Universal Credit
Cost of living crisis risks leaving levelling up ‘dead on arrival’
The Government’s levelling up agenda could be undermined by a deepening North-South divide exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, a think tank has warned.
Call to end 'excessively punitive sanctions' on benefits
A think-tank has warned that sanctions on benefit claimants are almost back to pre-pandemic levels – despite the cost of living crisis.
How ‘levelling up’ got left out of the Spring Statement
The chancellor mentioned the ‘levelling up’ agenda just once in his Spring Statement. Without serious financial backing, the missions in the White Paper are at risk of remaining unfulfilled, says chair of SIGOMA Cllr Sir Stephen Houghton.
Spring statement: Sunak to tackle cost of living pressures
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to tackle increasing pressure on household budgets when he makes his Spring Statement today.
Homelessness levels could rise by a third by 2024, research warns
The number of homeless people in England could increase by a third by 2024, new research has warned today.
Universal Credit would be better delivery vehicle for energy bills support
Universal Credit has the data on those likely to need support with energy bills and would be a more effective way to target the £150 council tax rebate, says Deven Ghelani.
Protecting London’s women and girls
Cllr Jas Athwal says that as we mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, London’s boroughs are committed to doing everything they can to address the many causes of violence against women and girls.
Call for investment in homelessness data
The head of Whitehall’s ‘what works’ centre on homelessness has called for better data infrastructure to help achieve the end of rough sleeping by 2024.
IFS reveals scope of Universal Credit
Budget changes to Universal Credit mean families with well above-average earnings and even paying 40% rates of tax could be entitled to the benefit, according to an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report.
A bounce back Budget
We got spending – and lots of it – in the Budget, yet its contents reflected conflict within the Cabinet on whether to push ahead with a Milton Friedman-style smaller government. Sir Bob Neill explains.
Councils hit by fund's admin burden
Frustrated councils are bracing themselves for an administration headache as they work out how to dole out the Government’s £500m household support fund.
Wages and good and bad government
Many communities in the UK would benefit from higher wages, says Mike Emmerich, but does the Prime Minister have a strategy for delivering them?
District hopes of controlling £500m fund dashed
District hopes to be put in control of handing out the new £500m household support fund have been dashed after a ‘bizarre’ government decision.
Michael Gove sets out his stall for levelling up
Michael Burton says the vision levelling up secretary Michael Gove touched on for the policy at the Conservative Party Conference implies the need for more resources if necessary - 'which may not please the chancellor'.
Councils need funding certainty
London’s local services face pressures of up to £2bn over the Spending Review period, says Cllr Darren Rodwell. The chancellor must empower councils to tackle the most momentous challenges we face today, he argues.
Putting it right
What does the future hold for children’s social care and what are the priorities for reform? Ann McGauran reports from a Westminster Education Forum conference.
Domestic violence and its betrayal
The Domestic Abuse Act could and should have gone further ‘particularly and most notably around funding, state support and restitution’ argues Stephen Young.
Families under pressure
As energy and food costs soar and pandemic financial support comes to an end, Chris Mahony asks what impact the pressures on low income families will have on stretched local authorities.
Kerslake: Government must act now on rough sleeping
Strides made to end homelessness during the pandemic could be lost if the Government does not act now, a major new report on rough sleeping has concluded.
HMJ: Analysis warns UC cut will widen health inequalities
The planned cut to the Universal Credit uplift will hit areas with the worst health the hardest, analysis by a charity has warned.
