Tag: public holidays

Bus service changes for May Day bank holiday on Monday

Some changes to services will take effect over the upcoming May Day bank holiday (Monday 2 May).

Lothian will operate a Saturday service on this day, with Services 45 and 47B operating to a public holiday schedule.

EastCoastbuses will operate a normal weekday service, although school services will not operate.

Lothiancountry will operate a normal weekday service.

Lothian’s TravelHubs will also be open as normal.

If you need further assistance, please connect with Lothian on  Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or contact bus information by phoning 0871 200 22 33.

Usdaw Ne’er Day trading petition secures a Scottish Government consultation … after 14 year delay!

Retail trade union Usdaw has at last secured a commitment from the Scottish Government to consult on large stores closing on New Year’s Day.

The union submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament and spent a year providing evidence to convince the Public Petitions Committee to press Ministers to make progress on a consultation.

Jamie Hepburn MSP (Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills) wrote to Usdaw yesterday (Thursday) confirming that the Scottish Government will now conduct the necessary consultation, as set out in the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007. However no timetable has yet been set for the consultation.

Stewart Forrest – Usdaw’s Scottish Divisional Officer says: “Confirmation that a consultation on large stores closing on New Year’s Day will now take place, after an unnecessary 14 year delay, is a step forward in our campaign to get a proper break for shopworkers over the festive period.

“We are disappointed that the Minister has not set out a timetable for the consultation and we will continue to press for further progress.

“As key workers delivering the essential service of keeping the nation fed, shopworkers deserve a decent break over the festive period. They have worked long hours in difficult circumstances throughout the pandemic, faced unprecedented levels of abuse and worried every working day about catching the virus and taking it home to their families.

“The very least that key workers in retail can expect is that the Scottish Government shows their appreciation for the essential work they’ve done throughout this appalling pandemic by progressing the call for a proper festive break.

“However this is not just a campaign for the pandemic, our members have for many years demanded a proper break after the extremely busy and stressful shopping period in the run-up to Christmas. 98% say that large stores should be closed and only 4% are happy to work on New Year’s Day or 2 January. Hogmanay and New Year is a special holiday, but this is not reflected in the experience of many retail workers, with three-quarters saying they spend too little time with friends and family.

“On behalf of Scotland’s retail workers we are urging the Scottish Government to open the consultation as soon as possible, so that the necessary legislative processes can be completed in time for 1 January 2022.”

Usdaw urges retailers to give staff a proper festive break

B&M to close stores on New Year’s Day

Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has welcomed an announcement by discount retailer B&M that they will close their stores on New Year’s Day. The company said this is a ‘thank you’ for hard work and commitment during incredibly challenging year and to give staff a ‘well-deserved rest’.

This is particularly important in Scotland where Usdaw is campaigning for all stores to close on 1 January. The union’s New Year’s Day petition will be considered by the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee on Wednesday 16 December.

Dave Gill, Usdaw National Officer, said: “When the country faced a crisis unlike any in our lifetime, shopworkers stepped up and kept essential services running. They continued to work and faced increased levels of violence and abuse, as well as being worried about catching Covid-19.

“So we welcome B&M saying ‘thank you’ to their staff with the closure of stores on New Year’s Day. Key workers have done so much this year and we are asking retailers to give their staff the longest possible break over the festive season. We don’t think that is too much to ask for.”

Public Holidays & Benefits Payments: info from GIC

Benefits and Tax Credits payment dates will vary because of the upcoming public holidays in May – here’s what you can expect:

Universal Credit is a monthly welfare payment that replaces six other benefits and is paid once a month, usually on the same date.

Those applying for Universal Credit must wait five weeks for their first payment, consisting of a one-month assessment period in which their circumstances and income are checked, and then another seven days for the money to reach their account.

If your first payment was received on April 8, you would normally receive subsequent amounts on the 8th of every month after that – but pay dates vary if they would end up falling on a weekend or bank holiday.

So your payments of Universal Credit and other benefits will vary because of the May bank holidays getting in the way of regular dates.

Universal Credit – May Bank Holiday payment dates

Universal credit is paid every four weeks on the same date. It will also vary slightly over the two bank holidays of May.

Your normal pay date is determined by when your first payment arrives – but it will be moved in any month where your pay date happens to fall on a weekend or bank holiday.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Due: Saturday, May 9
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Due: Sunday, May 10
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Saturday, May 23
Paid: Friday, May 22

Due: Sunday, May 24
Paid: Friday, May 22

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

PIP – May Bank Holiday payment dates

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is usually paid every four weeks.

Your original decision letter tells you the date of your first payment and what day of the week you’ll usually be paid. It would never be arranged to fall on a weekend.

But if your payment date is on a bank holiday, you will usually be paid before the bank holiday. After that you’ll continue to get paid as normal.

Early May Bank Holiday

Due: Friday, May 8

Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25
Paid: Friday, May 22.

Child Benefit – May Bank Holiday payment dates:

Child benefit is usually paid every four weeks on a Monday or Tuesday (you can get it paid weekly if you’re a single parent or if one of you is claiming other benefits) so it would not be paid on a weekend anyway.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit – May Bank Holiday payment dates:

Tax credits such as Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit are paid every week or every four weeks. They aren’t arranged to fall on a weekend.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) – May Bank Holiday payment dates:

These are both usually paid every two weeks. Dates would never fall on a weekend.

