The devolution of energy powers to Scotland would help deliver fairness for families and bring energy bills down, Energy Minister Stephen Gethins told MSPs yesterday.
The Scottish Parliament has supported a motion calling for the formal transfer of energy policy to Holyrood.
Mr Gethins said such powers would enable the Scottish Government to lower the cost of energy and set policies that work for households, communities and businesses by reducing bills, tackling fuel poverty and securing high-quality jobs.
In line with the Scottish Parliament’s position, the Energy Minister will now urge UK Ministers to formally engage over the devolution of powers.
We are calling on the UK Government to give Scotland full control over its energy.
This will allow Scotland's energy wealth to be used to help Scottish households, communities and businesses.
Mr Gethins said: “This government has been returned with a clear instruction to deliver the benefits of Scotland’s abundant energy resources to households, communities and businesses. That is what we intend to do.
“The future lies in clean, affordable and secure power – strengthening affordability, resilience and competitiveness, and protecting Scottish people and businesses from their energy bills being dictated by events halfway across the world. After the UK Government announced bills would go up again, that is more important than ever.
“Now, with the backing of the Scottish Parliament, we are formally requesting the devolution of powers that we need to maximise our remarkable energy potential, so that it helps to deliver prosperity, security and fairness for the country.”
The Westminster government is unlikely to concede, however.
The UK Government has published a list of 125 everyday essentials – including fruit, oils and core pantry staples – targeted for tariff reductions, alongside uprating mileage rates to support working people with the cost of living
Government launches consultation on suspending tariffs on OVER 100 everyday essentials with the full list now available.
This Government is the first in 15 years to uprate mileage rates for 3 million people who use their own vehicle for work, saving over £120 a year for a worker doing 6,000 business miles.
The support is an additional saving for motorists following the Chancellor’s third extension to the fuel duty freeze which has put another £120 back into their pocket since last year.
Working people are set to benefit from further cost of living support, as the Government publishes a list of over 100 everyday essentials set to see targeted cuts to tariffs alongside uprating mileage rates for the first time in 15 years.
The consultation is seeking views from businesses and other stakeholders on the potential impacts of a second package. It covers a wide range of everyday essentials, from fresh fruit and vegetables, oil and baked goods, to chocolate, sauces, and soft drinks.
The list of 125 items include garlic, avocados, mangoes, nectarines, vegetable oil, olive oil and baked beans. This builds on the tariff suspension announced in April.
In parallel, we are also seeking views on whether suspension of tariffs on certain fertilisers could help farmers cope with the impact of rising fertiliser prices as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “The war in Iran isn’t our war, but one we will need to respond to, and my priority is keeping prices down for households and businesses.
“That’s why we’re freezing fuel duty, increasing the mileage rate for the first time in 15 years and slashed VAT temporarily this Summer to help reduce the cost of days out.”
This comes as carers, plumbers, builders and millions of other workers across the country who use their own vehicle on the job will have cheaper journeys after the Chancellor uprated mileage rates last week.
In the largest ever uprating of the rates a 10p per mile increase in tax‑free mileage rates for this tax year, backdated to April 2026, has been introduced to ease the cost of living for hardworking Britons.
Increasing the tax free per mile rates from 45p for the first 10,000 miles to 55p per mile will save around £120 for a worker doing 6,000 business miles. Up to two million employees and one million self-employed people will benefit.
This is in addition to savings drivers will make from the Chancellor’s further extension to the fuel duty freeze until the end of the year. That’s the third time Rachel Reeves has frozen fuel duty to support motorists, saving them £120 since last year.
Recognising how farmers and hauliers have been particularly exposed to high fuel prices, and their importance to UK supply chains, more relief has been announced.
For farmers and others who use red diesel and rebated biodiesel, the rate for those fuels has been cut by over a third – the lowest in over two decades. For hauliers, a road tax holiday has been put in place for a year from 1 July.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “We are a government firmly on the side of drivers, and that means acting when hardworking people are being left out of pocket.
