A fund for pilot projects to help people to stay in their homes has been launched by Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan.
Managed by Advice Direct Scotland, the £4 million fund will support organisations to pilot new ‘ask and act’ measures. These duties, as part of the Housing (Scotland) Bill currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament, will require bodies such as health boards, the police and prison service to take reasonable steps to prevent homelessness.
This Programme for Government commitment builds on an existing Scottish Government investment of £1 million from the homelessness prevention fund.
During her visit to West Granton Housing Co-operative in North Edinburgh Ms McAllan found out more about their ‘Get Settled’ project which supports 400 households who are homeless, or facing homelessness, across Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and Fife.
Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “We are determined to end homelessness – and the best way to do this is to prevent homelessness in the first place. This investment in prevention pilots will help us test and scale up innovative approaches to help people stay in their homes.
“By taking action to prevent homelessness and reduce demand on the homelessness system, we can help ease the housing emergency.
“Projects such as West Granton Housing Co-operative’s ‘Get Settled’ demonstrates how targeted support can transform lives by not only helping people to find a home but supporting them to settle into their communities.
“By working with housing associations, registered social landlords and other third sector partners we are building the foundations for legislation in the forthcoming Housing Bill to help prevent homelessness.”
Chief executive of Advice Direct Scotland Andrew Bartlett said: “Advice Direct Scotland is proud to be at the centre of such a landmark moment for homelessness prevention.
“The new ‘ask and act’ provisions shift the focus from crisis intervention towards proactive prevention which could save many people from enduring the trauma of homelessness.
“We look forward to working with organisations across sectors in Scotland to help people at risk of homelessness.”
Maeve McGoldrick, head of policy and communications for Crisis Scotland, said: “Far too many people in Scotland are being forced to experience the trauma and indignity of homelessness in circumstances where, with the right help, it could have been prevented.
“These new legal duties, requiring public services to ask people at risk of homelessness about their housing situation, then act to offer support if needed, will help change that.
“But these plans are a world-first, and for the changes to be effective it’s vital we test out how they will work in practice, before the new protections are rolled out across the country. By running a series of pilots on the new homelessness prevention duties we can make sure those working in health, justice, education and beyond are fully prepared to play a greater role in ending homelessness in Scotland.”
The West Granton Housing Co-operative administers £260,000 in grant funding for Get Settled ARCHIE services via seven housing associations who are members of the Alliance of Registered Co-operatives and Housing Associations, Independent in Edinburgh (ARCHIE).
The number of 18-year-olds from Scotland’s most deprived areas securing places at university has increased by 100 to 1,960, a new record high, officials figures have shown.
The number of young Scots who have secured a place at university this year has also increased to a new high.
There have been 16,340 acceptances for 18-year-olds to Scottish higher education institutions so far which is up 4% on last year, according to UCAS. Overall acceptances to Scottish institutions have risen by 10 to reach 35,940.
There are also 5,300 Scots domiciled applicants with ‘holding offers’, up 2% on last year. In the coming weeks, many of these applicants will convert to acceptances as offers are processed by universities.
Minister for Higher and Further Education Graeme Dey said: “I congratulate the thousands of young people across Scotland who have secured a place at university today. It is tremendously encouraging to see another rise in those accepted to university.
“I am particularly encouraged to see another increase in 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas who have secured a place. We are determined to widen access to Higher Education and this shows the important work being done by our universities and colleges to ensure progress continues to be made.
“These figures show the great strength and resilience of Scotland’s education system.
“Our resolute commitment to free tuition and our enhanced student support offering means that access to university remains based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay, ensuring that the opportunity of a university education is available to everyone, regardless of their background.”
The number of students achieving passes at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level, as well as in vocational and technical courses, has increased across Scotland this year.
The poverty-related attainment gap has also narrowed at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the 2024-25 academic year, according to the results data published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
The number of pupils and students achieving passes in vocational and technical qualifications and awards, such as construction, hospitality and business, has reached a record high of 110,380 – this represents a year-on-year increase of 22.6% compared to 2024.
The pass rate for National 5 and Highers is also up, when compared to both last year and the pre-pandemic set of results, back in 2019, while the total number of Higher entries passed the landmark 200,000 level for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence was introduced in 2010.
Commenting, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Congratulations to all of Scotland’s school pupils, students and adult learners for all that they have achieved in their qualifications this year.
