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  • PRESS RELEASE : 130 cultural venues, museums, and libraries to receive funding boost that will improve access to arts and culture across the country [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : 130 cultural venues, museums, and libraries to receive funding boost that will improve access to arts and culture across the country [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 14 April 2026.

    130 cultural venues, museums and libraries are set to receive a share of almost £130 million to protect them for present and future generations.

    • Investment forms part of the Arts Everywhere Fund, a bumper £1.5 billion package to support cultural infrastructure projects
    • Organisations such as The Lowry, Stratford East, The Black Country Living Museum and Derbyshire Libraries are amongst 130 receiving a needed cash boost

    130 cultural venues, museums and libraries are set to benefit from a £127.8 million funding boost, helping to ensure that everyone can access arts and culture in the places they call home.

    Venues ranging from The Lowry Centre in Salford, The Hexagon in Reading and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Warwickshire will receive a much needed cash boost to help open up access to facilities, complete much needed building projects and upgrade technology on site.

    The 130 organisations receiving funding today mark the first projects receiving cash from the government’s Arts Everywhere Fund. As the cost of living continues to affect families across Britain, funding for these venues will help provide welcoming, affordable spaces for communities to visit, come together and celebrate what makes their local area special.

    Earlier this year, the Culture Secretary committed up to £1.5 billion to the cultural sector over this parliament, with the Arts Everywhere Fund aiming to save more than 1,000 cherished arts venues, museums, libraries and heritage buildings across England.

    Today’s £127.8 million which is administered and delivered by Arts Council England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is made up of three funds:

    • The Creative Foundations Fund (CFF) has allocated £96 million to 74 arts and cultural venues to help theatres, performing arts venues, galleries and grassroots music venues address urgent infrastructure needs. In this round, organisations such as The Lowry Centre Trust in Salford, which has been awarded £8.5 million to upgrade critical infrastructure. This funding will replace escalators with new lifts, providing step-free access to galleries and opening up more of the building. Visitors will benefit from improved access to galleries, theatres, family and conference spaces, along with enhanced café and retail facilities, creating a more inclusive and welcoming experience. Theatre Royal Stratford East in London has also secured £1,750,000 funding to upgrade its building and essential systems, ensuring the theatre remains safe, accessible and welcoming for local people.
    • The Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND) has allocated a share of £25.5 million to support 28 museums to undertake vital infrastructure works, and improve the visitor experience. In this round, organisations such as Black Country Living Museum in Dudley have been awarded £454,159 to safeguard key historic buildings, ensuring they remain safe and open for visitors while preserving the region’s unique heritage. In total the fund has supported 150 museums over the past four years.
    • The Libraries Improvement Fund (LIF) has allocated a share of £6.3 million to 28 library services to help upgrade buildings and technology to better meet the needs of the community. The fund has already supported 95 projects across England over five years and this round will support organisations such as Derbyshire Libraries which will use £440,000 to refurbish three sites to create more welcoming, flexible spaces for community use, including bookable rooms and areas for local activities. It is hoped that these improvements will encourage more visits from children and families, support community engagement and ensure the libraries remain sustainable and well-used for years to come.

    Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy said:

    Across the country, people take real pride in where they come from. Our local arts, museums and libraries are a big part of that, telling our stories, reflecting who we are, and bringing communities together.

    That’s why our Arts Everywhere Fund matters. We’re backing the places people care about most, with support for 130 venues across the country announced today.

    Arts and culture aren’t a luxury for a privileged few. They are for everyone, everywhere. They bring people together, open doors, and support our shared sense of belonging. That’s the role they can play as we build a stronger future for our country.

    Arts Council England Chair Sir Nicholas Serota said:

    Arts organisations, museums and libraries are the beating heart of our communities.

    After significant financial pressures in recent years, this vital investment will help organisations to secure futures where they thrive and not just survive.

    We look forward to seeing these cultural spaces flourish as they continue to provide access to excellent art and culture for everyone, everywhere, for many years to come.