“The people who use their own vehicle for work are the backbone of our country – the carers, the tradespeople and the public sector workers who keep services running. For too long, they have been expected to shoulder rising costs with support that simply has not kept up.
“We’re doing all we can to ease everyday pressures on working people – that means real money back in their pockets and delivering for the people who keep Britain moving.”
Andrea Egan, General Secretary, Unison said:“This simple measure will provide immediate help for countless frontline workers in public services. Particularly at a time when living costs are going through the roof once again.
“People who need their own cars for work have been left thousands of pounds out of pocket for far too many years.
“UNISON has campaigned hard for this long overdue change. It’s good to know the chancellor has listened to the concerns of staff penalised by frozen rates.
“There’s still more to do to ensure no one is losing out and the union will continue to campaign for more over the coming months.”
This follows a much wider package of support rolled out by the Chancellor last week branded ‘Great British Summer Savings’.
It includes free bus travel for 5–15-year-olds in England, VAT slashed on children’s meals in restaurants, and VAT cut for all admissions to theatres, theme parks and other attractions.
This will help families enjoy the weekend treats, days out and staycations that make life enjoyable during the cost-of-living squeeze caused by the war in the Middle East while supporting the businesses that depend on summer footfall.
Cutting £150 on average of costs from household energy bills, freezing prescription charges and rail fares, and increasing the national minimum and living wages by hundreds of pounds are some of the actions taken at the Budget that are continuing to support families each month.
FM: “I will lead a government that is always on Scotland’s side.”
Prosperity, security and fairness are the principles driving an ambitious vision for Scotland’s future, First Minister John Swinney has said.
In a statement to Parliament setting out ambitious plans that his government will drive forward, the First Minister outlined measures to expand cost of living support, accelerate sustainable economic growth, strengthen public services and to unlock Scotland’s potential by delivering a fresh start with Independence.
Mr Swinney said: “Realising the potential of every part of our country, supporting families with rising costs and securing our nations’ future are at the core of my vision for Scotland. I will lead a government that is always on Scotland’s side.
“Our cost of living support is already the best of any UK nation, but we will go further to protect and expand support for families. I want to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed – regardless of their background – and eradicate the scourge of poverty on our society.
“Strong public services are at the heart of every successful society, and my government will do all we can to make services more effective and easier to access. That includes strengthening our NHS, reducing waiting times and improving more schools and colleges.
Prosperity, security and fairness drive our vision for Scotland's future.
• expand cost of living support • strengthen public services • drive forward economic innovation • deliver a fresh start with independence pic.twitter.com/moDmDvompc
“Strengthened public services and generous cost of living support must work in tandem with a high-performing economy, one that harnesses our countries resources, potential and talent to boost success and create opportunity.
My government will work to empower our regions to make the most of their economic advantages and streamline regulation to support investment and growth.
“A truly prosperous, secure Scotland can only reach its full potential outside the confines of the United Kingdom.
The recent, emphatic election result, with the largest ever pro-independence majority within the Scottish Parliament, has given the clear mandate for Scotland to decide its own future, which is why this parliament calls on the UK Government to transfer the power to hold a referendum on independence.
“I hope that giving Scotland the legal right to decide its own future will help build the foundations of a fairer, more prosperous nation as an independent member of the European Union.”
Nicola Sturgeon has responded after her estranged husband Peter Murrell was remanded in custody after pleading guilty to embezzlement:
She wrote on Instagram: “My reaction to the guilty plea tendered today by my former husband is difficult to put into words. I am angry, hurt, sad and very distressed about the impact of his actions on family, friends and the SNP.
“To be deceived and let down by a husband I loved and trusted has caused me acute pain. Why he acted as he did is, and always will be, beyond my comprehension.
“To be clear: I had no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever that he was using SNP funds for personal purposes. I am utterly appalled that he did so and cannot begin to understand why.
“That I was fully cleared after a thorough investigation underlines that these are not my crimes. I was misled just as others were.
“I know that there will be political discussion in light of what has happened, and I understand why. However, for me this has also been a profound personal trauma.
