For years, Scotland’s labour market has been defined by rapid hiring, record vacancies, and employers competing fiercely for talent. That era is fading.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency works with industry to support next generation of mariners. A new rolling review of the UK maritime syllabus has been launched, led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in partnership with industry, to ensure high-quality training that is fit for the future.
Small businesses across Scotland and the wider UK will soon face several important changes to employment law. These changes come from the Employment Rights Act 2025, and they introduce new duties starting on 1 October 2026, 30 October 2026, and 1 January 2027.
While economic headlines often focus on inflation, interest rates and GDP, another set of figures quietly provides one of the clearest pictures of the health of the UK economy - the number of businesses being created and the number disappearing. The latest Office for National Statistics Business Demography report covering April to June 2026 tracks these changes across every major industry and region of the UK.
The announcement of a £14.3 billion takeover of British warehouse developer SEGRO by US logistics giant Prologis is about far more than one corporate deal. It is another sign that warehouses, distribution centres and industrial property have become some of the most valuable assets in the modern economy.
The recent rise in global oil prices has helped deliver a strong boost to BP's latest financial results, underlining a familiar pattern in the energy industry: when crude prices climb, oil producers often benefit long before consumers do. With Brent crude trading at just over $80 a barrel, BP has reported stronger profits than many analysts expected.
More than £4.4 million has been invested in new trench training infrastructure across the Defence Training Estate, enhancing the UK armed forces’ ability to train in realistic and contemporary battlefield environments. Delivered through a partnership between the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), the British Army and Landmarc Support Services, the investment includes new trench systems at Copehill Down Training Village on Salisbury Plain and Eastern European-style trench networks at Eastmere Village within Stanford Training Area (STANTA) in Norfolk.
The oil price is currently trading at just above $80 a barrel, recovering from recent lows as traders continue to weigh growing geopolitical tensions against the prospect of adequate global supplies. While the market remains extremely volatile, several factors are helping to keep prices around the $80 mark for now.
Scotland is facing a housing emergency, yet the latest official figures reveal that the number of new homes being built is moving in the opposite direction to what is needed. The latest statistics from the Scottish Government, reflected in the Office for National Statistics housing data, show that housebuilding declined sharply during 2025.
£20 million up for grabs to develop farm robots and automated systems that can plant, tend and harvest crops. New funding will help develop robots and innovative technologies that can plant, tend and harvest crops, giving farmers a helping hand at busy times of year, Farming Minister Stephen Morgan announced.
The total number of 18-year-olds in Scotland who have secured a place at university this year has increased to 17,920 – a record high for Scottish students on exam results day, up from 17,350 the previous year. This includes a record high in 18-year-olds from Scotland’s most deprived areas securing places at university, up by almost 7% to 2,090 – the highest on record for this stage in the cycle.
Pass rates for National 5, Highers and Advanced Highers have all increased again, including a record number of National 5 passes. Learners have also achieved a record number of vocational and technical qualifications, up by 121% on pre-pandemic levels.
From 17 August 2026, 16-17 Saver railcards will be valid for a full year from the purchase date and will not expire when the holder turns 18. more students aged 16 to 18 to benefit from half-price rail fares from this September, helping them on their commutes to school, college or training.
Britain will be better protected from undersea threats and hundreds of jobs will be secured through a new £135 million contract to maintain and repair Royal Navy torpedo weapons. Around 315 jobs across the UK, including highly skilled engineering roles, sustained by new £135 million contract.
Dstl collaborated with industry and Defence partners to design and implement a rigorous and innovative test of the UK's underwater mine countermeasures. Dstl analysts supported Naval Design Partnering (NDP) and colleagues in the Ministry of Defence’s National Armaments Director Group delivering an innovative exercise for the UK’s Mine Hunting Capability (MHC).
Every New Crypto Theft Raises the Same Question. Every few months another headline appears announcing that millions—or even billions—of pounds worth of cryptocurrency has been stolen.
