Tag: UK Government

Over six million disabled people start receiving £150 Cost of Living payment

· Government’s £150 Disability Cost of Living payments paid from today (Tuesday 20 June)

· Payments will be made automatically over two-week period between 20 June and 4 July 2023

· Anyone in receipt of certain disability benefits on 1 April 2023 is entitled and will receive the payment

· One-off disability cash forms part of wider support package worth up to £1,350 for the most vulnerable

More than six million disabled people across the UK are set to receive a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment from today.

The one-off payments, issued by the Department for Work and Pensions throughout a two-week window, will help disabled people with the extra costs they face.

It comes as part of a wider package of Cost of Living support worth up to £1,350 to the most vulnerable households, underlining the Government’s commitment to supporting these those most in need.

The Government is also working hard to ease cost of living pressures by working towards the goal of halving inflation, which will lay the foundation for the long-term growth needed to improve living standards for everyone.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, said: “We recognise that some of the most vulnerable UK households continue to face cost of living pressures, in particular those who are disabled.

“Our commitment to halving inflation and ultimately getting it back to the 2% target will relieve a lot of financial pressure for us all, but this extra support will help over six million disabled people right now as we work towards that goal.”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt MP, said: “The additional costs faced by disabled people mean inflation is particularly challenging, which is why halving it this year and getting back to the Bank of England’s 2% target is our priority.

“The £150 we’re sending disabled people over the next two weeks is part of a major cost-of-living support package worth just under £100 billion, providing some peace of mind to the most vulnerable in society.”

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said: “We understand the additional financial pressures disabled people are facing, which is why we are putting another £150 in their pockets from today.

“This is on top of further cost of living payments for low-income benefit claimants, as we’re committed to providing support where it is needed most.”

As the payment is made automatically, those eligible for the support do not need to take any action. The payment reference on bank statements will appear as the individual’s National Insurance number followed by “DWP COL”.

The full list of benefit recipients that qualify for the Disability Cost of Living Payment between 20 June and 4 July are those who receive any of the following:

· Disability Living Allowance

· Personal Independence Payment

· Attendance Allowance

· Scottish Disability Benefits (Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment)

· Armed Forces Independence Payment

· Constant Attendance Allowance

· War Pension Mobility Supplement

A small number of payments will be made after 4 July, where claimants were still awaiting confirmation of their eligibility or entitlement to qualifying disability benefits on 1 April.

This new payment is in addition to the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment that was paid last September. Pensioners will also receive a further £300 payment later this year and people on eligible means-tested benefits will be paid up to two more Cost of Living payments through to next Spring totalling £900.

UK to give Ukraine major boost to mount counteroffensive

  • Up to £25 million expansion to harden Ukraine’s cyber defences as Russia continues its callous attacks
  • Funding will protect critical national infrastructure and vital services through bolstered cyber defence capabilities to Ukraine, enabling them to detect, respond and prevent Russian cyber-attacks.
  • Cyber defence funding comes as the Prime Minister prepares to make the case for the private sector to join the fight to push back Russia by investing in Ukraine

The UK will roll out a major expansion to its cyber defence programme in Ukraine, protecting the country’s critical national infrastructure from crippling Russian attacks.

The programme, which supports Ukraine’s Government to rapidly respond to and defend vital government services against debilitating cyber-attacks, will be boosted by an injection of up to £25 million and a two-year expansion.

The package will include £16 million in UK funding and potential for a further £9 million contribution from international allies.

It is the latest tranche of UK support to Ukraine as the country mounts its counteroffensive against Russian forces that have brutally invaded the country, using all domains to sow instability and attempt to destroy Ukraine’s rightful sovereignty.

The Prime Minister, who will this week make the case for the private sector to join the counteroffensive against Russia by supporting Ukraine through investment, will say that it is vital the international community hardens Ukraine’s defences to enable it to protect and grow investment into the country.

Ukraine has successfully fought back a number of cyber-attacks by Russian forces, including destructive wiper-ware attacks and covert espionage-ware attacks.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Russia’s appalling attacks on Ukraine are not limited to their barbaric land invasion, but also involve sickening attempts to attack their cyber infrastructure that provides vital services, from banking to energy supplies, to innocent Ukrainian people.

