Campaign to deter knife crime in London knife crime hotspots to appear over billboards, digital advertising, and social media across Westminster and Croydon
Criminals in two London hotspots are being warned of a step-up in police action in a new Home Office knife crime campaign launching today.
The ‘No Place for Knives’ campaign will be piloted in parts of Westminster and Croydon, with adverts appearing at tube stations, bus stops and on social media – as well as a mural at Boxpark Croydon.
They will raise awareness of increased police activity, including, smarter metal detection, rapid response e-bikes, extra foot patrols and live facial recognition. The campaign is also being piloted in Birmingham city centre.
Developed by the Home Office with police and local authorities, the campaign targets those most at risk of committing knife crime.
These areas, along with 16 other boroughs in Greater London, have received over £8.1 million of funding through the Home Office’s Knife Crime Concentrations Fund to roll out targeted interventions to tackle knife crime. As well as the enforcement measures featured in the campaign adverts, it also covers prevention approaches such as youth outreach and visible local safety patrols in busy night-time economy areas.
Recent figures show knife crime has fallen 11% since the General Election, while knife-related homicides have fallen by 25% and knife-enabled robbery is down by 18%. In London, knife crime has fallen by 14% over the same period, while knife-related homicides have fallen by 34% and knife-enabled robbery is down by 19%.
Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said: “Everyone in Westminster and Croydon deserves to feel safe on their streets. We know that hearing of knife crime incidents happening in your city can have the opposite effect and we want to stop that.
“We’re working with police to target knife crime where it causes the greatest harm, using intelligence and cutting-edge technology to make our communities safer.
‘No Place for Knives’ sends a clear message: action is being taken and we will not accept people putting young lives and our communities at risk.”
The campaign forms part of the Government’s wider mission to halve knife crime in a decade, combining tougher enforcement with prevention and early intervention to protect young people and make communities safer.
Commander Pete Stevens of the Metropolitan Police said: “We know the devastating impact knife crime has – not just on families who have lost loved ones but on entire communities. Our officers work tirelessly to combat this senseless violence, proactively directing our resources towards the people who pose the most risk.
“These tactics are working. In the last financial year knife-enabled crime fell by 14.9 per cent across London and over the last five years the number of people hospitalised after being attacked with a sharp weapon has fallen by 29 per cent.
“We will continue to target violent criminals who threaten our communities. Every knife removed and every suspect arrested has the potential to prevent serious harm or save a life.”
Mick Duthie, Director of Operations at the charity Crimestoppers, said: “We know that knife crime can have devastating consequences for individuals, families and communities.
I”f someone has information about knife carrying violence but is worried about being identified, our charity provides a way to speak up completely anonymously.
“By sharing information, communities can help prevent harm, protect young people and contribute to safer neighbourhoods.”
Patrick Green, CEO of Hackney-based Ben Kinsella Trust said: “Every young person deserves to feel safe without feeling the need to carry a knife. We therefore welcome the Home Office’s ‘No Place for Knives’ campaign and its contribution to the wider effort to reduce knife crime and protect young lives.
“A particular strength of ‘No Place for Knives’ is that it has drawn on young people’s input during its development. Young people understand better than anyone the pressures, anxieties and misconceptions that can lead to knife carrying.
“By listening to young people and reflecting their experiences in the campaign, the Home Office has created a stronger and more authentic platform for encouraging safer choices and preventing violence.”
First Minister welcomes recognition that ‘Westminster is not working for Scotland’ BUT second independence referendum is ‘off the table’
First Minister John Swinney has pledged to work “constructively and collaboratively” with the UK Prime Minister to devolve further powers to Scotland “for the benefit of the people we serve.”
While the UK Government disagrees with the Scottish Government that the best future for Scotland is as an independent European nation, the First Minister said both do agree that Westminster is not working for people in Scotland, and the best decisions are taken by those who live here.
Mr Swinney also welcomed the commitment made by Mr Burnham to respect the constitutional role of the Scottish Parliament.
First Minister John Swinney said: “While the Prime Minister and I disagree on independence, we do agree that Westminster does not work for people in Scotland. And when the people of Scotland take issues into their own hands, the best outcomes will come about.
“To that end, I will work constructively and collaboratively with him to devolve more powers from Westminster to Scotland – as long as those proposals drive economic growth that is felt in higher wages, better jobs, more opportunities for business to start and expand, and support with the cost of living.
