AI is no longer a distant concept drifting in from Silicon Valley. It is already reshaping Scotland’s financial‑services sector.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz is not just another geopolitical shock. It is the beginning of a physical supply crisis that could transform the British economy and everyday life.
Long-term immigration is where an individual moves to the UK for 12 months or more. Long-term emigration is where an individual leaves the UK for 12 months or more.
NEWLY REDUCED PRICE A unique chance to acquire this B Listed former Granary, steeped in history and dating back to the 18th century. Planning permission was previously granted for conversion into a family home, highlighting the property's exciting residential potential.
Scotland is heading into one of the toughest financial squeezes since devolution. The warning lights are flashing brightest in places like Caithness and the Highlands, where services are already stretched to breaking point.
The Highland Council’s performance for homeless households has improved significantly over the past four years, while the national average has continued to rise over the same period. This sustained focus on improvement was acknowledged by the Scottish Housing Regulator at an engagement meeting in early 2026.
First Minister of Scotland John Swinney has appointed his new Cabinet, unveiling a streamlined team of Cabinet Secretaries to deliver on the things that matter most to the people of Scotland. Comprising eight Cabinet Secretaries, including the Deputy First Minister, the First Minister has said his Cabinet will focus on the priorities of the people, including supporting people through the cost of living crisis, ensuring easier access to the NHS and delivering a fresh start with independence.
Responding to the Government’s announcement on fuel duty today, Jonny Marshall, Principal Economist at the Resolution Foundation, said,"The best that can be said of today’s announcement is that the Chancellor’s has wisely ignored calls for an expensive blanket cancellation of the temporary 5p cut to fuel duty. “Nonetheless, even this modest extension will cost £210 million this year.
Highland Council strengthens Net Zero progress with improved reporting and funding commitments Members of Highland Council’s Climate Change Committee today welcomed progress in delivering the Council’s Net Zero Programme, with new measures to improve carbon reporting, strengthen investment decisions, and secure funding for projects across the Highlands. Taken together, these measures reflect a wider shift towards a more coordinated, programme-led approach to climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience, following the direction agreed by Council in March 2026.
Following today’s deadline for nominations the nnmbers are in. The Highland Council can confirm the details of the 5 candidates that are standing in the Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton By-election.
At today’s meeting of Highland Council’s Communities and Place Committee, Members approved a long-term approach to weed control that will reduce reliance on chemical herbicides, while maintaining safe, accessible public spaces and protecting biodiversity. The new Integrated Weed Control Strategy and Action Plan builds on the Council’s partial ban on glyphosate-based products in playgrounds, schools and sports facilities, which was introduced in 2019.
Highland Council approves new engagement strategy to put communities at the heart of decision-making A new Participation and Engagement Strategy developed to encourage community involvement in service design and priority planning is set to be implemented by Highland Council following extensive public consultation. The strategy incorporates feedback from residents and community groups, focused on the importance of improving transparency, accessibility and feedback.
A Dstl project has revolutionised training delivery across the Royal Air Force, strengthening Britain's air combat capability and operational readiness. Through pioneering neuroscience based training methods, the Developing Education Learning and Training Advances (DELTA) project reached over 1,200 Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel and industry technicians responsible for operating and maintaining the Typhoon platform - a cornerstone of UK air defence.
Wes Streeting is reportedly arguing that Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rates should be brought into line with income tax rates as part of his emerging leadership platform. Under the idea, someone paying 40% or 45% income tax could also pay similar rates on gains from shares, property investments, or business sales rather than today’s generally lower CGT rates.
The Highland Council has successfully completed phases one and two of new modular “park-style” homes at the Gypsy/Traveller site at Longman Park, Inverness. Funded primarily through the Scottish Government’s Gypsy/Traveller Accommodation Fund, more than £7 million has been invested to upgrade and future-proof accommodation and site facilities.
SilentGlass is a plug-and-play cyber security device developed by NCSC and commercialised with support from GOTT, now licensed to a UK firm for global use. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), is the UK’s National Technical Authority on cyber security.
Chancellor to announce ‘Great British Summer Savings’ - a UK wide scheme to help families enjoy this summer. Free bus travel for children throughout August, helping families across England get out and explore Scotland already has free bus travel for children and young people (see lower down this page).
The Scottish housing market is currently defined by a striking contrast between national resilience and extreme regional fragmentation. On a macroeconomic level, Scotland continues to display steady, incremental growth despite broader economic headwinds.
Consumer watchdogs to gain new investigatory powers. Chancellor introduces tougher measures to protect people from unjustified price hikes Consumer watchdogs to gain new rapid investigatory powers to target firms taking advantage of crises to unfairly raise costs.
