The latest Halifax report shows tyhe UK housing market started the year on a positive note, with average prices rising by +0.7% in January, more than recovering the slight dip of -0.2% in December. This increase pushed the average property price to a new record high of £299,138.
In recent years, British farmers have faced growing pressures, from Brexit to COVID and the Ukraine war. For some of them you can now add planned inheritance tax (IHT) reforms - announced in the budget last autumn - to that list.
Food redistribution charities can now submit applications for a new £15 million Government scheme, which is helping to ensure surplus food is delivered to those who need it. Every year, an estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farm gates.
The meeting of Highland council on Thursday 13 February 2025 will discuss a motion that tries to make a change to the increase in council rents agreed at an earlier meeting of the Housing and Property Committee agreed narrowly to increase the council rents by 8%. Part of the issue is that the council are trying to raise money for more new houses by increasing the rents for existing tenants.
A push to hike the income tax personal allowance from £12,570 up to a £20,000 has just cleared a crucial milestone. The call to action on the Parliament.uk website has seen a wave of support, blasting through the 10,000 signatures mark and mandating a formal governmental comeback.
GAD's inaugural Investment Conference attracted a packed house of professionals across investment, pensions and government. The role of the Government Actuary's Department (GAD) in investment issues in the public sector were among the topics discussed in our inaugural Investment Conference.
Farmers and crofters will benefit from £20 million additional capital support this year and £26 million next year, First Minister John Swinney has confirmed. Speaking at the NFU Scotland annual conference he outlined how at least £14 million of the funding will deliver a Future Farming Investment Scheme, providing flexible capital grants.
Women-led businesses will receive more help to sell overseas after a study found Scotland could benefit from billions of pounds in extra trade. The Gender Export Gap report estimates that Scotland's trade could increase by between £3.4 billion to £10.3 billion over two years if women-led businesses exported at the same rate as those led by men.
In collaboration with Government of Ukraine, UNICEF and the World Bank, £25m of UK funding will support an inclusive and sustainable social recovery in Ukraine. The SPIRIT programme (Social Protection for Inclusion, Resilience, Innovation and Transformation) will support Ukraine to strengthen more inclusive and efficient social protection systems and revitalise community and family-based services.
Women can expect improved miscarriage care Public Health and Women's Health Minister Jenni Minto has pledged, after unveiling a new framework, backed by £1.5 million funding. The framework sets out a range of actions for Scotland’s NHS boards to implement, including ensuring that women going through miscarriage have a separate, private space.
Households across the country are set to benefit from cheaper bills and warmer homes as the government accelerates its Plan for Change. Up to half a million households could be lifted out of fuel poverty by 2030 in major boost to standards in the private rental sector.
The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets monetary policy to meet the 2% inflation target, and in a way that helps to sustain growth and employment. The MPC adopts a medium-term and forward-looking approach to determine the monetary stance required to achieve the inflation target sustainably.
A new Fairer Funding pilot to deliver on the Scottish Government's top priority of eradicating child poverty will provide additional multi-year funding in the form of 45 grants to organisations across Scotland. The funding, subject to budget approval, will support projects in areas including health, education, poverty and culture and have a total value of £61.7 million in 2025-26 and £63.2 million in 2026- 27.
Services providing local support for families will receive additional funding in the Scottish Budget, First Minister John Swinney has announced on the fifth anniversary of The Promise. Following an agreement with COSLA, the share of Whole Family Wellbeing Funding (WFWF) provided to Children's Services Planning Partnerships (CSPP) will increase by £6 million in the next financial year and remain at that level the following year.
Tickets are selling fast!!. Why not contact Tracy to book your tickets before it's a sellout!.
See poster for details..
Victims of rape and sexual abuse are being encouraged to seek vital support through a new Government campaign. New campaign to raise awareness of 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line..
Statement made by Angus Robertson MSP, Culture Secretary to Parliament on Thursday 30 January 2025. Presiding Officer, thank you for the opportunity to address parliament today regarding Creative Scotland's Multi-Year Funding programme and today's announcement of successful applicants.
People with learning disabilities will be supported to reach their full potential through a £1.6 million fund. The Learning Disability Support Fund will be available to third sector organisations to enable them to promote equality and inclusion and improve access to health services and social activities for people with learning disabilities.
A presentation by Richard Aitken of Highlife Highland's Conservation Service. Learn how to store and handle old books, documents, photos etc.