“Today’s meeting of the National Economic Council was a welcome start of work to develop the UK Government’s new principle of ‘devolving by default’ and the Prime Minister has been clear that he will not bypass the Scottish Parliament in this endeavour.
“I welcome that commitment, and look forward to our Governments jointly developing a plan to consider further devolution to Scotland that will boost economic growth.”
THE UK GOVERNMENT’s ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING:
The Prime Minister met with the First Minister of Scotland in Glasgow following a meeting of the National Economic Council today (Friday 30 October).
The Prime Minister and First Minister agreed the meeting at the NEC had been extremely positive. They said it had been a valuable exercise in starting the process of exploring how each government could contribute to regional empowerment, reindustrialisation and achieving good growth in every postcode.
They agreed that now there would be a policy sprint led by No10 North, involving officials from both governments, to take this agenda forward.
Outside that process, the Prime Minister said the UK Government would review and respond to a range of issues raised by the First Minister.
This would not include a second independence referendum in Scotland, which the Prime Minister has repeatedly made clear, is off the table.
Today (Wednesday 28 October), the Chancellor will set out how the Budget will make Britain “more resilient” to global shocks, while helping households with “everyday costs”, backing businesses and entrepreneurs, and kicking off the “long-term action” needed to get “energy costs down for good”
In a video message, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey said: “Breathing space for today and fresh hope for the future. That’s what today’s Budget will deliver.
‘The world’s a highly uncertain place. Conflicts abroad are pushing up energy prices, and the cost of living here at home – piling pressure on the families, on businesses, and on our public finances.
‘But Britain’s economy is showing real signs of resilience: investments up, productivity is growing, and we had the joint fastest growth in the G7 in the first half of this year.
‘We can’t stop these shocks that hit Britain, but we can make Britain more resilient when they do.
‘So, this Budget is designed to give households breathing space from some of the everyday costs, provide targeted support for businesses and self-employed people, and to start the long-term action needed to get energy costs down for good.
‘But breathing space today must go hand-in-hand with building for the future.
‘So, we’ll back British businesses and entrepreneurs, we’ll invest in the technologies that drive future growth, and we’ll build more homes, shift power out of Whitehall, so that leaders locally can drive growth in every postcode.
‘And in an uncertain world, we will strengthen national security and our defences, as well as our support for Ukraine.
‘We’ll do all of this responsibly, sticking within tight fiscal rules, and make sure every pound is well invested.
‘Because this Budget is about getting through this difficult moment. But it’s also about putting Britain on a future path, a better future path.
‘Breathing space today, and fresh hope for the future.”
Chancellor abolishes standing charges on gas bills to make payments fairer
Standing charges from household gas bills will be removed for around 23 million homes.
Action from the Chancellor and Energy Secretary will make the energy system fairer and give some families breathing space.
Budget will “draw a line in the sand” on energy policy that has left billpayers exposed, giving families breathing space for today and hope for the future.
Tens of millions of households will no longer pay standing charges on their gas bills as the Government gives families more control over what they pay and some more breathing space.
A standing charge is a fixed daily fee added on top of a household gas bill, regardless of how much gas has been used. A household could use no gas at all but still must pay the standing charge.
The Chancellor will announce today an end to this unfair and outdated practice. He will ask Ofgem to deliver removal of these charges – which are £108 a year for the typical household on average – in 2027 or as soon as possible after.
Instead, these fixed costs will be paid on the unit rate, which could save 60% of account-holding households around an average of £45 off their annual bill.
Households not seeing an automatic saving will still have better control over their bills without the worry of affording the standing charge, and the government will set out in due course targeted mitigation for a small number of households.
This comes ahead of today’s Budget that will “draw a line in the sand” on a UK energy policy that has seen wrong turns taken for over four decades. The Prime Minister has previously spoken about reforming a broken energy market, so it better serves the public interest, rather than piling costs to bills and leaving British households even more exposed in an uncertain world.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:“Abolishing gas standing charges is about basic fairness and giving people more control over their bills.
“I am determined to reform our broken energy market, so it better serves the public interest.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey said:“Gas standing charges are unfair and outdated so I am scrapping them to give millions of households a bit of breathing space.
“My Budget will draw a line in the sand on an energy policy that has failed British billpayers for years, letting extra costs on bills pile high and leaving households even more exposed to global shocks.”
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said:“Too many families face unfair charges, so we’re making it easier for people to take control of their energy bills.
