Tag: NEN

Alpaca parties headline new range of services at LOVE Gorgie Farm 

Edinburgh’s urban farm is marking the beginning of a new era as it announces a new range of services only two weeks after opening the site back to the public. 

LOVE Gorgie Farm, on the former Gorgie City Farm site, will offer a wide variety of activities, including birthday parties and pet boarding. On offer will be alpaca treks and birthday parties, and the farm can act as a venue for corporate gatherings and training events. 

The farm can also be rented as a venue for community events and fundraiser parties. 

Operated by education and social care charity LOVE Learning, most activities on the farm will nurture the organisation’s mission and consequently relate to education and social care. 

As such, the farm will offer animal volunteer sessions for people with additional support needs, hold animal care and animal handling activities, provide “farm to fork” workshops and use its education centre to impart its accredited training programmes. 

LOVE Gorgie Farm will also have a cuddle corner on the site, which can outreach to the community, including care homes and schools. 

Moreover, the urban farm is committed to providing services that align with LOVE Learning’s environmental portfolio and will build a climate change garden, host green conferences and provide innovative social prescribing therapies in partnership with the NHS. 

The urban farm is organising sponsorship packages to help fund the animals and the farm. Interested sponsors will be able to choose from a wide range of options like animal sponsorship, birthday packages and corporate bundles. 

Lynn Bell, CEO of LOVE Learning said: “Now that the farm is back and running, we want to make sure we provide a wide range of activities that the community enjoys and ensure that we are financially sustainable, delivering enough funds to successfully run the farm.

 “By offering animal, environmental and education services, we will make sure that LOVE Gorgie Farm becomes more than an urban farm but rather an education and social hub with strong environmental credentials that welcomes all members of the community. 

“Aside from these new services, we are looking to launch sponsorship deals for people and businesses who want to be more involved and support the farm through their generous donations.” 

To the general public, the farm remains open seven days a week and it is free to visit, though donations are encouraged. 

Those interested in any of the services should contact LOVE Gorgie Farm at gorgie@l-o-v-e.org.uk or visit www.gorgiecityfarm.org.uk

Coronavirus: Mass gathering guidance takes effect today

Guidance advising that gatherings of 500 people or more should not take place in Scotland has been published.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the action last week to protect the resilience of public services – especially emergency services and the NHS – until the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) has lessened substantially.

The guidance now asks organisers of all large events – indoors or outdoors – to cancel or postpone.

The Scottish government does not currently have powers to cancel events, but is encouraging and advising organisers to act responsibly to support the efforts of emergency services and the wider public sector to prepare for increased numbers of cases of COVID-19 (coronovirus).

The guidance applies across the board to ensure clarity for event organisers.

The First Minister said: “At a time when there is severe pressure on our fantastic emergency and public services as a result of the virus, it is only right that we seek to remove unnecessary burdens on frontline workers.

“By advising organisers not to hold large gatherings of 500 people or more in Scotland we are enabling services to prioritise their resources to where they are needed most.

“This is just one of the ways that life will change in the coming weeks and months and while this will cause some disruption it will help us all to prepare for the virus and to protect ourselves and each other in the long run.

“As the amount of work required to fight COVID-19 increases over the next few days and weeks it is vital that people continue to follow the health advice such as handwashing and staying at home if you have any mild symptoms.”

‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice to organisers on mass events’ is available on the Scottish Government website.

No use crying … funding support for Spilt Milk

Fourteen social entrepreneurs have secured a share of £67,000 from social enterprise start-up agency Firstport. One of them is Leith-based Spilt Milk.

Start It awards are part of the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund, supporting individuals who are focussed on piloting new ideas that are yet to get off the ground.  This latest round of funding sees individuals from across Scotland receiving funding, with the Borders, Dumfries, and Moray all represented.

Lauren McLaughlin is one of the fourteen social entrepreneurs to secure funding for her enterprise, Spilt Milk which is based in Edinburgh. A health and well-being social enterprise, Spilt Milk offers childcare-supported creative workshops, events and exhibitions to empower mothers.

With isolation and loneliness becoming a growing issue amongst young mothers under 30, Lauren set up Spilt Milk as a way of providing mothers a place to be social and creative. Having personal experience of social isolation, Lauren is passionate about the social benefit Spilt Milk has to offer and draws on her professional skills to provide the empowerment services.

