One of devolved Scotland's first major policies was free personal care for the elderly. Four years on, how has it fared and does it offer any lessons for the rest of the UK? David Scott reports
Sure Start, tax credits, baby bonds. Gordon Brown has not been idle on the social policy front while he waits for his chance at the premiership. But what kind of legacy will the longest-serving...
Social care is often described as the Cinderella service. So will Ivan Lewis, the fourth to wear the ministerial shoes in just five years, turn out to be its Prince Charming? Sally Gainsbury went to...
Local services in Wales need a fundamental overhaul, with a tougher focus on poor performance and an end to the public sector's 'silo mentality', a wide-ranging review has concluded.
The Cornwall Partnership NHS trust has been placed under 'special measures' following a watchdog report revealing 'many years of abusive practices' of adults with learning disabilities.
Proposals to close community hospitals might be delayed after Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt told primary care trusts to adopt new methods of public consultation.
The tangle of performance indicators and reporting requirements that are throttling local government will be swept away following a wide-ranging review being set up to slash red tape in the sector,...
Older people are being 'deprived of the care they deserve' because of the worsening £600m shortfall between what councils have available to fund care services and the minimum they need to spend, the...
Local government workers should share the risks faced by their pension funds and be subject to possible contribution rate increases or benefit decreases every six to nine years, the government and...
A property company that manages homes for local authorities has become the first private firm to apply to the Housing Corporation to be an accredited landlord.
Council workers in Scotland will have their early retirement pension rights protected for the next 14 years under a proposed transitional scheme which allows the Executive to comply with a European...
Ofsted has urged schools, colleges and local authorities to follow the example of the best and make self-evaluation an integral part of their management systems.
Ministers expect to save £7bn from the overhaul of welfare systems announced this week cash that they believe could be reinvested directly back into services.
There is a crisis in democracy, as more and more citizens lose interest in politics. The reasons are complex and varied but globalisation and professionalisation are prime culprits. It's time to...
For many young vulnerable people, the statutory sector closes its door on them the moment they hit 18. But thanks to new social inclusion projects, this is changing. Nicola Pauling reports
The government is on a new charm offensive with the voluntary sector. But will all the reviews and initiatives allay charities' suspicions that ministers are looking for public services on the cheap...
The government has poured money into public sector pay, but taxpayers can't see any service improvement, the unions are far from grateful and now the chancellor is pulling the plug. It's time to...
England's core cities are poised to receive new powers mirroring those already enjoyed by London's mayor in the drive to reinvigorate 'democratic decision-making', Ruth Kelly has indicated.
For the Labour government, charity began and ended at home. Or the Home Office, at least, where its charitable and voluntary sector policy largely gathered dust after 1997.
Disagreement between local authorities over employee benefits in the Local Government Pension Scheme risks fragmenting and ultimately undermining it, unions have told Public Finance .