“I need to remain focussed on recovering from that and building a new phase of life.
“I will be making no further comment.”
However in a statement later released via her solicitor Aamer Anwar, Ms. Sturgeon added: “I have seen questions raised about how I could not have known about this. I want to reiterate that I had no knowledge or suspicion whatsoever that personal items had been purchased using SNP funds.
“I was cleared of any wrongdoing after a lengthy and thorough investigation
“In relation to many of the items in question, for example expensive watches and games consoles, I was not aware of them having been purchased at all.
“Indeed in relation to the item of largest value – a campervan – I was not aware of its existence until it featured in the police investigation in early 2023, nor was it parked in our driveway as has been claimed by some.
“In respect of any items I was aware of Peter having purchased, I had no reason to doubt that he had used his own money. We were both earning high salaries and, due to the responsibilities of my job, rarely socialised or went on holidays.
“We had separate bank accounts and I had no access to his financial records.”
TODAY (Monday, 25 May, 2026), at the High Court in Edinburgh Peter Murrell was convicted of embezzling funds from the Scottish National Party.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston had oversight of Operation Branchform, Police Scotland’s investigation into the embezzlement.
ACC Houston said: “This was a lengthy and extremely complex case due to the scale of criminality over a 12-year period and the lengths Peter Murrell went to try and cover his tracks.
“I commend the professionalism and absolute dedication of the Operation Branchform team who spent more than four years carrying out extensive enquiries across Europe to unpick Murrell’s offending.
“All of this work, in close partnership with colleagues from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, was carried out under the most intense public scrutiny and it was their commitment to gathering such detailed and compelling evidence that brought us to the High Court today.
“This is without doubt one of the most high-profile investigations in recent times and it is testimony to the work of Police Scotland officers and staff that has led to Peter Murrell’s admission of guilt early in the court process.
“I would also like to thank the many witnesses who came forward to provide us with statements as we built the case against Peter Murrell. Their engagement with us was vital.
“Peter Murrell has shown utter contempt for the high public trust placed in him as the Chief Executive of a political party and his position in the wider political establishment in Scotland for many years.
“He abused his privileged position with access to Scottish National Party funds to divert cash into his own accounts and bankroll the lavish lifestyle he craved but could not afford.
“From 2010 to 2022 he spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on luxury goods while carefully trying to hide his criminality with false receipts and accounting.
“He must now face the consequences of his actions.”
Murrell was remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month.
Joint statement from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and the EU on the situation in the West Bank:
Over the past few months, the situation in the West Bank has deteriorated significantly. Settler violence is at unprecedented levels. The policies and practices of the Israeli government, including a further entrenchment of Israeli control, are undermining stability and prospects for a two-state solution.
International law is clear: Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal. Construction projects in the E1 area would be no exception.
The E1 settlement development would divide the West Bank in two and mark a serious breach of international law.
Businesses should not bid for construction tenders for E1 or other settlement developments. They should be aware of legal and reputational consequences of participating in settlement construction including the risk of involving themselves in serious breaches of international law.
We call on the Government of Israel to end its expansion of settlements and administrative powers, ensure accountability for settler violence and investigate allegations against Israeli forces, respect the Hashemite custodianship over Jerusalem’s Holy Sites and the historic status quo arrangements, and lift financial restrictions on the PA and the Palestinian economy.
We strongly oppose those, including members of the Israeli government, who argue for annexation and forcible displacement of the Palestinian population.
We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on a negotiated two-state solution in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions where two democratic states, Israel and Palestine, live side by side in peace and security within secure and recognised borders.
MORE WORDS, BUT ALL THE WHILE OUR UK GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO ARM ISRAEL AND IS COMPLICIT IN THE DEATHS OF THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
JUDGE THEM NOT BY WHAT THEY SAY, BUT WHAT THEY DO – Ed. …
Keir Starmer has set out how the government is delivering real progress now while rebuilding Britain’s foundations for the future. But does anyone believe him?