Having already started work in several communities running workshops and hosting community exhibitions, Lauren is now ready to take the social enterprise to the next level and secure a workshop space to deliver her services.

Spilt Milk plans to rent a space in Leith through which they’ll deliver their empowerment programme. Their future goals include securing a permanent property with studio, workshop and gallery spaces as well as a crèche. 

Lauren McLaughlin, founder of Spilt Milk, said: “We are delighted to have received a Start It Award from Firstport. At Spilt Milk we are passionate about the power of the arts to shape communities and inspire change and we believe art should be accessible to all.

“The funding will allow us to build upon our childcare-supported creative workshop programme and reach more mothers throughout Edinburgh and beyond.” 

Josiah Lockhart, Chief Exec of Firstport said: “Spilt Milk is an exciting enterprise that people should keep an eye on, by combining creative arts with mothers’ wellbeing, it offers a novel way of challenging isolation in communities.

“It’s great to see such a large number of social entrepreneurs being awarded our Start It funding. This round shows how the social enterprise model continues to grow in popularity across the country, and how social and environmental missions are at the core of start-ups in Scotland.”

Chancellor delivers Coronavirus Budget

The Chancellor yesterday set out a £12 billion action plan in response to the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, as part of a Budget that ‘delivers historic levels of public investment, levels up the country and lays the foundations for a decade of growth’.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said Britain will rise to the challenge of COVID-19, with a package of measures to support public services, individuals and businesses that may be affected by the outbreak.

In addition to responding to the immediate impact of COVID-19, the Chancellor pledged to put hardworking people first, put more money in their pocket, invest a record amount in infrastructure, boost public services, back business and set out a vision for a greener future.

A record half a trillion pounds (£640 billion) will be invested in Britain’s roads, railways and digital networks to give us the infrastructure that will support economic growth.

The Budget also provides billions of pounds to support our world-class public services; with funding for 50,000 more nurses and 50 million more GP surgery appointments a year.

Millions of families will have more cash to spend thanks to tax cuts through an increase in National Insurance thresholds and a cash boost to the National Living Wage (NLW). The Budget also takes action to support businesses of all sizes and accelerates the UK’s progress towards a greener economy. The Comprehensive Spending Review, which will set out the government’s detailed spending plans for this Parliament, was also launched today and will conclude in July.

Delivering the budget in Parliament Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “This Budget responds, at scale, to the immediate threat of Coronavirus and it reports on an economy whose foundations are strong. It is a Budget that provides for security today.

“This is a Budget that will deliver on our promises to the British people and it is the budget of a government that gets things done.

“We’re at the beginning of a new era in this country. We have the freedom and the resource to decide our own future.”

COVID-19

The Chancellor pledged to do ‘whatever it takes’ to support the economy through the disruption caused by COVID-19 with a £12 billion package of targeted measures. It included a £5 billion emergency response fund to support the NHS and other public services, £40 million of new funding for rapid research into COVID-19 and a commitment of up to £150 million to the International Monetary Fund’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust.

To support people affected, the Chancellor announced the government would be extending Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for all those who are advised to self-isolate and their carers – even if they haven’t yet presented with symptoms. Statutory Sick Pay costs for businesses with fewer than 250 employees will be met by the government in full for up to 14 days.

Rishi Sunak also set out plans to support the self-employed, those earning below the Lower Earnings Limit of £118 per week and a new £500 million Hardship Fund to directly support vulnerable people. The government will also increase the Business Rates retail discount to 100% for one year and expand it to the leisure and hospitality sectors.

Public services

By the end of the Parliament, day to day spending on public services will be £100 billion higher in cash terms than it is today. This Budget commits more than £6 billion of new funding in this Parliament to support the NHS, including to create 50m more GP surgery appointments, ensure there are 50,000 more nurses. The NHS Settlement provided the largest cash increase in public services since the Second World War – an additional £33.9 billion per year by 2024.

Levelling up and getting Britain Building

Billions of investment will be provided across the length and breadth of the country to support communities poorly served by old roads, communications and housing:

  • more than £27 billion will be spent on upgrading strategic roads and £2.5 billion will be spent on fixing potholes
  • £5 billion will go towards the rollout of gigabit-capable broadband in the hardest to reach areas
  • following the recent floods, which devastated parts of the UK, the Chancellor has pledged a record £5.2 billion over six years for flood defences

Cost of living

The Chancellor also put more money into the pockets of 31 million working people thanks to National Insurance Contribution thresholds increasing to £9,500, saving the typical employee around £104 a year from April, while the National Living Wage will increase to £8.72. This is on top a freeze in Fuel Duty, for the tenth consecutive year, and a freeze in duty rates for beer, cider and spirits, while the ‘Tampon Tax’ will be scrapped.

