Proposals to help alleviate workload pressures faced by teachers have been announced by the Scottish Government.
Work is underway with councils and teaching unions to create a plan to reduce class contact time for teachers, which is supported by increased funding for councils of £186.5 million to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels.
In addition, independent work will be taken forward to examine how reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in Scottish education can improve teacher workload. This will be supported by guidance from the Chief Inspector of Education.
Greater use of digital technology will also be explored to help free up teachers’ time.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Scotland’s schools are responding to far greater pressures post-pandemic than they did five years ago, and this is having an impact on the teaching workload and, ultimately, children and young people.
“We recognise the pressures facing teachers, and it is absolutely crucial that we continue to support a delivery of measures to ease workloads.
“These proposals will ultimately provide teachers with additional time to prepare lessons and reduce the number of hours worked outside of the school day, enhancing their wellbeing and benefiting children and young people by providing an improved learning experience.
“Collaborative working with trade unions and local authorities is essential and we want this work to be delivered at pace.”
General Practice will receive an initial additional investment of £15 million this year to ease recruitment pressures and boost capacity.
The new investment will support workforce retention and recruitment, build service capacity and support the day to day running of GP services.
The funding comes after discussions with the sector about the sustainability of GP services – negotiations will continue around further support to help shift care from acute to community.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We have been listening carefully to the views of Scotland’s GPs and as a result, I am pleased to confirm an initial additional investment of £15 million for the current financial year.
“This new funding will help support capacity and ensure GPs and services in the community have the resources they need for their essential role in our health system.
“We remain in negotiations with the sector on the provision of further support in the future, but this initial instalment demonstrates this Government’s commitment to supporting primary care and alleviating current pressures on the system.
We want to make it easier for people to see their GP and to achieve this we are working towards ensuring a greater proportion of new NHS funding goes to primary and community care.
“We have already increased investment in general practice by over £100 million in the last two years to meet recommended pay increases and to support practices with sustainability.”
Commenting on the funding announcement, RCGP Scotland Chair Dr Chris Provan said: “GPs and their teams strive to deliver a high quality of care, but they are increasingly struggling to meet the demand from a growing population with more complex needs – all while the GP workforce continues to shrink.
“RCGP Scotland welcomes the investment of £15 million in this financial year as a positive step. However, this funding alone will not transform general practice or undo years of underinvestment.
“It must be seen as the beginning of a sustained commitment to properly resource general practice – stabilising services, supporting the recruitment of more GPs, and expanding capacity to improve patient access.
“The Scottish Government has pledged to shift the balance of care and funding towards primary and community care. Investing in general practice delivers better health outcomes and offers significant value to patients, the wider NHS, the economy, and society.
“Today’s announcement must mark the start of that shift, which now needs to be accelerated to ensure general practice is strengthened and supported to deliver the high-quality care patients deserve.”
Additional funding package announced for nature projects
More than £6 million of additional funding is being invested in nature enhancing projects through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).
Established in 2021, the £65 million NRF has funded nearly 800 projects helping Scotland’s species, woodlands, rivers and seas back on the road to recovery, including planting over 300,000 trees and restoring over 1,800 hectares of urban greenspace in towns and cities.
Evaluation of the NRF shows the scheme unlocked at least £7.1 million in match funding and in-kind contributions for organisations, and described the initiative as ‘instrumental’ in accelerating nature restoration and supporting vulnerable species and habitats.
Recipients include the Cairngorms National Park, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, NatureScot and the Green Action Trust.
The Cairngorms National Park will share £1.2 million between five projects aimed at safeguarding some of the most precious species and habitats there including;
recovering freshwater pearl mussel populations in the rivers Spey, Dee and South Esk
identifying changes to make the River Dee more resilient to flooding
helping boost the capercaillie population, which is on the verge of extinction in Scotland
improving tree stock for aspen and native montane species
Visiting the Anagach Woods in the Cairngorms National Park, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action Gillian Martin said: “Protecting Scotland’s natural environment is vital to addressing nature loss, climate change and biodiversity.
“The projects receiving this additional funding will of course benefit local areas and wildlife by restoring the environment and supporting green jobs and skills development but they will also help us in the global fight against climate change and biodiversity loss.
“I was extremely impressed by the pioneering work that the Cairngorms National Park are doing to restore ecosystems with their innovative wood ant translocation project, which maintains forest health.
