Tag: app

‘Poundland Perks’ rewards app launches in all 62 Scotland stores

It’s ‘app-y hour’ all day long at Poundland as shoppers at its 62 stores in Scotland are given access to the ‘Poundland Perks’ app for the first time.

Poundland Perks is Poundland’s pilot rewards app that has been on trial in 43 stores on the Isle of Wight and in Northern Ireland and now is available across Scotland.

To bring the functionality to Scottish shoppers, Poundland has invested £13m in the roll-out of state-of-the-art tills that enable customers to use the app on the phone when purchasing their favourite items.

The app can be used by customers to earn, save and play.

Customers can earn points for every purchase in the store, use those points to get reward vouchers that save them even more, and also play on the app to earn prizes through ‘spin to wins-day’.

To celebrate the launch, Poundland’s mascot, Poundhound, ambled over to Glasgow’s Argyle Street store to give the app his paw print of approval — all while donning a stylish custom kilt and flanked by a rousing bagpiper.

With ‘Poundland Perks’, Scotland shoppers can now get their hands on offers that deliver up even better value – up to 25 per cent – off favourites such as Haribo Starmix, Pringles and Irn Bru, items that the discounter already sells at market-leading prices. 

Also included in the rewards scheme at launch are offers for Huggies Wipes, Colgate Triple Action, Zoflora and Bakers Sizzlers Dog Treats Bacon.

The same offers are available on Poundland Perks in existing pilot stores in Northern Ireland and on the Isle of Wight.

Poundland’s Director of Digital, Tom Hill, and Head of Digital Loyalty and Engagement, Emma Collins, stopped by the Argyle Street store to mingle with customers who were downloading the app for the first time.

Poundland Perks Launch

Tom said: “Poundland Perks allows us to offer shoppers the chance to save, earn and play through their smartphone, making shopping with us even more fun.

“We’re creating an app that’s convenient and easy for people to use in store, with reward vouchers that help customers save even more.

“We know from our experience in Northern Ireland just how popular Poundland Perks has been and it’s been brilliant to see the reaction here today in Glasgow.”

To download the Poundland app, search in the Google or Apple play stores for Poundland Perks.

New funding for app to support people at risk of falls

An innovative digital project to help people who fall or are at high risk of falling has secured funding for its second phase.
 
No Need To Fall is being co-designed with people who have lived experience of falls and those who provide support and care and the wider workforce.
 
The project is being led in NHS Lanarkshire by Dr Ana Talbot In collaboration with North and South Lanarkshire Councils HSCPs, the University of Strathclyde, Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre and six local and national voluntary sector charities, with project management provided by Sophie Bagnall at the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde-hosted West of Scotland Innovation Hub.
 
Phase 2 of the project will see daily care and support needs being addressed and prepare appropriate responses in the event of a fall.
 
The team will use the roll out of a new digital alarm receiving platform to early adopters in Scotland in early 2024 to explore the opportunities around digital tools to helps responders in the event of a person having a fall.
 
Research from Phase 1 of this project found people who draw on support and care feel falls are an inevitable part of ageing, but also blame themselves when they occur.
 
They often avoid using technology that could help due to negative associations with ageing and may have lower levels of digital literacy.
 
The project seeks to address a number of these findings and provide digital solutions that are empowering, support relational aspects and prevent falls. 


Project lead Dr Ana Talbot, Consultant in Older Adult Medicine, NHS Lanarkshire, and West of Scotland Innovation Hub Clinical Fellow, said: “Moving into Phase 2 of this project allows us to more fully explore how we can address the needs of people who draw on support and care and those that provide it utilising the opportunities around digital tools.  
 
“Addressing digital literacy and giving people the confidence to use this technology, which is now commonplace, is a very important part of how we approach support and care.
 
“I am delighted that we as a team are working with our partners to improve outcomes for people who have some of the highest risk of falls.”
 
The project is being supported by The Health Foundation.
 
Visit the West of Scotland innovation Hub website for more information on healthcare innovation.

Bike owners encouraged to register bikes on national database

POLICE are urging bike owners to ensure their cycles are registered on a national database to help ensure they can be reunited with them if they are lost or stolen.

The Bike Register database contains the details of tens of thousands bicycles from across the UK and for the last year Police Scotland officers have had access to the database via a downloadable app on their mobile devices.

Recently, four successful bike recoveries have been made as a result of the app and bike marking.

