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  • PRESS RELEASE : An end to the suffering in Sudan will only come through an humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive civilian-led political process [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : An end to the suffering in Sudan will only come through an humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive civilian-led political process [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 25 August 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador Sarah MacIntosh, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

    The war in Sudan has created the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

    Fighting has spread throughout Sudan, fuelled by arms supplies from within and beyond the region, funded, at least in part, by abduction for ransom and abuse of Sudan’s natural resources including gold, and exacerbated by massive use of drones

    With 33 million people needing humanitarian assistance; gross violations of human rights; civilians targeted with attacks, torture and arbitrary detention; horrifying sexual violence; and deprivation of essential services.

    An end to this suffering will only come through an humanitarian truce, a permanent ceasefire and an inclusive civilian-led political process to secure a sustainable peace. 

    Three issues need our support.

    First, the choices of peace.

    The United Kingdom welcomes and supports work to broker a humanitarian truce led by the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and UAE; work towards confidence-building measures by Envoy Haavisto; and work to build an inclusive inter-Sudanese dialogue as a foundation for a peaceful political transition led by the Quintet of international organisations. 

    But the choices needed to make peace in Sudan lie with the leaders, fighters, funders and fuellers of the war.

    So we also urge Sudan’s warring parties to choose to engage with peace processes; those supplying, funding and fuelling the war to choose to stop; leaders and fighting forces to choose to meet their obligations to act in accordance with the laws of war,  to enable humanitarian access, and to protect civilians – not attack, torture, maim and deprive them; and all those with influence, to choose to use it to press for peace. 

    Second, until the parties choose peace, we can help to protect civilians, to limit the flows of arms that fuel conflict, and to raise the cost to perpetrators of their actions.

    By extending the sanctions regime to respond to the war as it is being fought, covering the  areas where fighting is; drones; sexual violence; mercenaries.

    And by reminding leaders of fighting forces and militias that new technology and new tactics do not change their fundamental obligations to comply with international humanitarian law. 

    Sudan has become a battlefield where restrictions are too often ignored and protections too often fail.

    Our action to change that could mitigate the human suffering of the people trapped in these wars.

    And these measures should form part of a broader strategy to use the tools we have to protect civilians, constrain conflict, and support mediation efforts towards peace.

    Third, by supporting the humanitarian agencies working with people trapped in this war, and led by OCHA, thank you.

    Humanitarian access continues to be obstructed by all parties to the conflict.  With costs measured in lives: families starving, communities cut off from the support they need to survive, and humanitarian workers under fire.

    We call on the parties to facilitate rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need.

    The United Kingdom is supporting the people of Sudan with humanitarian assistance: $200m this year, to reach over 1.8 million people with food, nutrition, healthcare, clean water, and protection services.

    And increasing support to Sudanese-led responders, who can reach communities that others cannot.

    Pushing for protection, using our diplomacy to press for humanitarian access, an immediate truce, and a permanent ceasefire.

    Backing peace: supporting mediation efforts and an inclusive, Sudanese-led political process.

    Raising the cost of failing to protect civilians with UK sanctions on those committing atrocities, recruiting mercenaries, and conflict financing networks.

    And pursuing accountability: targeting those responsible for atrocities and those who sustain this war; through work to document, verify and preserve evidence of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure; through the Coalition on Atrocity Prevention and Justice; and by supporting the UN Fact-Finding Mission, the Panel of Experts, and the International Criminal Court.

    Mr President, the things that Sudanese civilians want: an end to war; safety for their families; access to food, healthcare and education; the chance to live free from violence; to see their children grow up into safety and prosperity.

    These are the things that almost every human being wants.

    They, and the people of Sudan, need to remain in international attention, and with international support to achieve them.

    And the leaders, fighters, funders, and fuellers of this war need to choose peace.

  • NEWS STORY : UK Minister Urges Peaceful Cambodia Thailand Dialogue During First Visit

    NEWS STORY : UK Minister Urges Peaceful Cambodia Thailand Dialogue During First Visit

    STORY

    UK Minister for the Indo Pacific Rosie Winterton has called for continued peaceful dialogue between Cambodia and Thailand during her first overseas visit in the role, as Britain reiterated its support for the December 2025 ceasefire between the two countries.

