Help with food essentials

Views sought on food price controls on everyday items

Households struggling with food costs could benefit from price controls on essential items under proposals published for consultation.

Fulfilling one of the commitments made for the Scottish Government’s first 100 days, views are being sought on the proposals and accompanying draft Bill. These are intended to ease cost of living pressures, particularly for lower income households who spend a greater share of their budget on food.

The consultation seeks views on the proposals and how the mechanism would work in practice, including the retailers and foods that could be included in the scheme.

Minister for Business Tom Arthur said: “Helping people with the cost of living is a top priority of this government. Our aim is to make essential food items more affordable for households struggling to pay for their weekly shop, particularly those on lower incomes.

“The consultation covers the wide range of factors we need to consider to implement a food price cap. I am committed to taking action to address food affordability that works with retailers and protects farmers and food producers.

“I have spent the last three months engaging with bodies with an interest in this and encourage everyone to have their say.”

The consultation is live at www.gov.scot/isbn/9781807754938 and closes on 24 November 2026.

More misery for millions as winter energy prices to rise by 4%

From 1 October to 31 December 2026 energy prices will go up by 4% for a typical household who use electricity and gas and pay by Direct Debit.

Energy price cap rates 1 October to 31 December 2026

You are not affected by the changes to the energy price cap if you have changed to a fixed rate tariff.

Electricity rates

If you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your electricity by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 26.32 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh). The daily standing charge is 54.83 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales. It does not include VAT from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027./

Gas rates 

If you are on a standard variable tariff (default tariff) and pay for your gas by Direct Debit, you will pay on average 7.97 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh). The daily standing charge is 29.68 pence per day. This is based on the average across England, Scotland and Wales and includes VAT at 5%.

Changes to VAT from 1 October 2026*

The government has removed VAT from electricity bills from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.

As a result, VAT is not included in electricity bills for people covered under the energy price cap between 1 October and 31 December 2026. You will still pay 5% VAT for gas.

This means that all households that are covered by the energy price cap (on a default tariff) will pay less for their electricity. This also applies to some small businesses.

Some people who use more electricity than gas, or only use electricity, will have a bigger reduction in their bill.

We have included this change in the figures we have published. You might not see the full impact of the VAT reduction on electricity in your bill, because gas wholesale prices are still high due to global events.

Costs cannot be compared directly to previous periods because of this change.

Unit rates and standing charges

You can get and compare by area 1 October to 31 December 2026 and 1 July to 30 September 2026 energy price cap unit rates and standing charges.

You can also find and compare all the energy price cap (default tariff) levels.

Read about who the price cap protects and how the energy price cap is calculated in energy price cap and standing charges explained.

Why energy prices are changing

This increase is a result of higher wholesale gas prices, caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. However, prices are still very much below the height of the energy crisis in 2022. The government then put a limit on bills of £2,500.

Managing your energy bills and tariff

You are covered by the energy price cap if you are on a default tariff and pay for your electricity and gas by:

  • standard credit (payment made when you get your electricity and gas bill)
  • Direct Debit
  • prepayment meter
  • Economy 7 (E7) meter

The actual amount you pay will depend on how much energy your household uses, where you live and the type of meter you have. 

You could pay less for your energy by changing your energy tariff or payment type. Find out if you can change or fix your tariff and how to switch energy supplier

You could also save money if your supplier offers half price or lower cost electricity at weekends. Most people who have a smart meter or other low carbon technologies can take advantage of these offers.

Tell your energy supplier if you cannot pay your bills. They must help you if you ask. They could set up a repayment plan or provide you with emergency credit.

Energy price cap level dates

We review and update the price cap level on how much an energy supplier can charge for each unit of energy, including the standing charge, every 3 months. The levels for the next periods will be announced by:

25 November 2026 – period 1 January 2027 to 31 March 2027

23 February 2027 – period 1 April 2027 to 30 June 2027

26 May 2027 – period 1 July 2027 to 30 September 2027

We may publish before these dates if we need to because of external reasons.

“Households set to have their hopes dashed… but there is an escape route.”

Richard Neudegg, director of regulation at Uswitch.com, said: “Households holding out for a last-minute reprieve on rising energy bills set to have their hopes dashed, with predictions suggesting a 4% increase in the October price cap.

