Cost of Living

Pay rise for nearly 2 million workers as UK living wage rises by 5%

Nearly 1.8 million people in the UK will receive a pay rise from April 1st, following a 4.9 per cent increase in the National Living Wage.

Scotland Set for 50p Per Unit Minimum Price on Alcoholic Drinks

The Scottish government has backed plans to establish minimum prices per unit on all alcoholic beverages being sold throughout the country.

Scottish Government to Offer Parents £250 Grants as Children Start School January 24, 2019

The Scottish government is set to open up applications for grants worth £250 to parents whose children are about to start school.

Over 200 Scots Expected to Enter Insolvency Each Week in 2019

Scots are expected to be declared insolvent at a rate of around 230 per week over the course of the coming year.

Working Parents ‘Being Pushed into Poverty’

The past five years have seen a “relentless” rise in the number of British parents being pushed into poverty despite being in employment. That’s according to a new report published by the Jos...

Living Outside Big Cities Could Save Scots a Fortune, Say Bank Researchers

Living outside and commuting in and out of Glasgow or Edinburgh could save Scots many thousands of pounds in house price costs over the course of their working lives.

Admin Errors to See Thousands of Disability Benefit Claimants Paid an Average of £5,000

It’s been revealed that the government will pay out an average of £5,000 to claimants of disability benefits who had previously gone underpaid as a result of administrative errors within the Depart...

Scottish Pensioners ‘More Likely to Live in Poverty than Those Elsewhere in the UK’

Pensioners in Scotland are more likely to be living in poverty than their counterparts across the rest of the UK, according to a new set of figures.

Debt Charity Welcomes Government’s ‘Help to Save’ Scheme

A leading debt help charity has welcomed the launch of a government scheme designed to encourage people on low incomes to set money aside on a regular basis and protect themselves against serious fina...

New Parents on Low Incomes in Scotland Set for Benefits Boost

New parents living on low incomes across Scotland can expect to see a boost to the scale of financial support they receive via state benefits in the coming years.

North Ayrshire Takes On Period Poverty by Offering Free Sanitary Products in Public Buildings

North Ayrshire’s local authorities are taking a pioneering stance on period poverty by offering free sanitary products in public buildings across the district.

Parents Urged to Take Advantage of Childcare Voucher Scheme While They Still Can

Parents are being urged to take advantage of the government’s childcare voucher scheme while they still can with the initiative scheduled to be closed to new entrants in early October.