    Winterton is visiting Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Phnom Penh, where she is expected to meet Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. The visit will include discussions on trade and investment, development and human rights, as well as the UK’s support for communities affected by the recent border conflict. In Oddar Meanchey, the minister will visit an education programme supporting children displaced by the fighting and meet organisations involved in humanitarian mine clearance.

    The Government said the UK has supported demining work in Cambodia for more than three decades and announced a further £1.6 million for mine clearance and risk education in May. Winterton said Cambodia was important to UK security and prosperity and that Britain remained committed to stability, long term development and a peaceful region. She is also expected to sign an education agreement intended to strengthen links between British and Cambodian institutions.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley residents to get practical AI training to help them find work and build future careers [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Barnsley residents to get practical AI training to help them find work and build future careers [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 25 August 2026.

    Two new schemes will launch in Barnsley to help residents use AI in simple, practical ways – from applying for jobs to preparing for interviews.

    • Two new schemes will launch in Barnsley to help residents use AI in simple, practical ways – from applying for jobs and preparing for interviews, to training for roles where digital and AI tools are becoming part of day-to-day work.
    • AI Career Launchpad will offer flexible training and paid work placements with employers, while the Getting Job Ready with AI pilot will support jobseekers.
    • Comes six months after Barnsley became the UK’s first Tech Town, showing how AI can create new opportunities, strengthen local services and support economic growth in every postcode.

    Residents and jobseekers in Barnsley will be able to get practical support to use AI to find work, build confidence and train for future careers, under two new schemes announced today (Tuesday 25 August).

    The schemes are designed to help people benefit from AI in two clear ways. One will support people who want to train for jobs linked to AI, while the other will help jobseekers use AI tools when applying for work – such as finding suitable roles, improving CVs and cover letters, practising interview questions and understanding how digital tools are already being used in many workplaces.

    The AI Career Launchpad, a partnership with Barnsley College worth more than £400,000, will offer local people of all ages a faster, more flexible route into AI jobs. Learners will get six months of training linked to a Level 4 apprenticeship, plus paid placements so they can gain experience while they learn.

    The roles could include jobs helping businesses use AI tools, supporting teams with data and digital systems, improving customer services, or finding better ways to use technology in day-to-day work.

    Local businesses that sign up will benefit by getting early access to people training in AI, with government-funded placements helping them bring fresh skills into their teams. The programme will also help firms test how AI could save time, reduce admin, improve services and help them grow.

    Once the programme has been completed, its curriculum will be made freely available so colleges and training providers elsewhere can adopt it, spreading the Barnsley model to communities across the country.

    From September, jobseekers in Barnsley will also get hands-on support through the new Getting Job Ready with AI pilot. This will help people who are already comfortable using technology in everyday life but want more confidence using AI and digital tools when looking for work or preparing for the workplace.

    Tailored support could include using AI to search for suitable roles, tailor CVs and cover letters, prepare for interviews and understand how employers are already using digital tools in day-to-day jobs. People will be referred onto the course through Jobcentre Plus.

    The pilot forms part of a wider drive by the DWP to get more people into work and help them progress once there, including reforming jobcentres into a genuine, universal jobs and careers service and expanding work coach support.

    Minister for Employment, Andrew Western, said:

    Getting more people into good jobs is at the heart of this government’s plan to spread opportunity to every postcode.

    In Barnsley, we’re testing how AI can support that ambition, helping jobseekers build the confidence and skills they need to compete for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

    This sits alongside the wider changes we’re making through jobcentres up and down the country, as well as investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support to help people with health conditions and disabilities move into work. We’re also supporting young people into work through our £2.5 billion youth employment support package.

    AI Minister Kanishka Narayan said:

    AI is going to transform the world of work and our job is to make sure working people benefit from that change.

    That starts with helping people understand how AI can be useful day to day – whether that means finding a job, learning new skills or building a career in a growing industry.

    Barnsley is showing what this can look like in practice. As our first Tech Town, it is helping us find ways that can create opportunities for local people and support communities across the country.

    Matt O’Neill, Barnsley Council’s Executive Director for Place, said:

    Barnsley is proud to be the UK’s first Tech Town, and these new schemes are another important step in making sure local people can benefit from the opportunities that AI and digital technology can bring.