“With continued instability in the Middle East, higher energy costs are now looking very likely throughout winter as a third consecutive price cap hike is predicted for January.

“Those still on price cap tariffs who don’t take action before October should brace themselves to pay even more for their heating, with standard gas prices likely to be a staggering 26% higher than they were last year.

“But there is an escape route. The best fixed deals on the market right now undercut this prediction by around 12%, with the cheapest priced at £1,522 for a typical home.

“Don’t suffer higher winter bills when you don’t have to – a decent fixed tariff beats these rates and protects you from further price rises. Every week spent on a standard tariff is another week paying higher rates than you need to.”

Commenting on today’s Ofgem energy price cap announcement, Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson, CBE said: “Today’s Ofgem energy price cap announcement will heap more pressure on the already stretched budgets of the 1.7 million older people in the UK living in poverty and the million others teetering on the brink. 

“With winter on the horizon, older people on low incomes will once again be forced to take drastic action to keep themselves warm as rising energy bills eat away at already inadequate incomes. 

“Each winter we hear heartbreaking testimony from older people wearing winter clothing to bed to fend off the cold, being forced to choose between putting food on the table or using their heating, and some are abandoning their cold homes altogether to find warmth in public buildings.  

“We are urging Andy Burnham’s government to protect people on low incomes, including people in later life, from relentless energy price hikes. Boosting the Warm Home Discount from £150 to £400, funding this increase directly and improving targeting would make an immediate difference to those who cannot make ends meet. 

“In the long-term, the development of a more comprehensive targeted energy social tariff is essential to protect low-income households from the all too regular price shocks that are pushing them deeper into financial hardship and poverty.”

Welcome to School backpacks for all P1 children next year

Providing every child with the best start to school

Around 47,000 children starting Primary One in the next academic year, 2027-28, will be the first to receive a Welcome to School backpack in a variety of colours, to help them start school feeling excited, supported and ready to learn.

Procurement of the first bags is now underway following engagement with children, families and teachers to ensure they provide the practical contents and equipment that will help cut the cost for families as children start school.

The bags will be lightweight, made of durable, recycled materials, have multiple versatile compartments and pockets, reflective piping for safety, and space for name tags and a window in which children can place a drawing to personalise their backpack. Each one will contain:

  • a pencil case
  • stationery including pens, pencils, coloured crayons and a notebook
  • a water bottle
  • resources to encourage reading, writing and maths practice at home

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan met children at Orbiston Community Hub in North Lanarkshire, who will be among the first to receive the bag, to work on designs they could personalise their bag with.

Ms McAllan said: “Every child and family should feel excited and ready for their first day of school, which is why the Scottish Government is offering Primary Ones their very own Welcome to School Bag, filled with things to help them learn.

“We worked with children, families and teachers to create the design and ensure it provides what a child needs as they take their first steps into school life.

“Building on the success of the Baby Box, alongside the School Clothing Grant, Best Start Grant School Age Payments, breakfast clubs and free school meals, the Welcome to School Bag will help ensure that no child’s start to school is determined by their family’s financial circumstances.

“This is an essential component of our determined focus to eradicate child poverty, which is why we have prioritised work during the first 100 days of Government to ensure the first bags reach children by the time they start school next year.”

Big Hearts: Centre Circle Whole Family Hub at Tynecastle backed by the Scottish Government

Big Hearts is leading a national partnership with four other well-established football charities in Scotland to tackle child poverty, through a £850,000 Whole Family partnership funding.

This partnership will establish five Centre Circle Whole Family Hubs across Edinburgh, Falkirk, Aberdeen, Inverclyde and East Ayrshire to support families experiencing financial hardship.

Centre Circle is an innovative model designed to help families access inclusive and preventative support at their local football ground: a place they already know and trust.

The partnership aims to support 500 families in its first year, through relationship-based, whole-family support that helps struggling households improve financial stability, wellbeing and resilience.

Big Hearts Community Trust, the charity of Heart of Midlothian FC, will lead on the Centre Circle partnership with four strategic delivery partners: Falkirk Football Community Foundation, Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Morton in the Community and The Killie Community.

Football sits at the heart of communities across Scotland, creating a welcoming and relaxed environment where people can connect and access support without judgement. Centre Circle will open a new chapter by combining local knowledge with a shared delivery framework and common outcomes across five regions.