“This funding is critical to stopping those onslaughts, hardening Ukraine’s cyber defences and increasing the country’s ability to detect and disable the malware targeted at them.”

The UK-funded Ukraine Cyber Programme (UCP) uses world-leading expertise, from both the private and public sector, to protect Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure and vital public services.

The support, which builds on the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of £6.35 million for the programme last year, will also fund and provide forensic capabilities to enable Ukrainian cyber experts to analyse system compromises, attribute attackers and build better evidence to prosecute these indiscriminate attacks.

In addition to boosting cyber defences, the UK has also stepped up its military support to Ukraine.

This week, the UK contributed a further £250 million to the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), which announced it would provide a major package of air defence, including radars, guns and ammunition to Kyiv to protect Ukrainian cities from indiscriminate Russian attacks.

That announcement followed the delivery of the UK’s long-range missile strike capability Storm Shadow last month, which has provided Ukraine with game-changing capability to defend itself from Russian attacks and degrade the capability of invading Russian forces.

Deadline for voluntary National Insurance contributions extended to April 2025

Taxpayers now have until 5 April 2025 to fill gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 that may increase their State Pension – an extension of nearly two years – the UK Government has announced.

Extending the voluntary National Insurance contributions deadline until 2025 means that people have more time to properly consider whether paying voluntary contributions is right for them and ensures no-one need miss out on the possibility of boosting their State Pension entitlements.

The original deadline was extended to 31 July 2023 earlier this year, and tens of thousands of people have taken advantage to pay voluntary contributions to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) since then. The revised deadline is expected to enable tens of thousands more to do the same.

Victoria Atkins, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: “People who have worked hard all their lives deserve to receive their State Pension entitlement, and filling gaps in National Insurance records can make a real difference.

“With the deadline extended, there is no immediate rush for people to complete gaps in their record and they will have more time to spread the cost.”

Laura Trott, Minister for Pensions, Department for Work and Pensions, said: “I am pleased to see so many people taking steps to review their State Pension, which is why we have extended the deadline for customers to add extra years to their National Insurance record.

“This extension means thousands more people will have time to check their entitlement, and in many cases, increase the amount they receive when they retire.”

The extension means that taxpayers have a longer period to enable them to afford to fill any gaps if they choose to do so. All relevant voluntary National Insurance contributions payments will be accepted at the rates applicable in 2022 to 2023 until 5 April 2025.

Individuals who are planning for their retirement could benefit from the opportunity to complete gaps in their National Insurance record. Other people who may benefit include those who may have been:

·         employed but with low earnings

·         unemployed and not claiming benefits

·         self-employed who did not pay contributions because of small profits

·         living or working outside of the UK

Paying voluntary contributions does not always increase your State Pension. Before starting the process, eligible individuals with gaps in their National Insurance record from April 2006 onwards should check whether they would benefit from filling those gaps.

They can find out how to check their National Insurance record, obtain a State Pension forecast, decide if making a voluntary National Insurance contribution is worthwhile for them and their pension, and how to make a payment on GOV.UK.

Taxpayers can check their National Insurance record through their Personal Tax Account.

No case for routinely offering asylum to claimants from ‘safe’ Albania

A report published today by the Home Affairs Committee has found little evidence to indicate significant numbers of Albanian nationals are at risk in their own country and require asylum in the UK.  

However, some Albanian citizens making asylum claims will have been trafficked, and women are disproportionately at risk from this form of crime. The UK has an obligation to support trafficking victims and they should only be returned to Albania if appropriate safeguards are in place. 

In 2022, more than a quarter of the 45,755 people who crossed the Channel in small boats came from Albania and most claimed asylum. In one year the number of Albanians arriving in the UK by this route had gone from 800 to 12,301, a rise that was both unexpected and unexplained. 

Albania is a safe country, it is not at war and is a candidate country to join the European Union. There is no clear basis for the UK to routinely accept thousands of asylum applications from Albanian citizens, the Committee finds. 

