Scottish Budget: John Swinney says 'difficult decisions' will be required to combat cost-of-living crisis

A new online petition is calling on the UK Government to increase the tax-free Personal Allowance threshold to “help families survive” the ongoing cost of living crisis. The standard Personal Allowance is £12,570, which is the amount of income you do not have to pay tax on.

The UK Government recently announced a series of new cost of living payments to help millions of households across the country mitigate soaring inflation and ever-increasing energy bills. The new cost of living support package is worth £26 billion in 2023-24, in addition to benefits uprating, which is worth £11 billion to working age households and people with disabilities.

Nicola Sturgeon’s Government is poised for a massive £80m overspend on its running costs despite raising taxes and backing cuts.

A warning has been issued that council services are at “absolute breaking point”.

School meals in Dumfries and Galloway are being disrupted by the cost of living crisis and food supply difficulties.

The Scottish Government may have to move out of key properties as part of a downsizing strategy to save money.

Scotland’s Deputy First Minster has said the budget he laid out to parliament on Thursday was “bleak” and the delivery of public services will likely require reform.

The Scottish Government has been accused of failing children by watering down plans for free school meals and leaving thousands hungry over Christmas.

A demand for more funding for council across Scotland to tackle unprecedented budget problems has been publicly backed by Falkirk councillors, after they gave the COSLA Save Our Services campaign unanimous support.

Hollywood icon Jane Fonda has given fans some good news - revealing that her cancer is in remission and she no longer requires chemotherapy. The Grace and Frankie star took to social media to make the announcement on Thursday after she revealed her diagnosis back in September.

John Swinney has hit back at the suggestion Scotland will become a "less attractive" place to live and work following tax rises in the Budget.

Jane Fonda disclosed today that her cancer is in remission and she can discontinue chemotherapy treatment.

A leading health union is calling on the Scottish Government to tackle the current crisis in the nursing workforce ahead of the Budget later today.

As we come to the end of 2022 and head into 2023, can we all make a promise to each other? Let’s all do our best to not sit here and speculate about which actors will be cast in Marvel Studios’ upcoming “Fantastic Four” film. We’ve been doing it for years.

An Ayrshire school has opened up its donation shop early in a bid to keep kids looking their best at the Christmas dances.

When Chadwick Boseman passed away a couple of years ago, there were folks talking about possible replacements for the actor in the role of T’Challa in the “Black Panther” franchise. A name that was brought up for that role, and really any sort of Wakandan role, was John Boyega.

The Scottish Government’s tax decisions will continue to follow its “progressive” model that those with the broadest shoulders should pay more, a minister has said.

Almost half of Scots have had to reduce household spending to try to cope with rising energy bills, research has revealed, with almost one in 10 having made the "heart-breaking" decision to cut back on children's activities.