Centre Circle is funded by the Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund. As part of its latest Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, the Scottish Government announced that our leading partner Big Hearts was one of 10 organisations selected through the £20 million Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund.

Craig Wilson, CEO of Big Hearts said: “Centre Circle is a new approach to deliver whole family support across local communities in Scotland through the driving force of the beautiful game.

“The £850,000 funding announced by the Scottish Government, with only 10 organisations supported for 2026/27, is a testament to the incredible work that has been delivered so far by Big Hearts and our key partners: Falkirk Football Community Foundation, Aberdeen FC Community Trust, Morton in the Community and The Killie Community.

“Football charities play a vital role in engaging with isolated and hard to reach families. Together, we believe Centre Circle can create transformative change with more resilient, connected and supported families.”

TODAY: Free community lunch menu at Empty Kitchens Full Hearts

Menu for Friday 14th of August 🥣

We are excited to share a delicious community meal with you tomorrow. We do our best to have a variety of options, including vegetarian and a delicious pudding.

What’s on the menu today:

Root veg medley soup

Crispy chicken

BBQ-style beans

Halloumi pastries

Lemon cheesecake with blueberry compote

Please check the board or ask our volunteers about allergens. And just a heads-up, our food is served until it runs out! Do come along and enjoy. Thank you!

Burnham to roll out a series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help people with the cost of living

  • Prime Minister moves to end subscription traps, with new “easy to exit” rules brought forward to help consumers cancel easily and prevent them losing more money
  • He is also taking action to tackle misleading discounts and rip off prices that fleece customers
  • This is just the start of a series of ‘everyday fixes’ that will be announced to ease the cost of living and give families room to breathe

The Prime Minister has announced that he will be rolling out a series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help people with the cost of living. 

Pretend prices and deceptive deals will be a thing of the past under the Prime Minister’s plans to ban retailers from making misleading claims to customers about discounts. 

Shoppers have increasingly complained about outlets artificially inflating prices to give a false sense of value, such as increasing them only to then immediately advertise ‘discounts’ to make savings look larger than they really are.

This includes discounted prices being the same as they were before the discount, intended to trick consumers into thinking they are getting good value whilst saving them nothing and creating an uneven playing field for honest competitors.

The Prime Minister also wants to see an end to subscription traps, where people find it hard to cancel their subscriptions and contracts are automatically renewed at a higher cost.  New rules will now come into force in January 2027, in time for when customers often start new subscriptions for the year ahead.

These proposals were previously announced by Burnham’s predecessor Sir Keir Starmer, who promised to introduce new rules in Spring 2027.

Saving an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription, the changes will mean businesses will need to provide clearer up-front information, regular reminders and a much easier exit to contracts.  A new 14-day cooling-off period will also let consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews.

With households still watching every pound, it’s right to act to restore fairness. There are around 155 million active subscriptions in the UK, with consumers spending an estimated £1.6 billion a year on ones they don’t actually want, a direct hit to family budgets.

For the many businesses who already give customers plenty of notice before subscriptions renew and make contacts easy to leave, very little is changing. They will benefit from clearer rules and a more level playing field, without being undercut by competitors who have more complicated processes that rip off consumers.

Certain charitable memberships for cultural and heritage organisations will be excluded from the new subscription rules given the unique role they have in preserving and opening up access to the nation’s history, landscapes, and cultural collections.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps. Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life.

I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.  I’m determined to pull every single lever we can to provide people with some room to breathe on the cost of living. 

“We’re putting an end to phoney bargains. If something is advertised as half price, it should actually be half price. We’re also making it as easy to leave a subscription as it is to join.

“These are just two of the everyday fixes we’re going to be rolling out – today is just the start. We want to put more money in people’s pockets and give people hope that politics really can work for them and their everyday lives.”

The Prime Minister is ‘determined to use every chance he gets’ to restore fairness and take pressure off people. This is the start of a series of practical, everyday fixes that will put more money in people’s pockets, give them greater peace of mind, and make life a little easier.

This follows his week-one action to cap bus fares and make energy bills more affordable for millions of households. 

A consultation will launch this autumn to assess whether tactics such as fake “was” prices, invented discounts and misleading recommended retail prices (RRPs) should be added to the list of practices banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA).

