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Britain's housing debate today often appears to be about house prices, mortgages and affordability. But behind the headlines is a much bigger story.

For many people approaching retirement, one question matters more than almost any other: "Will I have enough money to live on?" The answer varies enormously. Some retirees have a secure income, a paid-off home and savings built up over many years.

For generations, rural Scotland was built around families who stayed close to where they were born. People grew up, found work locally, bought or rented a home nearby and raised their own families in the same communities.

For generations, buying a first home was seen as one of the great milestones of adult life. A young person found a job, saved a deposit, took out a mortgage and eventually became a homeowner.

For years, most of us did our banking in one place. Our wages went into one current account, our savings sat in the same bank, the mortgage was arranged there and, if we were lucky, we even had a friendly branch manager who knew our name.

For many people, choosing a savings account comes down to one question. "Which bank is paying the highest interest rate?" That is understandable.

The British Retail consortium reports Footfall was down due to the heat wave in many places. Extreme weather meant shoppers stayed away from their local stores last month, leading to a decline in footfall across all three key retail locations.

Fifteen towns shortlisted for the first UK Town of Culture competition. Shortlisted towns set to receive £60,000 to work on their full bids with the winner announced early next year Shortlist selected from almost 400 applications Fifteen towns have been shortlisted to become the UK’s first Town of Culture, after nearly 400 places from across the country entered the landmark competition.

Courts will be given tougher powers to impose Football Banning Orders (FBOs) in Scotland to include specific offences in an effort to improve the matchday experience and safety at games. It comes as the analysis of a consultation on FBO legislation has published.

Consultation on packaging, appearance and display of tobacco and vaping products. Views are being sought on proposals aimed at restricting the appearance of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products and how they are packaged and displayed in shops in Scotland to make them less enticing to children and young people.

Any incoming administration under Andy Burnham will face immense pressure to address a soaring social security bill. Three landmark reviews the Timms, Milburn, and Mayfield Reviews will shape his welfare strategy.

Millions of calls were likely mishandled over nearly a three-year period, preventing or delaying customers from switching away to a better deal. Investigation uncovers deliberate call-dropping tactics, excessive and unnecessary call transfers and putting customers repeatedly on hold for no reason.

Help Shape Highland's Future with Regeneration Funding The Scottish Government has announced plans to open the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) later this year, creating an exciting opportunity for projects that can make a lasting difference to communities across Highland. The RCGF is a competitive, Scotland-wide fund that supports locally developed regeneration projects.

Caithness is becoming a hotspot for battery‑storage proposals because developers want to sit close to wind generation and transmission lines. But the scale and clustering of these projects pose real risks to the local grid, landscape, planning system, and community confidence.

The USA grid crisis is spilling over into the UK and EU. This is not because our grids are physically connected, but because the same pressures are hitting all Western grids at the same time: explosive data‑centre demand, electrification, ageing infrastructure, and planning systems that cannot keep up.

Barnardo's Highland Services is looking for dedicated, compassionate and motivated individuals to join our Springboard Outreach Service as As and When Outreach Workers, supporting care-experienced young people across the Highland area. This flexible role offers a unique opportunity to walk alongside young people as they transition into adulthood, providing tailored, relationship-based support within their homes, communities and local environments.

Are you ready to take the first step in your career and gain valuable hands-on experience with a supportive local business? Blargoans Limited is offering an exciting opportunity for a Business and Operations Apprentice to join our friendly and hardworking team. This varied role is ideal for someone who is enthusiastic, motivated, and keen to learn how our businesses operate, while gaining practical experience across both Blargoans Ltd and Northern Sands Hotel.

Position: The Environmental Research Institute (ERI) is part of UHI North, West and Hebrides, Thurso, one of the academic partners of UHI. Our mission is to ‘provide dynamic leadership in research, innovation and education that advances understanding and informs management of our natural environment’.

Here at Riverside house care home we are seeking to employ a full time or part time dedicated and enthusiastic Kitchen assistant to join our team. The ideal candidate will play a vital role in supporting the kitchen staff by maintaining cleanliness, washing dishes and adhering to cleaning schedules.