    Our focus is on practical support that makes a real difference to residents’ lives – whether that’s helping someone build confidence to apply for work, supporting people to develop new skills, or giving local businesses access to the talent and ideas they need to grow and thrive as we’ve outlined in our Inclusive Economic Growth Strategy.

    Tech Town is about using technology in ways that are inclusive, trusted and rooted in everyday life. By working with the government, Barnsley College, Jobcentre Plus and our local partners, we want to make sure residents, employers and communities across the borough are ready for the jobs and services of the future.

    The learning from Barnsley will also help shape how other places across the country approach AI skills and adoption, showing how towns like ours can be a trailblazer and lead the way in creating opportunity and supporting inclusive economic growth.

    David Akeroyd, Principal and CEO, Barnsley College, said:

    The AI Career Launchpad opens up careers that have, until now, been concentrated elsewhere in the country. Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of AI whilst undertaking paid placements, so they gain real experience that immediately translates into the workplace.

    Barnsley’s Tech Town status has given us the opportunity to look closely at how AI can support our staff, students and wider community, and colleagues across the College have responded with curiosity, invention and a willingness to try things, alongside a clear sense of responsibility.

    Our focus is on using AI well, not simply because it is there. That means helping people recognise where it adds value, without losing sight of the fact that human judgement and critical thinking remain essential. This investment lets us take that approach out of the College and into the wider Barnsley economy, so local people and employers benefit together.

    The pilot will help jobseekers build confidence in the kinds of digital skills employers are increasingly looking for.

    The news comes six months after Barnsley was named the UK’s first Tech Town, acting as the national trailblazer for how AI can improve everyday life. Since then a range of schemes empowering local people and businesses to take advantage of AI have been rolling out.

    Amy Wilkinson, who works as a Marketing Manager for local firm Anderson Power Generation, went on the Build Your App In 10 Weeks course as part of Barnsley’s IgniteAI programme. She built a new HR system for the business which has completely streamlined their HR process, reducing the administrative burden and allowing more time to focus on productivity.

    She said: “I’m living proof of the benefits of Barnsley being a Tech Town. I’ve been through the Build Your App In 10 Weeks programme with Enterprising Barnsley and IgniteAI, using the skills I learnt to build a new HR system for the business.

    “It’s helped completely streamline our HR process, saving people time and effort on administrative processes to focus on being more productive. It’s worked so well we’re now looking to market this for other businesses to use. AI is enabling people to do things they didn’t think possible and to unlock economic potential.”

    Meanwhile Barnsley College is supporting staff to build the skills, confidence and critical understanding needed to champion AI responsibly across education. For Matthew Sowerby, Tutorial Team Leader in the Digital and Creative Industries department, completing the Level 2 Introduction to AI course developed for Barnsley College staff has helped turn AI from something experimental into a practical tool for teaching, planning and student support.

    Matthew said: “Before doing the course, I had dabbled with AI and used it a little bit in my work, but I didn’t properly know how to use it to the best of its ability.

    “The main barrier I was facing was not getting the result I wanted. I would ask an AI system to do something, it would not give me what I needed, and I would end up doing it myself anyway. What the course helped me do was identify which tools were better for which tasks, and how to get the best out of them.”

    “AI has helped me create individual lesson plans and differentiate them across Level 2, Level 3, Extended Diploma and T Level students. It’s sped things up, made things simpler and made things more interesting.”

    Alongside the two new schemes announced today, an assessment launching in Autumn will look at how local charities, community groups and social enterprises currently are already using AI, and where further support could make the biggest difference.

    Led by Adobe and Barnsley CVS, the findings will shape Adobe’s work in the area, including targeted training and a showcase event where organisations can see what support is available.

    The schemes build on Barnsley’s Tech Town partnership between government, industry and local organisations, supported by companies including Cisco, Microsoft, Google and Adobe.

    Lessons from Barnsley will inform how similar approaches could be used elsewhere as the government works to equip 10 million UK workers with AI skills by 2030, and deliver on the Prime Minister’s reforms to ensure every young person has a clear route into skilled work.

    These efforts are continuing nationwide, and earlier this month the government announced the pilot of new AI skills summer bootcamps in North West England, ahead of a national rollout next year.

    Background information

    • Applications for the AI Career Launchpad will open this autumn, with the first group of learners due to begin in early 2027.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Every care leaver to have someone in their corner after review [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Every care leaver to have someone in their corner after review [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Education on 25 August 2026.

