Latest news with #Lanarkshire
Daily Record
21 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Record
New online Pay As You Earn service helps people take control of tax affairs
The service will make it simpler and easier to check and update their income, allowances, reliefs and expenses. Lanarkshire workers can take control of their tax affairs as the government announced a new online Pay As You Earn (PAYE) service as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) sets out more than 50 measures to transform the UK's tax and customs system. The service for all PAYE taxpayers will make it simpler and easier to check and update their income, allowances, reliefs and expenses, and will be available via their Personal Tax Account or through the HMRC app. This service forms part of HMRC's Transformation Roadmap that sets out ambitious plans to become a digital first organisation by 2030, with 90 per cent of customer interactions taking place digitally. The roadmap sets out more than 50 IT projects, services and measures that, once delivered, will transform the UK's tax and customs systems, simplifying processes and making it easier to pay the tax that funds public services and deliver the government's Plan for Change. The plans to modernise the tax and customs system, introduce new AI technologies and work with third parties and intermediaries will make it easier for taxpayers, businesses and intermediaries to interact with HMRC. The digital first approach will see HMRC automating tax wherever possible and offering new digital self-serve options across a number of tax regimes. Alongside the new PAYE service, HMRC will save £50 million a year by moving customer letters and reminders to a digital first approach, reducing the reliance on paper correspondence, by the 2028 to 2029 tax year. Paper post provision will remain for critical correspondence and for the digitally excluded. Increasing the use and investment in AI will enable customers to meet their tax obligations and allow HMRC to monitor the tax system in near real time. HMRC plans to introduce AI in work areas including: HMRC advisers and caseworkers: using AI capability to automate call summaries and the use of internal GenAI Chat Assistants to support them in their work. Digital assistants: developing new AI-powered features to help customers easily navigate HMRC services and improve the ability to update HMRC's content and guidance on Compliance: delivering an automatic document identifier system for HMRC caseworkers to identify fraudulent documents during compliance activities by using a biometric likeness-liveness check. James Murray MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: "We are going further and faster to make HMRC fit for the 21st century, including delivering a simpler and easier system for all PAYE workers. "By 2030, taxpayers can expect a modern and innovative HMRC with cutting-edge AI, industry-leading customer service practices, and a laser focus on delivering taxpayer value for money by ensuring everyone pays their fair share."
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Motherwell striker hopes injury nightmare is behind him
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos wants his goal against Morton to be the start of a new chapter Apostolos Stamatelopoulos hopes his first goal in seven months means he can put last season's injury nightmare behind him. The Australian striker had barely set foot in Lanarkshire before tearing a thigh muscle in his first start, a 2-1 defeat against Rangers at Hampden, then scored in a 2-2 Fir Park draw against the Ibrox club in December, and then suffered a calf injury. As he was staging a comeback from those injuries, Stamatelopoulos fractured a wrist in a freak training accident in March that ended his season. So netting the opener in Tuesday night's 3-0 win over Morton to win Premier Sports Cup Group G and qualify for the last-16 was a major relief for the 26-year-old from Adelaide. The striker showed predatory instinct to bundle the ball in after Morton keeper James Storer had superbly parried Johnny Koutroumbis' netbound volley, his first goal since December 29. He said: 'Being out for seven months, it was a tough time. From game to game it has been a while, and it's the first time that has happened in my career, so it's taken a bit of adjusting to get back to that. 'It has definitely been tough. I mean, the whole of last season, I would have said, was pretty tough. 'There was a little bit of a run of games where I thought OK, I'm starting to feel like myself again, and then I got injured again. 'The broken wrist was in training, just a freak accident, really. We were playing small-sided games, one of the boys took a shot and hit me from like a metre away, and it shattered. It was just unlucky. 'I'm just putting it behind me and looking forward to playing games week in, week out, and scoring goals. 'It's good that I've got a full pre-season now under my belt and I feel confident in my body. 'I've still got a long, long way to go, but I'm getting there and I'm looking forward to the season. 'I mean, no-one's really going to remember in six months' time how the goal went in. 'Once that went in, it was just like a massive relief after so long.' Stamatelopoulos' next forays are likely to be in a friendly against Hertha Berlin at Fir Park on Friday night, before they host Rangers in their Premiership opener on August 2. He said: 'Getting my first one, and thankfully it happened before the season started, means I'm definitely looking forward to the next two games. 'They'll be tough, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. 'I feel like my movement was decent, I could be a little bit sharper, but that's what I live for in the box. 'There were a few times where I gambled the wrong way, and I had made a different run, I would have had another couple of tap-ins. 'It's just finding that partnership with team-mates, knowing what they want to do in certain situations, and then more goals will come, for sure. 'Hopefully by the time the season comes I'm ready to go. I mean, that was my first time I played 90, so I started cramping towards the end, but the body's getting there. 'Every single time I had an injury, I was just taking each day as it comes. Like I'll do this season, every day as it comes, each match as it comes, and go from there.'
