A new funding stream for the independent museums sector to help bolster resilience following the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been announced by Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop. The £4 million Museums Resilience and Recovery Fund will provide support for Scotland's museums and galleries and will be administered by Museums Galleries Scotland (MGS).
Immediate changes to help those who urgently require a passport to travel. The necessary public health measures taken to suppress the spread of COVID-19 have had an impact on provision of passport services.
Supporting people to move towards and maintain a healthier weight may reduce the serious effects of COVID-19 on the population, PHE report finds. Being obese or excessively overweight increases the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, a new Public Health England (PHE) report confirms.
Public health measures lifted for more travellers. Travellers from an additional five countries will no longer need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival in Scotland.
Today's ONS retail statistics for June show retail sales up 1.5% YOY - but ParcelHero warns stores not to celebrate yet: 31.8% of those sales were made online. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) retail sales figures for June showed sales soared by over 13% compared to May, to reach near-normal levels.
The Highland Council announced on Thursday 23 July 2020 additional materials will start to be accepted at many of the Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) across the region and some opening times extended as part of the planned phased reopening. Wood and scrap metal have now been added to the range of items that are accepted at the majority of facilities where the layout and size of the site allows.
People whose circumstances have changed in the last year or who have received a letter to reconfirm their income details must contact HMRC before 31 July 2020. Tax credits customers have just one week left to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) about changes to their circumstances or income before the deadline on 31 July 2020.
Prospective puppy and kitten owners warned of risks of being ‘Petfished' when buying a pet online following lockdown demand surge. Vets, charities and animal-loving celebrities have joined forces with a government campaign to warn against unknowingly buying puppies, kittens, cats and dogs from unscrupulous sellers amid a rise in demand for pets since lockdown.
Funding of £50 million will be ring-fenced for the recruitment of approximately 850 extra teachers and around 200 additional support staff as local authorities plan for the re-opening of schools. Addressing Parliament, Education Secretary John Swinney also pledged that £20 million will be allocated to help councils with additional costs associated with new health protection measures, school transport, enhanced cleaning and other essential logistical issues.
People who have been advised to shield because of Covid-19, will no longer have to do so from 1 August. Those affected will receive a letter from the Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith outlining updated guidance as well as the pause in shielding, which is possible due to the continuing low levels of Covid-19 infection in Scotland.
From the Office For Budget Responsibility. The budget deficit continues to rise sharply.
President Trump picked an international fight over cheap e-commerce imports into the USA last year. For some companies using the US Postal Service for final delivery, this means the cost has gone up by over 100%.
Last year the FCA announced that overdraft fee regulations would change in April 2020. Complex overdraft fees and the variance of fee structure amongst banks made it difficult for consumers to calculate the true cost of an overdraft and compare offers.
David Phillips writing for the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The UK Government is spending big on supporting public services and the economy through the COVID-19 recovery and beyond.
Among the tens and hundreds of billions of pounds the government has been spending to support the economy in the midst of the current crisis, you might have missed the odd £17 billion that it is planning to shell out to rectify a major cock-up. This particular cock-up relates to reforms to the pensions provided to public sector employees.
When it comes to electricity and gas, consumers in many countries choose between a wide range of tariffs. In the UK there are hundreds of options from scores of suppliers, varying up to 30% in price.
New helpline will provide round the clock service. All health and social care workers in Scotland will now have access to mental health support 24 hours a day, seven days a week through a new national helpline.
This report from the Fraser of Allender Institute was published on 17th July 2020. This update provides a snapshot of new data on the Scottish economy and households.
The Highland Council today announced the completion of the purchase of the South Tower of Inverness Castle, following the move of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to the new Inverness Justice Centre in the city earlier this spring. With the entire Castle now in the ownership of The Highland Council, the project to transform the building to become a visitor attraction is ready to progress to the next stage.
