A quarter of a million Baby Boxes have been delivered to expectant parents – providing them with more than £400 worth of essential items for their newborn.
The milestone was reached ahead of the popular scheme’s sixth anniversary in the summer.
Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said: “The Baby Box is part of our commitment to ensure every child has the best start in life, and I am heartened that so many families have benefitted from this fantastic scheme.
“Clearly household budgets remain under extreme pressure from the cost of living crisis, so it is reassuring to know that all expectant parents in Scotland, regardless of their circumstances, have access to essential items needed for the first six months of their newborn’s life.
“The Baby Box also contains items to support positive parenting, benefitting infants as well as parents.”
One Parent Families Scotland Chief Executive Satwat Rehman said: “With rising costs, single parent households are under increasing pressure to meet the costs of looking after their children.
“Having just one income, with costs associated with a newborn, is very difficult and the essentials contained within the Baby Box go a long way to easing that for single parents. We have seen first-hand how much difference this has made to the families we work with.”
On Saturday 18th Feb we are gonna be EVEN MORE Family Fun than usual!
We will have BOOKBUG, with a visit from the Bug of the Book themselves, a SLIME WORKSHOP, you can make your own BADGE, there will be LIVE MUSIC, a CRAFT event, INFO POINTS from several local organizations, plus TEA & BISCUITS!!!
More than 26,000 families in Scotland saved on childcare costs in December thanks to Tax-Free Childcare and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging those yet to sign up not to miss out.
The latest figures revealed by HMRC show an increase of 6,390 families in Scotland using the scheme compared to December 2021.
Tax-Free Childcare is a financial support for working families with children up to the age of 11, or 16 if their child has a disability. The government top up can be used to pay for any approved childcare including holiday clubs, breakfast and after school clubs, child minders and nurseries.
A total of £41.5 million in government top-up payments were made to working families across the UK in December 2022 with each family saving up to £2,000 a year per child or £4,000 if their child is disabled.
Opening a Tax-Free Childcare account is quick and easy and can be done at any time of the year.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “We want to help families get the most out of their finances and Tax-Free Childcare can help pay towards their childcare costs. Search ‘Tax-Free Childcare’ on GOV.UK to get started.”
For every £8 paid into the Tax-Free Childcare account, families automatically receive an additional £2. Families can save up to £500 every three months (£2,000 a year) for each child or £1,000 (£4,000 a year) if their child is disabled.
More than one million families in the UK are entitled to some form of government childcare support and the government is encouraging those eligible not to miss out on their entitlements. Families can find out more about Tax-Free Childcare via the Childcare Choices website.
The government is offering help for households. Check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support, including help with childcare costs.
With food prices going through the roof, parents and carers are being provided helpful ways to feed their children on a budget during half term.
The frugal experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have looked at affordable ways to plan family meals throughout the week-long break.
Many supermarkets, pubs and restaurants are once again offering free or discounted meals for children but there are also ways to help reduce the cost at home.
Going meat free, doing a family meal plan and having a fun picky tea are among the tips for savvy parents.
Ellie Macsymons, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “We wanted to give parents a helping hand during this half term. Many will feel the pinch of rising food costs in their weekly expenses.
“There are numerous schemes available during the week holiday with a wide range of pubs and supermarket restaurants offering special discounts for kids to eat out.
“But we also wanted to provide simple ways for parents to save money on making meals at home for their children during the holidays.”
Here are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk’s budget-friendly ways to feed your kid on a budget this half term:
Picky tea
This is all about taking what you find in the fridge, freezer and cupboard and turning it into a help yourself meal. There could be some leftover chicken, oven chips, a few fish fingers – anything goes. Also means avoiding a last minute dash to the supermarket to pick up something for dinner.
Shop around for half term deals
If the local supermarkets are near one another, visit each store to work out which has the best offers. There could be some decent half term deals on.
Discounted pub meals
Local pubs are providing a variety of discounts for kids to eat cheaper this half term. Head down and find out which are available.
Cheap meals at supermarket restaurants
Just like during the summer holidays, many supermarket chains are offering further discounts on kid’s meals to help with the rising food costs. Have a look at who’s offering what.
‘Once a week’ rule
Set some time aside for a family meal out by using the ‘once a week’ rule where you either dine out weekly or you get a takeaway of your choice as a family treat. This way you can plan around your food shops so less food will be wasted.
Social media budget recipes
Everyone has a favourite social media recipe which has become a weekly make. But if you’re unsure of any meals which can be added to your cookbook, explore social media apps for simple recipes which will cost less than a fiver to make.
Family pizza making
Instead of the Saturday night takeaway, try making your own homemade pizzas. It’s a great way to get kids in the kitchen too and experiment with making their own food.
Family meal plan
It’s best to be organised when planning meals to save the extra pennies. To make this more creative, mark each day with a different colour pen and decorate with stickers when it’s time for a special dish or a day when you’re dining out.
Try veggie days
Meats typically cost the most on weekly meals. If you decide to swap the meat for veggie choices it can save around a third on select meals during the week. Have a look at meals which don’t involve meat or try out some delicious veggie options for half the price.
For budget-friendly ways to feed the kids during half term, head over to NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.
One in ten consumers in Scotland are skipping meals, new Which? research suggests, as the consumer champion calls on essential businesses to do more to support people through the cost of living crisis.
The consumer champion carried out extensive research with more than 1,000 people representative of the Scottish population to understand how the cost of living crisis is affecting Scottish consumers.
