Tag: new survey

New Acas survey on the Employment Rights Act reveals that sick pay changes will have biggest impact on employers in Scotland

More than half (53%) of Scottish employers say changes to statutory sick pay will have a significant impact on their business, according to a new survey.

Workplace expert, Acas, commissioned YouGov to ask which changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025 will have the biggest impact on bosses in Scotland

New rights on sick pay topped the polls, with Scottish employers ranking new rules around unfair dismissal and flexible working second.

The valuable insights gained from the results will help Acas target its support for workers and bosses where they need it the most.

Niall Mackenzie, Acas Chief Executive, said: “The Employment Rights Act is a major shake-up in employment law and will impact businesses and workers in Scotland.

“It’s crucial that both employer and employees get to grips with the new rules, and Acas remains best placed as independent experts helping everyone at work throughout this period of change.

“Acas will be working with employers, workers and their representatives on the implementation of the Employment Rights Act and we will be updating our advice and training.”

The survey results revealed that:

        More than half of Scottish employers (53%) said that workers getting sick pay for the first day of illness rather than the fourth day would have the biggest impact on them.

        Employers also said flexible working rules (19%) and new protections around unfair dismissal (39%) would likely have an impact.

New rules, brought in by the Employment Rights Act, regarding paternity leave and sick pay will come into force on 6th April 2026.

From 6 April, employees will be eligible for paternity leave from the first day of employment. Currently employees must have worked for their employer for 26 weeks before they are eligible.

From 1 January 2027, employees will be protected from unfair dismissal if they have worked for their employer for at least six months. Currently an employee must have two years continuous service to be able to claim unfair dismissal.

A dismissal may be considered unfair by law if there was no fair reason for the dismissal; the reason was not enough to justify dismissing them; or the employer did not follow a fair procedure.

In 2027 new measures will come into force intended to improve access to flexible working.

Flexible working can involve a change to when, where or how someone works. Employers and employees should follow the Acas Code of Practice on flexible working when handling a request.

Acas has an online roadmap of when all the new expected law changes in the Employment Rights Act are likely to come into effect, which includes webinars and training: Employment Rights Act 2025 – Acas

Children say exposure to dangerous online content is the greatest threat they face

Children and young people see dangerous and explicit online content as the number one threat they face according to a new survey commissioned by the charity Children First with support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

79 percent of young people in Scotland said they are moderately to extremely worried about seeing harmful online content and 78 percent are anxious about the impact of social media according to figures released today by Scotland’s national children’s charity.

Children First said the figures provide further “shocking” evidence of the depth of Scotland’s national childhood emergency, as they revealed less than one in four of the young people who completed the survey said that childhood is better now than it was for their parents.

The charity’s survey quizzed more than 2,460 children and young people aged 11-25 across Scotland about their lives.

Smartphone usage also came out as a top concern alongside worries about mental health.

Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First said: “The level of fear and anxiety that children and young people feel about the dangers of being online and the impact on their mental health is shocking.

“That less than a quarter of young people say their childhood is better than their parents, shows how deep the national childhood emergency goes. We must take children’s concerns seriously and act with urgency.

 “Our teams have seen a surge in children coming to us who are distressed and at risk of serious harm. We are extremely grateful to the generous players of People’s Postcode Lottery, whose support helps us to be there to help children and young people recover from trauma and abuse. But the terrible reality is that the online threats to our children and young people are growing daily.

“Children can’t protect themselves; everybody needs to help keep them safe. Technology platforms need to stop shirking their responsibility for children’s online safety. They must put children before profit and make young people’s safety their top priority.

“We understand how overwhelming online dangers can feel for parents and carers and are here to help. Anyone who is worried about a child can contact Children First’s support line for help.”

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery have been supporting Children First’s work to protect children across Scotland for over 17 years. Last year alone players raised £900,000 for the charity awarded by Postcode Children Trust.

Children First has been working with young people to understand their concerns about online harm. At a recent workshop, young people revealed worries about cyber-bullying, the dark side of social media, the sharing of photos and videos without permission, the use of artificial intelligence, unwanted contact from strangers and being served dangerous and explicit content.

Commenting on Snapchat, Jessie said: “you don’t know who you are meeting on there,” Beth added: “I have 84 boys trying to add me as a friend… I don’t know any of them.”