However up to June 2022, 51% of asylum claims from Albania were initially accepted, a rate far higher than many comparable European nations. Nine countries, including Germany, accepted no asylum claims from Albania. The Home Office must explain why the UK’s acceptance rate was so high, particularly compared to other countries. It must also explain why the acceptance rate is substantially higher for women (88%) than for men (13%). 

Maintaining positive relations with the Albanian Government should also be a key priority to ensure that the UK can return irregular migrants and offenders from UK prisons. Politicians, commentators and others should be careful to show restraint in their language and not single out Albania as the sole cause of the UK’s asylum pressures. 

The report focusses on Albania due to the unexpected spike in small boat crossings and asylum claims by Albanian nationals in 2022. However, the Committee finds that it should not be singled out and scapegoated in relation to the UK’s ongoing asylum backlog or overcrowding at immigration processing centres.

The Prime Minister has committed to clearing the backlog by the end of the year and the Home Office needs to set out how it plans to achieve this. The Government should also provide quarterly progress reports, including information on the number of pending claims in the backlog, staffing levels for asylum caseworkers numbers and the number of asylum decisions made per week. 

A key driver of migration from Albania to the UK is economic. People are prepared to make the journey, even in dangerous small boat crossings, for improved job prospects and higher incomes. The desire to come to the UK will continue until Albania become wealthier. 

Improved awareness of work visa programmes would support formalised migration to the economic benefit of the UK and Albania, providing an alternative to people smuggling gangs and reducing the burden on the asylum system. 

Only 325 work visas were granted to Albanian nationals in the first nine months of 2022, with evidence submitted to the inquiry arguing that a perceived difficulty in obtaining work in the UK through legal means could be driving people towards clandestine migration routes.

The Committee finds that more should be done to promote the availability of visas that would fill worker shortages in the UK economy and enable some transfer of wealth back to Albania. This would include short-term or seasonal work in sectors such as construction or agriculture. 

Home Affairs Committee Chair, Dame Diana Johnson MP, said: “Such a substantial sudden increase in asylum claims from a seemingly peaceful country understandably raised concerns.

“While it is important that questions are asked and lessons are learnt, it is clear that the immigration picture is not static and will continue to evolve. New challenges are likely to continue to emerge and it is important that the UK improves its overall approach to asylum, rather than focus on one country. 

“Changes in migration will inevitably place strain on any system, but the Government must do much more to ensure it can better handle these stresses. Most importantly it must improve the speed of decision making and clear the backlog as we set out in our Channel Crossings report in 2022. We expect the Home Office to set out how it plans to achieve this. 

“People will continue to be attracted to the UK from Albania while it continues to offer job opportunities and higher wages. The UK should look at how access to work visa schemes can be improved to fill our skills or staffing gaps, while offering Albanian nationals a route to higher income, benefiting both nations.” 

UK to provide £16 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine

  • In recognition of growing needs FCDO to provide £16 million to enable aid partners to help civilians, including 32,000 people directly affected by flooding, as well as at the frontlines and displaced communities.
  • UK funding will assist aid organisations with their response and includes £10 million to the Red Cross Movement, £5 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and £1m to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
  • To bolster rescue efforts and manage impact of ongoing flooding the FCDO is sending boats, community water filters, water pumps and waders to Ukraine.

The UK has today (10 June) set out an additional £16m in humanitarian support as Ukraine deals with the aftermath of flooding caused by the destruction of Nova Kakhova dam, which has affected 42,000 people in the Kherson area, and continuing Russian attacks.

This builds on our existing humanitarian support of £220 million which is allowing partners, such as the Ukraine Red Cross, to help evacuate civilians affected by the flooding.

Alongside this the UK-led Partnership Fund for a Resilient Ukraine has already delivered two specialist rescue boats, search and rescue equipment, and trauma medicine to Kherson to assist the ongoing rescue operations by the State Emergency Services.

The additional £16 million is given in recognition of mounting needs across Ukraine, including in the areas affected by the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam.

Funding will support aid organisations in the area who are currently assisting people affected by the flooding with rapid response equipment, shelter and essential supplies, as well as in areas affected by fighting and communities who have been displaced.