The Bitcoin network itself has never been successfully hacked in the sense that someone has broken the blockchain's encryption. Instead, the biggest risks have shifted to the places where people store, trade or access their cryptocurrency.
Do you know someone affected by hoarding. An article by Barbara Potter, Kerry Musselbrook caught our attention.
The UK doesn’t have a shortage of people — it has a shortage of qualified tradespeople. Unemployment and trade shortages coexist because the labour market is mismatched: the people who are unemployed often don’t have the skills, training, mobility, or experience needed for plumbing, electrical, or building work.
National Grid has today unveiled a major new commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training over the next five years. National Grid launches a new £5 million fund to help 5,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training get into work.
Grants of up to £20,000 to help farmers and crofters invest in their businesses and modernise operations will open for applications from winter 2026, First Minister John Swinney has announced. At least 725 farming and crofting businesses will share £14.25 million as part of the next round of the Future Farming Investment Scheme.
Oil Prices Fall Again: Why Is Crude Dropping Despite Middle East Tensions And Where Could Prices Go Next?. For many people who heat their homes with oil, drive vehicles, or run energy-intensive businesses, oil prices have been a constant source of concern.
Nine Million Arrivals, Five Million Departures: How Migration Has Changed Britain – And What It Means for Housing and Public Services Britain is approaching a significant milestone. With the UK's population now close to 70 million, the country is larger than at any time in its history.
The latest meeting of the Caithness Committee today 3 August 2026 highlights three issues that continue to shape everyday life in the county. The future of council housing and empty properties.
We're Hiring – Join Our Team at Reid’s Bakery! We’re continuing to grow our team and are looking for motivated, reliable people ready to take on a new challenge. If you’d like to be part of a hardworking, friendly environment where quality and teamwork matter, we’d love to hear from you.
Here at Riverside house care home we are looking to employ a full time domestic assistant to join our team, hours to be worked are 8am-2pm over five days including some weekends. Duties include dusting, hoovering, mopping and sanitizing surfaces in all areas of the home including kitchen areas, bathrooms, living spaces and bedrooms.
They are certainly not as exciting as dolphins, or as awe inspiring as eagles or even wonderful to watch like otters, but they are members of our Highland wildlife suite that are often talked about and they are both fascinating and worrying. They are ticks - animals that are part of the class of arachnids, along with spiders, scorpions, mites, harvestmen (see my blog about these harmless long-legged ones here).
For generations, career advice was relatively straightforward. Train as a teacher, accountant, engineer, nurse, builder or civil servant and you could reasonably expect decades of stable employment.
Police Scotland is urging members of the public to exercise caution following a rise in sophisticated investment fraud. Fraudsters are increasingly targeting individuals through convincing online advertisements, social media campaigns and unsolicited cold calls, often promising high-yield returns with little to no risk.
See poster. Booking required.
Andy Summers, Ranger describes the efforts he and local volunteers have taken recently to help save this species. Oyster plant is one of Scotland’s northern coastal specialists, a species more at home on the cold shores of the North Atlantic and Arctic than further south.
This charming two-bedroom detached cottage is offered for sale with a range of useful outbuildings and approximately 7.5 acres of adjoining land. Ideally situated just a short distance from Wick, the property benefits from uPVC double-glazed windows and doors, external insulation, and oil-fired central heating.
Community groups invited to apply for funding to support projects that reduce waste and promote a circular economy The Highland Council is encouraging community organisations across the region to apply for the latest round of its successful Reuse and Repair Fund, which supports projects that help keep valuable materials and products in use for longer. Grants of between £2,000 and £50,000 are available to support a range of community‑led initiatives that will help people repair, reuse and upcycle materials - reducing waste and supporting a stronger circular economy.
Blargoans Ltd is currently seeking a Recruitment Manager to join our team. Recruitment Manager Opportunity Blargoans Ltd is seeking an enthusiastic, organised and proactive Recruitment Manager to join our busy team.
Must be over the age of 18. Serving tables and serving behind the bar in our Bistro.