“By removing one of the nation’s bugbears – taking standing charges off gas bills, with extra support for those who need it – we’ll give millions of people breathing space.
“Tackling affordability is my number one priority, and I will keep doing everything I can to protect people from unaffordable bills.”
Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO of Octopus Energy Group, said:“This represents real joined-up thinking to make a fairer, more efficient energy system, delivering what customers want – lower standing charges and further improving the ratio of electricity to gas prices.
“Most customers would see a cut in their gas bills which is crucial, but would also enjoy even higher savings if they can move to heat pumps when it suits them.”
This follows the Government’s VAT cut on electricity bills that came into effect at the beginning of this month which is already supporting households.
It means the Energy Price Cap from October was £45 a year less than it would have been. Around a third of households on fixed tariffs are not affected by the price cap, meaning their electricity prices will have fallen when the VAT cut took effect.
While the government is giving people short term relief on their energy bills, it is also taking action to fix Britain’s energy problems for the long term.
Last week, the Government announced a new Energy Wealth Fund which will support investment in cheap, clean power.
Call to scrap ‘punitive’ welfare policies and cut bills
The Scottish and Welsh Governments have called on the UK Government to scrap “punitive” welfare policies, adopt plans to cut energy bills, and to further devolve powers to help drive continued progress in tackling poverty.
In a joint letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden and Education Secretary Lucy Powell, Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary and the Welsh Deputy First Minister have urged the UK Government to scrap the benefit cap, bedroom tax and the freeze to local housing allowance – which is widening the gap between housing benefits and real-world rent, driving homelessness and poverty.
The calls extend to pressing the UK Government to adopt Scottish Government proposals for a social tariff in the form of targeted bill discounts, with published modelling showing that 660,000 households in Scotland would see their estimated fuel bills go down by an average of £700.
The Scottish and Welsh Government signed the Cardiff Agreement last month, pledging to work together on areas including tackling child poverty and the cost of living.
Scotland’s Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Scotland and Wales are clear – we need to see far more from the UK Government to support people with the cost of living, and to support us in our efforts to end child poverty.
“Scotland is one of the most energy rich nations in the world but we pay some of the highest bills in Europe, already hundreds of pounds higher than was promised when the UK Government came to office. It is causing real hardship across the country and is a key driver of poverty.
“The Scottish and Welsh Governments are also clear that we need more action from the UK Budget to support our work on child poverty – that includes ending the cruel benefit cap which is punishing children for circumstances beyond their control.
“This has never been more pressing, with DWP’s own data showing that the number of Scottish children impacted doubled to nearly 20,000 between March and May this year.
“Our game-changing Scottish Child Payment shows the innovative and ambitious policies we can implement where we have the power. It shows why we need more powers in Scotland and Wales, rather than seeing them hoarded by the UK Government.
“The UK Government must now take action in their Budget to cut bills and boost living standards. And if they will not, they should hand the powers over to a Scottish Government that would.”
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality Sioned Williams said: “We all share the belief that no child’s life should be limited by poverty. Tackling poverty is a priority for this Welsh Government, and we are addressing it in a number of ways including expanded funded childcare, and delivering a new child poverty strategy with meaningful targets.
“While we are taking firm action wherever we can, we need the UK Government to play its part and our joint letter with the Scottish Government calls for a clear set of actions to support us in tackling child poverty. This is not only about those levers which remain with the UK Government but also about supporting us to effectively use our own powers.
“An example of this is the Cynnal child payment in Wales. This can only succeed with the co-operation of the UK Government to ensure that those receiving the payment are not penalised by having their entitlement to other benefits reduced, allowing children and families to receive the maximum possible support.
“I call on the UK Government now to work with us and give us the assurance that we can make a real difference with this scheme.
“Introducing a social tariff is also key, and I join colleagues across in UK in calling for this to be introduced urgently. In many areas such as this it is the UK Government who can make the difference and the budget is the opportunity to do this for families in Wales and across the UK.”
Drivers to get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges, alongside crack down on car dealers winding back mileages
Drivers will get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges under new rules announced today. This includes a guaranteed 5 minutes to decide whether to park and 10 minutes to leave once their session ends, and the right to have charges cancelled on appeal for issues they can’t control.
Under the new Private Parking Code of Practice laid in Parliament today (20 October), charges will be scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, like stopping briefly to check directions, and for situations like a medical emergency, breakdown or broken ticket machine.
