More than just a nuisance

An analysis of nine million calls received over three years found that nuisance calls disproportionately affect people in Scotland. Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen were in the top five UK cities receiving the highest percentages of such calls.

Nuisance calls can be stopped, but those who are affected the most - the vulnerable and the elderly - often struggle to find the support they need.

For most people marketing calls are an annoyance but for the elderly and the vulnerable – who are often targeted – they can be unsettling or even frightening.

The statistics are staggering. More than 15 million calls a week are thought to be made by payment protection insurance (PPI) companies alone. Information is available on how to stop such calls, but it doesn’t always work. And those who are vulnerable are often the most difficult to reach with such information.

The UK government has announced that the bosses of companies that continually plague people could be personally liable for fines of up to £500,000 and have closed a bankruptcy loophole.

Today’s announcement of a £50,000 fund in Scotland is further action in the war to stop this menace that no-one in Scotland should have to tolerate.