clarity of its policies. Last year, it launched its ‘Home Insurance Select’ range which has three tiers of cover: ‘Bronze’, ‘Silver’ and ‘Gold’.
LV’s ‘Home Insurance’ and ‘Home Insurance Plus’ policies both performed strongly, impressing Which?’s experts, and the provider received a customer score of 71 per cent. Its Home Insurance policy includes some accidental damage cover as standard – though limited to specific types of damage, such as to cables, sanitary ware, fixed glass and home entertainment equipment (the ‘Plus’ policy has wider cover as standard). It also provides optional home emergency cover of £1,000 per call-out.
Saga (‘Plus’) pays up to £2,000 for home emergencies and will cover up to £10,000 of students’ contents when kept away from home. It received a customer score of 70 per cent.
More Than achieved a total score of 56 per cent – the only provider surveyed not to score over 60 per cent. Its policy scores were roughly mid-table among the 58 policies we analysed – however, it had the lowest customer score in our survey – a disappointing 49 per cent.
Some policies were not always as generous in providing cover as some customers might expect.
Accidental damage, for example, was the most common reason customers in the survey claimed. The cover was available in all but three (of 58) policies we examined. However, only a third of the policies covered it generally as standard.
In many cases, standard cover was restricted to specific breakages – such as to pipes, cables and windows. To receive full accidental damage cover, customers may find they have to add on additional extras to their policies for real peace of mind.
Since January, insurance companies have been prevented by the Financial Conduct Authority from offering new customers special discounted rates for home insurance, putting an end to the widespread practice of ‘price walking’. This meant customers were charged more the longer they stayed loyal to their insurer.
One consequence of this may be higher premiums for new policies. The consumer champion is therefore urging customers to shop around to make sure they find a deal that is right for them before committing.
Even if customers are happy with their current provider, haggling remains an effective option when it comes to trying to reduce bills.
Jenny Ross, Which? Money Editor, said: “With different levels of cover aimed at different types of customers, home insurance can be tricky to navigate. But taking the time to find a policy that’s right for you could save you money.
“At a time when the cost of living crisis is affecting millions of households across the country, doing your research to strip out any extras you don’t need could save you precious pounds.”
Prime Minister meets President Zelenskyy in Kyiv and pledges to stand by the Ukrainian people
Leaders have discussed the support for Ukraine’s long-term survival as a free and democratic country
PM set out new military aid and an additional $500bn World Bank guarantee to support Ukraine’s economy
The Prime Minister was in Kyiv yesterday [Saturday] to demonstrate the UK’s steadfast solidarity with Ukraine and hold in-depth discussions with President Zelenskyy on military and economic assistance.
He reiterated that the UK will do everything in its power to support Ukraine’s brave fight against Russia’s brutal and unprovoked invasion and ensure its long term security and prosperity.
The Prime Minister set out new military assistance of 120 armoured vehicles and new anti-ship missile systems, to support Ukraine in this crucial phase while Russia’s illegal assault continues.
This is in addition to the £100 million worth of high-grade military equipment announced yesterday, including more Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles, another 800 anti-tank missiles, and high-tech loitering munitions for precision strikes.
The Prime Minister also confirmed further economic support, guaranteeing an additional $500m [£385m] in World Bank lending to Ukraine, taking our total loan guarantee to up to $1 billion. This comes alongside the £394m the UK has provided in grant aid, and will help ensure the continued running of vital humanitarian services for Ukrainians.
The UK has responded to the request of the Ukrainian government by liberalising tariffs on the vast majority of imports from Ukraine and providing customs easements, as part of our commitment to the country’s economic stability.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “It is a privilege to be able to travel to 2Ukraine and meet President Zelenskyy in person in Kyiv today.
“Ukraine has defied the odds and pushed back Russian forces from the gates of Kyiv, achieving the greatest feat of arms of the 21st century.
“It is because of President Zelenskyy’s resolute leadership and the invincible heroism and courage of the Ukrainian people that Putin’s monstrous aims are being thwarted.
“I made clear today that the United Kingdom stands unwaveringly with them in this ongoing fight, and we are in it for the long run.
“We are stepping up our own military and economic support and convening a global alliance to bring this tragedy to an end, and ensure Ukraine survives and thrives as a free and sovereign nation.”
Maison Sport, the Edinburgh-based market leading independent ski and snowboard instructor provider, has announced it has raised a further £442,000 in funding as it targets 300% growth in 2022. This is in addition to the £1.3M that was announced early last year.
Founded in 2015 by ski instructors Aaron Tipping, Nick Robinson and Olly Robinson, Maison Sport has experienced “unprecedented demand” following the relaxing of restrictions and forecasts it will grow overall revenue by 300% this season.
The latest phase of successful crowdfunding by the UK-based company will strengthen its position as it reaches new customer markets across Europe, with skiers in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Italy all using the platform in increasing numbers.
Maison Sport has also recently expanded its service to the SnowWorld Landgraaf, an indoor slope in the Netherlands, as well as to new audiences in the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Montenegro.
Maison Sport co-founder Nick Robinson said: “The end of the winter season alongside restrictions being removed has led to unprecedented demand, with Maison Sport instructors being snapped up at breakneck speed.
“This latest funding phase means we can continue to provide a world-class customer experience for skiers across Europe, from the point of first engaging with our platform right through to enjoying lessons on the slopes.
“The year ahead will see a number of enhancements to our customer and instructor offering such as a new instructor app, giving them additional capabilities such as a “calendar sync”, which enables them to autoupdate their Maison Sport availability. We have also moved all instructors to instant book, meaning bookings are confirmed immediately rather than customers having to wait up to 36 hours for instructors to accept a booking.
“It’s truly fantastic to be in this position in early 2022 and to emerge from all the challenges of the last two years with genuine confidence. Thanks to this latest round of funding, Maison Sport is well positioned to continue to deliver industry-best experiences for skiers and instructors and widen the availability of our service including in new European territories.”
For more information or to book your ski or snowboard instructor visit:
