Queens Manor care home in Barnton have invited members of the local community to join them for lunch and a lovely day of friendship.
Murrayfield Club members came over and joined us for lunch followed by games, lots of laughter and plenty of friendly conversation. During the visit, our guests also had a wander around the home’s beautiful gardens, meeting the residents and the fantastic team at the home.
General Manager Margaret said: “We really enjoyed Murrayfield Club members visit and we are looking forward to making more friends in our local community. The more support we can provide to each other, the better.
“Our team here at Queens Manor care home are always here for a chat. If anyone would like to pop in for a tour and a cup of tea, our doors are always open.”
Queens Manor care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Queens Manor Care Home provides residential care and dementia care for 60 residents from respite care to long term stays.
Bespoke artwork celebrates life and surroundings at Morningside residency
AN EDINBURGH care home has been captured in a striking new piece of artwork created to give residents and visitors a unique view of the place they call home.
Cluny Lodge Care Home, owned by Elder Homes Ltd, commissioned local artist Clare Bevis to create the bespoke piece for its reception area.
The artwork depicts the Morningside home and its surroundings, bringing together architectural details from across the large building which cannot easily be seen from a single viewpoint.
Clare, who had previously created artwork for Elder Homes Director Stephen Dodds, spent time walking around Cluny Lodge before starting the piece to identify the details and features which were important to capture.
Clare said: “Cluny Lodge was a perfect subject for my art style. I wanted to keep the quintessential feel of the home and its surroundings through the use of soft pastel colours.
“You can see that the piece moves from day to night, which was a little detail I included to show life around the clock at the home.”
The artwork, which took around eight hours to complete, is Clare’s largest piece to date and combines a range of different materials and techniques.
Fine liner and super-fine pens were used for the main drawing, alongside digital techniques and giclée ink to introduce additional colour and detail.
Now installed in the reception area, the finished work gives residents, families and visitors a complete view of the home as they arrive at the main entrance.
Clare added: “It’s such a big building and hard to see from one viewpoint, so I think the artwork gives guests and residents a full picture of where they are as they come through the main door.
“To see the final piece in the home brings a smile to my face. I’m so happy I was asked to create this for the residents to admire as they pass through reception.
“I spoke to a few residents who told me they once loved to draw and paint and were enjoying viewing my piece when it was installed. It was lovely to hear that it had already got people talking.”
Cluny Lodge Care Home, Edinburgh.
Stephen Dodds, Director of Elder Homes, said: “We wanted to create something that reflected the character of Cluny Lodge and would become a real feature for residents, families and visitors to enjoy.
“Clare has captured the home in a way that simply isn’t possible from any single viewpoint, while including the details that make it so recognisable to the people who know it best.
“Creating an engaging environment is an important part of life at Cluny Lodge, so it has been great to see residents stopping to look at the artwork, talk about it and, in some cases, share their own memories of drawing and painting.”
The commission is part of a wider focus on creating a stimulating and engaging environment for residents at Cluny Lodge, with activities and experiences tailored around individual interests and needs.
Cluny Lodge recently retained the highest possible rating for supporting people’s wellbeing following an unannounced inspection by the Care Inspectorate.
The home was awarded a score of 6 – Excellent for “How well do we support people’s wellbeing?”, alongside scores of 5 – Very Good for leadership, setting, quality assurance and the quality of its facilities.
The home follows a holistic approach to residents’ health and wellbeing, with its team including in-house physiotherapists, social and leisure staff and nutritional support workers alongside its wider care team.
Residents have access to a wide range of activities, outings, concert and events aimed at providing social, mental and physical stimulation.
Founded by Loren and Julie Hufstetler in 1984, the family-owned Elder Homes has spent over 40 years providing individualised support and compassionate service to seniors requiring assistance with daily living.
The Eric Liddell Community’s 40 year legacy continues with expanded self-funded and subsidised places to combat isolation and promote active living
With dementia diagnoses in Edinburgh projected to jump 26.5% to over 10,000 cases by 2030¹, The Eric Liddell Community is highlighting the critical need for its specialist Day Care Service.
Over 80% of local people living with dementia reside in the community rather than formal care settings, driving an urgent demand for high quality, local day support.
Open Monday to Friday, the service goes beyond traditional care by offering a highly stimulating daily schedule. Attendees can participate in discussion groups, arts and crafts, dance, baking sessions, and access a multisensory room. Recognising the importance of modern connectivity, the charity also provides one-to-one digital support to help users navigate everyday technology.