    Other examples of funded projects include:

    Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival (CFF) in East Sussex will receive £468,701 in funding which  will modernise the concert hall’s systems, improving accessibility, sustainability, and improve the experience for the audience and artists. This safeguards a vital cultural hub, supporting year-round events, opportunities for young people and community engagement across Brighton & Hove and Sussex. Newstead Abbey (MEND), in Nottinghamshire, is an internationally significant former home of the poet Lord Byron, will receive £1,550,747 for essential roof and drainage repairs. This investment will protect the historic building and its nationally important collections from persistent leaks, ensuring the site remains open for future generations to enjoy. Henleaze Library (LIF) in Bristol is awarded £279,147 to transform it into a more inclusive and flexible community space. The project includes a new front extension for meetings and events, accessible facilities, and digital upgrades allowing community access outside regular hours.

    The next rounds of these funds will open for applications in the coming months. Further details on the Museum Estate and Development Fund, and the new Museum Transformation Programme, along with the Libraries Improvement Fund will be announced in due course.

    ENDS

    Creative Foundations Fund full list of recipients:

    London

    • Southbank Centre – £10,000,000
    • Harrow Arts Centre – £630,014
    • Certain Blacks – £150,000
    • Autograph ABP – £499,950
    • The Lyric Theatre Hammersmith Limited – £534,227
    • Theatre Royal Stratford East – £1,750,000
    • St Margaret’s House – £700,000
    • Create London, The White House, Dagenham – £500,000
    • Shoreditch Town Hall – £899,847
    • Kiln Theatre – £296,500
    • London Contemporary Dance (The Place) Limited – £660,000
    • Electric Ballroom CIC – £497,000
    • Rich Mix Cultural Foundation – £2,205,000
    • Royal Ballet and Opera – £5,000,000
    • VocalEyes – £102,254
    • English National Opera – £1,601,293

    North East

    • Northern Stage (Theatrical Productions) Ltd – £192,600
    • Queen’s Hall Arts – £393,068
    • THIRTY-SIX LIME STREET LIMITED – £847,932
    • Baltic Flour Mills Visual Arts Trust – £3,649,800
    • Gateway Studio CIO, New Trinity – £400,000
    • Middlesbrough Council Cultural Services – £2,595,000
    • The Cluny Events (North East) CIC – £334,000

    North West

    • Theatre Porto – £139,000
    • esea contemporary – £359,100
    • The Lowry Centre Trust – £8,500,000
    • Liverpool & Merseyside Theatres Trust Ltd – £999,999
    • Blackburn with Darwen BC – £990,000
    • Skylight Circus Arts – £125,990
    • Octopus Collective Ltd, Barrow – £396,000

    East of England

    • New Wolsey Theatre Company Ltd – £529,340
    • Palace Theatre Watford Limited – £999,896
    • Creative Arts East – £144,226
    • Stagetext – £183,356
    • Wysing Arts Centre – £195,000
    • Firstsite Ltd – £995,000
    • Britten Pears Arts – £1,954,825

    South East

    • Worthing Borough Council – £371,278
    • Brighton Dome & Festival Limited – £468,701
    • Watermill Theatre – £300,000
    • The Mill Arts Centre – £135,000
    • Kent County Council – £865,000
    • Portsmouth New Theatre Royal – £450,000
    • The Hexagon, Reading – £2,068,000
    • Turner Sims, Southampton – £350,000
    • Play to the Crowd, Theatre Royal Winchester – £398,000

    South West

    • TwoCan Inclusive Theatre Company – £283,169
    • Taunton Theatre Association Ltd – £527,083
    • Wiltshire Creative – £3,000,000
    • Friends of the Lyric CIC – £170,000
    • Newlyn Art Gallery Ltd – £726,599
    • Theatre Royal (Plymouth) Ltd – £8,356,000
    • Music Venue Properties – £999,000
    • Trinity Community Arts – £390,000

    East Midlands

    • University of Leicester, Attenborough Arts Centre – £899,999
    • Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage, Leicester – £119,725
    • Northampton Theatres Trust – £538,000
    • Nottingham Playhouse – £285,574
    • North Kesteven District Council – £107,777