Beyond the immediate rescue efforts, this funding will help to respond to the ongoing impacts from flooding, including waterborne infectious diseases, loss of livelihoods and risks from landmines.

The funding will consist of £10 million of support to the Red Cross Movement, £5 million to OCHA and £1m to IOM.

The UK is also providing a package of rescue boats, community water filters, water pumps and waders to help State Emergency Services of Ukraine responders deal with the ongoing impact of the flooding. Equipment is expected to start arriving in Ukraine by next week.

Today’s announcement comes as water levels in Kherson continue to rise, with flooding spreading to other towns along the Dnipro River. The UK has moved quickly to bolster its support to Ukraine as it deals with severe flooding from the dam, which is expected to last for weeks and leave many in need of food, water and basic supplies.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Secretary James Cleverly said: Flooding from the destruction of Kakhovka dam is having an untold impact on over 32,000 people living in Kherson, and thousands more in the surrounding area.

“The UK is leading the way in providing support to those desperately in need. Our funding is playing a vital role in helping Ukrainian services and aid organisations evacuate people and get help to those in need.

“We will continue to stand by Ukraine in dealing with this terrible incident.”

This aid package is part of the UK’s total support for Ukraine which so far totals £1.5billion in economic and humanitarian support, which has paid for the delivery of more than 11 million medical items as well as food supplies, ambulances and shelter kits.

Earlier this week the Foreign Secretary visited Ukraine to highlight the UK’s unwavering support for Ukraine and its recovery. During his time there he met President Zelenskyy in Kyiv and discussed how best the UK will continue to support Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.

The UK is also set to host the Ukraine Recovery Conference later this month, which will bring together governments and industry leaders to develop a concerted multi-sector plan to help Ukraine to recover from Russia’s illegal invasion.

Ukrainian families supported into own homes with £150m funding

Ukrainians in the UK will be helped into their own homes as part of a £150 million funding allocation.

The funding will be divided across the UK according to the number of Ukrainians in each nation: c.£109 million for England, c.£30 million for Scotland, c.£8 million for Wales and around c.£2 million to Northern Ireland.

Funding can be used by councils to help Ukrainian families into the private rental sector, help them get jobs, and continue sponsorship for guests’ second year in the UK.

Local authorities are best placed to understand the support needed for local communities and, within England, this funding will be used to help people remain in their current accommodation or find alternative housing, including in the private rented sector.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme has welcomed over 124,000 Ukrainians to the UK, with almost half of working-age nationals now in employment and settled into their local areas, having had the right to work, receive benefits and access public services from day one.

The Department for Transport has also announced it will extend the length of time Ukrainian refugees can drive in the UK on their home country driving licence, from one year to three, in a move that will help many continue the lives and jobs they have forged since arriving here.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan said: “The UK has an honourable tradition of offering shelter to those fleeing the horrors of war. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of hosts in this country, over 124,000 Ukrainians have now found safety in the UK.

“Sadly, the fighting in Ukraine shows no sign of ending soon, so we are appealing for more people to become hosts while providing councils with this additional funding to support guests into long-term housing.”

Petro Rewko from The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain said: “Ukrainians everywhere are grateful to the government and the British people for opening their homes and hearts to Ukrainians fleeing their homes as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

“We welcome today’s announcement, which recognises the commitment of sponsors and local authorities during difficult economic times and will provide additional support and reassurance to Ukrainian families as they rebuild their lives and seek to overcome the trauma of war.”

The UK government will continue to work with the Ukrainian government, the devolved administrations, local authorities and charities and voluntary groups to support guests and sponsors under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

The government is keen to ensure that Ukrainian guests receive the support they are entitled to while they are in the UK, and are helped into employment and long-term suitable accommodation, as soon as possible.

Hosts in the UK will continue to receive a monthly £350 thank-you payment during guests’ first 12 months, rising to £500 a month during the following 12 months.