Backing Business

From April, small businesses will benefit from an increase to the Employment Allowance, reducing their employer National Insurance bills by £850 on average and there will be fundamental review of business rates.

Greener economy

To accelerate the UK’s progress towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and protect the environment for future generations, the Chancellor announced £500 million for electric car charging infrastructure, to ensure drivers are never further than 30 miles away from a rapid charger. Tree planting in England will increase by 600% and to tackle the scourge of single-use plastics, a consultation will be launched on introducing a Plastic Packaging Tax.

Support for the regions and nations

The Chancellor has also pledged to level up all parts of the UK, with measures to spread opportunity and ensuring everyone benefits from growth. He announced the West Yorkshire Devolution Deal, which will help the region boom through the creation of a Mayoral Combined Authority, while a government economic decision-making hub will be created in the North of England.

As a result of the budget:

  • the Scottish Government will benefit from a £640 million funding boost
  • the Welsh Government a £360 million funding boost
  • the Northern Ireland Executive a £210m funding boost

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “This is a great budget for Scotland. Decisions taken by the UK Government over the last year will deliver an almost £2 billion funding boost for the Scottish Government.

“People and businesses right across Scotland will see the benefits – more than £5 billion for broadband and 4G connectivity, an increase in the national living wage, £22 billion for research and development across the UK, and a freeze in fuel duty.

“The Scotch whisky industry gets a welcome boost, with a freeze on spirits and a review of alcohol duty, and £10 million help to develop green technology. We will also invest £1 million in promoting Scottish produce to overseas markets.

“We will continue our extensive investment in growth deals across Scotland, now at almost £1.5 billion, with confirmation of £25 million UK Government funding for Argyll and Bute. Every part of Scotland will be covered by growth deals, with investment to be announced soon for Falkirk and the Scottish islands.”

Following decisions taken at this Budget, notably on funding for health business rates relief and roads, the Scottish Government’s resource and capital budgets in 2020-2021 will increase by over £220m and £410m respectively with a total increase of more than £640m.

The additional funding, when combined with the £1.3bn funding in 2020-21 provided at the Spending Round 2019, results in the largest year-on-year real-terms funding increase for the Scottish Government in a decade.

Further measures announced by the Chancellor can be found in this factsheet.

BUDGET REACTION

Rapid joint engagement is needed on funding for the COVID-19 response in Scotland following the UK Government’s Budget, Holyrood Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said.

Responding to the UK Budget, Ms Forbes said: “While I’m pleased to see the UK Government’s economic response to coronavirus following my calls for this at the UK Treasury yesterday, we need confirmation on what this will mean for Scotland.

“We require urgent clarification on what funding Scotland will receive from the announcements made by the UK Government, at a time when the prospects for the economy and public finances remain very uncertain as the short term impacts of COVID-19 unfold.

“It is vital that our businesses, employees, health service and the most economically vulnerable in our society are all protected through this time, and this additional funding will help us in our response.

“I will ensure that businesses in Scotland are supported and will work with the business community to identify the most effective measures available to us, when we have more clarity on the funding available.

“We expect full consequentials from this additional funding and need urgent clarification to provide clarity for Scottish businesses and NHS Scotland to ensure we can respond effectively.

“The Barnett consequentials announced today are in line with the assumptions that underpinned the Scottish Budget and Budget Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament last week. While this funding is welcome, our resource budget is still lower in real terms than it was in 2010/11.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary, commenting on the failure to tackle the climate crisis in the Budget, said: “By ducking the bold measures needed to tackle the climate emergency, the Chancellor has blown the biggest opportunity for national renewal since the post-war era, betraying current and future generations.

“This Budget piles investment into new motorways without bringing down the cost of public transport, and offers only derisory support for electric vehicles. There is no sign of the Tory manifesto commitment to invest £9.2 billion to lower energy bills, and the proposal to load the costs of carbon capture and storage onto consumer bills is particularly concerning.

“Elsewhere the Budget sets out a series of measures that seem designed to let our biggest emitters off the hook.