Caroline Heenan, Day Care Manager at The Eric Liddell Community, explained the importance of the service:“It has been incredible to hear and see firsthand the impact that the Day Care Service has on the lives of those living with dementia in Edinburgh.
“Our staff and volunteers create such a warm, welcoming, and relaxed environment, ensuring that all service users are supported, and providing activities that help to stimulate the brain whilst promoting a more active lifestyle.
“We have been blown away by the demand for the service, with subsidised places constantly being filled, and more self-funded places being opened up to ensure that those who need the support are getting high quality care, consistently.”
An unnamed service user described her feelings towards the impact of the service:“It definitely feels there’s a sense of community here. If others want to find a place to come and meet people and do things, this is the place to come.
I look forward to the breakfast and two course lunch because it’s homemade, and always very nice.”
Another service user added:“I’m always telling people how much I love this place. One of the things I love about it is that there are always things for you to do.
“I’m over the moon. Everything is just perfect.”
This was expanded on by a third service user, who stated:“It is a reminder that we do have company.”
The Day Care Service is at the heart of the charity, offering a warm, structured space for people living with dementia to connect, socialise, and participate in tailored activities alongside dedicated, caring staff.
With both self-funded and subsidised places now open to new service users, The Eric Liddell Community continues to expand its reach, ensuring local families have access to a reliable network of care and support.
To find out more about The Eric Liddell Community and its Dementia Day Care Service, please visit ericliddell.org.
TAKE UP WOULD SAVE NHS AND SOCIAL CARE SERVICES ALMOST £1 BILLION
Research shows that 100% take up of key benefits would cut numbers of pensioners in poverty by 280,000
Due to health impacts, full take-up would also save the NHS and social care services in England £950 million a year
Independent Age recommends the UK Government publish a take-up strategy for financial entitlements to ensure all older people receive everything they should be
New research from national charity Independent Age shows that full take-up of three key financial entitlements could lift 280,000 older people out of poverty across the UK, reducing pensioner poverty by 15%. This includes Pension Credit, pensioner Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. The analysis was carried out by the research agency Public First.
The report, entitled ‘The only way is up: The impact of improved entitlement take-up on pensioner poverty and healthcare spending’ also shows that increasing take-up of these entitlements to 100% could help improve older people’s health, leading to a reduction in health and social care public spending by up to a colossal £950 million a year in England.
Independent Age is calling on the UK Government to publish an all-entitlements take-up strategy for the UK. This should include a strong commitment and targets to increase take-up.
The number of older people in poverty in the UK is rising, with around 1.7 million in relative poverty in 2024/25, which is an increase of 200,000 compared to the year before. Another one million live close to the poverty line.
Despite this, the charity says that too many eligible older people are missing out on money set aside for them. Over one in three (38%) of those eligible for Pension Credit are not receiving it, and around 230,000 older households are missing out on Housing Benefit.
Official take-up figures of Council Tax Reduction are not produced, however the report analysis indicates that over a million pensioner households could be missing out on this vital support.
The organisation is also calling for the Pensions Commission to agree on what an adequate income in later life looks like, and the UK Government to commit to ensuring everyone receives this.
Concerningly, full take up would also provide an additional 770,000 older people with more vital income, but they would still remain in poverty, indicating that financial entitlements and the State Pension alone is not always adequate to live on.
Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Agesaid: “Our social security system was designed as a safety net for all of us but the evidence is clear, it is failing older people in poverty. Money that has been set aside is not reaching the older people who need it and at a time with increasing costs, the impact of this is devastating.
“Through our helpline, we hear often from older people who are having to skip meals or only wash once a week to make ends meet. This is unacceptable.
“Older people on a low income have been left to struggle for too long. That’s why we urgently need a strategy to ensure everyone receives the support they are entitled to and an agreement on what an adequate income looks like in later life for all of us as we age.
“With the upcoming changes in leadership, this is a golden opportunity for the UK Government to reverse the worsening picture of poverty in later life.”
Independent Age’s report found that three groups especially benefitted from increased take-up of these entitlements. These were: older people living alone, older renters and those on the old State Pension. This is due to a combination of likely higher initial costs such as housing or energy, and a lower income.
Valerie’s Story
Valerie, 68, from the Isle of Wight
“Once the rent was paid, along with Council Tax – more than £150 a month even with the single person discount – there wasn’t enough left. I had to cut back on everything. I lived on £1 meals from Iceland because they were cheap and filling, even though I knew they weren’t very nutritious.
“I relied on a local community pantry where £5 bought roughly £15 of food.
“I couldn’t afford to put the heating on. My house is all electric and it was simply too expensive. I spent winters wrapped in blankets, drinking cups of instant soup to keep warm, and sometimes slept downstairs so I didn’t have to walk through cold rooms at night.”