To check how to apply to be a host, visit https://www.gov.uk/register-interest-homes-ukraine

SUNK: Deposit Return Scheme delayed until October 2025 at the earliest

‘These delays and dilutions lie squarely in the hands of UK Government that has sadly seemed so far more intent on sabotaging this parliament than protecting our environment’ – LORNA SLATER, Circular Economy Minister

The launch of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will be delayed until at least October 2025 as a consequence of the UK Government’s refusal to agree a full exclusion from the Internal Market Act, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater has told Parliament.

Last week the UK Government imposed a number of highly significant conditions on the scheme, including the removal of glass and the requirement to align aspects of the scheme with schemes across the UK – none of which exist at the moment or have regulations in place.

Following consultations with key businesses including producers, Ministers have concluded that certainty on critical elements of the scheme cannot be provided to businesses until the UK Government publishes more detail and therefore Scotland’s deposit return scheme will not go live until October 2025 at the earliest.

Addressing Parliament yesterday, Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “As of today, it is now clear that we have been left with no other option than to delay the launch of Scotland’s DRS, until October 2025 at the earliest based on the UK Government’s current stated aspirations.

“I remain committed to interoperable DRS schemes across the UK provided that we can work in a spirit of collaboration not imposition.  I wrote again last night to the UK Government, to urge ministers to reset a climate of trust and good faith to galvanise and retain the knowledge that has been built in Circularity Scotland and DRS partners in Scotland.

“This Parliament voted for a Deposit Return Scheme. I am committed to a Deposit Return Scheme. Scotland will have a Deposit Return Scheme. It will come later than need be. It will be more limited than it should be. More limited than Parliament voted for.

“These delays and dilutions lie squarely in the hands of UK Government that has sadly seemed so far more intent on sabotaging this parliament than protecting our environment.”

The Scottish Beer & Pub Association has welcomed the decision to delay:

BACKGROUND

The Scottish Parliament legislated to create a deposit return scheme including glass in May 2020. The Internal Market Act was passed in December 2020.

Of the 51 territories and countries operating deposit return schemes, 45 include glass.

Following correspondence from the First Minister to the Prime Minister, the UK Government confirmed on 5 June it would not reconsider the conditions attached to the Internal Market Act exclusion.

The First Minister and Circular Economy Minister met with businesses on 7 June to discuss the implications of the UK Government’s decision.

The conditions for an exclusion include a maximum cap on deposit levels agreed across all nations, one administration fee to cover all schemes across the UK, one barcode for use across all parts of the UK and one logo for all schemes.

Defence Secretary marks D-Day anniversary

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, spoke in Ver-sur-Mer, during an international ceremony at the British Normandy memorial to mark the 79th anniversary of D-Day yesterday:

Mr. Minister, Your Excellency, veterans, ladies and gentlemen.

Before coming here my officials drafted a speech they thought I might want to deliver.

It celebrated the heroes, objectives captured and the units.

And if I had not served myself I would have no doubt I would have delivered it.

But what I wanted to say today was that this day belongs as much to the ordinary soldier, sailor, airman as it does the outstanding.

Because the 6th June was an achievement of the platoon commanders, the non-commissioned officers, the private, and the airman and then naval rating.

Because it is they who had to conquer first the fear.

Who had to sort order from chaos, and who in the end had to stand up and walk towards the guns.

It was they who had to inspire their section or troops.

They who had no certainty of survival.

Each man on 6 June would have to have rationalised the potential death they faced with themselves.

That was the first obstacle on the day to overcome.

And once that fear was overcome the task of turning the vast enterprise that was Operation Overlord could commence.

As we celebrate the victory of the Allied forces on these beaches 79 years ago today, we should reflect that at this very moment there are men and women of Ukraine trying to overcome that same fear and trepidation.

In assembly areas and on start lines along the vast front, each individual will be mentally preparing themselves for potential death or victory.

They will be experiencing that same anxious feeling in the stomach. They will be trying to think of their home in the same way those Allies who had come from so very far away to this beach, on this day, 79 years ago.

They will be looking to their friends beside them and their Corporals for encouragement or reassurance.

The fear that many of us have witnessed first-hand will be somewhere behind the eyes.

They will be doing what the Free French did so powerfully on this day. They will be fighting for their lands, their soil.

They will be fighting for Europe to be free.

We should not underestimate the challenge it is to go forward under fire.

