Rachel Reeves repeatedly blamed the economic and fiscal situation Labour took over after the general election for the “difficult decisions” made in her first Budget as chancellor.
Growing pressure means nearly half of England’s upper-tier councils will struggle to balance their budgets within two years and are likely to need government support, a survey of chief executives has...
Councils should make the most of the Procurement Act as an “opportunity for a more strategic, socially minded” approach to public procurement when it comes into force next year, a think-tank has...
The Treasury has become obsessed with meeting fiscal rules simply to avoid political embarrassment, even at the expense of intelligent policymaking, a leading think-tank has warned.
An independent inquiry will investigate carer’s allowance overpayments that saw claimants who unwittingly breached earnings thresholds being forced to repay millions of pounds.
Excessive staff vacancies and rising turnover are putting “unsustainable pressure” on council finance teams, with pay being the main barrier to attracting qualified candidates, according to CIPFA...
Nearly £1bn of homelessness service funding is set to end next year, sector organisations have warned chancellor Rachel Reeves, asking for the money to be rolled over in the upcoming Budget.
The housing crisis will push Newham Council’s temporary accommodation bill to more than ten times its recent size, piling further pressure on an authority already looking for £70m of savings to cover...
The government is being urged to take “immediate and decisive” action to tackle a workforce crisis in adult social care that is putting councils under mounting financial strain.
Tax increases of up to £25bn will be needed in the Budget if spending on local government, police and prisons is to rise in line with national income, according to research from the Institute for...
Matthew Pennycook has set out priorities for the government’s housing agency, including maximising the social housing delivered through the remaining Affordable Homes Programme funding.
Luton Borough Council has hit back after its external auditor claimed the authority cannot produce accurate accounts, criticising the report as “full of factual inaccuracies”.
Council development projects face a “cliff edge” if the government does not renew a multibillion-pound fund before it abruptly ends next year, the sector has warned.
A root and branch review of Scotland’s governance arrangements is needed to address the increasing unsustainability of local authority finances since devolution, a panel of experts has told the...
Scrapping the two-child limit would be a quick and cost-effective fix for child poverty – but the benefit cap would wipe out the gains for the poorest families, research has revealed.