    £25 million investment to help thousands more care leavers access homes with support and connection.

    Thousands more young people leaving care will have people around them when they move into adulthood, as the government begins the national rollout of a strengthened housing programme backed by £25 million this year alone. The programme will grow high quality and innovative housing models that build connection around those leaving care.

    It comes as a government-commissioned independent review into the early deaths of young people who left care is published today, led by author and broadcaster Ashley John-Baptiste and social work leader Clare Chamberlain.

    The review tells the stories of six young people who died between the ages of 18 and 24. Those who knew them describe them as devoted, bubbly, kind, and deeply loved. They were also, in the words of one young person quoted in the report, ‘on their own’.

    Its central finding is that young people leaving care are profoundly isolated. Services often respond to a young person’s understandable wish for their own place, but independence can arrive with an unexpected loneliness and no one close enough to notice when things go wrong.

    The report sets out three things that must change: how young people are prepared for adulthood, the sharp drop in help at age 18, and the skills of the workforce supporting them.

    In response, government is driving forward the national rollout of connected housing options for those leaving care, starting with £25 million this year alone. This marks a major change that will make the Staying Close programme focused on expanding housing models akin to Shared Lives Plus, The House Project and Supported Lodgings to every part of the country. For young people, this will significantly increase their chances of being offered a home that provides them with community and connection rather than leaving them isolated in inappropriate accommodation.

    Children’s Minister Josh MacAlister said:

    Every one of these young lives mattered, and behind each of them lies a story of enormous loss – for their families, for their friends, and for the people who cared for them.

    We owe it to these young people, and to every care experienced person, to change care so that we make enduring relationships the central obsession of the care system. Care must build and not break the relationships that young people need, and this must be the new north star.

    I am incredibly grateful to Ashley and Clare for their work on this review. The tragic stories they have captured must galvanise us to make sure that no one leaving care is left isolated and alone. This will be a whole society effort, so I urge everyone to play their part.

     Author and broadcaster Ashley John-Baptise said: 

    As a care experienced broadcaster, I’ve been privileged to cover many aspects of the care system. That said, nothing could have prepared me for the devastating stories we’ve come across whilst doing this work. 

    The lives of these care leavers mattered. I really hope our review shines a light on who they were, how they were failed and serves as a useful report to stir us all.

    Social work leader, Clare Chamberlain said:

    This review has reinforced what care leavers have told us for years: the state is no substitute for family. We need to do more to prevent the acute loneliness that the most vulnerable experience after leaving care

    In 2025, 112 deaths of care leavers aged 18 to 24 were notified to the Department for Education. That is an estimated 130 per 100,000, around three to four times the rate for others the same age. Ashley and Clare were commissioned to undertake this review by the Children’s Minister after he identified repeated patterns in the reports of these early deaths.

    Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act, more public bodies will become corporate parents, meaning the NHS, jobcentres, prisons, and probation must weigh what care leavers need when they design services. New duties from 30 September require councils to publish how they will support care leavers into independent living, and from that date a care leaver can no longer be found intentionally homeless.

  • PRESS RELEASE : PM meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : PM meeting with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine [August 2026]

    The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 August 2026.

    The Prime Minister met the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in Kyiv today following a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.

    The Prime Minister started by thanking President Zelenskyy for the warm welcome he had been given by the Ukrainian people on his first visit.

    It had been an honest and productive conversation during the Coalition of the Willing, the leaders agreed, and it was clear the international community needed to step up and ensure Ukraine got the support it needed to defend itself from Russia’s barbaric attacks going into the winter.

    The Prime Minister emphasised the strength of unity among coalition members and reiterated that there would be no change in the UK’s steadfast support.

    That was further symbolised by the announcement that the UK had agreed that defence firm MBDA could release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP, the Prime Minister said.

    Turning to the economic situation, the leaders discussed the need to work with the insurance industry to support the resilience of Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and businesses.

    The leaders also welcomed the new AI partnership between the UK and Ukraine, which would bring opportunity and potential to revolutionise aspects of public life in both countries.

    The leaders agreed to stay in close touch.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes [August 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Historic council housebuilding comeback to help families into secure homes [August 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing on 24 August 2026.

