Millions of pensioners will see their DWP State Pension payments arrive early this Christmas. We are about to see three bank holidays where payments from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) won't be made.
Combined fleet of at least 13 warships, bolstered by autonomous systems, will hunt Russian submarines and protect critical infrastructure in the North Atlantic as part of new agreement. UK critical infrastructure will be protected from Russian submarines through a first-of-its-kind defence agreement that will see British and Norwegian navies operating side-by-side in the North Atlantic.
A article at the Guardian on 3 December 2025 points up that changes to the benefits for people with mental health conditions may be going to change. Health secretary has asked experts to investigate whether normal feelings have become ‘over-pathologised'.
A nurse from Caithness is among a group of 18 incredible community nurses to have been awarded the prestigious title of Queen's Nurse. Lesley Campbell, Advanced Practice/ Professional Lead at NHS Highland, was selected earlier this year to take part in a nine-month development programme run by the charity Queen's Nursing Institute Scotland (QNIS).
The NHS in Scotland has not improved in line with commitments made by the Scottish Government, despite having more staff and more money. Health spending in 2024/25 was over £20 billion - a £3 billion real terms increase from 2019 and 25 per cent higher than a decade ago.
Thurso is to benefit from £100m investment in education and community facilities and are rolling out the first phase of public consultations on 9 and 10 December 2025. The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say; this is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.
As it looks to set out its forthcoming priorities, the council is seeking involvement from members of the public, including businesses, community groups, parents, and young people. All their opinions are going to be crucial in deciding how Highland Council will take on its budget challenge for 2026-2027.
The government has launched a formal review into the state pension age. At present, current law sets the UK pension age at 66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028, and then to Why people are discussing "age 70" as a possibility An independent think-tank, Intergenerational Foundation, recommended raising the pension age to 70.
The Highland Council welcomes moves by the Scottish Government to introduce greater flexibility on how it could design a Visitor Levy Scheme for consultation. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 currently provides local authorities with discretionary powers to implement percentage-based levies following statutory consultation.
Environmentally-friendly hydrolysis, also known as water cremation, will be introduced under draft regulations laid in the Scottish Parliament today. The regulations will, if approved, give an option for people interested in alternatives to burial or cremation for the first time in more than a century.
The legality, workability and effectiveness of proposals for government intervention in deer management have been thrown into serious doubt following the release of advice to Scottish Ministers in the wake of a prolonged freedom of information battle. Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the rural business organisation, had to appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner to obtain a copy of a briefing note provided by civil servants in June 2023 to the then Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater MSP, regarding future legislation on deer management.
A project aimed at supporting young carers on the Isle of Skye is one of 16 initiatives across 12 islands to receive funding supporting the ambitions of the National Islands Plan. Six island local authorities - Argyll and Bute, Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar, North Ayrshire, Orkney and Shetland - will share more than £800,000 to fund community led projects which will help to safeguard island economies and address depopulation.
The government has recently taken further action to ease the cost of living having frozen rail fares, prescription fees and uprated the Triple lock. The cost of living is the number one issue for working people and the government will always take action to ensure people have more money coming in.
Eligible employers can apply from today for targeted support with the cost of hiring international displaced social care workers who are already in the UK, impacted by UK Government changes to immigration policy. The industry faces workforce shortages and recruitment challenges after the UK Home Office closed a social care visa route for overseas workers, with statistics showing the number of Health and Care Worker visas for those in a Caring Personal Service Occupation being granted has fallen by 88% in the year to end June 2025.
Ofgem unlocks £28 billion investment to maintain a safe, secure and resilient energy grid and to upgrade and expand capacity to meet growing demands. Energy network companies have been given the green light for multi-billion-pound funding to strengthen the stability, security and resilience of our energy networks.
Is the Office for Budget Responsibility really protecting the UK economy, or enforcing austerity?. I argue that the OBR was designed to remove democratic control over fiscal policy, block investment, and prioritise City interests over public wellbeing.
A plan setting out how Shetland's seas will be managed sustainably to support local communities, protect marine life and tackle climate change has been published today. The Shetland Islands Regional Marine Plan, the first for Scotland, provides a framework for decisions on activities from fish farming to renewable energy up to 12 nautical miles from the coast.
The Scottish Government and Police Scotland could and appear to be preparing for adoption of facial recognition (or at least live-facial-recognition, LFR) in Scotland. But it's not a guaranteed "roll-out everywhere" yet.
Government doubles the number of models available for the top ECG discount. new Renault and MINI models are now eligible for the maximum £3,750 discount, with over 40,000 drivers benefitting from the grant since its launch in July.
Oil in 2026: A Three-Scenario Outlook 1. Base Case — Gradual Softening: Brent around $55-65/barrel In the "most likely" scenario, oil prices drift lower than 2025 but remain relatively stable — a soft landing rather than a crash.