“The Chancellor says people in this country voted for change, but nobody voted for catastrophic climate change.”

Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said: “In deeply challenging times the Chancellor has worked against the clock to deliver two budgets in one: a first for national resilience today and a second for economic ambition tomorrow. It’s a bold Budget at scale, coordinated with the Bank of England, which will help people and business through tough times.

“As the UK responds to the immediate challenge, people are the first priority. So the measures to expand and ease access to sick pay and benefits are vital to protect people’s health and livelihoods.

“The Chancellor’s actions on business rates, emergency funds and loans will help ensure firms can weather the storm, especially smaller firms. Larger firms may also need support as the situation develops.

“Covid19 will bring new challenges daily which will need to be resolved, at speed. “Today’s impressive economic response should now evolve with business insight to become as agile as our approach to public health.

“While the response to Covid19 is urgent, it is very good to see this Budget’s focus on innovation and infrastructure. The Chancellor has listened to many calls from CBI members, with decisive action on vital long-term issues.

“The significant uplift in R&D funding, creation of a UK version of ARPA, a fundamental review of business rates and spending promises on infrastructure will all bring real benefits to people, business and communities.

“The Chancellor has set out some powerful incentives to get businesses investing, increasing the R&D tax credit and the Structures and Buildings Allowance. The £5bn of new export loans will encourage the best of UK business to look to new global markets.

“The next few months will bring opportunities for the Government to make major decisions that they have understandably had to put to one side today. Some gaps still need to be filled in around skills, energy efficiency and powering the UK’s low carbon future.

“Overall, today’s budget is a powerful signal to firms at home and abroad that the UK can and will manage the immediate challenges and long-term opportunities in parallel.”

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The government’s coronavirus plans will leave millions of workers behind. Without urgent action, too many will be plunged into poverty and debt.

“Today’s announcements won’t help the nearly 2 million people who miss out on sick pay because they don’t earn enough. Telling them to turn to the broken benefits system isn’t good enough. We need decent sick pay for all.

“Ministers must now urgently bring together unions and employers to talk about how to support jobs, including through wage subsidies for short time working schemes, and further help for public services – especially social care.”

On investment announcements, she added: “This spending u-turn is badly overdue. The priority now must be to repair the damage of ten years of Tory devastation.

“Helping working families and rebuilding public services must come first. And we need to see concrete action on the challenges of the future.

“This means banning zero hours contracts, sorting social care, ending the UK’s dire regional inequalities, setting out a credible plan to achieve net zero, and getting an EU trade deal that supports jobs and workers across the UK.”

Fraser Sime, regional director for Scotland at Bank of Scotland, said: “The announcement of £1m support towards Scottish food and drink exports is extremely encouraging.

“We have a team of relationship managers that work specifically with this industry across Scotland to support growth, both at home and overseas, and today’s development will further help local firms capitalise on new opportunities.

“With 120 active distilleries in Scotland, the investment of £10m into the research and development of more sustainable practices will assist the industry in reducing the environmental impact of our national tipple. To support this, our Clean Growth Financing Initiative also offers discounted lending to introduce measures to create more renewable energy sources for businesses.”

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of LGiU, said: “Understandably, this budget was dominated by the Government’s response to coronavirus. No one could argue with that, but for councils across Scotland it provides more questions than answers.

“Social care has been all but absent in the response to Covid-19. Hospitals will not be able to cope if large numbers of older sufferers cannot be discharged because of a lack of social care provision and social care providers will not be able to cope if a fifth of their already stretched workforce is off sick. This could create a dangerous and vicious circle. Mr Sunak promised “whatever it takes” for the NHS, but once again, risks forgetting the symbiotic relationship between health and social care.

“The Growth Deal in Argyll and Bute, help for whisky distillers and support for a campaign to promote Scottish food and drink will be welcomed by local government across Scotland, but many will be concerned that these are only small steps being taken to reverse the decade of funding cuts experienced in Scotland.

“Elsewhere in the budget, announcements on infrastructure, science, further education and research and innovation all look to a longer term future. Local government must have a role to play in making these happen but there remain questions about its capacity to do so after a decade of contraction.

“So, we had a budget designed to cope with an immediate crisis whilst also setting out significant spending and a vision for a long term economic transformation. Councils will be at the front line of our response to coronavirus and will be a crucial player in this transformation. However, local government may feel that it has dropped through the middle somewhat as the Government attempts to get so many other things done.”