This years’ Programme for Government committed to extending the NRF in 2026-27 to enable funding of a further round of multi-year projects.
NatureScot Chair, Professor Colin Galbraith said: “This further investment is recognition of the fantastic work that is being undertaken through the Nature Restoration Fund.
“We are excited to have a further £3.5 million available to invest in projects across the country that are restoring rivers, woodlands and wildlife back to a healthy and thriving state, whilst tackling the effects of climate change.
“By working with people throughout Scotland this vital work is helping to achieve our ambition to be nature positive by 2030 and to have significantly restored and regenerated our nature by 2045.”
Sandy Bremner, Convener of the Cairngorms National Park Board said: “With 25 per cent of the UK’s most threatened species living in the National Park, it is one of the most significant places for nature conservation.
“Protecting and enhancing these special habitats and species – alongside tackling climate change – are at the heart of the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan, and this extra funding will help ensure our conservation work is targeted where it is needed most, boosting our efforts and helping to deliver key actions on the ground.”
NatureScot will receive £3.5 million for distribution to nature projects.
The Green Action Trust will receive £510,000 for onward distribution to a range of nature projects.
Cairngorms National Park will receive £1.2 million.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs will receive £1.025 million.
Three new initiatives to help people find and stay in work, including disabled people and those with long term health conditions, have been announced.
The pilot projects will share £228,000 of Scottish Government funding to enable people with diverse needs to enter, stay in or progress in the workplace. They will be used to expand flexible working in sectors such as manufacturing and help diversify the public sector workforce.
Business and Employment Minister Richard Lochhead welcomed the launch at Scottish Leather Group in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire, where staff are already benefiting from initiatives such as compressed hours and reduced hours for people approaching retirement.
He said: “This new funding will help provide flexible and supportive working environments and contribute to a more dynamic, diverse, and resilient jobs market in Scotland.
“This has significant benefits for workers and means employers like Scottish Leather Group can draw from a wider talent pool.
“The Scottish Government is committed to helping people remain in work and strengthening pathways into employment for those furthest from the jobs market. This new funding will promote flexible working, support disabled employees and people at risk of economic inactivity.”
Nikki Slowey, co-founder and director of Flexibility Works, said: “People’s lives are constantly changing, whether that’s with children, caring for older relatives or for health needs, and we know many people drop out of work altogether if the juggle between work and home life becomes too stressful.
“Employers that are attuned to this and are able to be flexible can keep hold of talented and experienced staff. Often people only want small changes, such as a little home working or to start and finish at slightly different times.
“This enables people to keep working, which is good for their finances and wellbeing as well as delivering benefits for their employer and our wider economy.”
The funding is part of wider Scottish Government efforts to enable people with diverse needs to enter, stay in or progress in the workplace, which in turn will help boost the economy and tackle child poverty.
It will allow three separate organisations to run distinct pilot projects – all with the aim of providing workplace support:
Training specialists Flexibility Works will receive £96,100 to equip manufacturing sector employers with knowledge and tools to adopt and embed sustainable, flexible working practices.
National representative body the Scottish Union for Supported Employment(SUSE) will access £98,737 to support employers, disabled people and people with long term conditions, to stay in work helping to reduce the Disability Employment Gap. SUSE will work intensively with a group of 16-20 employers over the life of the pilot, delivering training and practical support.
Business in the Community will use £33,969 to deliver workshops on inclusive hiring and progression initiatives within public sector organisations and help managers to attract and support diverse talent.
Public libraries across Scotland are set to benefit from a share of £450,000 as part of a fund which supports bold, community-focused projects that strengthen their role as trusted hubs for learning, wellbeing and inclusion.
The annual Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF) awards grants to projects which align with the vision set out in FORWARD: Scotland’s Public Library Strategy 2021-2025, with the strategic aims grouped under the themes of ‘People’, ‘Place’ and ‘Partnership’.
This national strategy maps out an exciting future for Scotland’s public libraries with work set to continue into 2026 to ensure services are able to build on the groundbreaking work of the past four years.
The 2025/26 PLIF – administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) on behalf of the Scottish Government – has opened for applications (Monday 18 August) to promote innovation across Scotland’s public library sector.
This year’s funding priorities reflect the expanding role of libraries as a hub for trusted information, upskilling and guidance, with applications which address key societal challenges encouraged.