For smaller slip-ups, like forgetting a parking permit, entering the wrong vehicle’s registration or forgetting to confirm it in the machine when parking, drivers will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal.
The Code also freezes the maximum parking charge at £100. Operators who don’t comply risk losing access to DVLA data, meaning that even if they issue a charge, it will be far more difficult to identify the registered owner to pursue payment.
In addition, unscrupulous second-hand car dealers who wind back odometers to disguise a vehicle’s true mileage will also face tougher action. Known as car clocking, fraudulently selling a clocked car is already illegal, but adding it to the official list of banned practices will make it easier for enforcers to crack down, protecting buyers and backing honest businesses.
These changes are the latest measures in the Prime Minister’s series of everyday fixes, tackling the frustrations that cost people time and money to give families more room to breathe.
Today’s action follows moves to stop unfair airline charges, tackle subscription traps, rogue traders, and rip-off school uniform costs.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.
“These charges leave people feeling ripped off and out of pocket, so I’m putting a stop to them.
“We are introducing clearer rules, longer grace periods and lower charges for genuine mistakes, while going after the deliberate scams that rip drivers off.”
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner said: ”Parking should be straightforward, not another everyday hassle.
“These changes mean drivers get a fairer deal, protected time to park and leave without fear of being unfairly charged, and confidence that private parking providers are held to a higher standard.
“It’s yet another step forward in this government’s plan to take the stress out of everyday life and ease the pressure on people’s pockets.”
Minister for Consumer Action, Kate Dearden, said: “Nobody works hard for their money just to be deceived by a dodgy trader, and this is exactly the kind of everyday rip-off this government is going after.
“By making it easier to take action against car clocking, we are protecting consumers’ hard-earned money and supporting businesses that play by the rules.”
The UK government has also promised today to go further still, by consulting as soon as possible next year on private parking debt recovery fees, including on whether to cut an existing £70 cap or scrap the fees altogether.
Data shows just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year. In 2025, the government set out proposals to improve standards by consulting on a new Private Parking Code of Practice.
Today’s response sets out the measures being brought in to protect motorists. Parliament will now have time to scrutinise the new Code, before ministers press ahead to bring it into force as soon as possible.
This Code brings in, for the first time, a fully independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board, and requires operators to share more information with government, giving drivers stronger protections than ever before.
Since taking office, the government has also launched a review of airport drop-off charges, cut VAT on electricity bills this winter, frozen fuel duty and rail fares, and raised the Minimum Wage, as it continues to take action to ease the cost of living.
Innovation Minister Alyn Smith has confirmed £10 million investment to develop two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges (DTECs) for Scotland.
Plans are underway to allocate sites in the east and west of the country to support the development of skills for well-paid careers in areas such as defence engineering, advanced manufacturing and maritime technology.
Along with Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn, Mr Smith has today written to Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard and Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander, to confirm the Scottish Government will match UK Government funding needed to underpin future industrial growth and competitiveness.
Mr Smith said: “Scotland is well placed to seize the opportunities arising out of the defence industry – with a highly skilled workforce, world-class colleges and universities and internationally recognised manufacturing.
“DTECs will allow workers to upskill and connect the next generation to opportunities in sectors where demand for a highly-skilled workforce is rising rapidly.
“I am pleased to confirm we will partner with the UK Government to develop plans for DTECs in Scotland and build on the £3.7 billion to Scotland’s economy provided by the defence sector.
“Our Programme for Government committed to establishing a responsible defence industrial growth programme to maximise the economic opportunities arising from increased defence spending. We will work with partners to ensure our workers are equipped with the right skills for emerging jobs in this vital sector.”
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “In March we announced a £10 million commitment to develop two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in Scotland.
“I’m pleased that the Scottish Government has now agreed to match fund these colleges to give our young people the skills they need to secure high-skilled, well-paid careers in Scotland’s defence sector in the years to come.
“Scotland is a defence industrial powerhouse and is already benefiting from increased UK Government investment as we deliver a defence dividend for Scotland, creating new skilled jobs, new training places and new opportunities for communities while keeping us and our allies secure.
“It is crucial that we continue to develop the skilled workforce needed to support this growing sector.”
BUT IS MORE ‘REGIONAL EMPOWERMENT’ ENOUGH FOR SCOTS?
In a speech today, the Prime Minister will invite Scotland’s First Minister to work with him on the common good of pushing more power out of both Westminster and Holyrood, unlocking jobs and opportunity in every region.
