A one-off boost to pensions now isn’t unfair if it means greater security in retirement for generations to comeThe “triple lock” is the most high-profile and contested area of pensions policy. It is also the most misunderstood. The lock, which ensures …
Pensions triple lock to be suspended next year, government says
Work and pensions secretary tells MPs temporary move will prevent a hike in payments of 8%Today’s politics news – live updatesThe work and pensions secretary has announced the triple lock on the state pension will be temporarily suspended next year, to…
UK house prices hit record high despite cut in stamp duty break
Average prices rose by 0.7% in August to £262,954, says HalifaxThe average UK house price reached a fresh record high in August while annual inflation cooled to a five-month low, after the partial end of the stamp duty holiday in England and Northern I…
Constructed Worlds, Group Beliefs and Narrative Consciousness
Three Simple Policy Heuristics – “The most important thing to understand is this: Harm ripples, kindness ripples. People you hurt go on to hurt other people. People who are treated with kindness become better people, or more prosperous people, and go o…
Bupa is being a real pain over my dental claim
My wisdom tooth needs to come out but it says the policy only covers ‘active symptoms’I have a medical insurance policy with Bupa that doesn’t cover day-to-day dentistry, except for “surgical operations”. At a recent dental checkup, I was told I needed…
What has gone wrong with social care in England?
Boris Johnson is not the first to try to fix the problems that have made care costs unaffordable for manyWhether it is help with washing and dressing at home or long-term nursing support, most social care in England has never been automatically free at…
UK labour crisis could last up to two years, CBI warns
Lobby group urges action on visas for foreign workers such as drivers, welders, butchers and bricklayersWagamama struggling to find chefs at a fifth of its UK sitesThe labour crisis could last for up to two years, Britain’s leading business lobby group…
‘Housing should be boring… and cheap’ – developer explains his success
Pocket Living boss explains why his business model of building smaller flats is ideal for the UK housing crisisProperty developer Marc Vlessing says he would be happy to be put out of a job. In an attempt to attract first-time buyers who might otherwis…
Pressure grows on Starmer to back tax on rich to pay for social care
Party and union figures urge new policy as Manchester mayor Andy Burnham tells Labour leader: taxing wealth is the fairest way The row over how to fund social care threatens to engulf Labour this weekend as Keir Starmer faces pressure from across the p…
‘A kick in the teeth’: British mothers and pregnant women fear return to workplace
Companies recalling staff this month have been accused of not offering flexitime and failing to protect employeesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageBefore the pandemic, every morning and night was a cycle of stress and rushing …