Attacking is a very different task from defending.

The memorials here today remind us of that.

We must be grateful as a generation that on that day of days courage was on our side.

That despite all the chaos, and fear and noise, it was the ordinary who grabbed their rifle, overcame fear and fought for us all.

Nearly £2 million to fund innovative transport tech

  • Over 60 projects awarded funding develop pioneering transport tech that could enhance people’s daily lives and support growth across the UK
  • Projects backed by nearly £2m, include 80% based outside of London awarded funding to help revolutionise transport
  • Augmented reality app for visually impaired passengers to help them navigate stations and kites to tow ships are among creative projects receiving new funding

Personalised navigation apps for disabled passengers and robots for freight at ports are among 67 transport technology projects being developed and tested through new Government funding.

Technology Minister Jesse Norman has announced today (6 June) 67 innovative projects developing transport technology which are receiving a share of £1.96 million in funding as part of the Government’s Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) Programme. A record number of this year’s winning projects are based outside London, with almost four in five based outside the capital.

The projects receiving funding include an app that uses augmented reality (AR) to help visually-impaired passengers get around rail stations, remote-controlled robots for deliveries, kite-powered tug boats to reduce emissions and drones to deliver packages in hard to reach areas.

The TRIG programme looks to encourage engineers, academics and innovators to develop ‘blue-skies’ research into real-world solutions to address some of transport’s most pressing issues, such as decarbonisation. This can be a useful way for researchers to take their first steps creating a new company, helping to grow the economy and create jobs across the UK.

Transport and Decarbonisation Minister Jesse Norman said: “From making travelling easier for visually impaired passengers to improving rural connectivity, these winning projects have the potential to transform the future of transport.

“The Government wants the UK to be a world leader in the future of transport, and through the TRIG programme the Department for Transport is supporting innovators and businesses to decarbonise and improve transport while growing the economy and supporting jobs across the UK.”

Some of this year’s winning projects include:

  • Makesense Technology to create an app that uses augmented reality to create bespoke walking routes to help visually impaired travellers get around railway stations.
  • Bluewater Engineering Ltd to develop its unique SKYTUG system which uses large kites to tow ships at the same speed as a traditionally-powered craft, which could help reduce the use of polluting engines and decarbonise shipping.
  • IONA Logistics Ltd to explore how autonomous drones based out of small delivery hubs can be used to deliver small packages faster and cheaper to hard to reach rural areas.
  • Transreport Limited to create an app that allows disabled and older passengers to book the support they need on plans in advance to improve the experience. This app is already in use on trains.
  • Port of Tyne to explore the viability of using remotely-controlled, and in some instances automated, electric heavy-duty robots to replace HGVs to provide a cleaner and faster alternative, reducing delays in the delivery process.
  • CC Informatics to explore the use of drones to create 3D digital models of structures, such as bridges and rail tracks, to identify cracks and defects in the structures that would otherwise be invisible, meaning repairs can be made quicker and before more serious issues could develop.
  • Imperial College London to research the use of Kiacrete, a new type of paving made from recycled materials, instead of concrete as a more permeable solution to see how it can be used on highways to drain away surface water and reduce flooding.

Through the TRIG programme, funded projects could have a transformative impact on transport. This year’s winners bring the total amount invested through the TRIG programme to over £12 million since it launched in 2014, having funded nearly 300 projects.

The programme is designed to focus on a range of transport-related areas, including maritime decarbonisation, the future of freight, local transport decarbonisation, improving the rail passenger experience, and transport resilience to severe weather and flooding.

The TRIG programme, delivered in partnership with Connected Places Catapult, brings together talented innovators – mainly start-ups and universities – and policymakers at the earliest stage of innovation to help enhance the UK’s transport system.

Nicola Yates OBE, Connected Places Catapult, Chief Executive Officer said: “By getting funding into innovative start-ups, we are creating jobs of the future and growing vital areas of the economy.

“Transport Research and Innovation Grants support high-potential innovators to develop their ideas into new products and services. In addition to an injection of funding, companies that join the TRIG cohort benefit from access to experts from Connected Places Catapult to help them on their journey to commercialisation.”