Commenting on the UK Government’s Budget yesterday, Scotland Director for CAMRA Sarah Crawford said: “CAMRA welcomes the freeze in beer duty – which is a UK-wide tax – but we want to make sure brewers and pub companies pass on any savings on to pub-goers. 

“In the upcoming review of alcohol taxation we will be arguing for a cut in beer duty for beer served on tap, which would be the best way to support community pubs.

“Yesterday’s Budget also sees cuts and reliefs to the burden of Business Rates for pubs in England. CAMRA is calling on the Scottish Government to introduce further support and pub-specific rate relief schemes here to help our pubs cope not only with the short-term impacts of coronavirus, but also with the year-round effect that business rates have on the ability of our locals to stay open and thrive. We’d also like to see fundamental changes to the Business Rates system to make sure it is fairer to pubs.

“Cutting duty for draught beer in pubs and changing the Business Rates system are both vital steps to saving community pubs across Scotland from closure.”

Nimesh Shah is a Partner at leading accounting and tax advisory firm Blick Rothenberg. He summed the Budget:

“Today marked the first Budget for the new Government, the first for a new Chancellor who has only been in the job a few weeks and the first for almost 18 months. It could, however, be the first of several budgets in 2020.

“In a Budget overshadowed by COVID-19, the Chancellor started by announcing a package of measures aimed at easing the burden for individuals and businesses, including extending Statutory Sick Pay, offering a reduction to Business Rates for small businesses and allowing more time to pay taxes.

“The Chancellor’s hands seemed to be slightly tied, and the only notable change for workers was an increase to the National Insurance threshold to £9,500 providing a £100 annual saving.

“For the first time in 10 years, there was no increase to the personal allowance, which remained at £12,500. In fact, there were no changes to the majority of the personal tax thresholds with the basic rate band, inheritance tax nil rate band and the high-income child benefit threshold all untouched.

“In a measure aimed at appeasing NHS doctors and consultants, the pensions annual allowance will only begin to reduce for individuals with income above £240,000 (currently £150,000). However, at the other end of the spectrum, the minimum pensions annual allowance will be reduced to £4,000 (currently £10,000), affecting individuals with income above £300,000.

“The Chancellor wielded an axe on Entrepreneurs’ Relief without going as far as abolishing it completely. In an overnight move (which has its own complexities), the Entrepreneurs’ Relief lifetime allowance was slashed from £10 million to £1 million, reducing the tax saving to £100,000. Apparently, the reduced limit should only affect 20% of entrepreneurs while raising £6.3 billion for the Treasury in the process over the next five years.

“Entrepreneurs’ Relief has gone full circle, as the limit was £1 million when first introduced in 2008 and worth £80,000. At a time when all UK businesses are facing hugely uncertain futures, it was disappointing that the Chancellor, only a few weeks into the job, decided to make the move without any review or consultation.

“For the first time in many years, there were few changes to property taxes, with the Government moving ahead with a 2% SDLT surcharge for overseas buyers, which will take effect from April 2021 (presumably to encourage overseas buyers to transact before a higher SDLT cost applies).

“However, it’s worth noting that several property tax changes are due to take effect from 6 April 2020, including a reduction to main residence relief, the mortgage interest relief restriction taking full effect and reducing the timeframe in which capital gains tax should be paid to 30-days when selling a residential property.

“The only giveaway for savers was an increase to the Junior ISA limit to £9,000. At a time when the stock markets have tumbled and interest rates cut, pensioners and savers may have been looking to the Government for some help.”

This year’s winners and losers: who will be better off?

George Parker and Harriet James are Assistant Managers at leading accounting and tax advisory firm Blick Rothenberg

Winners

All earners

An increase in National Insurance Contribution (NIC) thresholds is a welcome move for all employees and the self-employed. The threshold will increase from £8,628 to £9,500, resulting in an annual NIC saving of £104 for employees and £78 for the self-employed.

Saving for retirement

From 2020-21, the thresholds used to calculate the tapering of the annual allowance will be increased so that workers with ‘adjusted net income’ of below £240,000 are not affected by the reduced limits.

The annual allowance is the total amount an individual and employer can contribute into their pension fund without incurring a tax charge.

Children under 18 years old

Junior ISA and Child Trust Fund annual subscription limits will increase by £4,632 from £4,368 to £9,000 – a massive uplift.