Valerie called Independent Age and, while she wasn’t eligible for Pension Credit, an adviser supported her to start receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, which she hadn’t previously been aware of. After starting to receive these entitlements, Valerie described the impact this had on her life.
“Life is so much better now. I still budget carefully, but I’m not living on my credit card anymore. I can buy fresh vegetables, cook proper meals and freeze portions so food lasts longer.
“I can travel to the mainland to see family, and I enjoy the things that matter to me, such as going to the local theatre and being part of the choir. I called the Independent Age Helpline at a time in my life when I didn’t know where to turn.
“The support I received has made a dramatic difference to my daily life. I nearly didn’t make that call – but I’m so glad I did. Before that call, I was surviving day to day. Now, I feel like I’m living again.”
LifeCare are proactively recruiting 4 new trustees, as members of our existing board reach the end of their term. This year more than ever is an exciting time to join our board as we celebrate our 85th year.
“After a long career in the NHS, becoming a LifeCare Trustee felt like a natural way to continue supporting peoples’ health, wellbeing and independence.
I feel I bring experience in strategy and governance, whilst helping to support LifeCare to turn good ideas into practical action for older people, their families and carers” – Lorna Jackson-Hall, current Chair
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.
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.”
National charity Independent Age is distributing £1.5 million in funding to projects supporting carers aged over 65 who are living on a low income, and is encouraging local Edinburgh organisations to apply.
The focus for this round of Independent Age’s Older People’s Fund is on improving access to community-based and in-person advice for older carers on a low income, which can make a significant difference to their financial wellbeing.
This funding is aimed at organisations that understand the financial challenges that caring can bring for older people, including reduced income, increased costs, housing issues and barriers to support. The funding is dedicated to support both older carers and the older people they care for, recognising the impact of caring across whole households.
Funding is also available to organisations in the following locations:
Birmingham
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Dorset
Cornwall
Leeds
Grants are for a three-year period, and eligible organisations can apply for:
up to £150,000 (£50,000 per year) for individual applications
or a shared total of up to £210,000 (£70,000 per year) if applying in partnership
This is the third round of this grant funding. In each round, the Older People’s Fund aims to support older people who are more likely to face financial hardship in later life. The previous rounds funded projects to support older women from racially minoritised groups and older private renters.
This round is focused on supporting older carers and the people they care for, as they are at high risk of experiencing financial hardship due to the costs of caring, the impact of being a carer during working age on income in later life, and the complexity of the social security system for older carers.
Morgan Vine, Director of Grants at Independent Age, said:“Being a carer for someone close to you can be physically, mentally and emotionally demanding, and it can often feel isolating.
“Caring can also bring additional costs that many people would not otherwise face. Yet we know that too many older carers miss out on the financial support and advice available to them.
“That’s why we have chosen to focus this round of our Older People’s Fund on improving access to support services for older carers on low incomes, helping them to access the financial support they need.
“We know there are incredible community organisations in Edinburgh already carrying out vital work, and others who may want to reach older carers but don’t have the means to do so. This £1.5 million investment will help them continue and expand the valuable support they provide, ensuring more carers can access trusted advice and services in their local communities.
“We encourage organisations that meet the criteria to visit our website or contact our Grants team to find out more and apply.”
Applications will be held in two stages, starting with an Expression of Interest (EOI). The closing date for submissions for the EOI is 2pm on Wednesday 26th August 2026. Successful EOIs will then be invited to submit a more detailed application for the Independent Age grants panel to consider.
Independent Age is the national charity focused on ending financial hardship in later life. We want every older person to be able to afford to live well.
Our Helpline and expert advisers offer free, practical support to older people without enough money to live on.
Independent Age has provided more than 140 grants since 2021 to local organisations working directly with older people across the UK,
This support has impacted nearly 55,000 older people.
The charity uses the knowledge and insight gained from our services and partnerships to highlight the issues experienced by older people in poverty and campaign for change.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s commitment to exempt state pensioners with no additional income from income tax, Morgan Vine, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age said: “Recommitting to exempting the State Pension from income tax is a welcome signal that the new Prime Minister is listening to the concerns of older people on low incomes.
“However, questions remain about how the policy will be implemented across a complex pensions system where one solution does not fit all.
“Different versions of the State Pension mean some older people receiving a lower State Pension and a small private pension would be dragged into the tax system, while others receiving only the State Pension will be exempt, despite the amount they receive being largely the same.
“Clearly, this is a situation that needs to be addressed so no older person on a low income loses out.