    The government announces its first wave of funding from its £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme.

    • Families stuck without a secure home to benefit from the first wave of funding from the government’s £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme 
    • Councils backed to build more homes as ministers drive the biggest council housebuilding revival in decades  
    • More decisions over housing investment to move closer to local communities 

    Families trapped in temporary accommodation or stuck on housing waiting lists will be helped into safe, secure homes as the government kickstarts its record £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme. 

    Today (25 August) the Prime Minister and Secretary of State, Angela Rayner, are announcing nearly £10 billion of allocations to build thousands more quality council, social and affordable homes. 

    The first wave of funding announced today will support the delivery of more than 70,000 homes across England. It will go to 33 Strategic Partners – councils, housing associations and other providers that have secured long-term funding certainty to deliver homes at scale. Today’s announcement also marks a major step in the ambition to getting councils building at scale again.  

    Alongside housing associations, councils will be awarded Strategic Partner status with Homes England, helping put them firmly back at the heart of housebuilding. Around 60% of homes delivered through these partnerships are expected to be for Social Rent, the most affordable form of rented housing, helping more families access a secure home. 

    With almost 180,000 children growing up without a permanent home, the government is putting councils at the heart of housebuilding.  

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:  

    No child should be raised in a hostel room and no family should wait ten years for a front door of their own. I have said from my first day in this job that everything starts with a good home.

    Nearly £10 billion will go to councils and housing associations to build genuinely affordable homes, most of them for social rent, in the places where families are waiting longest.

    Councils built this country out of a housing crisis once before. Backed properly, and trusted to get on with it, they will do it again.

    Secretary of State Angela Rayner said: 

    Families can’t be left raising children without a place to call home, and none of us should spend years waiting for somewhere safe and affordable to live. 

    I know how important fixing this is – because I’ve been there. A safe and secure home was the foundation for a better life – I couldn’t have got to where I have today without it. 

    That’s why the Prime Minister and I are doing everything we can to get councils building once again – it’s fundamental to turning the housing crisis around, helping families out of temporary accommodation and into a secure home.

    Over £2 billion of today’s funding is expected to be spent in Mayoral areas outside of London. As part of the government’s wider devolution agenda, Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities are setting the strategic direction for the programme in their areas, helping ensure investment reflects local priorities.  

    Over time, more funding is expected to flow directly to mayoral authorities as the programme develops, building on the Government’s commitment to move power and decision-making out of Whitehall. 

    Today’s allocation is only the first stage of the ten-year programme. More than £16 billion remains to be allocated outside London and in allocating this funding, we intend to prioritise Social Rent homes and council housebuilding, helping deliver the largest expansion of council housing in decades. 

    Amy Rees, Chief Executive Officer at Homes England said: 

    Today’s announcement marks an important step in delivering the government’s £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. Through these strategic partnerships and continuous market engagement, alongside Homes England’s wider investment including through the National Housing Bank, we can help unlock thousands of much-needed homes across England. By working with councils, mayors, housing associations and local partners, we can support the return of council housebuilding at scale, increase the supply of social rent homes and create thriving places that people are proud to call home.

    Today’s package goes further by helping councils access more of the funding available to the programme and make full use of Right to Buy receipts – with £1.61 billion raised from sales alone in the last financial year – and other available funding streams.  

    To support this ambition, the government is investing a further £46 million over the next three years to strengthen councils’ skills, expertise and capacity to bring forward ambitious housebuilding plans. 

    London will receive a major boost for housebuilding, reflecting the acute need for affordable housing in the capital. 

    The Greater London Authority intends to offer at least £6 billion through the programme, with councils expected to deliver more than half of the homes funded in London. The capital is already demonstrating what can be achieved when local leaders have greater control over housing investment and delivery.

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

    Tackling the housing crisis is one of my top priorities and I’m doing everything I can to deliver more affordable homes that Londoners desperately need. We’ve built record numbers of council homes in London, but the number of families and children without a permanent home stuck on housing waiting lists is still unacceptable. I want to work with this new Government to deliver a step change in how many council homes we can deliver across the capital. 

    Thousands of Londoners will benefit from this new wave of new social and affordable homes, which will help people out of temporary accommodation and provide good, affordable homes to live in for the long-term, as we build a fairer, better London for everyone.

