As February nears, there are a number of important changes and dates that people across Glasgow should keep note of.
January brought with it a number of rule changes, including the introduction of body cameras for driving instructors - which came into force on January 25 in a bid to tackle the issue of abuse which is said to be increasing, according to the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency).
But with a new month ahead of us, comes new changes. So what dates should you be aware of? Here is what you need to know.
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Scottish Government £50 heating payment
The Scottish Government introduced a new heating benefit that should help around 400,000 households who have a low income, and giving them a guaranteed £50 payment towards their energy bills.
The Winter Heating Payment will be administered by Social Security Scotland and replaces the £25 Cold Weather Payment - delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Households on certain benefits will be eligible for the extra payment if they were in receipt of the benefit during the qualifying week between November 7 and November 13, 2022.
These include:
- Universal Credit
- Pension Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Support for Mortgage Interest
- Qualifying benefits and requirements
Payments are set to be made from February, although no specific dates have been announced. If you are eligible, you will receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before they make the payment. Payments will appear in bank accounts with the code ‘WHP’ which stands for Winter Heating Payment.
MyGov.scot say that "most eligible clients will receive this payment automatically." You can read more about it on their website.
Strikes affecting travellers and goods entering the UK
Travellers who are entering the UK during the first days of February may face longer wait times at border control, with the government warning passengers to check the latest advice before travelling. They also recommend asking your airline and tour operator if they will be impacted and to plan ahead.
According to Gov.uk, strikes will take place across two days on February 1 and February 2, with multiple factors set to affect how fast things move such as an increase in passenger numbers, flight delays and flight bunching.
Proposed strike action will impact international arrivals at all UK air and maritime ports as well as those travelling to the UK from UK border controls in Calais, Dunkirk and Coquelles.
They explain: "Our number one priority is to keep our borders safe and secure, and we will never compromise on this.
"Military personnel, civil servants and volunteers from across government are being trained to support Border Force at airports and ports across the UK in the event of potential strike action. Border Force are ready to deploy resource to meet critical demand and support the flow of travellers and goods through the border, however those entering the UK should be prepared for potential disruption.
"Border Force and industry work together very closely at a local and national level to agree plans for pressures while keeping the public safe and ensuring critical goods such as medicines and food can continue to flow across the border."
They add: "Hauliers who are moving goods during the proposed strike action should be prepared for potential disruption and longer queues at ports and inland border facilities.
"Please check with your operator before travelling, be prepared for delays and carefully plan your movements if they coincide with days of strike action."
Train strikes
From February 1 until the 3rd, train drivers from union Aslef and RMT will walk out as part of an ongoing industrial dispute.
The companies affected by these strikes include the likes of Avanti West Coast as well as TransPennine Express.
Discussing the strikes on their website., Scotrail however have stressed that the "upcoming strike action by rail union, ASLEF, on 1 and 3 February, doesn’t involve ScotRail drivers and our services will not be affected."
In an announcement on their website the union says: "ASLEF has rejected a proposal – that was not the result of negotiation, despite this trade union making itself available more often than the other side for talks – made by the cartel [put in place on behalf of a government which has been shown to be interfering in the talks] representing some of the train operating companies in Britain, and announced new strike dates on Wednesday 1 and Friday 3 February."
If you want to join striking ASLEF members on a picket line and show your support, you can attend the following Scottish locations:
- Glasgow Central Station
Location: Gordon Street, G1 3SL
Time: 8am - 12pm
- Polmadie Rail Depot
Location: 109 Polmadie Road, Glasgow, G5 0BA
Time: 8am - 12pm
- Edinburgh Waverly
Location: Waverley Bridge, EH1 1BQ
Time: 9am - 12pm
Teacher strikes
More strikes are set to happen for teachers across Scotland, including areas near Glasgow.
Across four dates from February 1 until February 6, different local authorities in Scotland will be on strike with teachers in South Lanarkshire going on strike this Friday.
The dates, and areas, are as follows:
- Wednesday February 1: Clackmannanshire and Aberdeen
- Thursday February 2: Dundee and Argyll and Bute
- Friday February 3: South Lanarkshire and Western Isles
- Monday February 6: Inverclyde and Shetland
As recently reported by Glasgow Live, there is also another day during this month, February 28, of national action. However it is unclear how schools will be affected by this. A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “The council appreciates the concerns that some parents will have. However the situation is beyond its control, as pay negotiations take place at a national level.”
Warm Home Discount Scheme deadline warning
Scottish households have been warned that they should act fast if they want to claim the Warm Home Discount Scheme to help them with their bills with the February 28 deadline approaching.
The way the scheme works is that rather than the money being paid directly into your bank account, a £150 rebate is applied to your electricity bill between October and March, and if you're on a prepay meter, you will likely be sent a top-up voucher.
If you received one of the following benefits, this is the criteria you need to meet in order to qualify for the Warm Home Discount scheme:
Child tax credit
- Your annual income is £17,005 or less and you have parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who usually lives with you
- OR Your child tax credit has a disability element
- OR You get a disabled child premium
Housing benefit, Income support, Income-based jobseeker's allowance, Income-related employment and support allowance (with a support component or member of the work-related activity group)
You have parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who usually lives with you
OR you get either child tax credit with a disability element, a disabled child premium, a disability premium or a pensioner premium
Universal Credit
You earned £1,418 or less in at least one assessment period since October 2021 and you have parental responsibility for a child under the age of five who usually lives with you
OR you have 'limited capability for work' or 'limited capability for work and work-related activity'
OR your universal credit has a disabled child element
Your letter will say if you need to call a helpline by February 28, 2023 to confirm your details. However if you are eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill by March 31, 2023.
Applications are open now but only for some companies. You can see the list of who is open and which companies are closed on the MSE website.
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