The Government has announced a support package for motorists. Costs lower for millions of drivers as government holds pump prices down, extending the 5p fuel duty cut until the end of year Hauliers get a 12-month road tax holiday saving up to £912 per vehicle, red diesel slashed to its lowest rate in over 20 years until the end of the year Chancellor keeps taxes down for drivers after strong growth at the start of the year, showing government has right economic plan.
first Great British Railways-branded train unveiled as Britain’s biggest train operator’s services are nationalised. Union Jack livery and branding will begin rolling out gradually across England’s rail network once GTR transfers, more than 11,000 services that GBR will ultimately be responsible for will run each weekday.
If you want to understand whether the UK grid can cope with the surge in electric vehicles, don’t start in London or Birmingham. Start in Caithness, where the limits of the energy transition are already visible in the cables, substations, and single‑track roads that hold the region together.
If you’re over 50 and living in the Highlands, there’s finally some good news on the travel front — and it comes straight down the line. ScotRail’s latest Club 50 rail offer has arrived, and it’s one of the most cheerful bits of transport news we’ve had in a while.
Wages and GDP to see boost as UK and Gulf strike historic multi-billion-pound trade deal. Deal could boost the UK economy by an estimated £3.7 billion every year and increase wages by £1.9 billion annually in the long run.
The UK Government has announced plans to change the Fit Note system in England, including shifting responsibility away from GPs and potentially introducing new assessment hubs. But here’s the key point for Caithness and the Highlands.
Chancellor announces further reforms on judicial review of major infrastructure projects. The Chancellor is expected to announce sweeping reforms that will give Parliament the authority to approve critical energy schemes and better protect infrastructure projects from judicial review.
Bill introduced to Parliament this week will unlock growth and investment across the country and boost protections for consumers. Wider access to credit unions for consumers, simplifying regulation and reducing the number of regulators are some of the changes being brought forward.
Blargoans Ltd have a fixed term contract opportunity for a Commercial Analyst to work within our client’s facility in Caithness. https://blargoans.com/jobs/commercial-analyst/ Closing date for CV applications will be on Wednesday 27 May 2026 at 12 Noon To apply: email your CV to recruitment@blargoans.com and specifying the reference BL34343.
Relief Support Worker – Caithness Mikeysline Mikeysline is a Highland, Islands and Moray–based mental health awareness and suicide prevention charity, established in 2015. We provide support to both adults and young people through evening text-based services and one-to-one sessions (face to face, telephone or online) within our ‘Hive’ support spaces.
The latest ONS labour‑market release, published today, confirms what many employers and jobseekers across the Highlands have sensed for months. The UK jobs market is cooling, vacancies are shrinking, and the slowdown is no longer confined to a few fragile sectors.
Over recent months, YouTube has been flooded with adverts promising “free satellite internet”, “government‑funded broadband kits”, or even “Starlink free for life”. These ads are slick, professionally voiced, and often dressed up to look like genuine technology news.
Your free PressReader access through High Life Highland is far more powerful for magazines and newspapers than either Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited. If your main interest is magazines, PressReader is the heavyweight — Prime Reading is tiny by comparison, and Kindle Unlimited is somewhere in the middle.
Royal Burgh of Wick Community Council (RBWCC) AGM Monday 1st June 7pm in the Mowat Room at Wick Assembly Rooms. All Welcome..
Come and enjoy the stalls, the entertainment and support the local shops, too!.
See poster..
Stores Person – Wick Factory imenco.com Imenco Future Technologies is an innovation-driven company specialising in high quality vision systems, subsea sensors and acoustic solutions. We collaborate closely with our customer partners in the offshore energy, defence, and maritime sectors to solve their unique operational challenges by applying core technical knowledge in optics, sound propagation and AI enabled electronic systems.
Keeping the Light On, James Miller's latest book is an expression of hope that good sense will prevail. Join Jim as he discusses the book with Jamie Stone MP.
Even as the calendar insists it is May, the Highlands often disagree. A stiff northerly wind sweeps across Caithness, the haar rolls in from the sea, and the thermometer hovers stubbornly in the single digits.
A vacancy has arisen for the election of a Councillor to represent Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton following the resignation of Jim McGillivray. Ward 4 is a 3-member ward.
Immediate start for for a Kitchen Assistant/Porter. You’ll be the hero behind the scenes – keeping everything clean, organised, and helping the kitchen run like clockwork.
A college + university like no other. With 19 campuses and centres across the North and West Highlands, Skye, and Outer Hebrides, we cover a geographic area larger than Wales, comprising 40% of Scotland’s coastline.
👨🏻🍳 WE ARE LOOKING FOR A CAFE COOK 👩🏻🍳 We are looking for a cook for our busy bakery café. executing our light menu that showcases all of our homemade traditionally baked items with fresh products.
The National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations is a funding programme for artistic, creative and cultural organisations based in Scotland. You can apply for grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 to support creative activity that runs for up to 18 months.
Full time counter assistant at north coast butchers. Hours negotiable.
A spacious 4 bedroom semi-detached house with garage and off road parking, situated in the popular Mount Vernon area of Thurso. Within walking distance of the town centre, the property benefits from easy access to the amenities, services, and transport links expected of a bustling Highland town.