    Housing associations and other providers will continue to play a vital role in delivering the social and affordable homes the country needs.  

    Alongside councils, they will be central to delivering the Government’s ambition to increase housebuilding and expand access to genuinely affordable homes. 

    Kate Henderson, Chief Executive of the National Housing Federation, said: 

    It is hugely welcome to see this much-anticipated funding confirmed, something we have been calling for to kickstart construction on tens of thousands of desperately needed new social homes. 

    This is a major vote of confidence in not-for-profit housing associations and in the vital and distinct role they play in this country, as organisations that work for the long-term benefit of their communities. 

    Housing associations have risen to the challenge of delivering the governments ambitions. Working in partnership with government, councils and mayors, they have used the support and certainty provided by government to rebuild their development capacity, invest in skills, and be the strong and reliable partners needed to build a new generation of social and affordable homes, alongside increasing investment in their existing homes. This is no better demonstrated than in the scale and ambition of the bids submitted to this Social and Affordable Homes Programme. 

    We will continue work with national and local government to maximise housing associations’ potential to deliver new social rented homes during this parliament and over the next decade, meeting the housing needs of local people in every part of the country.

    The package builds on the government’s commitment to deliver 1.5 million homes this Parliament, including the biggest boost to council, social and affordable housing in a generation. 

    Gavin Smart, Chief Executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing, said:

    It’s very welcome to see funding from last year’s Spending Review now being allocated and getting into the hands of Strategic Partners across the country, turning the government’s long-term commitment into homes that can make a real difference for families. We welcome the strong focus on homes for social rent and the ambition for council housebuilding, and the recognition of the vital role that councils, housing associations and other providers will play in delivering the next generation of genuinely affordable homes. If delivered at pace, this investment has the potential to reduce homelessness, ease pressure on temporary accommodation and help more people access a safe, secure and affordable home.

    Cllr Liam Robinson, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Inclusive Growth Committee, said:  

    Councils have long called for a sustained return to building genuinely affordable homes and stand ready to work with government to deliver the revival in social housebuilding.  

    The confirmed allocation of the first phase of the £39 billion fund and the increased Capacity to Build funding are positive steps to achieving this ambition.  

    Given the key role for councils in delivering these homes, it is crucial they remain at the heart of delivery. Mayors should work closely with local authorities in their areas to achieve the most from this money, with councils also having sustained access to preferential borrowing rates to support viability. 

    Notes to editors:  

    • The Social and Affordable Homes Programme (SAHP) is a £39 billion investment programme over ten years. The programme has a target for at least 60% of homes delivered through it to be for Social Rent.
    • £9.58 billion is being allocated to 33 Strategic Partners outside of London, including housing associations and other providers, to support the delivery of 73,600 new social and affordable homes across England over the next ten years. Nearly two-thirds of homes delivered through these partnerships are expected to be for Social Rent. This is the first major wave of funding allocations under the programme. Further funding will be allocated over the lifetime of the programme. 
    • Outside London, the Social and Affordable Homes Programme is administered by Homes England. 
    • Section 106 (S106) agreements are, and will remain, an essential mechanism for delivering social and affordable housing in addition to grant-funded delivery, through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme 
    • In 2025/26, councils received £1.61 billion in Right to Buy sales, all of which can now be retained and reinvested in new social and affordable homes. 
    • The £46m ‘Capacity to Build’ funding forms a package of support to strengthen councils’ skills, capacity and capability to deliver and acquire new council homes. Building on the success of 2025-26, the £46m will fund the continuation of:  

    o   The Council Housebuilding Support Fund – delivered with Homes England, providing revenue funding for early-stage development activity to help councils bring forward ambitious bids to the SAHP;  

    o   The Council Housebuilding Support Service – delivered by the Local Government Association, providing bespoke no-cost support, advice and expertise to help councils deliver more homes;  

    • An expansion to the Pathways to Planning graduate scheme – delivered by the Local Government Association, helping councils recruit and retain graduates in specialist housebuilding roles, including surveying and construction project management.  
    • The Government has set out its long-term direction for the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, with more funding expected to flow directly to Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities (EMSAs) outside London as the programme progresses.  
    • In allocating remaining funding, the government intends to prioritise Social Rent and council homes, alongside a continued focus on local decision-making and delivery.  
    • Social Rent is the most affordable form of social housing. It is usually provided by councils or housing associations, with rents typically set well below private market rents. This makes it one of the most affordable housing options for people on low incomes. 