Laura said she “think(s) AI is a lot more dangerous than it is good, until there are proper regulations, but there probably won’t be enough regulations ever.”

Children First’s Scotland-wide confidential support line can be called free on 08000 28 22 33 or contacted by webchat at www.childrenfirst.org.uk. The charity’s support line is open 9am – 9pm, Monday to Friday or 9am – 12 noon Saturday and Sunday.

The charity has published some helpful advice for parents and carers about keeping children safe online www.childrenfirst.org.uk/onlinesafety  

   *Names have been anonymised to protect the identity of the young people quoted.

Scottish retail workers speak out after Usdaw survey shows the impact of retail crime in the region

Retail trade union Usdaw has today (5 March) released shocking statistics from its annual survey showing that abuse and threats against shop workers continue to grow, with violence remaining at double pre-pandemic levels.

The increase in incidents comes during an epidemic of retail crime.

Usdaw’s survey of 1,011 Scottish retail staff found that in the last twelve months (national average):

  • 70% have experienced verbal abuse (77%).
  • 45% were threatened by a customer (53%).
  • 8% were assaulted (10%).

Full report: www.usdaw.org.uk/FFFReport2024

Scottish voices from the frontline: These are some of the comments Scottish shop workers shared when responding to Usdaw’s survey:

Central Scotland: “Punched in the shoulder and verbal abuse – being called names and sworn at.” – “Shouted at for tills not working.” – “Customer tried to grab my face.” – “Colleague got stabbed with screwdriver.” – I get deliberately misgendered.”

Glasgow: “Daily verbal abuse even when asking customers to scan their bags.” – “Held up at knifepoint.” – “Couple stole jars of coffee, asked for them back and they smashed a jar of coffee on my head.” – “Punched on chin and chest.”

Highlands and Islands: “Threatened with a bottle after customer stole beer.” – “Aggression over being asked for ID, unwanted sexual attention.” – “Customer came behind cash desk and was in my face, telling me she’d be waiting on me.”

Lothian: “Racially abusive statements made to me and about me.” – “Grabbed by the scruff of my work jacket and shook me whilst yelling I had ruined their son’s Christmas because we were out of a specific chocolate.” – “Being called a bitch.”

Mid-Scotland and Fife: “Men following to the car.” – “Customers unhappy with self-service. Shouting at me or talking in a bad way.” – “Customers being volatile when you will not sell them age-restricted items due to no ID.”

North East Scotland: “Theft and threatening behaviour towards myself or my colleagues is a daily occurrence. Worst I have experienced.” – “Referred to as a bloody shelf stacker.” – “Customers shouting at you pushing trollies into you.”

South Scotland: “Kick up the bum by customer.” – “Customers grabbing my waist, pulling my hair, grabbing my shoulder/arms/legs, telling me they stalk me, telling me to meet them after work, making sexual comments toward me.”

West Scotland: “Called a f**kng moron because I was pulling a trolley on the shop floor.” – “Drunk football fans – alcohol purchase rejection – backed against wall poked in the eye – grabbed by others in the group preventing me from alerting security.”

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Scottish retail workers suffer far too many incidents of violence, abuse and threats. No-one should feel afraid to go to work, but our evidence shows that too many retail workers are.

“It is shocking that over three-quarters of our members working in retail are being abused, threatened and assaulted for simply doing their job and serving the community. They provide an essential service and deserve our respect and the protection of the law.

“Scotland has had a protection of shop workers law in place since 2021, after Labour’s Daniel Johnson MSP promoted the legislation, and it has already been used in around 10,000 incidents.

“We continue to work with retailers, the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to help ensure that legislation is fully utilised and that retail workers receive the protection and respect they deserve”.

Government regulations ‘causing spike in mental health problems in Edinburgh’s tourism sector’ 

New survey: government regulations causing spike in mental health problems in Edinburgh’s tourism sector

The Scottish self-catering industry highlights that Edinburgh-based operators report the highest levels of mental health issues in the country due the lingering threat of business closures.

A membership survey conducted by the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) shows that the Scottish Government’s short-term let regulations are causing a mental health crisis amongst small business owners.