“Every day we hear from older people with chronic money worries who are making difficult decisions to make ends meet, from rationing their energy and water use to skipping meals.
“We look forward to receiving clarity from the UK Government on how the State Pension tax exemption will work to protect all pensioners on low incomes.”
Would also save the NHS and social care services over half-a-billion pounds
Research shows that 100% take up of key benefits would cut numbers of pensioners in poverty by 280,000
Due to health impacts, full take-up would also save the NHS and social care services in England £790 million a year
Independent Age recommends the UK Government publish a take-up strategy for financial entitlements to ensure all older people are receiving everything they should be
New research from national charity Independent Age shows that full take-up of three key financial entitlements could lift 280,000 older people out of poverty across the UK, reducing pensioner poverty by 15%.
This includes Pension Credit, pensioner Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. The analysis was carried out by the research agency Public First.
The report released today, entitled ‘The only way is up: The impact of improved entitlement take-up on pensioner poverty and healthcare spending’ also shows that increasing take-up of these entitlements to 100% could help improve older people’s health, leading to a reduction in health and social care public spending by up to a colossal £790 million a year in England.
Independent Age is calling on the UK Government to publish an all-entitlements take-up strategy for the UK. This should include a strong commitment and targets to increase take-up.
The number of older people in poverty in the UK is rising, with around 1.7 million in relative poverty in 2024/25, which is an increase of 200,000 compared to the year before. Another one million live close to the poverty line.
Despite this, the charity says that too many eligible older people are missing out on money set aside for them. Over one in three (38%) of those eligible for Pension Credit are not receiving it, and around 230,000 older households are missing out on Housing Benefit.
Official take-up figures of Council Tax Reduction are not produced, however the report analysis indicates that over a million pensioner households could be missing out on this vital support.
The organisation is also calling for the Pensions Commission to agree on what an adequate income in later life looks like, and the UK Government to commit to ensuring everyone receives this.
Concerningly, full take up would also provide an additional 770,000 older people with more vital income, but they would still remain in poverty, indicating that financial entitlements and the State Pension alone is not always adequate to live on.
Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive of Independent Agesaid: “Our social security system was designed as a safety net for all of us but the evidence is clear, it is failing older people in poverty. Money that has been set aside is not reaching the older people who need it and at a time with increasing costs, the impact of this is devastating.
“Through our helpline, we hear often from older people who are having to skip meals or only wash once a week to make ends meet. This is unacceptable.
“Older people on a low income have been left to struggle for too long. That’s why we urgently need a strategy to ensure everyone receives the support they are entitled to and an agreement on what an adequate income looks like in later life for all of us as we age.
“With the upcoming changes in leadership, this is a golden opportunity for the UK Government to reverse the worsening picture of poverty in later life.”
Independent Age’s report found that three groups especially benefitted from increased take-up of these entitlements. These were: older people living alone, older renters and those on the old State Pension. This is due to a combination of likely higher initial costs such as housing or energy, and a lower income.
Valerie’s Story
Valerie, 68, from the Isle of Wight
“Once the rent was paid, along with Council Tax – more than £150 a month even with the single person discount – there wasn’t enough left. I had to cut back on everything. I lived on £1 meals from Iceland because they were cheap and filling, even though I knew they weren’t very nutritious.
I relied on a local community pantry where £5 bought roughly £15 of food. I couldn’t afford to put the heating on. My house is all electric and it was simply too expensive. I spent winters wrapped in blankets, drinking cups of instant soup to keep warm, and sometimes slept downstairs so I didn’t have to walk through cold rooms at night.”
Valerie called Independent Age and, while she wasn’t eligible for Pension Credit, an adviser supported her to start receiving Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction, which she hadn’t previously been aware of.
After starting to receive these entitlements, Valerie described the impact this had on her life:
“Life is so much better now. I still budget carefully, but I’m not living on my credit card anymore. I can buy fresh vegetables, cook proper meals and freeze portions so food lasts longer.
“I can travel to the mainland to see family, and I enjoy the things that matter to me, such as going to the local theatre and being part of the choir.
“I called the Independent Age Helpline at a time in my life when I didn’t know where to turn. The support I received has made a dramatic difference to my daily life. I nearly didn’t make that call – but I’m so glad I did.
“Before that call, I was surviving day to day. Now, I feel like I’m living again.”
This is a new activity we are piloting which hopes to connect generations through play, storytelling, singing and company. Here at LifeCare we run our own day club and support older people to remain active and apart of the community.
Even if you can’t make the taster session, please let us know if you would be interested in further dates we are planning!