Losers

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs Relief (ER) Lifetime Allowance will be reduced from £10m to £1m affecting an estimated 20% of business owners. Going forward, only the first £1m of capital gains arising on the sale of an individual’s business will be taxed at 10%, with the remaining gain being taxed at 20%. Harsh anti-avoidance rules have also been introduced, backdated from April 2019.

Top earners

Currently individuals with an ‘adjusted net income’ in excess of £210,000 have their annual allowance tapered to £10,000. From April 2020, the allowance will be tapered to £4,000 for individuals with total income above £300,000. Any excess contributions over the new tapered annual allowance will be subject to tax at 45%.

Companies investment in plant and machinery

The favourable – yet temporary – Annual Investment Allowance (AIA) of £1million will come to an end on 31 December 2020, reducing by 80% to £200,000 per year.

Pensioners

The forgotten in this Budget are pensioners. With no reforms or simplification to Inheritance Tax announced, with the personal allowance and income tax thresholds remaining unchanged, and as they do not pay NIC, inflation will drag more pensioners into higher taxes. Based on forecasted inflation at 2%, many pensioners will be worse off in real terms.

Void Android?

More than one billion Android devices around the world are vulnerable to attack by hackers because they are no longer supported by security updates and built-in protection, new research by Which? has found.

The consumer champion crunched Google data, which shows a staggering two in five (40%) Android users worldwide are no longer receiving vital security updates from Google, potentially putting them at risk of data theft, ransom demands and a range of other malware attacks that could leave them facing bills for hundreds of pounds.

The findings come as Which? adds warnings to its reviews of potentially affected smartphones – which are not necessarily old models and are still available to buy through online marketplaces – so consumers are aware of the risk.

Which? experts took a selection of affected phones and tablets into its labs, including handsets still available to buy from online marketplaces such as Amazon, and found they could easily be hit by a range of malware and other threats.

Researchers tested a range of phones including models from Motorola, Samsung, Sony and LG/Google and found vulnerability to hacks including enabling personal information to be stolen, a hacker to take complete control over the phone or large bills for services that the phone owner hasn’t used themselves.

Recently out-of-support devices won’t immediately have problems, but without security updates, the risk to the user of being hacked goes up exponentially. Generally speaking, the older the phone, the greater the risk.

Anyone using an Android phone released around 2012 or earlier – including popular models like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Sony Xperia S, should be especially concerned, since it’s likely they will be running a version of Android that does not include various security enhancements Google has been rolling out since.

Google declined to respond when Which? asked for data on how many UK users are likely to be affected. But the consumer champion estimates there could potentially be millions of old unsupported Android devices still in use in the UK.

Which? shared its findings with Google but the tech giant’s response failed to provide reassurance that it has plans in place to help users whose devices are no longer supported.

Which? is calling for far more transparency around how long updates for smart devices will be provided so consumers can make informed buying decisions. The industry must also do a better job of giving support and guidance to customers about their options once security updates are no longer available.

Proposed legislation for mandatory security requirements – putting the onus on manufacturers to provide clear information about how long security updates will be provided for – and strong enforcement for manufacturers, retailers and online marketplaces that fall short are essential to tackle the growing problem of digital obsolescence.

Which? believes Google and other manufacturers also have questions to answer about the environmental impact of phones that can only be supported for three years or less – meaning consumers frequently need to fork out hundreds of pounds to replace them, while old phones end up piled up in landfill.

Kate Bevan, Which? Computing editor, said: “It’s very concerning that expensive Android devices have such a short shelf life before they lose security support – leaving millions of users at risk of serious consequences if they fall victim to hackers.

“Google and phone manufacturers need to be upfront about security updates – with clear information about how long they will last and what customers should do when they run out.

“The government must also push ahead with planned legislation to ensure manufacturers are far more transparent about security updates for smart devices – and their impact on consumers.”

Which? Tips

My Android phone is working fine, so why should I ditch it?

If your Android device is more than two years old, check if it can be updated to a newer version of Android. Open your phone or tablet Settings app, then tap System > Advanced > System update. You can then see your Android version.

If you are on a version before Android 7.0 Nougat, try to update your system. Still in the System update section, follow the instructions to run the update.

If you can’t update to a newer version, you’ll need to consider that there will be an increased risk of using your device going forwards – especially if you are running a version of Android 4 or lower.