The 2025/26 PLIF will prioritise projects that support:
Tackling mis/dis information
Supporting democracy
Tackling child poverty through support for attainment
Support for family wellbeing
Economic growth and co-production
As well as providing funding for innovative library projects across the country, PLIF also supports the delivery of Scotland’s national public library strategy (FORWARD), and allows SLIC to continue its valuable research work. This £450,000 investment takes the total to £5.5 million over the lifetime of the PLIF scheme.
Scotland’s Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said: “We believe libraries are at the heart of Scotland’s communities.
“That is why we provide annual funding to the Scottish Library and Information Council, including £450,000 towards the Public Library Improvement Fund, which exemplifies the transformative power of libraries, from introducing digital inclusiveness to teaching about economic wellbeing.”
Last year, 13 projects received a share of PLIF funding, supporting Gaelic and Scots language and new Scots languages, digital inclusion and sustainability initiatives.
One of the projects awarded an £11,000 grant was the Interactive Orcadian Flora Trail, an initiative created by Orkney Library and Archive to tackle social isolation while highlighting the diverse and varied plant life that can be found across the islands.
The trail, which officially launches later this week, also celebrates Orcadian culture by providing an opportunity to hear the Orcadian dialect, with flower poems created and recorded by Orkney Voices.
Alison Nolan, chief executive of SLIC, said: “PLIF has transformative power for public library services. Projects like Orkney Library’s Orcadian Flora Trail showcase libraries’ place at the heart of cultural, educational and social life.
“Over the years, we’ve seen inspiring PLIF projects which preserve heritage, spark creativity and serve local needs flourish long beyond the initial funding term, becoming lasting assets to the communities they serve.
“The thread running through all the PLIF applications we see is a clear commitment to delivering something meaningful and impactful for local people. PLIF gives services the opportunity to bring ambitious ideas to life, and I would strongly encourage libraries across the country to apply.
“We’re looking forward to receiving fresh applications that reflect the innovation, dedication and community pride that defines Scotland’s public library services and that bring this year’s themes into focus to ensure libraries continue to lead as trusted, inclusive spaces at the heart of every community.”
The PLIF 2025/26 is now open to applications and will close at 12pm on Friday 19 September 2025.
New figures show the risk of dying from cancer for people living in Scotland is at the lowest on record.
Public health Scotland (PHS) statistics show from 2013 to 2022 the risk of dying from cancer in Scotland decreased by 11.1%, from 333.7 per 100,000 in 2013 to 296.8 per 100,000 in 2022. This is the lowest rate in the data published by PHS today that goes back to 1998. In 2022, there were 16,265 deaths from cancer – 8,453 in males, 7,812 in females.
Due to an ageing population and the fact that more people are living with cancer, there has been an overall increase in the total number of cancer deaths since 2013, but a slight decrease from 2021 to 2022. In 2022, more than two-thirds (69%) of all cancer deaths were in people aged seventy and over.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “It is encouraging to see the risk of dying from cancer in Scotland is at a record low.
“This is down to the hard work of NHS staff, improved treatment options, and people reporting their symptoms at an earlier stage. We are determined to further improve cancer survival, reduce waiting times and provide excellent, equitably accessible care right across Scotland.
“We are taking action to improve the awareness and earlier diagnosis of cancers, including expanding our Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services and our investment of more than £14 million towards cancer waiting times this year.
“Reducing health inequalities is a clear ambition for this government. Cutting smoking rates is key to tackling lung cancer incidence in areas of deprivation – our world-leading tobacco control measures are helping us in our goal of a Tobacco-Free Scotland by 2034.”
National charity Scottish Book Trust has partnered with the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) to host a special free event for 300 school children to celebrate 10 years of Read Write Count, on Wednesday 20 August.
Read Write Count with the First Minister is a universal national book gifting programme for pupils in Primary 2 and 3 all over Scotland. Since 2015 over 2.5 million books have been gifted to children.
The book Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton was in the very first Read Write Count bag in 2015. The writer and illustrator duo will now host a special event at EIBF tomorrow at 11am. 300 school children will attend the free event with hundreds more watching on live stream across Scotland.
Research by Scottish Book Trust revealed that 85% of parents said that Read Write Count bags helped them to engage better with their children’s learning, while 90% of schools felt that gifting the bags had made a positive impact to their relationship with families.