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Hamilton Accies remain in the dark over transfer embargo as SPFL refuse to offer clarity
The Lanarkshire outfit are still unable to sign players as the new season approaches and the club insist they don't know when the ban will be lifted The SPFL have declined to comment on Hamilton Accies' ongoing transfer embargo, as the club charges towards the start of the new League One campaign. Accies - who were hit with a transfer embargo at the start of last season after late payments were made to players due to what the club called 'a banking error' - were relegated from the Championship last season after a 15-point deduction was imposed by the SPFL in the final few weeks of the campaign. The club was punished for breaching 'multiple' SPFL rules, including a charge relating to "a failure to notify the SPFL of remuneration defaults in respect of six players and a failure to act with the utmost good faith in its representations to the SPFL regarding the lifting of a transfer embargo after previous remuneration and tax defaults." Other charges related to membership criteria and incorrect information regarding stadium ownership, while the club was also fined £9,000. An appeal to the SFA on all charges was kicked out in May. Accies have since moved out of their hometown, leaving New Douglas Park after a fallout with the stadium owners and agreeing a two-year lease at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld to play home matches. But their woes are far from over as the club is still unable to sign players with their League One opener at home to Montrose just over a week away. Under SPFL rules, a transfer embargo is automatically imposed when a club fails to pay its players or taxes on time. Lanarkshire Live Sport contacted the SPFL to determine how long the transfer embargo is in place for, but they declined to comment on Hamilton's situation. Hamilton Accies themselves insist they are in the dark on an exact timeline but Accies boss John Rankin stated last week he hoped the ban would be lifted by this week. Last month, Accies agreed deals in principle to sign defender Ricki Lamie, forward Matty Yates and defender Aaron Comrie but none have come to fruition yet. Lamie featured as a trialist in recent Premier Sports Cup games against Stirling Albion and Hearts, while former Airdrie midfielder Charlie Telfer has also featured as a trialist. On July 16, Rankin said: 'We can't bring any signings in. You've seen trialists in the last two games, we'll see how the situation develops over the next week to 10 days. Hopefully we can get bodies in after that." Accies continue their Premier Sports Cup campaign tonight away to Dunfermline and then host Dumbarton at Broadwood on Saturday.
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
Lanarkshire business wins NHS Scotland contract for stoma care product with help from Business Gateway
A Lanarkshire business has secured a vital NHS Scotland contract for its innovative stoma bag accompaniment after the business owner received support from Business Gateway. Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Confidence Plus Ltd was founded in East Kilbride in 2019 by Anne Inch and Lisa Crombie, who created ConfiPlus Stoma Pockets. The product first went on sale in the UK in December 2020. ConfiPlus Stoma Pockets are a discrete and easy-to-use stoma bag accompaniment designed to contain leakage and reduce worry and discomfort. Suitable for use with most stoma bags, the product helps minimise both the physical and mental impact of stoma care. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad By improving comfort, security and dignity, ConfiPlus Stoma Pockets empower users to regain their independence and enjoy greater freedom in everyday life. Lanarkshire business wins NHS Scotland contract for stoma care product with help from Business Gateway The product was created by an ostomate, Anne Inch, for her late husband Iain, who had an Ileostomy (the surgical procedure that creates a stoma) and suffered from constant leakage during frequent stays in the hospital. Anne wanted to find a new way to contain leakage and reduce the impact of the stoma. The first version was made on her sewing machine and she then went on to make more for other patients in her husband's ward after being encouraged by the nurses who saw the impact it had on Iain. The products are now made by a medical device manufacturer in the UK and the team has had support from the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre working in partnership Heriot Watt University and the University of Dundee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At an early stage in 2019, Anne contacted her former colleague Lisa to ask about getting involved when she started Confidence Plus and Lisa was happy to support. They've been working together to build the business since then. Anne and Iain Inch With just 48 hours to prepare a high-stakes NHS Scotland tender for Stoma Supplies, Lisa turned to