AI, energy, defence and commodities are colliding to reshape the global economy and the effects are already reaching households and businesses in the Highlands. The world economy is shifting from efficiency to constraint and from cheap abundance to strategic competition For three decades the global economy rested on a simple assumption: that supply would adjust, prices would stabilise, and globalisation would smooth out shocks.

The by-election to elect a councillor to represent Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton on The Highland Council has been won by John Murray, Independent who was one of 5 candidates who contested the vacancy. Voters went to the poll (Thursday 25 June 2026) and the by-election count was held Friday morning in Dornoch Academy.

We are looking for a housekeeper who will look after our accommodation with the same care we give our customers. A team player who will be responsible for cleaning guest rooms, public areas and hotel properties in a timely and thorough manner to ensure guest satisfaction.

Job Title: Business Admin Modern Apprenticeship Location: Janetstown Term: Permanent Job Overview JGC are offering an exciting opportunity for a Modern Apprentice to join our Administration team. As a Modern Apprentice you will work towards a SCQF Level 5 or SCQF Level 6 depending on experience and qualifications.

This impressive ‘B Listed’ detached former Church of Scotland Manse, dating from the late 18th to early 19th century, occupies substantial grounds extending to approximately 1.52 acres, enclosed by attractive dry-stone walls, and is complemented by an extensive range of traditional outbuildings. Situated in a delightful setting just a short walk from the village of Canisbay, this attractive property enjoys far-reaching countryside and sea views, with panoramic views across the Pentland Firth towards Orkney.

Beò! 2029, the Inverness-Highland bid for UK City of Culture 2029, has launched an ambassador programme to help champion the bid and build support across the region and beyond. Award-winning folk singer Julie Fowlis and Ivor Novello-nominated singer-songwriter Katie Gregson-MacLeod have become the programme's first ambassadors, lending their support to the only Scottish bid longlisted for UK City of Culture 2029.

A Super a Super El Niño event can significantly raise the risk of commodity price spikes and crop failures, but the impact depends on its strength, location, and how global supply chains respond. Here’s how it works in practice.

Projects supporting people most at risk of social isolation and loneliness have had their funding extended until March 2027. A total of £1.05 million will help 52 organisations provide group and community activities, warm spaces, and opportunities for people to come together for a meal or other activities, aimed at older people, carers, disabled people and young parents.

This spacious three-bedroom first-floor flat occupies a superb coastal position, boasting impressive views across Thurso Beach, Thurso East, the Pentland Firth, Dunnet, Scrabster and Orkney. Formerly two separate one-bedroom flats, the property offers excellent potential for landlords or those exploring the Airbnb market.

The cost‑of‑living pressures coming toward 2027 — rising rents, mortgage resets, council tax increases, higher import prices, and energy costs that refuse to fall — are structural. You can’t control them, but you can control your exposure to them.

cotland enters the second half of the decade with inflation finally stabilising, but the cost of living remains stubbornly high. Prices are no longer rising at crisis levels, yet they are not falling either — and for many households, especially renters and mortgaged families, the financial pressure is still intense.

This report is the final output of the Scottish Rural Communities Policy Review. It brings together the evidence collected during the project & provides options & practical recommendations for the roles and delivery of Community Led Local Development, Scottish Rural Network and Scottish Rural Action.

WE ARE HIRING Receptionist/Administrator - Thurso Office (Full-Time) Are you welcoming, highly organised, and confident in a fast-paced environment? This could be your next move. As the face and voice of out Thurso office, you'll be the first point of contact for our clients - creating a professional, friendly, and lasting first impression.

Click over to the Caithness show Facebook page for lots of details. You can now buy early tickets online to avoid queues etc.

In times of uncertainty, savers may want to keep cash close, but with over 200 easy-access accounts beating inflation, leaving money in low-paying accounts is costly. Time to move your money out of low interest accounts.

Position: We are seeking a proactive and detail‑driven Quality Officer to play a central role in upholding UHI North, West and Hebrides’ commitment to excellence. This position is critical to maintaining and enhancing the high-quality learning experience we deliver across the college and will be based at our UHI North, West and Hebrides campuses in Fort William or Thurso.

Postal vote packs for the Ward 4 East Sutherland and Edderton by-election were posted posted out last Friday. The Highland Council is advising postal voters to read the instructions carefully when completing their statement and ballot paper to ensure their vote counts.