Welfare

UK ‘failing’ vulnerable children – BMA

16.05.13: Austerity policies of cutting welfare benefits and social care could “set the country back even further”, a report by the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned. The report highlights recent international data that ranked...

Reducing welfare system ‘danger’ – OECD

15.05.13: Income inequality in the UK increased by more in the first three years of the economic crisis than in the previous 12 years, new data from the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OECD) shows. The report covered 34 developed nat...

Dual diagnosis for addiction and mental health problems

13.05.13: People suffering from mental illness and substance abuse issues have reported a marked improvement through the intervention of the drug and alcohol rehabilitation charity Westminster Drug Project (WDP).  The charity, launched in August...

£150m extra support for carers

07.05.13: Carers will be given new rights through legislation set out in the Queen’s Speech tomorrow. A statutory right will be introduced for carers to access financial support, back-up help from professional carers, or adaptations to their ho...

Universal Credit roll-out begins today

29.04.13: The first stage of Universal Credit (UC) begins today for new claimants in Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester. Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith’s flagship welfare reforms will see six benefits and tax credits rolled...

Councils offer public health assistance for measles vaccination programme

26.04.13: Public Health England (PHE) aims to vaccinate more than a million extra 10 to 16-year-olds in the next six months as part of nationwide vaccination catch-up programme. Across England, 587 cases were reported between January and March, and t...

Labour creates independent health and social care commission

22.04.13: Labour is launching an independent commission on integrating health and social care, aimed at saving money and improving standards. It is to be led by Sir John Oldham, known for the Primary Care Collaborative and Healthy Communities Collabo...

Swansea measles outbreak worsens – 808 cases reported

19.04.13: Another 43 cases of measles have been reported to Public Health Wales in the last two days, bringing the total number of cases in the outbreak centred on Swansea to 808. Just under 10% of the people affected, 77, have required hospital trea...

Benefit cap trial begins today

15.04.13: A trial of the benefits cap roll-out has begun in four London boroughs today, in a bid to save around £110m from the benefit bill each year. Couples and lone parents will have their benefits capped at £500 a week, with single pe...

Greenwich launches labour programme as benefit cuts hit

15.04.13: The Royal Borough of Greenwich (RBG) has launched a £6m jobs scheme to help local families into work, following government cuts to benefits. The first 31 recruits will take-up full or part-time jobs on or above London Living Wage this mont...

Elderly paying top-up costs for social care

09.04.13: Thousands of elderly people living in care homes are having to pay top-up fees because of a shortfall between support from local authorities and the price of care. Research from Age UK demonstrates they are having to ask friends or family t...

PIPs replaces disability living allowance

08.04.13: Disability Living Allowance has now been replaced by Personal Independence Payments (PIP) for eligible working-age people in the north west and north east, in the latest of a series of welfare reforms. PIP has a more stringent and regular h...

‘Right to ask’ why state subsidised Philpotts – Osborne

05.04.13: The Chancellor George Osborne has added further controversy to the debate over welfare changes, by implying a link between benefits and Mick Philpott, jailed for life for his part in the manslaughter of six of his children in a fire. When a...

Fraud fears over Universal Credit – MPs

03.04.13: Changes to the IT system for Universal Credit could make it harder to distinguish fraudulent claims, a communities and local government committee report has warned. Universal Credit will be implemented from October. The report raises concer...

Bringing public health home

01.04.13: Responsibility for public health is transferring formally from the NHS to local government and Public Health England on 1 April – but is everyone ready? Kate Ashley reports from the LGA’s public health conference. Local governme...