The following article is from the Conversation web site. The author Amy Werbel, Professor of the History of Art, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) has gathered a large number of links describing the situation and the history of the problem.
The Highland Council is inviting parents and carers to enrol their child online for the next school session starting on 19 August 2025. If your child will be five years of age on or before 28 February 2026, they are eligible to enrol for Primary 1.
UK consumers think there's trouble ahead and are cutting their spending as a result. That's the combined fault of the Bank of England and Rachel Reeves, and no one else but them can put matters right.
Following an increase in the number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds and other captive birds, the Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer from Scotland and Chief Veterinary Officer from England have declared a national Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and other captive birds. This means that from 12:00 noon on Saturday 25 January, it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers in Scotland and England to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu.
KAEFER UK & Ireland has clinched a four year framework to provide critical services to the Sellafield site. The company will supply access systems plus asbestos and insulation support under the Access Services and Insulation framework.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy's speech on government plans to grow the creative industries, at the Creative Industries Growth Summit in Gateshead. Welcome to the first Creative Industries Growth Summit.
Malicious predators who create sexually explicit deepfakes without consent can expect to face the full force of the law under a new amendment to legislation. New offence to be introduced as part of Data (Use and Access) Bill Law targets artificial images showing someone naked or engaging in sexual acts.
Feeling drained and lethargic is common: A 2022 national survey found that 13.5% of U.S. adults said they felt "very tired" or "exhausted" most days or every day over a three-month period.
Celtic Connections in partnership with Innis & Gunn will transform Glasgow into a global epicentre of traditional, folk, world and roots music, at the premier winter festival underway with household names, secret line ups, debut performances, unique collaborations and the piloting of a new venue. The UNESCO City of Music will welcome "the music of the people" to the biggest possible stages for thousands to enjoy over the next 18 days as the 32nd edition of the world-renowned festival, delivered by Glasgow Life, gears up to do what it does best - banish the January blues.
Coinciding with our 'C C Land: The Wonder of Art' re-hang, this spring the National Gallery will present the Carracci cartoons (about 1599) in Room 1. This is a rare chance to see these extraordinary works which, at nearly four metres wide and two metres tall and in the delicate medium of charcoal and white chalk, are not often displayed.
Growing up immersed within a Folk music background in Edinburgh, Kate Young has emerged as one Scotland's most innovative composers and musicians. Her recently released album, Umbelliferæ, is largely inspired by plantlore and the traditional uses of wildflowers from across the UK.
Spanning the gallery's entire ground floor, Everlyn Nicodemus opens on 19 October 2024 until 25 May 2025, and is free for everyone to enjoy. Experience Everlyn's joyful, defiant and searingly honest artworks, with over 80 drawings, collages, paintings and textiles from over 40 years of her career, from 1980 through to the present day.
Showcase Scotland, the music industry event held as part of Celtic Connections in partnership with Innis & Gunn, is celebrating its 25th birthday with a five-day programme at this year's festival. The showcase introduces delegates from around the world to the Scottish music sector and encourages international cultural collaboration.
Thurso Art Gallery (Swanson): Located within Thurso Library, this gallery hosts a year-round program of exhibitions featuring a diverse range of artwork from local artists. You can find drawing, painting, sculpture, crafts, photography, film, multimedia, and digital artwork.
Cocoon is a collaborative textile installation and sharing of work, showcasing work co- created by a group of women in Caithness, in collaboration with artist Laura O'Kane. The exhibition presents a collection of silk scarves designed during the 2024 Caithness Community Artist in Residence programme, led by Lyth Arts Centre (LAC) in partnership with Rape and Sexual Abuse Service Highland (RASASH).
A new report explores a framework for global climate risk management and includes contributions from an actuary at the Government Actuary's Department. Georgi Bedenham, an actuary from the Government Actuary's Department (GAD), is co-author of a new report, Planetary Solvency - finding our balance with nature.
Ability Net and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland have partnered with BT Group to run events across Scotland, supporting communities with information on the forthcoming switch to digital landlines. BT is currently migrating customers to its digital solution and this roll-out will be complete by January 2027.
Thurso RNLI Fundraising Committee AGM.
Teams of 2, 3 or 4.
A buffet night with a difference. Booking Essential..
We have the honour of welcoming the following players. * Adrian Lewis - 2x World Champion * Chris Dobey - World #10, 2023 Masters Champion and current Premier League player * Joe Cullen - World #23, 2022 Masters Champion.
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