Welfare

Rachel Reeves urged to introduce ‘child lock’ on benefits to reduce poverty

Rachel Reeves is facing calls to introduce a “child lock” to protect spending on child-related benefits in the autumn budget, a move campaigners say would dramatically reduce the number...

‘I don’t do a monthly shop any more’: life with unpredictable working hours

“Obviously I never know what I’m going to be paid each week,” says Jessica Burns, a mother of...

Winter fuel: 780,000 UK pensioners entitled to payment will lose it

About 780,000 pensioners who need the winter fuel payment will lose out on it when Labour begins means-testing...

We did not do impact assessment of winter fuel payment cut, No 10 admits

Ministers did not carry out a specific impact assessment on the withdrawal of the winter fuel payment from...

Sunak ‘should apologise for £22bn black hole’, says Starmer during PMQs – video

Keir Starmer said Rishi Sunak should apologise for the '£22bn black hole' in government finances, after Sunak asked...

‘People’s futures on the line’ amid surge in youth unemployment, unions warn

Youth unemployment has risen to a post-pandemic high as unions warned that “young people’s futures are on the line” amid a widespread struggle to...

Labour ministers reveal grave concerns about winter fuel payment cut

Cabinet ministers have grave concerns about Rachel Reeves’s plan to axe the winter fuel allowance for all but the poorest pensioners, the Guardian can...

UK state pension to rise by more than £400 a year, say reports

The full UK state pension is expected to rise by more than £400 a year as a result of April’s triple lock, according to...

Rachel Reeves under renewed fire from MPs and charities over cuts to winter fuel allowance

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is under fresh pressure this weekend over controversial plans to limit winter fuel allowance to the poorest pensioners, amid claims...

Keir Starmer warns of tough times ahead to fix ‘Tory ruins’

British people will have to endure even worse economic and social ­pressures in the months to come as the Labour government takes “unpopular decisions”...