One parent of brother Ollie, who received the first Read Write Count bag in 2015, and younger sister Elia, who will receive her own bag this year in Primary 2, commented: “We have always loved getting our Bookbug bags so when Ollie got his drawstring Read Write Count bag we were chuffed to have new books and games to use as a family!
“Now Elia will get her own P2 bag this year – we can’t wait!”
First Minister John Swinney said:“Books have the power to open our imagination to new worlds, which makes introducing reading from a young age so vitally important. We also know that nurturing positive relationships with reading supports improved wellbeing and attainment for children.
“Over the past ten years, the Read Write Count programme has played a vital role in supporting more children to access and take joy in reading, and it is more important than ever to recognise and celebrate this incredible milestone.”
Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said:“It is wonderful to mark the milestone and legacy of ten years of Read Write Count.
“Gifting books to children to enjoy with their families and carers is vital, helping to give them not only the best start in life but the lasting benefits that comes with having books at home.”
The event will also launch the books and contents of the 2025 Read Write Count bag, which will be distributed through schools during Book Week Scotland in November. Read Write Count with the First Minister is funded by Scottish Government.
Change to benefits payment date for millions of people will help them with their financial planning and providing peace of mind for those on low incomes.
It comes ahead of the new school year, which will allow families and carers to plan their spending with confidence, knowing their support is already in place.
This proactive measure demonstrates the Government’s commitment through its Plan for Change to raising living standards, breaking down barriers to opportunity and ensuring growth is felt by everyone, everywhere.
Applies across the entire United Kingdom (Scotland follows the same principle despite different bank holiday arrangements).
Millions of people will receive their essential financial support before the August bank holiday weekend, as the Government has confirmed that benefit payments will be brought forward to Friday 22 August.
The early payment arrangement will apply to all major benefits including Universal Credit, Child Benefit, State Pension, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, and Disability Living Allowance, ensuring that payments originally scheduled for the weekend of 23-25 August reach recipients on time.
This proactive measure will provide financial certainty for families as they prepare for the new school year, allowing parents and carers to plan their spending with confidence knowing their support is already in place during what can be an expensive time for households.
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms said: “We know how much families rely on these payments, and by bringing them forward ahead of the bank holiday we’re ensuring no one has to worry about whether their support will be there when they need it most.
“This is especially important ahead of the new school year – no family should have to choose between buying school supplies and putting food on the table.
“This is what our Plan for Change is all about – putting working families and the most vulnerable first and ensuring every family has the security they need to plan for the future.”
The early payment policy ensures recipients receive their funds before banks and government offices close for the holiday weekend, maintaining the continuity of support that millions depend upon.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has announced £1.8 million in grant support for arts and cultural festivals to put the spotlight on artistic talent across the country.
The funding is available to non-profit arts and cultural festivals in Scotland and is designed to help them ‘push creative boundaries’ and enhance their international reputation on the world stage.
The fund builds on the success of the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund and helps deliver a key commitment in the Scottish Budget 2025-26 to expand the reach of the fund across Scotland.
Awards of up to £200,000 will be available in the first year and will be administered by Creative Scotland. The grants can be used for raising the international profile of festivals and to support other areas vital to their success, such as for sector and talent development and to open access to educational groups.
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said:“Scotland has a wealth of outstanding festivals up and down the country. They are at the at the heart of our culture sector and national life, bringing us together through our enjoyment of art, literature, music and other performing arts.
“By increasing investment into festivals across the country we are supporting their commissions of and collaborations on new and exciting works, increasing opportunities for participation in creative pursuits and ensuring Scotland’s cultural highlights can be enjoyed at home and abroad.
“The new fund is a direct result of discussions through the Strategic Partnership for Festivals, a focal point that brings together diverse representation from arts festivals and a broader range group of partners who support them.
“Collaboration with the sector is vital and this group will be crucial in supporting the implementation and development of this fund in the coming months.”
Chief Executive of Creative Scotland Iain Munro said:“Scotland’s festivals are a vibrant celebration of our creativity and culture, recognised and enjoyed by local communities and people from around the world.
“The expanded festivals fund is a new opportunity to profile incredible creative work in every corner of the country and support other areas vital to success – from sector and talent development to further experimentation and space to develop ambitions with specific groups and communities.
“Working with festivals nationwide, this investment will support artists, widen community engagement and further strengthen Scotland’s impressive international reputation.”
Further information and detailed guidance notes for festivals will be available through Creative Scotland.