    West Midlands

    • Stoke on Trent & North Staffordshire Theatre Trust – £295,308
    • Royal Shakespeare Company – £7,298,800
    • Paines Plough – £750,000
    • Birmingham Royal Ballet – £949,953
    • Birmingham Repertory Theatre – £3,047,229
    • Claybody Theatre – £150,000
    • Wolverhampton Arts Centre – £4,999,999

    Yorkshire and the Humber

    • Hull Truck Theatre – £318,911
    • Barnsley Civic Enterprise Ltd Civic – £805,165
    • Kirklees Theatre Trust – £630,000
    • Yorkshire Dance Centre Trust – £750,000
    • Mind the Gap Studio – £100,000
    • Northern Ballet Limited – £522,500
    • Rotherham Theatres – £200,000
    • Scarborough Theatre Trust Ltd – £2,700,000

    Museum Estate and Development Fund full list of recipients:

    London

    • London Transport Museum – £999,999
    • Museum of the Order of St John – £413,015

    North East

    • Hartlepool Borough Council – £2,458,641
    • Chesters Roman Fort – £476,566

    North West

    • Grundy Art Gallery – £357,000
    • People’s History Museum – £2,491,670
    • Port Sunlight Village Trust – £499,999
    • Lancaster City Museum – £94,056
    • Bramall Hall, Stockport Museums – £1,000,000
    • Greater Manchester Transport Society – £244,000
    • The Armitt Museum and Library – £238,098

    East of England

    • Natural History Museum, Colchester – £499,477
    • Sheringham Museum – £456,170

    South East

    • Walmer Castle – £3,080,000
    • The Brickworks Museum – £280,000
    • Whitchurch Silk Mill – £210,045
    • Brading Roman Villa – £80,707

    South West

    • Bristol Museums – £3,567,713

    East Midlands

    • Boston Guildhall – £401,112
    • National Tramway Museum – £492,880
    • Creswell Crags – £184,705
    • Newstead Abbey, Nottingham – £1,550,747

    West Midlands

    • Black Country Living Museum – £454,159
    • Compton Verney – £794,750

    Yorkshire and the Humber

    • Burton Constable Hall – £242,000
    • Oakwell Hall, Kirklees – £1,638,724
    • Yorkshire Museum – £2,000,000
    • Ryedale Folk Museum – £350,676

    Libraries Improvement Fund full list of recipients:

    London

    • London Borough Havering – £499,000
    • London Borough of Barking and Dagenham – £300,000
    • London Borough of Ealing Libraries – £50,000
    • RBG – Sport, Leisure and Library Services, Greenwich Libraries – £121,755
    • Harrow Libraries – £110,000
    • Camden Council – £149,655

    East of England

    • East Ham Co-Working and Study Space – £350,000
    • Suffolk County Council – £500,000
    • Cambridgeshire Community and Cultural Services – £150,000

    North East

    • Hartlepool Borough Council – £94,400
    • Northumberland Libraries – £491,022
    • Gateshead Council – Library Service – £71,794

    North West

    • Manchester City Council – £52,942
    • St Helens Council Library Service – £290,000
    • Rochdale Borough Council – £140,000

    South East

    • Surrey Libraries – £50,000

    South West

    • South Gloucestershire Council (Cultural Services) –  £167,639
    • Devon County Council – £200,000
    • Bristol City Council – £279,147

    East Midlands

    • Derbyshire County Council – £440,000

    West Midlands

    • Walsall Council – £170,000
    • City of Wolverhampton Council –  £270,000
    • Shropshire Libraries –  £299,000
    • Telford & Wrekin – £235,971

    Yorkshire and the Humber

    • Sheffield Libraries – £87,000
    • North Lincolnshire Council – £265,560
    • Hull Culture and Leisure Library – £203,175
    • East Riding Libraries – £300,000
  • PRESS RELEASE : Crackdown on water companies delivers record funding to restore harm done to waterways [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Crackdown on water companies delivers record funding to restore harm done to waterways [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 April 2026.

    Local communities, water quality and wildlife will benefit from a record £8.5 million paid by water companies into environmental restoration projects as part of a strengthened crackdown on pollution and poor performance across the sector.  

    This compares to £5.8 million the year before, a 47% increase, and just under £2 million in the 2023/24 financial year. 