Business Gateway for urgent support. Adviser Debbie Dawkins provided intensive one-to-one guidance and quickly introduced the team to a procurement expert. A two-hour procurement session with consultant Judith Stewart helped improve the bid and ensure it met the robust NHS procurement standards. To comply with strict sustainability requirements, Anne and Lisa also accessed three days of Net Zero consultancy support through Business Gateway. With the help of environmental consultant Zoe Stirton, the pair developed a Carbon Management Plan, Environmental Policy and Carbon Management Policy - all of which were required for the bid. This consultancy support proved crucial in demonstrating Confidence Plus's commitment to sustainability and responsible innovation. The business has continued working with Zoe to expand her Net Zero strategy and has been referred to the Extend Plus programme for a carbon baseline assessment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With a fortuitous last minute extension to the closing date, and as a direct result of this combined support, ConfiPlus won the NHS Scotland contract, bringing the product one step closer to helping thousands of stoma users across the UK. Lanarkshire business wins NHS Scotland contract for stoma care product with help from Business Gateway With continued support from Business Gateway and other partners, Confidence Plus is now exploring further opportunities to scale and bring its life-changing products to more stoma users across the UK and beyond. The pair have recently launched the business in the US to help stoma patients there also. Lisa Crombie, co-founder of Confidence Plus Ltd, said: 'When I say I couldn't have done this without Debbie's help, I mean it. She went above and beyond, and we're so grateful for her support and the introductions she made to Judith and Zoe. After speaking with Judith, I realised how far off the mark we were. Without her guidance, our tender simply wouldn't have met NHS Scotland's requirements. This success has been game-changing, not just for the business, but for the people we aim to support through ConfiPlus.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Debbie Dawkins, Business Gateway adviser, said: 'Anne and Lisa's determination to get ConfiPlus into the hands of the people who need it most is incredibly inspiring. It's been a pleasure to support her through this critical process. Winning the NHS Scotland contract is a huge milestone, and I'm excited to see how the business continues to grow.'
The Sun
17-07-2025
- The Sun
Scots wife left husband covered in blood after savaging his private parts after he refused sex
A WIFE left her hubby covered in blood after grabbing his testicles and twisting them when he denied her sex. Frustrated Sharon Irvine, 55, clawed at partner David's privates as they lay in bed at home in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, leaving him needing stitches. 3 3 The agonising attack saw her admit to assault to severe injury — but the couple are still together. A court heard that she ferociously attacked her husband's testicles after hearing him 'pleasuring himself' instead of having sex with her. She then called cops on herself, telling them: 'There's a lot of blood'. Mr Irvine, whose scrotum was torn open in the horror — was taken to hospital where medics stitched the wound. He refused to give an official statement to police but confirmed his spouse of 14 years had 'grabbed, pulled and twisted' him, Hamilton Sheriff Court heard. Irvine, 55, pleaded guilty to assault to severe injury as her husband watched. They're both absolutely mortified and just want to put it behind them. They're very much still together A source The couple are still together following the bedroom bloodbath at their home in Blantyre, Lanarkshire, in January. Prosecutor Sinead Corrigan said: 'She stated that she had heard him pleasuring himself and that had angered her because he was not engaging in sexual activity with her. "She then grabbed him and caused injury.' Sheriff Kevin McCallum KC told Irvine: 'This is a very unfortunate set of circumstances, highly regrettable, and there is no doubt embarrassment on all sides. Two men hacked XL Bully dogs with meat cleaver & knife in horrific attack in Scots street "But it is quite serious, as whatever went on to cause you to behave in that way, a quite significant injury was caused.' Mr Irvine last night declined to comment and his wife was unavailable. A source said: 'They're both absolutely mortified and just want to put it behind them. They're very much still together.' This is a very unfortunate set of circumstances, highly regrettable, and there is no doubt embarrassment on all sides Sheriff Kevin McCallum KC Sheriff McCallum deferred sentence until next month for background reports and continued Irvine's bail. American John Wayne Bobbitt hit headlines in 1993 after his wife Lorena chopped off his penis and threw it away. It was found, reattached, and he famously went on to star in porn movies.