In October 2024, around 450 operators were questioned by the trade body in an online survey as it continues to gather evidence around the impact of STL regulations.

Overall, around one-in-ten (11%) respondents said they had experienced no mental health issues as a consequence of regulatory changes. Incredibly, this figure drops to 0% in Edinburgh where the most stringent STL controls can be found.

The overwhelming sentiment is that the regulations have created financial strain, as well as increased anxiety and uncertainty, with sectoral discontent abundantly clear.

In terms of the key findings:

  • Across Scotland, over two-thirds (68%) had either experienced a ‘negative’ or ‘extremely negative’ impact on their mental health and wellbeing from recent regulatory changes;
  • This was particularly acute in Edinburgh where around 90% of operators had seen a negative or extremely negative impact; and
  • Edinburgh also had the highest number of extremely negative responses (46%).

The professional and personal strain is taking its toll. Several respondents highlighted the emotional toll, such as sleeplessness, anxiety, stress-related health issues, and feelings of helplessness, especially with the uncertainty of future income and business viability.

Many respondents also mentioned the high cost of compliance, administrative burdens, and delays in licensing applications, particularly for those relying on self-catering as their primary income.

These disturbing findings come as BiGGAR Economics published their independent analysis of the sector in Edinburgh. This showed it generated £154m in GVA and supported 5,580 jobs in 2023, while only having a negligible impact on housing with empty homes far outstripping the numbers of STLs.

Conscious to the issues facing small and micro businesses, the industry has attempted to work with national and local government to address the outstanding challenges to the regulatory framework but often to no avail. Edinburgh Council has now suffered a hat trick of legal setbacks, most recently with their u-turn over issuing three-month suspension notices.

Fiona Campbell, CEO of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, commented: “Running a small business can be a rewarding experience but the last few years have been gruelling with the pandemic and cost of living crisis bearing down on everyone.

“Our survey highlights widespread concern amongst Edinburgh’s self-catering sector, with a clear negative impact on mental health due to recent regulatory changes.

“What is causing particular anguish is the ominous threat that livelihoods will be snatched away due to heavy-handed government regulation, especially with the conflation of licensing and planning requirements.

“To compound matters, just as professional businesses have been shut down or are at threat of closure, we’ve seen a burgeoning black market of unlicensed accommodation, thereby undermining the entire purpose of the regulations.

“Well-managed short-term lets can easily coexist within communities while contributing meaningfully to local employment and the economy.

“As BiGGAR Economics have shown, STLs support over 5,500 jobs in Edinburgh alone yet are vastly outnumbered by the number of empty properties in the city. That is where the policy focus should be directed rather than scapegoating an industry for housing challenges.

“It has to be remembered that the very same individuals under the cosh have dedicated their working lives to ensuring the capital remains a welcoming and leading destination. Quite frankly, they deserve much better.”

Mental Health Infographic – EdinburghDownload

Local Emergencies: Community Councils webinar with Ready Scotland

Still time to sign up for our webinar with @readyscotland on Wednesday 25 September to talk about how Community Councils are supporting people through local emergencies – and find out how you can contribute to a new survey on the issue.

#Resilience

https://forms.microsoft.com/e/jc7vP9xT41

Haste ye back!


Visitor voices vital part of promoting Scottish tourism, says new survey

Scotland’s reputation as a must-visit, must-return destination is growing according to new research by VisitScotland.

The Scotland Visitor Survey 2023, one of the biggest undertaken by the national tourism organisation*, found that 82% of visitors are likely to recommend Scotland to others, compared to 75% when the survey was last conducted in 2015/2016.

It also showed that more than three quarters (80%) of visitors said they are quite or very likely to come back to the country in the next five years.

With tourism worth an estimated £10.6bn to the economy, repeat visits and word of mouth recommendations have become vital for many businesses still recovering from challenges posed by the pandemic and the cost of living.

Recent figures show that international tourism in Scotland is recovering at a stronger rate than other UK nations and regions but visits from UK holidaymakers may have been impacted by the cost of living.

Typically conducted every three or four years, this is the first time the Scotland Visitor Survey has been undertaken since the pandemic**.

It aims to help understand why visitors take a holiday or short break in Scotland and how they rate their experiences when here.

From March to October 2023, visitors were surveyed both while in Scotland and when they returned home to help build a complete picture of their journey from start to finish.