“These results are evidence of a strong recovery in Scotland’s schools, following the pandemic, with more passes at every level compared to last year. They are a testament to the hard work of learners, teachers and parents and carers.
“It is, furthermore, encouraging to see that the poverty-related attainment gap has narrowed at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels. While there is more to do, each success of every young person from the most disadvantaged areas creates a route out of poverty. These results also show the strength of Scotland’s vocational and technical qualifications, which play a key role in preparing so many young people for the future.
“I know that some young people will be disappointed with their results. I want to reassure them that there are a wide range of options and routes for success available, with support on hand throughout this week via the dedicated helpline run by Skills Development Scotland.
“Today is a chance for our young people to pause and reflect on the totality of their achievements this past academic year. I offer my sincere thanks to Scotland’s hard working teaching profession, who work to support them all, the parents and carers whose encouragement can be so instrumental to success, and to the young people themselves – well done.”
Attainment for learners across Edinburgh remain high, with record number of passes in vocational courses
Over 12,860 candidates in Edinburgh received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) today.
Attainment remains high with sustained performance when compared to 2024 across most key measures, with a significant improvement in the percentage of S4 young people achieving 5 National 5 qualifications with a grade of C or above. The results also show improvement in all measures compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic).
Passes in National Progression Awards (NPA), vocational courses equivalent to National passes, have increased, with more than 1,700 candidates attaining awards in NPA courses leading to a 61% increase in the number of passes at levels 4, 5 and 6. Qualifications were awarded in a range of subjects including stonemasonry, digital media, beauty, exercise and sport leadership and roofing.
A total of 50,923 awards were certificated for 12,864 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 92 subjects, with an increase in the number of vocational courses offered across our secondary schools.
National 5s saw passes (A-C grades) of 80% and Highers saw passes of 78.5%, this is an increased in pass-rates for 2024 and 2019 (pre-COVID).
Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish said: “It has been fantastic to see the wide range of qualifications and awards achieved by our young people, representing the hard work, effort and commitment of learners, and our dedicated teachers and school staff.
“Each and every one of our young people’s journey and achievements are unique to them and today’s results mark the next step in their journey whether that’s to college, university, an apprenticeship or into the world of work.
“We want to provide inclusive, equitable and relevant curriculum pathways into further or higher education and to the workplace for every single learner in all of our schools.
“There is much to celebrate and be proud of in this years’ set of results and my thanks to all those who have supported our learners to this point including school staff and parents and carers.”
Alex Blues – S5 leaver -positive destination with a local building firm, said: “Practical subjects like PE, woodwork and furniture making have been the highlight of my high school experience.
“PE has taught me the value of teamwork while furniture making gave me the chance to develop hands-on skills. Both subjects offered me a chance to grow in confidence. I left school at the end of S5 and have now found employment with a local building firm.
Sneha Gadi – S5 returning to school and hoping to go to university, said: “My time at school has helped me grow into myself, supporting me not only academically but personally too.
“I’ve had many opportunities to explore what I’m interested in and get involved with my community, which has helped my confidence. After school, I’m hoping to study medicine at university and work towards a career where I can make a difference.”
Sam Easton – S5 returning to school and hoping to go to university, said:“I’ve never had a clear idea of what I want to do after school, so I’ve kept my options open, taking on subjects I enjoy in a variety different of areas.
“This year that included Maths, English, Economics, Modern Studies and Art & Design all at Higher level. This year I am hoping to do Maths, Modern Studies and Art & Design at Advanced Higher level.
“Looking forward I would like to go to university and taking Advanced Highers this year would allow me the flexibility to apply to places in England as well.
“I’d like to combine my creativity with a more academic subject if possible and in S6 I will explore how this could be achieved in different courses and opportunities that are on offer.”
Katie – S6 leaver – completed Film and Media NPA and is going on to study at university, said: “I liked that there was lots of choice of subjects and school supported our decisions.
“There were lots of resources and supports available. I’m looking forward to studying film, media and business management at university.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced that she will not stand in next May’s Holyrood elections.
Ms Forbes said: ‘After careful thought over recess, I’ve decided not to seek re-election to @scotparl next year. I’ve written to the First Minister this morning (see below).
‘I will continue to serve the First Minister, the Government and my constituents to the best of my ability until May 2026.’