What should I do if my mobile phone is no longer updated?

The older the phone, the greater the risk. Anyone with a smartphone that runs Android 4 or earlier should seriously consider whether it’s worth the risk to their data and privacy to continue using the device. However, there is an increased risk to any device that is no longer being supported by security updates. If you are still using such a phone, carefully consider the following advice until you upgrade.

1. Be careful what you download: The majority of threats come from downloading apps from outside the Google Play store, so be very wary of that. If you do sideload an app, check carefully that it is official and always manually re-enable the ‘unknown sources’ block in your Android settings after you’re finished. This is done automatically in newer Android versions.

2. Watch what you click on: As well as traditional phishing threats that might arrive via email, variations on these threats can be sent to a phone via SMS or MMS messages to take advantage of vulnerabilities found on some older versions of Android. Be very wary of clicking on any links that look suspicious, especially if they are from senders you’re not familiar with.

3. Back up your data: Make sure all your data is backed up in at least two places (a hard drive and a cloud service). If something goes wrong and you do get infected, this will help to ensure you won’t lose access to anything vital.

4. Get mobile antivirus: There are a range of additional apps that can provide some protection for your older Android device against security threats. Bear in mind, though, that the choice might be limited for really old Android builds. We could barely find any reputable services for the Sony Xperia Z2 running Android 4.4.

Which? advice guide for people who are using phones that no longer receive security updates: https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/mobile-phones/article/mobile-phone-security-is-it-safe-to-use-an-old-phone

New report exposes race inequality in the workforce

Millennials from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds are 47% more likely to be on a zero-hours contract, and have 10% greater odds of working a second job, compared to their White peers, according to a new report from the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, Carnegie UK Trust, and Operation Black Vote.

BAME millennials are also 5% more likely to be doing shift work, and are 4% less likely to have a permanent contract than White workers.

At the report’s launch in Parliament on Monday 2 March, the authors will call on the Government, mental health services and employers to take action to tackle racial inequalities in access to good work.

The research draws on information from a nationally-representative group of more than 7,700 people living in England who were born in 1989-90 and are being followed by a study called Next Steps.

The researchers, led by Dr Morag Henderson (UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies), compared the employment status of 25-year-olds from different ethnic backgrounds – White, Mixed-race, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean, Black African, and other minority ethnicities. They also examined the mental health of people in different types of employment.

Although BAME workers on the whole had more trouble finding stable employment than their White counterparts, experiences in the job market varied for different ethnic groups.

For instance, Pakistani millennials were more likely to be on a zero-hours contract or be working shifts, and less likely to have a permanent job than their White peers. However, Indian and Black Caribbean workers were no more likely than their White counterparts to be in these types of employment.

Black African 25-year-olds had lower odds of being in a permanent role and were more likely to be doing shift work than White workers of the same age. But Mixed-race, Indian and Black Caribbean millennials had similar chances of being in these types of jobs. Only Black Caribbean 25-year-olds were more likely than their White peers to be working a second job.

The findings held even when other factors that could affect labour market success were taken into account, including gender, family background and educational attainment.

The research also showed that, on the whole, millennials from BAME backgrounds were 58% more likely to be unemployed than their White counterparts. But again, experiences differed for each ethnic group. Although 25-year-olds from Pakistani, Black African, and Mixed-race backgrounds were more likely to be unemployed than their White peers, Indian, Bangladeshi and Black Caribbean adults were no more likely to be out of work.

However, even though ethnic minority groups faced more challenges in the labour market, the overwhelming majority of millennials were in permanent employment at age 25. Indian and White workers (89%) were the most likely to be in a stable role, followed by Mixed-race (87%), Black Caribbean (86%), Bangladeshi (85%), Pakistani (84%), Black African (81%) and other ethnicities (80%).

Unfavourable employment status was also found to be linked to mental ill health. While the greatest disparities were between those who were unemployed and those who were working, millennials in unstable employment also suffered poorer mental health than those not working under these conditions.

The connection between employment status and mental health at age 25 held even when the researchers considered whether the participants had mental health problems in their teenage years.

Lord Simon Woolley of Operation Black Vote said: “This report must be a serious wake up call for the Government, industry and our mental health practitioners.

“The race penalty in the work space is further exacerbated by mental health issues. It’s a double hit if you’re from a BAME community. We can, however, turn this around, but we need collective leadership.”

