Suppliers working in the wedding market are being invited by Highland Registrars to the third annual Wedding Fair. The Highland Wedding Fair will take place on Sunday 15 February 2026 with public access from 11.00am - 3.00pm (suppliers will have access from 9.00am).
The West of Orkney wind farm is a major offshore wind development planned off the north coast of Scotland about 30 km west of Orkney with up to 125 turbines and around 2 GW capacity, enough to generate electricity for roughly two million homes. It had previously secured key planning approvals and offshore consent from the Scottish Government as part of the ScotWind leasing round.
Cities and regions initiative to 'enhance capability, attract investment, and accelerate growth for the benefit of all of Scotland'. Business leaders joined representatives from the UK Government and Scottish local authorities today [Tuesday 20 January] at the launch of a new initiative to boost investment in Scotland's eight cities and its regions.
For decades, forming a limited company has been one of the most popular ways to run a business in the UK. It has offered tax advantages, credibility, and legal protection.
The Consumer Prices Index including owner occupiers' housing costs (CPIH) rose by 3.6% in the 12 months to December 2025, up from 3.5% in the 12 months to November. On a monthly basis, CPIH rose by 0.4% in December 2025, compared with a rise of 0.3% in December 2024.
For many years, forming a limited company was seen as the default route for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and contractors seeking tax efficiency and professional credibility. However, by 2026 the landscape has changed significantly.
Switching from sole trader to limited company is usually driven by profit level, risk, and future plans, rather than by how long you've been trading. When profits become consistently higher.
Minister Murray encourages regions to bid for funding in next wave of the Creative Clusters programme, which has boosted Liverpool's music innovation sector. Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray is in the home of The Beatles to champion a record £500 million funding package for research, development and innovation in the creative industries.
From 21 January 2026, self-employed people and personal employees can apply for Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks through an Umbrella Body. Legislative changes coming into force on 21 January 2026 will allow self-employed individuals and personal employees to apply for Enhanced and Enhanced with Barred List(s) DBS checks for the first time.
Being a sole trader remains the simplest and most common way to run a business in the UK. In 2026, despite changes to tax and regulation, the sole trader model continues to appeal to freelancers, tradespeople, consultants, and small business owners who value flexibility and low administrative burden.
Regulations for Awaab's Law to be introduced in Scotland. New regulations to protect tenants from damp and mould will be laid in the Scottish Parliament.
In response to persistently high household energy costs and long-standing inefficiencies in the UK's housing stock, the UK Government has announced a £15 billion package aimed at reducing energy bills. Rather than acting as a short-term subsidy to cap prices, the policy represents a strategic shift toward permanent bill reduction by cutting the amount of energy households need to use in the first place.
Early estimates for December 2025 indicate that the number of payrolled employees was 30.2 million, which is a fall of 0.6% from December 2024; this is equivalent to 184,000 fewer employees. The largest increase was in the health and social work sector, with a rise of 37,000 employees; the largest decrease was in the wholesale and retail sector, with a fall of 72,000 employees.
Funding for colleges, universities and apprentices now in same place. Legislation to simplify the funding system for post-16 education and skills has been backed by MSPs.
Young engineers to master battlefield-proven technology at Hereford university from September 2026. Aspiring Defence engineers will be fast-tracked to careers in cutting-edge military technology through a new defence-focused undergraduate drone degree.
Producer input prices rose by 0.8% in the year to December 2025, down from a rise of 1.1% in the year to November. Producer output (factory gate) prices rose by 3.4% in the year to December 2025, unchanged from November.
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting. The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.
The UK economy has been falling further behind its former peers but could be on the brink of a turnaround, emphasising the need for the Government to ramp up rather than run-down its economic growth strategy, according to major new Resolution Foundation research published on Monday 19 January 2026. As the Chancellor joins other heads of state at Davos, the report Mountain Climbing takes stock of the UK economy and the scale of the challenge it faces.
President Donald Trump's insistence that the U.S. will acquire Greenland "whether they like it or not" is just the latest chapter in a codependent and often complicated relationship between America and the Arctic's largest island - one that stretches back more than a century but has recently been on the rocks.
The Caithness Area Committee has on Monday 19 January 2026 approved four applications submitted to the Community Regeneration Fund (CRF), securing significant investment to support local projects that will benefit communities across the north. A total of £258,898 has been awarded to initiatives that align with the fund's priorities of increasing community resilience, tackling poverty and inequality, addressing rural depopulation, supporting economic recovery, and contributing to climate action.