Under current laws, it can be difficult for enforcers to take on these cases. Adding these tactics to this list would mean they will automatically be considered unfair, making it easier to crack down while making rules simpler for businesses to follow.

Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “There’s nothing worse than realising you’ve been fleeced by a dodgy deal, or seen money leaving your account because of a subscription you didn’t want to renew or couldn’t easily cancel.

“This Government is on the side of families working hard to make ends meet, while making sure the rules are clear for businesses and easy to follow.”

Sue Davies MBE, Head of Consumer Rights Policy at Which?, said: Which? has repeatedly exposed businesses, including trusted household brands, ripping off customers with dodgy deals that aren’t what they seem – but regulators have often found it too difficult to take action. 

“It’s great news that the government intends to tighten up the law and explicitly ban misleading pricing practices, while putting an end to subscription traps.

“The government must implement these rules swiftly to give consumers much-needed protection against sneaky pricing tactics and hold businesses to account with tough enforcement, including fines, if they fall short.”

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: “For too long consumers have been tricked into paying for products or services they don’t use – or didn’t even want to begin with – costing millions of pounds each year. So we really welcome the government’s move to speed up action on subscription traps and look at banning other tactics firms use to catch consumers out.

“At Citizens Advice, we’ve sounded the alarm on this for years, because we know subscription traps and sneaky online practices that hit consumers’ pockets hard are a widespread problem. We previously found that over 13 million people (26% of UK adults) accidentally took out a subscription in a year. 

“People shouldn’t have to waste their time and effort avoiding dubious online tactics and fixing unwanted purchases and sign-ups. Today’s announcement is an important move, but it can’t be the end of the story.

“We look forward to seeing the detail in the consultation on deceptive online pricing and how it will ensure consumers are protected and treated fairly.”

Helen Undy OBE, CEO of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said: “It can be hard for anyone to spot a misleading discount, but this is particularly difficult for people with mental health problems who can struggle with concentration, impulsivity and decision-making, which can make it harder to resist pressure selling tactics and compare prices to get a fair deal.

“This group is already at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis – people with mental health problems are three times as likely to currently be behind on some or all household bills – so it’s good news that the government is taking action to help tight budgets go further, and it’s important that it happens quickly. 

“It’s also encouraging to see that the subscription trap protections will be brought forward. We know that the symptoms of mental health problems such as increased impulsivity and memory problems, can contribute to someone signing up without realising and forgetting about a subscription. We’ve long argued that it should be as easy to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up – and as ever the proof will be in how companies put this into practice. 

“Today’s announcement is good news – however, subscription traps and misleading discounts are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to unfair practices that make it harder to get a fair deal when you’re struggling with your mental health.

“We look forward to working with the government to see what further action can be taken in future.”

TODAY: Community Lunch at Empty Kitchens Full Hearts

Menu for Friday the 7th of August 🥣

We are excited to share a delicious community meal with you today. We do our best to have a variety of options, including vegetarian and a delicious pudding.

What’s on the menu today:

Courgette and mint soup

Roast pork and gravy

Seasonal veg

Roast potatoes

Summer fruit crumble – with option of vanilla and nutmeg sauce

Please check the board or ask our volunteers about allergens. And just a heads-up, our food is served until it runs out! Do come along and enjoy. Thank you!

Burnham to cut tax on household electricity bills to give breathing space on cost of living

New Prime Minister takes immediate action to cut taxes on electricity bills to give millions of households breathing space this winter

  • New Prime Minister takes immediate action to cut taxes on electricity bills to give millions of households breathing space this winter
  • Tax cut this year funded from cancelled Digital ID programme will see VAT on electricity bills removed from October 1
  • In one of his first acts as Prime Minister Andy Burnham promises to “put more money in people’s pockets and bring back hope”

Millions of households across the UK will benefit from immediate action to help with their electricity bills this winter, the Prime Minister has announced as one of his first decisions in office. 

This follows his commitment to the nation on the steps of Downing Street yesterday to give people some breathing space and help with the cost of living. 

Government is tackling rising bills with a tax cut to remove VAT from domestic electricity bills from October 1 in time to impact the next Ofgem price cap. This immediate action applies and is funded for this financial year.

The cost of this immediate action for this financial year – taken now, before the next price cap – is being funded from the cancellation of the (£1.8bn) Digital ID programme.