PM says “our plan is working” as government delivers results on costs, migration control and growth
Net migration down sharply to its lowest since 2021, inflation down faster than expected to 2.8%, and UK the fastest-growing economy in the G7 in the first quarter of the year
“Great British Summer Savings” to help families afford more time together this summer
The Prime Minister has set out how the government is delivering real progress now while rebuilding Britain’s foundations for the future.
Recent figures show the plan is working:
Net migration has fallen by almost three quarters to its lowest level since 2021.
Inflation has dropped faster than expected to 2.8%.
The UK is the fastest growing economy in the G7, with growth beating expectations at 0.6% in the first quarter.
Together, this progress is strengthening the UK’s resilience in an uncertain world – easing immediate pressures on families while putting the economy on a more stable footing for the long term.
That progress is being felt more widely across the country, as the government rebuilds the public services working people rely on:
Homicide is at its lowest levels since the 1970s, knife crime is down by 10%, and we have taken more than 63,000 knives off our streets.
NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level for three and a half years, with the largest single month performance improvement in 17 years.
There are 4,000 additional teachers across secondary schools, special schools and further education.
With families still feeling the squeeze – and global instability continuing to drive uncertainty – the government is going further to help households with the cost of living, so people can enjoy the everyday moments that make life better.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We now have the fastest growing economy in the G7, net migration has fallen, and NHS waiting lists are at their lowest level in three and a half years.
“Our plan is working. And as summer begins, we are going further to bring down the cost of living and make life easier for families, so they have more room to enjoy it.
“This government will keep pushing forward to deliver the change the country voted for.”
Building on that progress, the Prime Minister and Chancellor have acted to ease pressure on families, announcing further cost of living support including VAT cuts on hospitality, free bus travel for children aged 5 to 15 in England throughout August, and targeted tariff reductions to bring down the price of everyday essentials. Together, these measures will help families go further while supporting high streets and local businesses.
That action is being underpinned by growing economic strength. GDP has increased every quarter since 2024, forecasts have been exceeded in the first quarter of this year, and the IMF has upgraded the UK’s growth outlook – all clear signs that economic stability is returning and resilience is being rebuilt.
The government is also driving that resilience by backing businesses to invest and expand, including a landmark trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council – the first such deal by a G7 country – and new legislation to give small firms stronger protection from late payments and the certainty they need to grow.
This comes alongside action to make work pay and back working people – with the National Living Wage increased, 30 hours of funded childcare delivering savings of up to £8,000 per child each year, and stronger rights for 11 million renters through the Renters’ Rights Act.
At the same time, the government is restoring control and strengthening security – closing more than half of asylum hotels and taking further action to tackle the criminality that undermines communities.
Alongside this, the government is rewiring the state to support delivery, with a delivery team in every department, led by a senior civil servant, and performance incentives strengthened so that senior leaders are rewarded for driving results.
This week, the government confirmed senior civil servants’ pay rises will be directly linked to performance to reward the doers, not the talkers. As a package, this is the biggest change to senior civil pay in decades.
This is a government taking a different path – not returning to a status quo that failed working people, but building a stronger, fairer Britain.
From lowering costs and backing families to restoring control and driving growth, the government is delivering the security and stability people expect – and laying the foundations for long-term change.
SECURITY? Peter Mandelson scandal
STABILITY? Internal civil war forcing unneccesary by-election
Measures to make the Scottish Parliament more efficient, topical and effective are to be put into place by Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson MSP.
The changes, which the Parliament was informed of today, will be part of what the Presiding Officer calls “renewal and re-engagement”.
There will now be two First Minister’s Questions a week, with 30 minutes on a Tuesday for backbenchers and 30 minutes on a Thursday from Party Leaders.
MSPs were informed of the changes by the Presiding Officer during a meeting of the Parliament on Thursday.