In the first instance, a member of the public in Edinburgh found a bicycle and used the app they had on their phone to establish it had been registered as lost. The owner was found to have moved from the Capital to Woking and was reunited with the bike.

Local officers in Lancashire also came across a stolen bike being sold on Facebook Marketplace in the course of their inquiries and by utilising the app on their mobile devices, they confirmed it was registered to an address in the Currie area of Edinburgh. The bike was again, returned to its rightful owner.

In the last two weeks, police in the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh have returned two bikes to their owners after both were found and handed into the police station. Utilising the app, the cycles were both confirmed as stolen and then handed back to those they belong to.

Any officer who locates a bike they believe may be lost or stolen can access the database via the app, and scan a visible bar code or enter property details to check to see if it has been registered. If so, they can then find out whether the status is set to lost or stolen, and who the registered owner is.

It is anticipated that hundreds of new bikes will have been purchased or received over Christmas, many worth large sums of money. Owners of bikes, both new and old, are urged to ensure their cycle’s details are logged on the database.

Inspector Jordan Low from Police Scotland’s Rural and Acquisitive Crime Team, said: “We know that for many in Scotland, bikes are not just an important recreational item, they are a vital mode of transportation or exercise and to have them lost or stolen can be devastating.

“I would ask that all bike owners ensure their bicycles’ details are logged on the Bike Register database, as this will aid us during our inquiries whenever we locate any bikes that we believe to be stolen, or that are brought into police stations as lost property.

“The recent successful recoveries highlight just how important the database is in order to reunite bikes with their rightful owners and the app available to officers on their mobile device is another useful tool in helping us tackle bike theft across the country.”

New Annual Police Plan 2023-24

Police Scotland’s Annual Police Plan (APP) has now been launched.

Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone QPM presented the plan to the Scottish Police Authority Board in March. It was then laid in the Scottish Parliament as required under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

Our APP uses strategic outcomes and objectives to describe the impact that Police Scotland aims to make to the lives of people across Scotland. This aligns with the Joint Strategy for Policing, Policing for a Safe, Protected and Resilient Scotland, and our strategic planning framework.

It was developed with colleagues from across the service and describes how we will prioritise our resources towards the issues that cause the most harm to people and communities.

Progress will be reported across all the activities featured to describe and demonstrate the impact of policing  on Scotland’s communities. Police Scotland’s Performance Framework is being refreshed and as in previous years, will fully align to the strategic outcomes and objectives set out in the Joint Strategy and the APP.

You can also download a PDF version here.

annual_police_plan_23_24_10991_23_ar-finalDownload

Policing for a Safe, Protected and Resilient Scotland

In 2020, the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland agreed and published our Joint Strategy for Policing (2020), Policing for a Safe Protected and Resilient Scotland. This strategy describes our ambitions for the future of policing in Scotland framed around five strategic outcomes.

Good progress has been made in developing our service since that point and the time is right to review our strategy. The Vision for Justice was published in 2022, and Scottish Government has recently reviewed and confirmed their Strategic Police Priorities for the next three years.

We are now keen to engage with our partners, stakeholders and members of the public to gain feedback on the draft document before we finalise it later this Spring.

The Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland have now launched a public engagement exercise on the draft Joint Strategy for Policing 2023-26.

The engagement exercise launched on 11 March 2023 and will run until 23 April 2023.

To find out more and to give us your feedback, please click here.

Fringe 2023: official EdFringe app available to download

Today, Tuesday 11 July, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to announce that the official EdFringe 2023 app is now live and available to download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Over 300 more shows have registered since programme launch on 08 June, making the app (alongside edfringe.com) one of the best places to find up-to-date information on every show at Fringe 2023.

As previously announced, the 2023 app will include many features familiar from previous years, such as the ability to filter listings by genre and to find shows starting soon using the ‘nearby now’ function. App users will also be able to book tickets and store e-ticket QR codes in their account area, and booked performances will be integrated into users’ daily show schedule.

Entirely new functions will allow users to never miss a show by enabling notifications for their next show, while audiences looking for inspiration can use the ‘shake to search’ feature, providing them with a random show suggestion.

The development of the official 2023 EdFringe app would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship from Playbill, the support of Synetec, Johnnie Walker Princes Street, and support from EventScotland.

The Fringe Society would also like to send a shout-out to their fellow fringers at Perth’s Fringe World Festival, who made the initial introduction to the app’s developers, equ.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “We’re thrilled that the app is out of development and ready to download, giving eager Fringe-goers yet another way to find new shows and discover their new favourite artists.