About Us Norscot is a leading manufacturer of high-quality windows, doors, and conservatories in a variety of materials including uPVC, Timber and AluWood. Renowned for superior quality products and customer service, we are committed to delivering exceptional products that meet the needs of both residential and commercial customers.
CLFC summer sessions' We are delighted to be able to offer free taster sessions for girls between the age of 4 and 12 this summer (see poster attached). Please complete the form in the below link and email back to caithnessladiesfc@gmail.com .
A date for your diaries - Sunday 14th June. Yarrows Heritage has been renovating the Yarrows Trail - new signage, information boards, leaflets, waymarker posts, etc.
Care Planning Coordinator – Laurandy Centre Wick The Laurandy Centre is recruiting an experienced Care Planning Coordinator to join our team. The Laurandy Centre is a registered day support service for older people, delivered by a respected third sector organisation and funded as a commissioned service by the NHS.
A & D Sutherland Ltd have vacancies for General labourers. Please apply including your CV to: mark@caithnessflagstone.co.uk.
This immaculately presented four-bedroom semi-detached property is ideally situated in the heart of the town, offering generous living space and excellent convenience to local amenities and East Caithness Community Campus. A standout feature of the home is the stunning conservatory, providing a bright and relaxing space overlooking the beautifully maintained garden, perfect for both everyday living and entertaining.
Blargoans Ltd have 12-month contract opportunity for a Senior Administrator to work within our client’s facility in Caithness. Key responsibilities will include Manage vetting, aftercare and the Automated Access Control System (AACS), providing expert oversight and reporting.
The Pentland Hotel, Thurso, is one of three hotels in The Caithness Collection, an established family hotel business, with over 35 years of hospitality experience. The hotel has 42 rooms, which caters for tour buses from April to October, we have a strong local client following allowing us to stay open all year round.
The UK is entering a new phase in its energy story—one defined not by choice, but by necessity. Across the country, more wind farms, battery storage sites, substations and power lines are being proposed, approved and built.
See poster.
Job Description As a Catering Assistant, you'll be part of a dynamic, fast-paced team, contributing to a positive and friendly work environment. The role offers numerous opportunities for growth within a company that values individuality and invests in its employees.
This beautiful bright and modern two-bedroom property is an ideal purchase for a first-time-buyer. Sitting in a really quiet area of the town and somewhat hidden, with being set back from the street, with a view onto the beautiful Central Church building.
The aviation industry is entering a period of renewed uncertainty. The collapse of Spirit Airlines has raised serious questions about the stability of low-cost air travel, especially as fuel prices and operating costs continue to rise globally.
See poster for details Scan to book..
For the first time in modern history, Britain’s life expectancy curve has flattened. The Office for National Statistics confirms that the average Briton is living longer in years but shorter in health.
A Highland Council by-election is being held for Ward 4 – East Sutherland and Edderton following the resignation of Councillor Jim McGillivray. The Notice of Election and timetable for this election will be published on the Council’s website on Thursday 14 May 2026.
A college + university like no other With 19 campuses and centres across the North and West Highlands, Skye, and Outer Hebrides, we cover a geographic area larger than Wales, comprising 40% of Scotland’s coastline. Our campuses and centres are located within historic towns and villages, set amongst the shorelines, mountains, and moors, with local staff working across our region to support our students and communities. Position: We are seeking a Lecturer – Higher Physics SCQF 6 , to be based at any of our NWH college campuses.
Senior Support Worker 16 hrs per week £15:50 ph. Key Responsibilities * Work Closely With Management team to ensure smooth running of service.
An excellent opportunity to acquire this two-bedroom end-terraced home, offering generous living space and outstanding potential in a convenient and well-connected location. Requiring full renovation throughout, the property presents a blank canvas for buyers looking to create a bespoke home tailored to their own style and needs.
About Us BBM Solicitors Ltd is a boutique Scottish law firm committed to delivering exceptional legal services, guided by our core values of Quality, Service, and Trust. The Role We are seeking a confident, organised, and proactive Administration Assistant to join our team in Wick.
An opportunity for rural communities to apply for funding to support their projects is now open. The Highland Local Action Group (LAG) is inviting organisations to apply for grants up to £10,000.
RDI Renewables Ltd is looking for an organised, proactive Administrator to join our friendly team in Thurso. We’re a dynamic, forward-thinking company specialising in renewable energy solutions across Caithness and Sutherland – and we’re looking for someone who shares our commitment to quality work and excellent customer service.
We are looking for a cook for our busy bakery café. Executing our light menu that showcases all of our homemade traditionally baked goods with fresh products.
Specsavers in Wick are looking for an enthusiastic person to join our store due to continued growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, hard-working team.
Caithness Forums
What's On in Caithness
Property For Sale
Property For Rent
Sutherland Property
Planning Notices
Who Is Building?
Submit Your Details
Other Enquiries