The Presiding Officer also informed Members that:
Time taken for interventions will be added, to protect the time of speakers who most engage
Labour and Reform will alternate each week in leading off on questions in First Minister’s Questions, debates and statements
Chamber Business will run from 2pm to 5.30pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to provide more time for scrutiny in the Chamber
Chamber Business will run from 1.30pm to 5pm on Thursdays to accommodate more time for committee business in the morning
Questions to the First Minister will no longer be published in advance
There will be 18 general questions a week, 10 more than previously
Members will have to identify relevant procedure when making points of order
Events and cross-party groups will be permitted during Members’ debates to prevent delays to visitors
Informing MSPs of the changes, the Presiding Officer, Kenneth Gibson MSP, said: “Parliament needs renewal and re-engagement – with independent, innovative and open-minded leadership. That’s of critical importance and exactly what I’ll provide.
“We need to de-clutter and simplify how we work, make Parliament more efficient, topical end effective for those we represent.
“The collegiate working anticipated in the 90s, prior to Devolution, has not fully transpired. The status quo is not an option – and I’m keen to push at the boundaries of what’s possible within my remit.”
Patients, employers and GPs are set to benefit from an overhaul of the broken fit note system following the launch of several pilots by the UK Government to reform the system for workers who fall ill
Radical overhaul of broken fit note system to be piloted so it works for patients, employers, and healthcare professionals.
Trials to be delivered through selected NHS WorkWell sites and major employers.
Comes as new report shows just 29% of primary care staff see issuing fit notes as a good use of GP time.
Patients, employers and GPs are set to benefit from an overhaul of the broken fit note system following the launch of several pilots by the Government today to reform the system for workers who fall ill.
The current system sees some 11 million fit notes issued every year, with more than nine in ten declaring the person ‘not fit for work’.
Four pilots, in different areas in England, will look at the best way to end this tick-box exercise which does not offer any support or guidance and replace it with personalised ‘stay in work’ and ‘return to work’ plans for workers who fall ill.
The pilots will cover up to 100,000 appointments and last up to a year, with continuous testing, in order to narrow down the most effective approach to tackling the inherited steep increase in number of fit notes issued.
Patients will be offered either an initial fit note from a GP and then referred to community health workers – or go through the whole process without an initial fit note from a GP, and will instead be supported by a separate service staffed by clinical and non-clinical practitioners.
They will provide a range of work and health support, including three-way conversations between patients, employers, and trained professionals – covering reasonable adjustments and keeping people connected to their workplace from the first day of absence, helping more people to stay in work with support.
It is the first step in the Government’s ambition for radical fit note reform – with pilot findings due to be shaped by patients, healthcare staff, and employers – before the Government brings forward legislation to further reform the ‘broken system’.
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, said: “Fit notes are too often a dead end – a piece of paper that tells people they can’t work but does nothing to help them get better.
“We’re changing that. By bringing employers, the NHS, and patients together we can help people recover faster, stay connected to their jobs, and get the economy firing on all cylinders.
“That’s what these pilots are about, and that’s what this Government is committed to – fixing what is broken.”
The launch comes as the Government publishes the Fit Note Call for Evidence which shows just three in 10 Healthcare Professionals in Primary Care say fit notes are a good use of GPs time, while six in 10 employers think the current process is ineffective at supporting their employees’ work and health needs.
Trials of a new approach was recommended by the former John Lewis chairman Sir Charlie Mayfield in his landmark Keep Britain Working Review into economic inactivity, which noted that the fit note system is “not working as intended” and had become a barrier to contact with employers.
Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock said: “Ever since I was appointed Minister of State for Care in July 2024, NHS staff have been telling me that the current fit note system isn’t working – not for patients, and not for the clinicians who sign them off.
“These pilots mark the beginning of the end for that broken system, giving people personalised support to get back into work and freeing up GPs from unnecessary admin so they can focus on what they do best: caring for their patients.
“This is what our 10 Year Health Plan is all about – earlier support, from the right people, in the right place.”