“I’d like to encourage everyone to explore the various features on offer – particularly ‘shake to search’, introducing them to entirely new and random show suggestions – and to fill their boots when it comes to booking shows!”

The official EdFringe 2023 app is available to download now. Users will be invited to submit feedback on the app and make suggestions on new features, which will go towards the development of the EdFringe app in future.

New details of Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 app announced

Today, Tuesday 16 May, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to announce details of the new Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 app, which will be available ahead of the festival.

The app will include many navigational features which will support audiences in exploring the wealth of performance available at the Fringe.  Users will be able to view and search full programme listings, book tickets on the go and use a ‘nearby now’ function to find shows starting soon, which are close to their location.

Based on feedback from audiences, artists, participants and venues following the 2022 Fringe, the new app will also include new features which weren’t within the previous Fringe app, last available in 2019.

Following a move to a fully e-ticketing journey in 2022, e-ticket QR codes will be stored in the app’s planner area and will be seamlessly integrated with users’ day-by-day show schedules, providing a very easy user experience.  Users will also be able to add tickets for multiple shows in one simple transaction,

In addition, two great festival-time additions will see users able to have the option to enable notifications for when their next show is about to start and will also benefit from a new ‘Shake to Search’ function which will provide users with a random show suggestion simply by shaking their phone.

The development of the 2023 app has been made possible through kind support from Scottish Enterprise, and new sponsors Playbill and Synatec. 

Since the start of 2023, the Fringe Society have been working with Australian-based agency equ on developing a new app for this year’s festival.  equ previously supported the Perth Fringe Festival with the development of their app.  Throughout the development phase, the Fringe Society team have also already started exploring potential additional features for Fringe 2024 and beyond.  

Through festival-time, users will be invited to submit feedback on the new app, encouraging suggestions of any additional features they’d like to see that would help them get even more out of the Fringe as well as provide feedback on their app experience.

Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Developing an app required to support the scale and complexity of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe takes a significant period of time and resource, and we are delighted to be able to share the exciting features which will be launched within the app for this year’s festival.

“We recognise the app is a key tool for Fringe artists, with many audiences using it to explore new ideas and performances they may not have yet experienced, and the “nearby now” functionality is particularly useful for performers who offer free shows within the programme.

“We’ve ensured that the new app does all that and more, and while there’s still a few more weeks before it’s fully ready, I can’t wait for Fringe audiences to download it and support the thousands of artists performing in Edinburgh this summer.’

equ Managing Director, Warren Gibbs, said: ‘We are thrilled by the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the ongoing success of the world’s largest arts festival, and will be looking to create a platform that adds significant value for all stakeholders including artists, venues and customers’.

The new Fringe app is designed for use on the ground in August, and will be available for download in late July, ahead of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023.

Almost 65,000 customers use HMRC app to pay their Self Assessment bill

Almost 65,000 customers have paid their Self Assessment bills, totalling nearly £67 million, via the HMRC app since April 2022, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.  

In December 2022, 14,170 customers paid via the app – the highest number of app payments in one month since the facility was launched in February 2022.  

The Self Assessment deadline for the 2021 to 2022 tax year is 31 January and HMRC is urging customers not to delay completing their tax return and paying any tax owed. For customers who need some extra help with their tax return, there are a wide range of resources available to help them complete it, including guidance online, webinars and YouTube videos. 

Customers are encouraged to check online for help before calling HMRC during what is the busiest time of the year. The HMRC app is a quick, free and secure way to view their National Insurance number, Unique Taxpayer Reference or make a payment. It only takes around 60 seconds to pay via the app. 

Customers who are unable to pay what they owe in full, may be able to set up a payment plan, allowing them to spread the cost into manageable monthly instalments. Since April 2022, 45,600 Self Assessment customers have set up a Time to Pay arrangement. In December, around 10,500 customers set up a plan, totalling more than £36 million in tax.  

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We want to help Self Assessment customers meet their obligations and HMRC offers a range of options to help customers pay their tax return bill.

“To choose the option that suits them, customers can search ‘pay my Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.” 

A full range of payment options is listed on GOV.UK.  

For customers who pay their current estimated tax bill via Payment on Account, the first instalment for the 2022 to 2023 tax year is due on 31 January. 

Anyone who files their tax return or pays any tax owed after 31 January may face a penalty. 