Delivering his remarks after speaking with young people today in Lanarkshire, Andy Burnham will emphasise the Scottish Government is one of the most centralised devolved administrations in Europe, with Holyrood not giving people who know their areas best enough of a say, despite significant devolution from Westminster over the last 27 years.
Because power was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament, the Prime Minister will argue the next stage of devolution should place more decision-making in the hands of Scotland’s regions and cities to drive reindustrialisation.
As part of that offer, he will call on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government through No10 North and the Scotland Office to develop a new model of regional empowerment for Scotland, ensuring communities with their own strengths, identity and ambitions can seize new economic opportunities and unlock their potential.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “During my first week in office, I told the First Minister that I wanted to work with him to spread opportunities to communities across Scotland’s regions and cities.
“Through No10 North, we are rewiring the state and I want to make sure regions in Scotland are fully part of this.
“This is me making an offer to the Scottish Government. With us working together, there is no limit to what we can achieve for the Scottish people.”
The Scottish Secretary, Douglas Alexander said: “Devolution has done a great deal, but power was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament. People in North Lanarkshire, in Fife or in the Highlands know what their communities need better than any minister, whether they sit in London or Edinburgh.
“The Prime Minister’s offer to the Scottish Government is a genuine one, and the Scotland Office is ready to roll up its sleeves alongside them to make it happen. Two governments, one goal – good jobs and real opportunity in every corner of Scotland”.
Latest poll suggest more Scots would vote for independence if another referendum was called today.
WESTMINSTER’S Science and Technology Committee has launched an inquiry examining how digital technologies can be used to facilitate harms such as stalking, harassment, coercive control and non-consensual intimate image abuse.
Domestic abuse is, as we know, far too prevalent in the real world but it is also expanding into digital spaces and creating new ways that abuse can occur, with smart devices like Ring doorbells, speakers and fitness trackers being used to track and abuse victims.
The issue sits within the wider context of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls and continues to grow. For example, referrals to the domestic abuse charity Refuge’s specialist Technology Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment team rose by more than 62% in 2025 alone.
The government has taken steps to tackle some forms of technology-facilitated abuse through its violence against women and girls’ strategy and the Online Safety Act 2023. However, recent cases have raised questions about whether existing legal and regulatory frameworks remain fit for purpose.
This inquiry will explore the scale and impact of technology-facilitated harm and assess how technology companies and the government are responding to this. It may also look at the gender divide in technological spaces, and whether this is exacerbating or limiting abuse. The committee will focus primarily on digital abuse and online platforms.
The deadline for submitting evidence is 4 November.
Dame Chi Onwurah, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee, said:“Technology can empower and protect its users, but it also has the potential to create new ways for people – particularly women and girls – to be abused.
“Our inquiry, my committee will examine how digital technologies are being used to facilitate harm, whether current legislation is keeping pace and the responsibilities technology companies and online platforms have to prevent it.
“I encourage anyone with expertise in this area to submit evidence to our inquiry and inform our work.”
The Prime Minister announced a new settlement for older people yesterday: a state pension ‘that rises every year’, no personal care charges and a high-quality National Care Service to give peace of mind in later life
A National Care Service will be established in the next Parliament, providing free personal care for older people, based on need rather than ability to pay.
The current State Pension Triple Lock will be maintained – but only until April 2030. From then, it will be adjusted so the State Pension rises by at least inflation or 2.5% each year with a new link built in to keep pace with earnings over time.
Savings under the adjusted Triple Lock will be used for a new National Care Service, with Baroness Casey to recommend how and when it is built up.
The Prime Minister announced a ‘new settlement’ for older people: a state pension that rises every year, no personal care charges and a high-quality National Care Service to give peace of mind in later life.
The vision set out today draws a line under decades of drift with a clear plan to fix the system so that people can receive the dignity and security they need.
The Prime Minister warned today that if we don’t fix our broken social care system, it will eventually break the NHS too. There are huge costs to the NHS both through pressures on A&Es and an inability to discharge patients home because of a lack of adequate social care.
The new National Care Service will be introduced in phases, so its scope can grow as the savings increase from adjusting the Triple Lock, and as workforce and provider capacity are built up. It will be fully funded – and not through borrowing.
Baroness Casey will recommend how this could be done through the work of her independent Commission, which is being informed by public deliberation and ongoing cross-party talks. Her report is due in summer 2027.