Which? research found financial pressures are leading consumers in Scotland to make choices that could be harmful to their health. One in ten (11%) are skipping meals due to rising food costs – with parents hit particularly hard by this.
One in five (22%) of more than 250 parents in the Scottish survey are prioritising feeding other family members over eating themselves – compared to 8 per cent of the population overall.
One 55-year-old woman said: “We are having to skip meals, not have the heating on and not going out due to fuel costs”.
Nearly eight in 10 (77%) said they had been putting the heating on less due to energy price rises – compared to just under half (46%) last year. 15 per cent of Scottish consumers had been eating fewer cooked meals to save on energy costs and 2 per cent had used a food bank.
A 42-year-old respondent said: “I’m heating the house to a maximum of 15 Degrees… Eating cold things like sandwiches etc. instead of using the cooker”.
Almost nine in 10 consumers said they were worried about energy prices (89%), while concern around food and housing costs have increased sharply compared to the previous year.
The proportion of people worried about food prices increased by 10 percentage points to almost nine in 10 (87%) in December 2022, compared to eight in 10 (77%) in 2021 and six in 10 (63%) in 2020.
Which?’s research shows how justified these concerns about price rises are. The consumer champion estimates that if consumers in Scotland tried to maintain the same spending habits they would need to spend an additional £40 per week – or around £2,080 a year – on food, energy and fuel in December 2022 compared with December 2021. That would mean almost a third (29%) of their household expenditure would be spent on just these essential goods.
This has led many households to make adjustments to cover essential spending. Nearly six in 10 (56%) consumers in Scotland said their household had made at least one adjustment to cover essential spending in the last month, up from nearly half (48%) in 2021 and nearly four in 10 (37%) in 2020. The most common adjustment was cutting back on essentials – which increased to four in 10 (39%) from a quarter (25%) in 2021.
Which?’s research also found that some household types are being hit harder than others by the cost of living crisis. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of parents in Scotland surveyed had to make adjustments to cover essential spending, compared to just over a third (35%) of pensioners.
Only four in 10 (37%) working-age parents surveyed in Scotland say that they are living comfortably or doing alright – compared to half (50%) of Scottish consumers overall.
These financial pressures are causing widespread emotional harm among Scottish consumers. Nearly half (45%) of consumers in Scotland said that concerns around the cost of living have left them feeling anxious and more than a fifth (22%) said they were struggling to sleep due to worries about the cost of living.
A 34-year-old woman said: “I’m severely depressed and worried all the time about being able to pay my bills and have enough money to feed and clothe my kids as well as electricity and gas to heat my home.
“It’s having a massive effect on my mental health, I feel anxious and stressed out all the time”.
A 54-year-old man said: “I’m having sleepless nights worrying what else is rising in price”.
With the UK heading into recession, mortgages and rent costs rising and the energy price guarantee becoming less generous from April, Scottish consumers will only face further financial pressures in 2023.
Which? recently launched a campaign calling on essential businesses – energy firms, broadband providers and supermarkets – to do more to help consumers struggling to make ends meet. For example, supermarkets must ensure that budget line items are widely available, make pricing and offers more transparent and provide targeted promotions to support people that are struggling most with access to affordable food.
Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “It’s hugely concerning that people in Scotland are losing sleep, skipping meals and sitting in the cold due to rising prices.
“As the cost of living crisis puts huge pressure on household finances, we are calling on businesses in essential sectors like food, energy and broadband providers to do more to help customers get a good deal and avoid unnecessary or unfair costs and charges during this crisis.”
Come join us for wassailing at Granton Castle Walled Garden on the 19th February from 2 – 4pm. There will be activities, songs and refreshments all inspired by the wonderful apple trees.
Wassailing is an anglo-saxon tradition where the fruit trees are blessed with offerings of song, food and drink to encourage them to provide a bountiful harvest.
We will gather together and give the trees of our orchard a much needed cheer and scare away all of the bad spirits! Bring along some friends and family, and perhaps make yourself a lovely apple themed crown to wear.
Cash donations are appreciated but not required, if you have any questions please ask!
Calling all brave and curious explorers, this February The Real Mary King’s Close is shining a light (or lack of) onto Edinburgh’s history, illuminating the lives of former residents and unravelling truths about their deaths with Lantern Led Tours.
The new Lantern Led Tours are available for a limited time only during Half Term, where guests will descend into complete darkness with the only light source being the flicker of their lanterns, as they explore Edinburgh’s history.
Hidden beneath the Capital’s iconic Royal Mile, Edinburgh’s best underground experience is ready to send those daring to on a time-traveling adventure. The one hour guided tour will transport customers to another era, with eerie interactions from two insidious characters that used to strike terror into people’s hearts at their very sight.
Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “The Real Mary King’s Close is a place filled with excitement and mystery, where strange revelations of Edinburgh’s ominous past come to life.
“We are so excited to launch our Lantern Led Tours and elevate the experience to a whole new level. This is a great activity to do with family and friends over the February holidays, so come along and find out who is the bravest of the bunch.”
The Real Mary King’s Close stands as an important part of Edinburgh’s history. It teaches following generations about the incredible struggles people faced during the plague, the extreme living conditions, and the punishing impact of social hierarchy.
The tours will be running Friday 10th to Sunday 12th February and Friday 17th to Sunday 19th February from 7pm-9pm every 15 minutes. Prices are £25 per adult / £19 per child (5 to 15yo – no under 5 allowed).
PY Lunches are back