HMRC will treat those with genuine excuses leniently, as it focuses on those who persistently fail to complete their tax returns and deliberate tax evaders. Customers who provide HMRC with a reasonable excuse before the 31 January deadline can avoid a penalty after this date. The penalties for filing a tax return late are: 

  • an initial £100 fixed penalty, which applies even if there is no tax to pay, or if the tax due is paid on time 
  • after 3 months, additional daily penalties of £10 per day, up to a maximum of £900 
  • after 6 months, a further penalty of 5% of the tax due or £300, whichever is greater 
  • after 12 months, another 5% or £300 charge, whichever is greater 

There are also additional penalties for paying late of 5% of the tax unpaid at 30 days, 6 months and 12 months. Customers need to be aware of the risk of falling victim to scams. Check HMRC scams advice on GOV.UK. 

Bike Register app gives police new tool to identify lost and stolen bicycles

Police Scotland has a new tool at its disposal to assist in investigating bike thefts and returning lost and stolen cycles to their rightful owners.

Since early December, all frontline officers have been able to upload the Bike Register database app to their mobile devices, providing them with a comprehensive list of all bikes registered throughout the country.

The app allows any police officer the opportunity to run the VIN number of any bike they locate to establish who the real owner is.

Police Scotland and Bike Register have worked together for several years and policing teams across the country have undertaken bike marking and registration events across Scotland where they encourage cyclists to register their bikes on the database.

With New Year coming up, anyone who purchases or receives a new bike, either for recreation, fitness or commuting, is urged to ensure they upload their details to the Bike Register database to help ensure police can return it in the event of it becoming lost or being stolen.

Sergeant Carly Bryce from Police Scotland’s Acquisitive Crime Team said: “Our partnership with Bike Register has been really successful over the years, allowing us to help the public mark and register their bikes, but up until recently whenever we came across a potentially lost or stolen cycle, we would have to contact Bike Register directly and get them to check if the bike was on the database.

“Thanks to the development of the app for police mobile devices, we can instantaneously carry out a check ourselves and if the bike is registered and found to be in the possession of someone who is not the owner, we can respond swiftly and appropriately.

“We know that bikes are an expensive commodity and the last thing anyone wants to think about it their valued present, training equipment or mode of transport being lost or stolen, but should such an issue arise, it’s really important that the bike is registered on the database.

“You can do so by visiting www.bikeregister.com.”

Christmas workers can save time with HMRC app

As tens of thousands of people start seasonal jobs over the next few weeks, they can use the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) app to save them time to find details they need to pass on to their employer.

In the 12 months up to October 2022, HMRC received almost 3 million calls from people asking for information that is now readily available on the app, with more than 340,000 using it to access employment and income information since July 2022.

Downloading the free and easy to use HMRC app allows secure access to information about personal tax affairs, avoiding the need to call HMRC.

New functions and capability mean that customers can access their income and employment history, salary information, National Insurance number or tax code via the app, whenever they need it.

The information can be downloaded and printed – so there is no need to call HMRC to ask for it to be sent in the post. This means that using the app rather than calling the helpline makes the process much quicker.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General of Customer Services, said: “Whether you’re starting a new role in customer services, delivering parcels or managing warehouse logistics – the HMRC app is a secure and easy way to access your tax code, National Insurance number and employment details so you can let your new employer know.

“It’s accessible at the touch of a button and is quicker than calling HMRC. To find out how to download it, search ‘HMRC app’ on GOV.UK.”

https://youtu.be/JW9rksc5izk

Victoria Atkins MP, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “Christmas is busy enough – especially if you have taken on a seasonal job – so anything which can save you time is to be welcomed.

“The free and secure HMRC app is just such a thing, it makes searching for employment information quick and easy, whether you need to check your National Insurance number, find out how much you will be paid and much more.”

App users will need a user ID and password, so they can access their personal information. If customers need to set one up, the app will guide them through the process.

More than 3.5 million people have used the HMRC app since it launched in September 2016, and more than 1.6 million customers used it at least once in the last year.

HMRC has released a video which explains how customers can use the HMRC app to check their employment history, income, tax codes and National Insurance number.

The app is compatible with built-in accessibility functions on a customer’s smartphone including:

·         invert colours and adjust contrast levels

·         increase the text size without the text truncating or overlapping

·         navigate the app using switch control/access

·         using voice activation

·         listen to the app with a screen reader

The UK Government is offering help for households as a result of the increased cost of living pressures. Visit GOV.UK to find out more about the available cost-of-living support and eligibility requirements.