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) convened a SGORR Ministerial meeting last night to co-ordinate the response to Storm Floris.Justice Secretary Angela Constance chaired the meeting.
Utilities companies are working to reconnect properties with the weather impact on power networks expected to continue through the night. 43,000 homes were affected.
The Transport Scotland Resilience Room (TSRR) and the Multi-Agency Response Team (MART) remain activated to monitor and report on conditions.
Trunk road Operating Companies have responded to multiple fallen trees and damaged infrastructure across the network and have engaged specialist resources to assist.
There have been 119 incidents on the rail network caused by Storm Floris, including 75 tree related incidents. Of those, 85% were due to third party trees.
With winds of up to 90mph in some parts of the country, a significant clear-up job will be required to inspect lines and carry out repair work before it is safe to restore a full service.
ScotRail is urging customers to check their journey before they travel via the app, website or JourneyCheck. The train operator will also provide updates across social media channels throughout the night.
Ms Constance said last night: “As expected, there has been significant disruption, particularly across the travel networks. We are still in an amber warning, and the advice remains to stay well informed, keep yourselves and others safe and avoid travel if you can, until the danger has passed.
“Power cuts are affecting a significant number of properties, and while utilities companies are working hard to reconnect supply in the face of challenging conditions, this will undoubtedly take some time to complete. The weather is expected to improve tomorrow (Tuesday), but the recovery period – both to reconnect homes to power and get transport back to normal – will require some time to clear the debris.
“We will continue to receive updates throughout Tuesday and will have a better idea on public transport tomorrow morning.”
The latest Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.
Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.
Doctors are being urged to share their views about how best to shape and sustain Scotland’s medical workforce over the next 15–20 years.
The Future Medical Workforce project will gather feedback from doctors, residents and senior clinicians to help shape future reforms in training, recruitment and workforce planning.
Over the next two months the Scottish Government is running a series of in-person and online focus groups to help better understand current pressures facing the profession and how best to respond to the challenges of delivering care among a changing population.
These sessions will form the first phase of the project, with a final report being published in autumn, setting out key insights and recommendations. The second phase, beginning in January 2026, will focus on reform, improving recruitment and the redesigning of medical education.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of the medical workforce and create a sustainable, fulfilling career path for doctors in Scotland.
“We know the NHS faces major challenges, and it is vital that those living the reality of what it means to be a doctor today are at the heart of shaping what comes next.
“I strongly encourage doctors across Scotland to get involved in this work. Your voice matters and your insight will help ensure that the future of our health service is informed, inclusive and resilient.”
The focus groups begin this month and will continue through to the autumn. Those interesting in attending can sign up here.
Three-year funding commitment supports expanded play and family support
THE YARD, A charity that supports disabled children and young people and their families can provide 300 more places throughout the year after opening new premises in Glasgow for the first time.
The dedicated play centre, supported with £500,000 from the Scottish Government, joins existing premises in Edinburgh, Dundee and Fife where The Yard supports disabled children and young people, and their families.
The new facility provides children with a sensory room, play hall and outdoor space, while also providing a meeting room for parents and carers to receive family support.
The Scottish Government funding is part of a £2 million commitment over three years from 2024-25 to support The Yard to grow its services, including tailored support, and expand its spaces for disabled children and young people to play and socialise.
Children and Young People’s Minister Natalie Don-Innes officially opened the new facility and joined a family session as part of The Yard’s school holiday programme.
Ms Don-Innes said: “Working with charities is vital to improving outcomes for disabled children and their families. Our three-year funding will help The Yard to continue to grow and support more families across Scotland.
“This wonderful new facility, backed by £500,000 Scottish Government funding, has allowed the Yard to expand to new premises in Glasgow for the first time. The smiles on the faces of the children and families who rely on The Yard for support show what a difference this service makes to their lives.”
Celine Sinclair, CEO of The Yard said; “We are incredibly proud to launch our new Glasgow service, building on the success of our centres in Edinburgh, Dundee and Fife.
“The Yard team provide exemplary, safe, inclusive spaces where children can play, grow and connect, while families feel supported, empowered and included. We are just thrilled to be in the West of Scotland and would like to thank Scottish Government and our funders for helping us realise this ambition.
“Working alongside our partners in Glasgow, this new service builds on our legacy and expands our reach to meet the needs of families and schools. As we continue developing The Yard into a nationally recognised Centre of Excellence, the opening of our Glasgow centre marks a major step forward in our mission to inspire and to help build meaningful inclusion across the country.”