From July, the NHS will test new approaches through four existing WorkWell sites, backed by £3 million in the first year. The areas will test the following models:
Birmingham and Solihull – GPs issue the first fit note where needed, with all patients referred to a new support service led primarily by non-clinical staff, including social prescribers and work and health coaches
Coventry and Warwickshire – GPs issue the first fit note, with patients able to be referred to a support service made up of both clinical and non-clinical staff
Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – GPs refer patients directly to a non-clinical support service, without issuing a fit note
Lancashire and South Cumbria – GPs refer patients to a support service made up of both clinical and non-clinical staff, without issuing a fit note.
BMA’s Practice Business policy lead for GPs committee England Dr Clare Bannon said: The BMA has contributed to the design of these pilots with DWP to overhaul the fit note system as we feel the current system is not working for GPs or patients.
“We welcome the opportunity to test how different models work and ensure the new process reduces unnecessary appointments for GPs, but most importantly provides support to patients.
“We will continue to input into the pilots to ensure they have appropriate occupational health support and do not inadvertently increase pressure on general practice or affect patient care. While we are supportive of this pilot, it must be underpinned by appropriate training, clinical oversight and clear governance.”
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, President of the Royal College of GPs, said: “GPs take our responsibility to appropriately issue fit notes seriously, but the current system can involve significant administrative work that takes time away from patient care.
“We are open to exploring evidence-based reforms that could help improve outcomes for patients. However, any reform of the fit note process must put the health and wellbeing of patients first, be fully resourced and avoid creating additional workload for general practice.
“As such we look forward to seeing a comprehensive evaluation of this pilot.”
The Government is also confirming local funding allocations for WorkWell – the proven health-and-employment service through which the NHS-based fit note pilots will be delivered – as the programme expands nationally to support up to 250,000 people with a disability or health condition to get into or stay in work.
WorkWell is a local, health-led service connecting NHS, council and community support to keep people in work and help them return quickly if they don’t.
It comes as part of the Government’s wider £3.5 billion employment support package which meets sick and disabled people where they are, and builds on recent changes including the right for people on benefits to try work without fear of immediate reassessment, and the redeployment of 1,000 Pathways to Work advisers who are supporting those left behind by the previous Government.
Those who need time off to recover will still get it, with the Government’s Statutory Sick Pay reforms meaning employees receive support from day one of sickness absence, putting an extra £400 million a year into people’s pockets.
Alongside the NHS pilots, Keep Britain Working Vanguard businesses – including EDF Energy – will work out how employers can play a practical role in preventing absence where possible, and supporting safe, swift returns when it does occur.
Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said: “The current tick-box system for fit notes isn’t working for anyone, particularly patients. It makes people who are unwell jump through unnecessary admin hoops, and yet the process rarely offers people the support they need to get well and manage their conditions long-term.
The Department for Work and Pensions is absolutely right to test out new ways of supporting those who are signed off, and it is vital that patients are fully involved in that testing process, able to feed back over what works and what doesn’t. This is the only way to reliably avoid unintended consequences and create a system that actually helps both those who can’t work and those who would be able to with the appropriate support.”
“Ultimately the goal has to be about focusing on improving people’s health and getting them well, this is the hallmark of a compassionate state. In the end, investing in this approach will also pay dividends in terms of more people feeling able to work and being able to enjoy all the positives that come as a result.”
Nottingham GP Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: “I am really pleased the government is looking seriously at new approaches to fit notes, a change which is urgently needed.
“As a GP for over 25 years, I know how much of our clinical time is taken up with issuing these, which for many patients is not the right approach.”
Dr Steve Taylor GP Co-Lead Doctors Association UK said: “The Doctors Association UK has been involved in discussions over the past few months with the Department of Work and Pensions around Fit Note reform.
“These discussions were broad and included many groups: GPs, employers, patients and occupational health. We agree that the current system of fit-notes isn’t working well for patients, GPs and employers. It often lacks the nuance to deal with specific work situations and reasons that people have for not being able to work their full or part of their role.
“We hope these pilots will give the opportunity to explore a different way for people to engage with the periods of ill health and ways to make work more accessible and achievable. This recognises that GPs aren’t always best equipped to understand the options for work and we hope that active engagement between patients, GPs, employers and this new service will provide a better experience for everyone.