Douglas White from Carnegie UK Trust said: “Good work can have a really positive impact on people’s wellbeing – but we need to tackle the inequalities in who has access to good quality jobs.

“This report highlights that young people from BAME communities are particularly likely to enter into precarious forms of work. We need policy and practice to recognise and respond to this to ensure that good work is available to all.”

Dr Morag Henderson, of the UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies, said: “Our findings suggest that broad brush policies to improve employment conditions for BAME groups are unlikely to work for everyone.

“We need to better understand what’s driving the particular challenges different ethnic minorities are facing in the job market.”

Responding to the report, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith CBE said: “These new research findings paint a familiar pattern that I discussed in my Government Review ‘Race in the workplace: persistent race penalties at the lower pay scale’.

A key solution we recommended, and which remains valid, is the introduction of ethnic minority pay reporting. Until organisations publish data and put plans in place to reduce pay gaps, nothing fundamentally changes. It is time for action rather than words.”

The report outlines 13 recommendations for action, including:

  • Racial inequality, including the ethnicity pay gap, need to be better addressed in Government efforts to improve access to good work.
  • Employers should carry out internal audits of race disparity, in consultation with their employees and with support from trade unions and race equality bodies.
  • Developing guidance for mental health services on how to improve access for ethnic minority groups is an urgent priority.

Race-Inequality-in-the-Workforce-Final

Police seek couple following Carrubbers Close assault

Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault in Carrubbers Close off the Royal Mile. The incident happened around 12.00am last Saturday (22 February), when a 28 year old man suffered significant facial injuries which required hospital treatment.

Officers are keen to speak to a man and woman who may be able to assist with enquiries.

The man described as being 25-35 years old, of slim build, with short curly hair wearing black clothing.

The woman is described as being 25-35 years old, of slim build, long dark hair wearing a hooded jacket and in possession of a black hand bag.

Constable Jonathan Goldring, of Gayfield Square Police Station, said: ‘There were a number of people around the area when this incident happened and we are appealing for them to get in touch if they saw what happened.

‘As part of our enquiries we are reviewing CCTV footage in the area and would ask anyone with private or business systems to check their footage for description of the suspects above’.

Those with information should contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 0802 of 22 February 2020, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Home Office imposes sanctions on Edinburgh lab

The Home Office has formally inspected Charles River Laboratories and sanctioned it for violating animal welfare regulations. The action follows a complaint filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

PETA uncovered shocking allegations regarding the extreme suffering and death of rats at the company’s Elphinstone location, near Edinburgh, after being approached by a whistle-blower who worked there.

Because of the severity of the incidents reported, PETA is urging the Home Office to revoke Charles Rivers Laboratories’ licence to experiment on animals.

According to the whistle-blower, the company reportedly crushed approximately 100 to 120 live rats – including pregnant females – in a rubbish compressor and administered the wrong dose of a compound to rats who were used in a cancer experiment.

It allegedly forced other rats to inhale a highly toxic compound in doses that exceeded the agreed maximum – and consequently, one distressed female chewed off an entire toe. More information about the reported welfare violations can be found here.

“Charles River Laboratories apparently can’t be trusted to follow the minimal laws that protect animals in laboratories, and the punishment should fit the crime,” says PETA Science Policy Adviser Dr Julia Baines.

“PETA is calling for the Home Office to revoke the company’s licence to inflict pain, misery, and death on animals immediately and for money to be invested in a new wave of science – one that’s effective, human-relevant, and animal-free.”

The Home Office confirmed that inspections have taken place and that ‘appropriate sanctions’ have been applied.

Charles River Laboratories responded: “The survival rates for major diseases are at an all-time high due in part to the discovery of new medicines and therapies. The use of animal research models remains a vital component of these discoveries and is required by international regulatory agencies.

“We are deeply committed to animal welfare and exceeding international standards for the care of research models under our stewardship. We are committed to the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) and, when possible, our goal is to reduce the number of animals used.”

PETA – whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to experiment on” – notes that across the UK, millions of animals are locked inside barren laboratory cages, poisoned, burned, cut open, traumatised, and infected with diseases while they suffer from extreme frustration and loneliness.

Few experiments – no matter how painful or irrelevant – are prohibited by law, and almost all animals used in tests are later killed.

PETA supports the use of scientifically and ethically sound methods that better protect humans, animals, and the environment. For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.