Grants Now Open to Support Voluntary Sector Workforce Development
Applications are now open for the 2025–26 Voluntary Sector Development Fund (VSDF), which helps employers cover the cost of essential qualifications for social care staff.
The funding supports workers in gaining the qualifications required for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)—the national regulator for the social care workforce.
The VSDF is particularly valuable for small and medium-sized organisations, but is open to all voluntary sector employers, regardless of size.
Welcoming the continued support of professional development for staff Minister for Social Care Tom Arthur, said: “The Scottish Government recognises that the social care sector is facing a number of challenges, and this scheme is just one of the ways we are working to support social care employers and their staff.
“That is why we’re continuing to invest in this important fund, helping hundreds of workers gain the skills they need to deliver high-quality care to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
“I would urge all voluntary sector social care organisations to consider applying for this funding to help with the costs of staff training”
Guidance and the application form for the VSDF can be found at:
One of the world’s largest offshore wind farms has been granted consent by the Scottish Government.
Located approximately 38km from the Scottish Borders coastline at St Abbs, Berwick Bank wind farm will have an estimated capacity of 4.1 gigawatts (GW) which, with current technology, could generate enough electricity each year to power every household in Scotland around twice over.
In recognition that the site of the development is also considered a highly important area for wildlife, consent for the construction and operation of the wind farm is subject to the developer, SSE Renewables, producing a detailed sea bird compensation plan outlining how adverse impacts on seabirds will be compensated for.
This plan will need to be approved by Scottish Ministers ahead of Berwick Bank proceeding.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “Ministers have given the Berwick Bank wind farm application extremely careful consideration.
“The decision to grant consent to Berwick Bank is a major step in Scotland’s progress towards achieving net zero and tackling the climate crisis, as well as supporting national energy security and growing our green economy.
“It is also an important decision for Scotland’s renewables sector, and this investment will be further built upon through the delivery of Scotland’s significant future pipeline of offshore wind projects under the ScotWind and the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing rounds.
“We will continue to work closely with the developer and key stakeholders, including those working in fishing and conservation – to minimise the impact of the development on the marine environment and other marine users – and balance the needs of people and nature.”
Berwick Bank will have an estimated capacity of 4.1GW which, with current technology, could generate up to 11.2 TWh of electricity annually – enough to power around 17% of UK households – or enough to meet Scotland’s needs TWICE over.
A DARK DAY FOR SCOTLAND’S SEABIRDS
RSPB Scotland commented: “A dark day for Scotland’s seabirds. We’re incredibly concerned @Scotgov have granted consent for the Berwick Bank windfarm, which could catapult some of our most vulnerable species toward extinction.
The Scottish Government have granted consent for SSE Renewables proposed Berwick Bank offshore windfarm. RSPB Scotland, together with partners, had called for plans for the mega offshore windfarm to be refused to protect our globally important seabirds.
The development is close to iconic colonies like the Bass Rock – home to the world’s largest colony of Northern Gannets. It’s estimated that the windfarm will kill tens of thousands of seabirds over its lifetime, including Kittiwakes, Puffins and Gannets.
Although Scottish Ministers require the developers to demonstrate that “sufficient” seabird compensation will be put in place before the project can start, it is not clear how the thousands of seabirds predicted to be killed can be compensated for.
Puffins are under threat
Devasting decision
Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, said: “This is a very dark day for seabirds. It is a terrible decision on a really bad development.
“Berwick Bank would be catastrophic for Scotland’s globally important seabirds which are already facing alarming declines. In addition, its impacts are so damaging they will make the relative impacts of other windfarms significantly higher. This one windfarm is going to make it really challenging to accelerate renewable projects across Scottish seas. We are incredibly concerned that Scottish Government have granted consent for a project which could catapult some of Scotland’s most-loved seabird species towards extinction.
Anne McCall
“RSPB Scotland recognises climate change is one of the biggest threats to seabirds, but there needs to be seabirds left to save. We support nature-positive offshore wind, in the right locations with minimised impacts on wildlife, and measures to restore and protect seabird populations. But this is predicted to be one of the most damaging windfarms for birds we are aware of anywhere on the planet.
“We will be carefully scrutinising the details of the consent documents over the coming hours and days and considering what further steps we will take.”