“It is important that no one is forced to work who cannot, but it is also important that those who can, should be encouraged and given options to work. This could be a great improvement and we look forward to seeing the outcomes from these 4 pilots.”
Chief Policy & Campaigns Officer John Foster at Confederation of British Industry said: “The fit note system is broken and fails employers, workers, and the economy. Business welcomes these pilots. They are an important step towards building a better system.
“Employers have increased their investment in supporting employee health and wellbeing and hope that these pilots will direct efforts to interventions that have the greatest impact.
“An improved system also needs to restore employers’ confidence that absence from work is only recommended when it is justified.”
Professor Neil Greenberg, the Society of Occupational Medicine said: “The Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) welcomes DWP’s proposed fit note pilots, particularly the workability plan. The current fit note system is not working. Too many people who could potentially be supported to stay and return to work are not.
“The fit note reform offers clear benefits for employees, employers, and the NHS. SOM anticipate the pilots will generate useful data to improve how fit notes will support employees, alleviate GP pressures and help bridge the gap between employers and employees.
“SOM will be interested to see if the pilots will support better health outcomes through reduced absenteeism, and improved retention. SOM looks forward to working with the DWP to achieve a better fit note system.”
Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of The National Academy for Social Prescribing: “We are pleased that social prescribers – also known as link workers – will play a part in the fit note pilots.
“Link workers can support people with social issues that affect their health, including loneliness, isolation and problems with debt or housing.
“They focus on what matters to people and connect them to community-based support – including advice on money or housing, carers’ support, physical activity groups or local activities. There is strong evidence that this approach can benefit wellbeing and mental health.
“No one who is unable to work should be pressured into doing so, but this voluntary scheme should help join the dots between the NHS, employers and communities, and help people get the right support for wider issues that affect their health.”
Head of Policy and Practice at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Joe Brunwin, said: “These pilots are a real chance to help more people stay in or return to work and are centred around a core skill of occupational therapy: understanding people as individuals and considering how their environment and circumstances affect their ability to work.
“Fit note evaluations and pilots show occupational therapists are more likely to take a work-focused approach, using ‘may be fit’ advice and adjustments to support return to work. As well as signing fit notes occupational therapists can provide clinical supervision and governance for non-clinical staff.
“It’s encouraging to see a shift away from a purely medical approach to work absence, towards taking a more holistic approach.
“We look forward to seeing how this initiative makes use of occupational therapy expertise and how we can continue to work together as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting people to stay in, return to and thrive in work.”
Supporting families with the cost of living and eradicating child poverty will be a key focus of the Scottish Government, First Minister John Swinney has said.
Ahead of a visit to meet parents and children at a Bookbug session in Wester Hailes the First Minister said tackling the cost of living, ensuring people get support before reaching a crisis, and helping children and parents in the early years will be key priorities for the new Cabinet.
In March, the Scottish Government set out plans to drive further reductions in child poverty. This includes committing an additional £500,000 over two years to expand Bookbug, supporting a further 20,000 low-income families across Scotland.
Mr Swinney said: “Every child in Scotland deserves a future free from the scourge of poverty. It will be the defining mission of my government to support families with the cost of living and eradicate child poverty.
“Our policies are already helping to keep an estimated 100,000 children out of relative poverty this year – but we are determined to deliver truly ambitious change to reduce the cost of living.
“This includes expanding all year round childcare to all children from nine-months to the end of primary school, introducing a £2 nationwide cap on bus fares, increasing the Scottish Child Payment to £40 for under-ones and delivering comprehensive ‘Whole Family Support’ that wraps around families in their communities, helping break the cycle of poverty.”
Social Justice and Housing Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am delighted to take on the role of Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing.
“I look forward to driving further progress on the work started in the last parliamentary term to eradicate child poverty, tackle the cost of living and accelerate the delivery of more affordable homes.
“Reducing child poverty in Scotland is at the heart of this government’s ambitious agenda for change and we will work across government, the parliament and with our much-valued third sector, to give families the safety and security they need.”