The current Triple Lock will be maintained throughout this Parliament, increasing the State Pension by over £2,000. But from April 2030, the adjusted Triple Lock will mean the State Pension continues to rise by 2.5% or inflation – whichever is higher – and by even more if that is required to maintain its value relative to earnings.
This will ensure the living standards of pensioners keep up with the rest of the population. For example, if the value of the State Pension is around a third of average earnings by 2030/31, as average earnings rise, the State Pension will rise in line with that too.
This adjusted Triple Lock will mean that if inflation spikes, pensioners will be protected. If wages rise, pensioners will share in that, with the State Pension tracking earnings over time. Nobody’s pension will ever go down. And State Pensions will be put on a sustainable footing for decades to come.
The Government will legislate for the change during this Parliament.
Adjusting the Triple Lock is estimated to reduce state pension spending by £15 billion a year by the end of the 2030s, rising to £50 billion a year by 2050.
The UK will continue to have one of most generous approaches to increasing the State Pension in the world, according to the government – but British pensioners have the LOWEST STATE PENSIONS IN EUROPE.
The plans provide a credible pathway to delivering a National Care Service that will put an end to years of neglect where vulnerable people have been left at risk as a result of Westminster’s failure to face up to the difficult issues. The new system will include personal care, helping with things like eating, bathing and using the toilet.
Following the Prime Minister’s vision for the core principles of the service, Baroness Casey’s independent Commission will continue its work to develop recommendations on how to deliver it in practice, and will soon begin the next phase of its ‘Big Conversation on Care’ to make sure everyone gets the chance to feed in their views.
Around three in four adults over 65 are expected to need care and support during later life, with one in seven facing costs of more than £100,000. Currently, whether someone pays for care varies significantly by condition.
Two people with the same need for help with everyday tasks may face different rules if one needs support linked primarily to a health condition and the other to social care. The result is a broken system where the most vulnerable in society are at risk of losing everything just to access basic care.
The service will not cover bed and board, for which existing means-tested council contributions will remain. Councils will continue to exclude the value of a home from financial assessments where a partner or dependent relative lives there, and deferred payment agreements will remain available to help eligible people avoid having to sell their home during their lifetime to meet care costs.
Tackling the broken social care system is part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to take on the most difficult issues facing the country that have been left ignored by politicians for too long. ‘By facing up to the challenges that others have said are intractable, like fixing the youth unemployment crisis and ending rough sleeping, this government is working to bring back hope’.
REACTION:
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney commented: “In Scotland, we provide free personal care for older people without punishing pensioners. Andy Burnham removing the triple lock would simply repeat the mistakes of Keir Starmer.
“The blame for the UK’s financial mess lies with successive Westminster governments, not pensioners.”
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “We applaud the Prime Minister for his absolute commitment to fundamentally reform our broken social care system and to build a National Care Service.
“It is a critical issue that affects us all. Almost everyone will give or receive care at some point in our lives. Yet 16 years since the last White Paper set out the fundamentals of what a National Care Service might look like, the complexity and problems with social care have grown far worse. Change has never been more urgent, and the Prime Minister has grasped this.
“Recent Carers UK research has found a staggering 1.1 million people have left employment to care within the last two years, the equivalent of 1500 people a day. One in five employees (20%) now has a caring responsibility.
“Great social care has the ability to transform lives, help people to stay in work and also create valued jobs. As Baroness Casey’s work moves forward, we want to see the Prime Minister’s commitment today become a really ambitious settlement, with unpaid carers at its heart, that will truly deliver, providing people and families with the high-quality support they need.”
Responding to Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s speech at Labour Conference today and his commitment to the creation of a National Care Service, Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive of Carers Trust, said:“The Prime Minister’s plan to build a National Care Service is bold, ambitious, and undoubtedly long overdue. For years, we have been calling for a sea change in social care, and it’s refreshing to finally hear those calls echoed back from the very top of Government.
“In the midst of planning for a National Care Service, we must ensure the needs of unpaid carers are heard and acted on. The demands of caring can have a devastating impact on people’s finances, wellbeing, and ability to live fulfilling lives.
Caring is an innate part of human life and to be celebrated, but many carers provide care for 100+ hours a week, with some delivering support around the clock – without pay or comprehensive support. We cannot forget the biggest providers of care – the millions of unpaid carers.