Early May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Friday, May 8 (May Day Bank Holiday/Early May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Thursday, May 7

Late May Bank Holiday Weekend

Due: Monday, May 25 (Spring Bank Holiday/Late May Bank Holiday)
Paid: Friday, May 22

When does the money go in?

Depending on your bank, funds are available sometime after midnight on the day they are due, usually in the early hours.

Some banks deposit money into your account around 11.30pm so you can withdraw it before midnight on benefit payday. Others will release your funds at midnight or just a few minutes after that.

But in some cases you have to wait until 2am to 3am and others will not let you touch your money until at least 6am on payday.

Granton Information Centre’s office is currently closed to the public due to coronavirus restrictions, but the team is still working. If you need support or advice, telephone 0131 551 2459 or 0131 552 0458.

You can also email info@gic.org.uk and a member of staff will get back to you.

Ne’er Day campaign escalates as Usdaw makes the case for closing large shops on 1 January

Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has published the results of an extensive survey of Scottish retail staff, who overwhelmingly back the closure of large shops on New Year’s Day, and is calling on all MSPs to support the motion tabled by Jackie Baillie MSP in the Scottish Parliament.

Usdaw’s survey of over 1,000 shopworkers in Scotland found that:

  • Three quarters feel they spend too little time with friends and family over New Year.
  • 72% have come under pressure to work on New Year’s Day or 2 January.
  • Four in ten don’t receive any premium pay for working on New Year’s Day.
  • 79% are not happy to work on New Year’s Day or 2 January.

The full survey results can be viewed at: www.usdaw.org.uk/NYDSurvey

Stewart Forrest, Usdaw’s Scottish Divisional Officer says: “This survey clearly demonstrates the strength feeling among our members. We have today written to all MSPs asking them to support Jackie Baillie’s motion calling for a decent break at New Year after the busy Christmas period.

“I have also written to the Scottish Retail Consortium urging them to reconsider their opposition to large stores closing on New Year’s Day. Usdaw does not accept that giving retail workers in large stores just one more day of guaranteed time off would have a negative impact on our high streets. 72% of our members who worked on New Year’s Day 2019 said that their store was either very quiet or fairly quiet.

“Usdaw is fully supportive of efforts to revitalise Scotland’s high streets. The livelihoods of our members depend on a thriving retail sector. That is why we are calling on the Government to implement an industrial strategy for retail and to take action on a whole range of issues, from business rates to parking charges and public transport, in order to breathe life back into the industry. We are seeking to work with the Scottish Retail Consortium, so we can tackle these issues together.”

Jackie Baillie MSP, (Scottish Labour, Dumbarton) said: “Retail staff work incredibly hard all year round, and are often on their feet for long shifts. Christmas and New Year is a time which should be spent with family, and there are few days in the year when families are off at the same time.

“The results of Usdaw’s survey show that the overwhelming majority of respondents want to spend more time with their families during Christmas and New Year.

“I hope that all of my MSP colleagues will recognise that everyone deserves a day off for New Year and will support the motion that I have tabled in the Scottish Parliament.”

Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “We are very grateful to Jackie Baillie MSP for the support she is giving to our members and this campaign. New Year is a special holiday in Scotland, but this is not reflected in the experience of many retail workers.

“Under the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day Trading (Scotland) Act 2007, Scottish Ministers may, by statutory instrument, ban large shops from opening on New Year’s Day, subject to consultation.

“On behalf of Scotland’s retail workers, we are urging the Scottish Government to open that consultation and for MSPs to listen to shopworkers concerns about their work/life balance.”

Be ready for Easter, says NHS 24

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STAFF at Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare services are reminding people to help themselves look after their health this Easter.

The dedicated staff at NHS 24’s contact centre in South Queensferry – like many other people within the health and emergency services throughout Scotland – will be working for the national telehealth service over Easter to ensure that out-of-hours care is available to those who need it when their doctors’ surgeries are closed.

The comprehensive health advice line – which includes nurse advisors, dental health, pharmacy and mental health advisors among its specialist staff –is preparing to receive thousands of calls from patients across Scotland this Easter.

Julie Hunter will be one of the nurses working at NHS 24’s South Queensferry contact centre over the Easter holiday weekend. The mother-of-two from Grangemouth combines her job at NHS 24 with bank shifts on a Cardiology ward at the Forth Valley Royal Hospital. She said: “As a nurse, I always make sure I have over-the-counter medicines at home to treat the children when they are unwell. In fact, I am always the one my neighbours call on because I am a nurse and because they know my medicine cabinet has been re-stocked for the Easter period.”

NHS 24 is working closely with all Scottish Health Boards as part of a national NHS Scotland campaign encouraging Scots, particularly parents and older people, to be prepared for Easter and advises how they can look after themselves if they catch a cough or cold.

Professor George Crooks, Medical Director at NHS 24, adds: “Easter is one of the busiest times of the year for the NHS in Scotland and we expect to be busy taking calls from patients in need at our centre in South Queensferry during the holiday break,” he said.

“For many of our callers over Easter, we will be offering self-care advice – so making sure you are prepared in advance should help many people enjoy the break.

“By taking just a few minutes to ensure that you have enough regular or repeat medication to see you through, it may prevent you and your family from becoming ill and ruining your holiday.

“We would also remind people that they have a huge range of health information available at their fingertips at www.nhsinform.co.uk “