As well as looking at the profile of visitors and their experiences, the first wave of results*** also focused on motivations and inspiration.

Other highlights include:

  • Scenery and landscape was the top reason visitors chose Scotland (70%), followed by history and culture (48%), outdoor activities (27%), visiting friends and family (22%) Scotland’s people (21%) and visiting attractions (19%).
  • Over half of visitors said personal recommendations were the most influential source of inspiration.
  • 71% of visitors rated their experience in Scotland as a 9 out of 10 or higher.
  • Almost 60% of long-haul visitors stated this was the best holiday they had ever taken.

Tourism Minister Richard Lochhead said: “It’s very heartening to see such a positive response, particularly given this is the first major survey of its kind undertaken since the pandemic.

“Repeat visits and word of mouth recommendations are vital to the sector, so it’s great to see that results are now even stronger than pre-pandemic figures, with over 80% of visitors sharing that they are likely to return to Scotland or would recommend a visit to others, and international tourism recovering at a stronger rate than the UK as whole.

“Scotland’s visitor sector is of huge importance to our economy, and these results showcase the strength, creativity and ingenuity of our tourism providers, who continue to offer a vast choice of unique events, attractions and experiences to visitors from all over the world. Scotland can be proud.”

Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland Chief Executive, said: “This valuable research gives us an important benchmark for where Scotland’s tourism offering is, post pandemic, helping inform and drive our activities as an industry going forward.

“Knowing what our visitors think and what they want is crucial in ensuring Scotland is kept front of mind in a competitive marketplace.

“The strong support demonstrated in the survey is testament to the tireless work and dedication of those within our tourism and events industry, who on a daily basis help create unforgettable and unmissable holiday experiences.

“It is clear the voices of our visitors have a vital role to play in promoting Scotland as a must-visit, must-return destination. This in turn helps grow the economy, creating jobs, sustaining communities and attracting further investment in the future.”

To view the Scotland Visitor Survey 2023 visit: 

Scotland Visitor Survey – Domestic & International | VisitScotland.org

Carers Trust Scotland research reveals family carers experiencing unprecedented financial hardship

“All general bills are a worry. It’s crushing to not even be able to afford the most basics in life due to being an unpaid carer.” (unpaid carer responding to the Carers Trust survey)

  • Almost three quarters (74%) of unpaid carers in Scotland are worried about being able to afford energy bills.
  • Almost two thirds (58%) of unpaid carers in Scotland have either had to give up work altogether or reduce their paid hours because of their caring role.
  • One in eight (12%) unpaid carers in Scotland have had to use a food bank.
  • Carers Trust is urging the Scottish Government and the UK Government to provide additional cost-of-living support to unpaid carers now and to develop long-term solution for funding of social care.

A new survey of unpaid carers in Scotland provides a stark assessment of how many of Scotland’s 800,000 unpaid family carers have been plunged even further into financial misery by the cost-of-living crisis. 

The research, undertaken by Carers Trust, the UK infrastructure charity for local carer organisations, revealed that 38% of all unpaid carers have had to give up paid work altogether to provide the dedicated care at home that a sick or disabled relative needs. A further 20% of respondents reported having reduced the number of paid hours they work because of their caring role.

The research, which was responded to by 531 family carers, uncovered the shocking fact that one in eight (12%) unpaid family carers are now using food banks as a result of soaring living costs. In addition:

  • 28% have had to cut back on food
  • 7% have either sold their home or released home equity to pay for essential items
  • 17% have not been able to pay household bills on time
  • 38% have had to cut back on other household items
  • 27% have had to use a credit card to pay for essential household items.
  • 25% have had to borrow money from a friend or a relative
  • 17% have had to take out a loan

One survey respondent said: “I am terrified that I won’t be able to pay the bills this winter”.

Responding to a survey question about what essential costs they would no longer be able to afford, almost half (48%) said transport, almost three quarters (74%) said energy bills and over one third (34%) said rent or mortgage costs.

Carer’s Allowance failing to prevent poverty among unpaid carers

The survey also starkly highlighted the inadequacy of Carer’s Allowance, the principal state benefit for unpaid carers.

