The government’s flagship Work Programme had an ‘extremely poor’ record of finding jobs for the unemployed in its first 14 months in operation, the Public Accounts Committee said today.
Child poverty campaigners are pressing councils to prioritise the needs of low-income families as figures published today showed wide disparities in wealth across the UK.
Revenue & Customs has missed its own target to cut fraud and error in tax credits, with more than £2bn in incorrect payments made in 2010/11, the National Audit Office said today.
Jobcentre staff coped well with the rise in unemployment following the financial crisis but could still be more efficient, the National Audit Office has concluded.
‘Far too many’ fit-for-work assessments are wrong, causing misery to benefits claimants and costing taxpayers, the Public Accounts Committee said today.
Almost three-quarters of English local authorities will be demanding more in council tax from low-income families from April, the Resolution Foundation has revealed.
Councils could cut back-office costs by more than a third if they give ‘chip and pin’ style prepaid cards to people with personal care budgets, according to think-tank Demos.
Plans to replace the Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payments will penalise people with mobility problems and should be rethought, disability campaigners said today.
Plans to introduce a single ‘flat rate’ state pension from April 2017 could leave thousands of public sector workers out of pocket, unions have warned.
Former care services minister Paul Burstow has urged the government to fund a cap on adult care costs by means-testing the Winter Fuel Payment, currently paid to everyone aged 60 and over.
Chancellor George Osborne should use next week’s Autumn Statement to freeze spending on public sector pay, benefits and international aid and ignore calls to extend wealth taxes, the Centre for...
The government has defended its flagship scheme to find jobs for unemployed people, although only 2.3% of those taking part in the Work Programme found long-term employment in its first year.
The chancellor should use the upcoming Autumn Statement to end the council tax freeze for the most valuable properties and introduce two extra bands at the top of the scale, according to the liberal...
Voluntary and community groups in Northern Ireland have been urged to apply for a share of a £700,000 funding pot aimed at tackling rural poverty and social isolation.