Any further action, including on funding for longer-term measures, will be taken at the Budget alongside an OBR forecast.  All decisions at that point will continue to be funded and also consistent with the government’s fiscal rules.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Westminster has not been working for people for too long, with families struggling with the cost of living.  

“That needs to change. I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that’s what I’m announcing on my second day as Prime Minister.

“We’re taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people’s pockets and bring back hope.”

Cutting VAT on electricity bills is expected to take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October. This is on top of the £150 removed from bills at the last Budget.  

By targeting electricity bills, more people will be supported with rising bills and the government is helping to keep inflation down.  

All suppliers are expected to pass the VAT reduction on to all customers, including those on fixed tariffs, as they did with the £150 of costs taken off energy bills announced at the last Budget.

Small businesses who qualify for the domestic energy VAT relief and are not registered for VAT, as well as charities and residential care homes eligible for the reduced rate will also benefit.  

Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey MP said: “For too long, too many people have struggled with the cost of living. 

“Today’s energy tax cut will give families some breathing room on bills, and provide some reassurance this winter. 

“This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.”

Welcoming the announcement, local MP Tracy Gilbert MP said:  “Families across Edinburgh North and Leith have been paying the price for the cost-of-living crisis for far too long. This VAT cut on energy bills is welcome news that will make a real difference to household finances.

“Labour is taking practical action to reduce costs for working people and deliver the change people voted for. This is a government that is on your side, helping families with the pressures they face every day.”

Responding to the announcement of the scrapping of the 5% VAT charge on electricity bills, Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson, CBE, said: “Today’s VAT cut to electricity bills is an important and welcome acknowledgement that immediate action is needed to drive down energy costs.

“We hope the removal of the 5% VAT charge from October – reducing the typical annual bill by around £45 – signals the start of sustained action by the new Prime Minister to ease the relentless financial pressures on older people living on low incomes.

“We are already hearing from older people on low incomes who are rationing their energy use or cutting back on the essentials, and that’s before the winter months take hold when energy use increases.

“If Andy Burnham is to make good on his pledge to ease the cost-of-living pressures and help millions of older people living in poverty, we urge him to go further and lead his government to increase the Warm Home Discount from £150 to £400 without adding the cost to energy bills and develop a more comprehensive energy social tariff for people of all ages on low incomes.”

Cutting VAT on electricity bills is expected to take around £45 off the yearly Ofgem price cap in October. This is on top of the £150 removed from bills at the last Budget.  

By targeting electricity bills, more people will be supported with rising bills and the government is helping to keep inflation down.  

All suppliers are expected to pass the VAT reduction on to all customers, including those on fixed tariffs, as they did with the £150 of costs taken off energy bills announced at the last Budget.

Small businesses who qualify for the domestic energy VAT relief and are not registered for VAT, as well as charities and residential care homes eligible for the reduced rate will also benefit.  

As part of the ‘day one commitment to bring back hope to Britain’, the change supports the poorest households, who spend a higher percentage of their income on energy bills. 

Energy bills have risen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have been exacerbated because of the war in Iran. But people need support now, which is why the government has acted to provide immediate breathing space for millions of households.

TUC says hike in bank windfall tax “long overdue” as bank bonuses hit £25 BILLION

  • Bank bonuses have never been higher in cash terms and have seen their highest real terms quarter since the 2008 financial crisis
  • Bonuses totaled £25 billion in the financial year ending in 2026 Q1
  • Record bonuses come on top of banks registering eyewatering profits with the big four banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Natwest – making over £1 billion profit a week in Q1
  • TUC general secretary says huge payouts show that a hike in the bank surcharge tax is “common sense and long overdue”

New analysis from the TUC reveals bank bonuses have hit a post-crash record – as the union body calls for a hike in the bank windfall tax, which it says is “common sense and long overdue”.

Ahead of the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech on Tuesday, the TUC is calling for an increase in the bank surcharge tax to permanently cut energy bills for the majority of households through a social tariff. 

Across the financial and insurance industry, a total of £25 billion was paid out in bonuses in the financial year ending in March 2026.

Analysis of the first quarter of 2026, when most bonuses are paid, show that bank bonuses have never been higher in cash terms – and saw their highest real-terms quarter since 2008. 