Currently set at £69.70 per week, providing this is the lowest level benefit of its kind, despite more than one third (34%) of unpaid carers spending 50 hours or more a week caring for a sick or disabled relative.

The Scottish Government does provide a Carer’s Allowance Supplement of £245.70 twice per year to provide additional support to unpaid carers in Scotland.

However, eligibility criteria for Carer’s Allowance benefit are strict: claimants must earn £132 a week or less after tax and must be spending a minimum of 35 hours a week caring for someone.

Over half of all survey respondents said that they do not receive the allowance and, of those who did, 56% of respondents in Scotland said it was not enough to meet their needs as an unpaid carer.

The survey also found that, instead of preventing poverty among recipients, Carer’s Allowance recipients were more likely to be experiencing financial hardship.

  • 58% of respondents receiving Carer’s Allowance said they were struggling to make ends meet, compared to 38% of respondents who don’t receive Carer’s Allowance.

More support needed for local carer organisations supporting unpaid carers

A parallel survey of Carer’s Trust’s UK network of over 120 local carer organisations, who provide services to unpaid carers, has also highlighted the impact of recruitment challenges and funding shortages on their ability to support unpaid family carers. 

48% of services cited fundraising and sustainability as the principal challenge to work supporting unpaid carers, whilst 40% of respondents cited staff recruitment and retention as a challenge – almost twice the level (23%) reported the year before.     

Carers Trust Scotland’s Director Louise Morgan said: “Scotland’s health and social care system relies on the hard work of millions of unpaid family carers. However, the double whammy of lack of financial support and struggling local services means that thousands of unpaid family carers are being pushed into dire poverty. 

‘With little ability to work, unpaid carers simply cannot boost their earnings to meet the cost-of-living crisis. Yet they need to keep the heating on and equipment running to keep their sick and disabled relatives warm and safe.

“The recent Autumn Statement simply did not recognise the extra cost of being an unpaid carer. We therefore need to raise Carer’s Allowance urgently, provide and to add it to the list of benefits qualifying for the additional £900 cost-of-living support payment and provide double payments of Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments to help unpaid carers to pay their rising bills during the cost-of-living crisis.

“As a country we’re relying on unpaid carers to keep the health and care system afloat. The least we can do in return is ensure they get a fair deal in return”.

Find out about how your Giving Tuesday donations can help support #UnpaidCarers👉https://bit.ly/3zEj3aE

Mounting Scottish maternity service staffing shortages spark safety fears, says RCM

Understaffing, staff burnout and fears they cannot provide safe care could see many midwives heading for the exit, according to a Royal College of Midwives (RCM) survey of its members in Scotland. A staggering half of respondents say they rarely have enough staff to provide safe care for women.

The RCM said it is deeply concerned by the survey results, which showed seven out of 10 midwives are also thinking of leaving due to low staffing levels and frustration with the quality of care they can provide. As one midwife responding to the survey said, “I love being a midwife, but I hate the care I am giving.”

The RCM lays out several recommendations to move forward positively and address the issues in the survey. These include a call for more support for midwives early in their career to ensure they feel well supported and positive about their chosen career rather than leaving.

There is also a need to ensure midwives have time to undertake essential education and development which is key to delivering safer and better care. An accurate tool to determine midwifery staffing levels is also overdue and a proportionate and substantial increase in the number of consultant midwives and clinical educators – who play a key role in ensuring safe care.

Jaki Lambert, RCM Director for Scotland said: ‘I know midwives and maternity support workers provide excellent care daily to families, but we cannot rely on goodwill alone.

“This shows deep seated and longstanding issues, certainly worsened by the pandemic which midwives fear are already impacting on the quality of care for women and their babies. There is a worrying catalogue of issues and discontent with an exhausted and a fragile maternity workforce with rock bottom morale.

“They have also been emotionally and physically battered by the pandemic and left feeling that their work and efforts are not valued. We need to move forward together with the Government from this point.

“There is a real disconnect between what maternity services need and what resources are available to them in terms of funding, professional development, resources, and staffing. It is only the incredible determination, skill and sheer willpower of midwives and their colleagues that are holding services up.

“Without action the staff, and the system they are propping up, will break. This is not safe, it’s not sustainable, and it’s not acceptable.”