“We know from our 135+ strong network of local carer services that there are so many pockets of brilliant voluntary sector work taking place across the country. We want to see a National Care Service that builds on these foundations and places the needs of unpaid carers at its heart.
“Though the sector has heard commitments to reform time and again, never before has a Prime Minister placed social care so clearly at the front and centre.
“We are determined to work with the Government and other organisations across the system to ensure that a National Care Service goes beyond political promise and becomes a reality this time.”
Joanna Elson CBE, Chief Executive at Independent Age said:“It was extremely welcome to hear the Prime Minister talk about what older people living on a low income are going through.
“Too often they are left out of the conversation, yet 1.7 million people over State Pension age are currently living in poverty, and another one million teeter dangerously on the edge.
“We were pleased, too, to hear the Prime Minister’s pledges to lower energy bills and improve housing standards – which will be welcomed by older people in financial hardship.
“Before a double lock is implemented, we need to know that the UK Government has fully considered, and put in place protection for, older people on low incomes. Any changes that are made to the State Pension must ensure no current or future pensioners on a low income lose out.
“It is important to see action to tackle pensioner poverty directly. For instance, we would love to see a public take-up strategy to drive up the numbers receiving vital entitlements like Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.
“In the spirit of the Prime Minister’s speech, everyone in this country needs to know they can rely on a strong social safety net if they reach older age without an adequate income.”
The Communications and Digital Committee has written to the Secretary of State at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, setting out its view on key proposals for the next BBC Charter ahead of publication of the Government’s White Paper.
The Committee says this is not a “routine” Charter review and that the 2028 Charter must equip the BBC to navigate dramatic changes in how public service media is distributed, discovered and consumed.
The BBC is already under significant financial pressure. Therefore, any new or expanded responsibilities in the next Charter—in areas such as promoting regional growth, technological innovation or media literacy—must be matched by adequate funding or a clear acknowledgement that the BBC will have to do less in other areas. The Committee says the Government should be “bold, confident and unapologetic” in ensuring the BBC has the financial sustainability it needs to deliver any obligations set out in the new Charter.
There is no obvious benefit in giving the BBC a broad new public purpose to drive economic growth across the UK, as the Government has proposed. The BBC already contributes £6.7 billion to the UK economy and there is a risk that such a change could distort commissioning priorities and distract the BBC from its core public service objectives. Instead, the Committee says the new Charter should retain the spirit of the BBC’s current fourth purpose, which puts public value first, while articulating more clearly the BBC’s vital contribution to developing the UK creative economy.
In 2015, broadcast television reached 92% of people in the UK each week on average, compared to just 54% last year. To uphold the principle of universality in a changing market, the BBC will increasingly need to distribute content through third-party platforms such as YouTube. However, this comes at the expense of control over how content is presented, access to audience data and the BBC’s direct relationship with audiences. The new Charter should support both strong BBC-owned services and flexible third-party distribution.
Simply making content available on a platform does not guarantee that audiences will find it, and evidence to the Committee highlighted the need for stronger safeguards on prominence, data access, platform accountability and fair value. The Committee says the Government should set clear minimum expectations for agreements between public service media providers and video-sharing platforms, backed by new legislation if voluntary agreements prove insufficient.
Greater collaboration will become increasingly important if public service media providers are to overcome shared challenges and compete with global platforms at sufficient scale. The Committee welcomes discussions between the BBC and Channel 4 about an expanded iPlayer, but says any arrangement must be a genuine, mutually beneficial partnership that respects the different brands and funding models of participating organisations, while maintaining plurality and competition. If the Government also decides to give the BBC a new or strengthened duty for technology and R&D in the next Charter, this should be framed around innovation in the public interest and clearly linked to the broadcaster’s mission and public purposes.
Baroness Keeley, Chair of the Communications and Digital Committee, said: “The upcoming BBC Charter Review is fundamental for the future of public service media in the UK.
“It comes as national public broadcasters face ever greater competition for viewers from streaming platforms and international technology giants, and so cannot be designed in isolation from the Government’s wider digital and media policy.
“The Government should use the BBC Charter Review White Paper to set out a coherent and ambitious strategy for public service media over the next decade. It must also be realistic about what can be asked of the BBC as it grapples with significant financial pressures.
“We can see no obvious benefit in a specific requirement for the BBC to drive economic growth across the UK. It already makes a massive contribution to the UK’s creative economy. Including an explicit economic growth public purpose in the new Charter risks both mission drift and skewing commissioning towards more generic, more exportable content.”