Annual growth of bonuses is also escalating and was 16% in the first quarter of 2026. This has only once been higher since 2008 financial crash.

A cap on bank bonuses to curb the excessive risk taking that led to the 2008 financial crash was removed by the previous Conservative government in 2023.

The union body says that “while sky-high bills are looming for ordinary working people, bank bonuses are booming” which is further evidence that banks could easily afford to pay more tax. 

Currently the bank surcharge is an additional 3% corporation tax on the profits of banking companies above £100 million, which was reduced from 8% in April 2023 by the Conservatives.

TUC analysis reveals an increase in the bank surcharge could raise between £9bn-60bn over the next four years:

  • A 16% surcharge, which is doubling what it originally was before the Conservatives cut it, would deliver £24bn over four years.
  • A 35% surcharge, which would be the same level as the windfall tax the Conservatives imposed on energy companies, would deliver £60bn over four years.

Even just reversing the Tory cuts and setting it at 8% – which the TUC says is the “bare minimum” – would raise £9bn over four years.

Eyewatering profits

The bonus figures come on top of latest profit data which show the big four banks – Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and Natwest – have made £13.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone, despite HSBC profits taking an unexpected hit because of fraud-related charges. 

This comes after the big four banks made profits of £45.7bn in 2025. TUC analysis of the wider banking sector shows profits are 40% higher than in the lead up to the 2008 financial crisis.

The TUC says that an increase in the bank surcharge could raise significant funds over the coming years – particularly given the scale of banks’ current windfalls.

The union body also warns that if – as inflation goes up – the Bank of England holds interest rates at a higher level than previously expected, banks will be set to make even more money. 

Bank profits have been turbocharged by the removal of the bank surcharge just as high interest rates meant excess profits for banks. 

This has led to higher returns both from net interest (the difference on interest charged to borrowers and paid to savers) and interest paid to banks on reserves they hold at the Bank of England. 

Tax banks to cut bills

The TUC is calling for an increase in the bank surcharge tax to deliver a permanent social tariff to cut energy bills to all those on low and middle incomes by up to £559 a year.

The scheme design includes a built-in trigger for support levels to ratchet up during acute energy cost crises – such as the current period – to keep bills manageable. 

This will protect living standards and help ensure consumer spending holds up. It will also protect our economy from sustained shocks by keeping energy prices down and helping to reduce inflation. 

The TUC says if put into place now, the scheme – including the emergency tariff – would cost £3.4-5.9bn per annum, which could be paid for through increasing the bank surcharge. The union body says this would boost the economy far more than allowing big banks to stockpile excess profits. 

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “While sky-high bills are looming for working people, bank bonuses are booming.

“Every time there is talk of taxing banks, some of the richest people in the country start whining and try to claim they can’t afford to pay any more.

“But the big banks are making a killing off the back of higher interest rates and mortgage misery across the country. They can well afford to pay more tax.

“The case for an increase in the bank surcharge tax has never been greater. It’s a long overdue common-sense solution – and the government should use to money raised to cut people’s energy bills.”

Kids eat free this summer at Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard

As families across Edinburgh search for ways to keep children entertained during the school summer holidays, Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard is launching a “Kids Eat Free” offer from 6 July to 6 August, creating the perfect family friendly day out at the Edinburgh Meadows.

Perched on the edge of one of the city’s most loved green spaces, within the historic Old Royal Infirmary, now The Edinburgh Futures Institute, Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard is perfectly placed for a family day out. Enjoy an afternoon in the park, a visit to the nearby playground, or simply some time outdoors before sitting down for a relaxed meal together. 

More than just a restaurant, Canopy Kitchen & Courtyard has become a creative community hub, where guests are greeted by a bright family friendly atmosphere, and fresh menu of locally sourced classics. While the menu changes to make the most of fresh seasonal ingredients, children can expect familiar favourites such as cream of tomato soup, fluffy pancakes served with fresh strawberries or grilled pork sausages with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy.

Open to both locals and visitors, the month-long offer is designed to make family dining a little more affordable during the school holidays, while giving families another reason to enjoy time together outdoors this summer. 

Available 6 July – 6 August. One complimentary children’s meal available with every adult main course purchased. Offer valid for children aged 12 and under. Subject to availability and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

To find out more or book a table, please visit: https://www.canopyedi.com/