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Money and bills
War and the pandemic pushed prices up. That is true. It is also true that political choices left ordinary families with less protection — and added avoidable costs of their own.
1 August 2026 · 10 min read
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14 articles
Money and bills
Your bill is a mix of a property band, your council's rate and Scottish Water charges. Here are the ten things that explain almost everything — followed by the exact sources.
1 Aug 2026 · 9 min read
Money and bills
£12.71 an hour sounds clear. A payslip is not. I have done the tax and National Insurance working for a 37.5-hour week so you can see what reaches the bank.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
They sound almost identical. One is the legal floor an employer must pay. The other is a voluntary rate calculated from what ordinary life actually costs.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
Working more always leaves you with more total money. But the increase can feel painfully small because Universal Credit is reduced as earnings rise.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
The benefit is meant to help with a cheaper local rent. In 2026 it is still using rates fixed from 2024, even though newer rent evidence is higher in most Scottish areas.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
£1,862 is not the most any household can pay. It is an illustration based on typical use. The cap controls the rates, so using more still costs more.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
The news says inflation is down. The supermarket receipt says the weekly shop is still dear. Both can be true at the same time.
1 Aug 2026 · 6 min read
Money and bills
This is not a loan and it is not an advance from Universal Credit. It is a council grant for a low-income person facing an immediate emergency.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
If you get help with rent but there is still a gap, your council has another fund. It can sometimes cover the shortfall, a deposit, rent in advance or moving costs.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
Some help is automatic, some has to be claimed, and the rules change with a child's school year. This is the short version for a busy parent.
1 Aug 2026 · 5 min read
Poverty explained
The most common thing said about poverty is that people should get a job. Most of them already have one.
31 Jul 2026 · 4 min read
Poverty explained
The word gets used loosely. The measure behind it is precise, and knowing it makes every other number on this site readable.
31 Jul 2026 · 5 min read
Money and bills
It does not exist anywhere else in the UK, and some families who are entitled to it have never claimed it.
1 Aug 2026 · 4 min read
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Most people never contact their representatives, and the main reason is not apathy. It is not knowing how it works.
31 Jul 2026 · 4 min read
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