    Regional funding breakdown  

    • For the following Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities outside of London, the estimated Strategic Partnership spend in each area is as follows:  

    o    Greater Manchester: £529m estimated spend to support c. 4,400 homes   

    o    West Midlands: £409m estimated spend to support c. 3,200 homes   

    o    North East: £445m estimated spend to support c. 3,400 homes   

    o    West Yorkshire: £441m estimated spend to support c. 4,000 homes   

    o    Liverpool City Region: £380m estimated spend to support c. 3,100 homes   

    o    South Yorkshire: £249m estimated spend to support c. 2,200 homes  

    • Following the designation of four new Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities (EMSAs), they will now also be able to set the strategic direction of the Programme in their areas. Those EMSAs are: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; East Midlands; West of England; York and North Yorkshire  
    • Today’s announcement comes as the final National Planning Policy Framework is published last week that encourages a more diverse mix of housing, including more affordable homes for rural communities, and stricter rules to maximise social and affordable housing delivery on low-quality grey belt land.
  • NEWS STORY : UK to help Ukraine manufacture long range missiles

    NEWS STORY : UK to help Ukraine manufacture long range missiles

    STORY

    The UK is to allow classified information about British missile components to be released to help Ukraine establish production lines for long range weapons, following Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first overseas visit since taking office.

    The Government said defence company MBDA would be permitted to share information relating to British components used in the SCALP long range cruise missile. The agreement is intended to allow more of the weapons to be assembled in Ukraine and strengthen the country’s ability to maintain its own missile supply.

    Burnham announced the move during a visit to Kyiv for Ukrainian Independence Day, where he met President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and chaired a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing. Russia criticised the decision and warned that missile production facilities would be considered military targets, while Burnham said Britain would continue supporting Ukraine despite what he described as threats from Moscow.

  • NEWS STORY : Government tells social media companies to remove dangerous driving videos

    NEWS STORY : Government tells social media companies to remove dangerous driving videos

    STORY

    The Government has called on social media companies to remove material which glorifies dangerous driving following the A66 collision near Middlesbrough in which seven people died.

    Two police officers and five occupants of another vehicle were killed when a car travelling on the wrong side of the dual carriageway collided with a police vehicle. Police have subsequently made 12 arrests as part of an investigation into suspected organised crime connected with events surrounding the collision.

    Downing Street described the online glorification of dangerous driving for entertainment as disgraceful, while ministers said platforms should enforce their existing rules against harmful content. There is no evidence that the fatal collision itself was being filmed for social media, but the incident has renewed concern about videos showing high speed driving, police pursuits and other dangerous behaviour being circulated online.

  • NEWS STORY : Treasury launches review into pub and hotel business rates

    NEWS STORY : Treasury launches review into pub and hotel business rates

    STORY

    The Treasury has launched an independent review of the way pubs and hotels are valued for business rates following concerns from businesses about sharp increases in rateable values.

    Business rates specialist Jerry Schurder will lead the review, which will examine whether the existing valuation methodology remains appropriate and how the system could be made clearer and fairer. Publicans, brewers, hotel operators and other interested groups have been invited to submit evidence before the consultation closes on 16 October.

    The review will report by the end of March 2027, although any accepted changes would not affect current business rates bills and would instead be introduced at the next revaluation. The Government has said pubs, social clubs and live music venues will separately receive a 20% reduction in business rates bills from April 2027.

  • NEWS STORY : NHS to offer millions of women cervical screening tests at home

    NEWS STORY : NHS to offer millions of women cervical screening tests at home

    STORY

    Millions of women in England are to be offered free home testing kits for the virus that causes almost all cervical cancers as the NHS attempts to increase screening rates.

    Women aged between 30 and 65 who are not up to date with cervical screening will be able to carry out a vaginal swab themselves before returning the sample to an NHS laboratory. Kits will be available through the NHS app and website, while some eligible women will receive invitations by text, email or letter.

    Around four million eligible women are currently not up to date with cervical screening and uptake is below the NHS target. The programme is intended to remove some of the practical and personal barriers associated with attending a conventional screening appointment and forms part of the NHS ambition to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2040.