Fears about understaffing run through the survey. Levels of staffing were consistently described as unsafe, with midwives raising concerns for the safety of women using seriously overstretched services.

Concerns with the quality of care being given was cited by six in 10 of those thinking of quitting.

Women with complex care needs benefit from additional midwifery support but the resources needed to support these women are often not factored into funding calculations, says the RCM.

The RCM says they are concerned that more experienced midwives and those near retirement who delayed leaving to help in the pandemic are starting to head for the exit. The loss of such rich experience impacts on the support available to early career midwives and the students following in their footsteps.

Mandatory training, designed to improve safety in maternity services, has also been a casualty of the workforce crisis, with more than four in 10 respondents unable to do this training during working hours, instead having to do it in their own time or not at all.  

The RCM calls for staff to be given the time to do this vital training. One midwife summed up the situation saying, “mandatory safety training cancelled due to short staffing making a dangerous situation even less safe.”

Growing pressures are also leading to worrying levels of strain and anxiety for maternity staff. Nearly all (88%) in the survey say they have significant levels of work-related stress. One midwife said, “I have nothing left to give my own children and family at the end of the day. I am at breaking point.”

Nearly every respondent said they are missing breaks with over half (52%) saying this happens two to three times a week and has become the norm. Many are not even getting the chance to have a drink or go to the toilet on shifts that can be as long as 12 hours. One midwife reported, “When I say no break, I mean flooding through sanitary products onto my clothing because I cannot take 10 minutes to change my tampon in a 12-hour shift.”

Jaki Lambert added, “The pain and anguish of midwives was very difficult to read about and I hope their words are captured in this survey.  It paints a deeply worrying picture of staff that are on their knees and are not currently seeing a way forward or access to the support they need to deliver the safest and best possible care.

“We can and must do better for midwives, women, babies, and families in Scotland. We know that the Scottish Government wants to fix this and we want to work with them to make sure that midwives are valued and their expertise recognised.

“It is essential that we recruit new midwives into the service, treat the midwives we have better to make sure they stay in post, and that they can continue to develop throughout their careers so that women in Scotland get the maternity care they deserve.”

scotland-survey_finalDownload

Scotland’s teachers report soaring workload in new EIS survey

Scotland’s teachers have faced soaring levels of workload throughout the pandemic, and at a time when they are being offered a significant real-terms cut in their level of pay by COSLA and the Scottish Government.

The EIS conducted an online survey in November, and more than 16,000 teachers across Scotland took part. Amongst the key workload-related findings in the EIS survey are:

  • 88% of teachers indicated that their workload burden has increased during the pandemic.
  • 61% of teachers report that workload levels have increased “significantly” during this period.
  • 80% of Secondary teachers reported significantly increased workload related to SQA qualifications.
  • The vast majority of teachers (93%) work above their contracted hours each week.
  • 45% of full-time teachers work more than 8 extra hours every week – equivalent to over one extra full day of work each week, over and above contractual commitments.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Teachers have continued to face a rising tide of workload throughout the pandemic, for a wide range of reasons. Clearly, changes brought about in response to the pandemic have had an impact on teacher workload with additional tasks requiring to be undertaken on a daily basis to help keep classrooms safe.

“The increased emphasis on digital learning – be that in the classroom or remotely from home – has created challenges for teachers, often associated with a lack of suitable equipment and resources. Teachers are also reporting a significant amount of time dealing with pupil behaviour as many young people continue the struggle to overcome the negative impact of the pandemic on their lives.”

Mr Flanagan continued: “The survey also identifies a substantial increase in the workload associated with supporting pupils with Additional Support Needs. 61% of all teachers identified meeting the Additional Support Needs, including the mental health support needs, of pupils as a significant driver of workload increases over the past year – with the figure even higher (66%) within the primary sector.

“This is a vital area of work, but the level of demand is increasing and this is clearly placing additional strain on already hard-worked teachers.”

Mr Flanagan added, “In addition to the challenges of keeping up to date with government Covid safety protocols, which affect all teachers, teachers in Secondary schools face additional difficulties with SQA-related workload.

“The challenges brought about by short-notice changes to the qualifications system have been a major driver in additional workload over the past two years for Secondary teachers. Meaningful reform of the examinations system is now required to ease the workload burden of teachers and students alike.”