For some of you out there this article is old hat so it is really aimed at people who may never have tried some of the old ways to save money and still make nutritious food When food prices are rising, the obvious response is to look for cheaper products. But there is another way to reduce the pressure on the household budget: Make the food you already buy go further.
See poster for all dates..
Care Assistant - Full time Join our compassionate team and make a real difference every day. We’re looking for a warm, reliable, and dedicated Care Assistant to support our residents to live with dignity, comfort, and joy.
Are Britain's Best Companies Being Sold Too Cheaply? And What Happens When the Profits Leave the UK? Hardly a week seems to pass without another well-known British company becoming the target of an overseas takeover. American investment funds.
If the Profits Leave Britain, Does It Make Us Poorer? Every time another British company is bought by an overseas investor, the same question appears. "If the profits go abroad, doesn't Britain become poorer?" It sounds like a simple question.
President Donald Trump has announced new 50% tariffs on around US$20 billion of Canadian imports, marking a major escalation in the trade dispute between the two countries. The tariffs are due to take effect on 19 August 2026 unless there is a negotiated settlement before then.
When President Donald Trump announces a new tariff, the message is usually simple. "Foreign countries will pay." But that is not quite how tariffs work.
Why Trump Keeps Using Tariffs – And Why the Whole World Pays Attention. Whenever President Donald Trump announces a new tariff, the headlines usually focus on the country involved.
Who Owns Britain Now? A Look at Foreign Ownership of UK Businesses and Infrastructure. If you ask people whether Britain is being "sold off", the answers are likely to be passionate.
If you’ve been online lately, you’ve probably seen those ads shouting “Drink THIS every morning to melt belly fat!”. They always feature a mysterious fruit, a glowing mug, and a doctor who looks suspiciously like a stock photo model named Kevin.
This lovely large four-bedroom family home is situated on the main street and is a dream home for an interior design enthusiast, as it is dated throughout and in need of modernisation. The home benefits from Upvc double glazed doors and windows throughout and has an oil-fired central heating system.
For more than 30 years, China seemed unstoppable. Its economy grew at astonishing speed with new cities appeared almost overnight and millions of people moved from the countryside into better-paid jobs.
Every week there seems to be another story about China. Chinese electric cars are becoming cheaper.
Did Scotland's Iron Age brochs form a prehistoric long-distance warning system? In this history documentary, Ashley Cowie joins Iain MacLean of the Caithness Broch Project to investigate an archaeological mystery: four enigmatic Iron Age stone towers hidden across the rugged landscape of northern Scotland. Trekking through the remote Berriedale Strath, they conduct a viewshed analysis to test a compelling archaeological hypothesis: were these monumental brochs deliberately positioned to maintain line-of-sight with one another? Their expedition reveals remarkable evidence that these towering displays of Iron Age architecture may have formed an intentional signaling network, offering new insights into prehistoric engineering, landscape planning, and regional communication..
Here at Riverside house care home we are seeking to employ a part time Laundry Assistant working 20 hours per week worked over four days, hours are two shifts 9am-1pm and two shifts 7am-1pm, for more information or to request an application form email; lynnsmith@riversidehousecarehime.com or call 01955602314.
Care Planning Coordinator Laurandy Centre, Wick Hours: 28 hours per week over 4 days, Tuesday to Friday. We are readvertising this opportunity as we continue our search for the right person to join our friendly team.
The ONS report measures the natural capital of enclosed farmland meaning the economic value of the land, soils, habitats, and ecosystem services produced by fields, hedgerows, and managed agricultural landscapes across the UK. Key points from the report Enclosed farmland covers around a third of the UK’s land area, making it one of the country’s most significant land uses.
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.
The UK Government has announced that children aged 8 and 9 can now use eGates at major UK airports and at international rail terminals. Previously, only travellers aged 10 and over were allowed to use them.
Position: We are seeking a Laboratory Technician to be based at our Thurso campus. Responsibilities: The post holder will provide high quality laboratory technical support for Research & Knowledge Exchange and its commercial, research and teaching activities.
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