    The Environment Agency ensures this record funding goes directly to charities and projects that restore the harm done to waterways and improve water quality, working to leave them in a better position than before any incident.  

    The funding supports a wide range of local environmental improvements, including habitat restoration and river recovery projects. This will help rebuild habitats for threatened species like water voles and salmon that pollution has driven from Britain’s waterways. 

    Enforcement Undertakings are legally binding agreements between the Environment Agency and companies that have breached environmental rules. The undertaking requires the company concerned to take steps to prevent repetition of the offending and to put right the damage it has caused. Often this will involve a payment to a third-party wildlife trust or environmental charity.  This money can help deliver immediate benefits to the environment, without requiring lengthy and uncertain court proceedings – complementing the EA’s wider enforcement action against serial offenders. 

    Water Minister Emma Hardy said:  

    Water companies must be held to account when they break the law. 

    This enforcement action will see millions go directly into projects that clean up our rivers, restore habitats and benefit local communities, delivering immediate benefits without lengthy court cases. 

    It comes alongside other government action to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas. We’ve already banned unfair bonuses and introduced landmark legislation to hold water companies to account, and our long-term reforms will mean there is a new, single regulator focused on preventing problems before they occur.

    Severn Trent Water paid the most through Enforcement Undertakings in the period, totalling £4,627,424. All of this money was directed to local charities including the Trent Rivers Trust and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, who have the expertise to deliver targeted improvements in the affected catchments through measures such as habitat restoration, barrier removal and water quality improvements. 

    Elsewhere, £300,000 paid by Wessex Water following their pollution of the River Gascoigne will be used by the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust to improve habitats in the area, including vital work to support endangered water vole populations. It will create reedbeds, wetlands and ponds at Yeovil Country Park and along Preston Brook.   

    These payments follow a major increase in enforcement activity, including a record 10,000 inspections of water company sites and a significant rise in criminal investigations. More staff, better data, and increased powers mean the regulator can act faster when breaches occur and enable more targeted regulatory action. 

    Philip Duffy, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said: 

    As the environmental regulator of the water industry, we are transforming how we enforce the rules – with better data, stronger powers and our largest ever enforcement workforce. 

    This record level of Enforcement Undertakings payments means more money is being reinvested directly into restoring the environment. 

    While we continue to prosecute and sanction the most serious offences, Enforcement Undertakings allow us to hold companies to account more quickly while ensuring money is channelled directly to where damage has occurred, delivering real benefits for people and wildlife.

    Enforcement Undertakings are one of a range of tools available to the Environment Agency. Alongside these agreements, the Environment Agency continues to pursue robust enforcement against offenders, including prosecutions for the most serious offences.  New figures show that £8.5 million has been secured through Environment Agency Enforcement Undertakings (EUs) over the last financial year (2025/26) – the highest annual total on record. 

    Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of The Rivers Trust, said: 

    We would prefer that pollution events didn’t happen in the first place and continue to push for the necessary action to ensure this – including ambitious reform of the water system.  

    When pollution incidents do occur, it is right that polluters contribute to the costs of caring for the rivers harmed by this. Enforcement Undertakings are one way of channelling vital funds into this crucial work, but this is only a fraction of the investment needed to build catchment resilience to pollution, floods and drought.  

    The Rivers Trust exists to ensure thriving rivers and is well placed to put any, and all, funding to good use to improve our waterways in line with our charity’s mission.

    The government has also introduced stronger powers through the Water (Special Measures) Act, including tougher penalties and new measures to ensure regulators can act more quickly and effectively. 

    Further reforms are planned, including new civil penalties to close gaps in enforcement and ensure that all breaches – including lower-level offences – are dealt with swiftly and proportionately. 

    Today’s announcement forms part of ongoing action to transform the water sector, improve transparency and drive better performance from water companies. 

    Notes to editors 

    • Enforcement Undertakings are voluntary agreements between offenders and the Environment Agency, requiring companies to fund environmental improvements instead of paying fines to the Treasury.  
    • £8 million in Enforcement Undertakings was secured in the 2025/26 financial year, the highest annual total on record.  
    • The Environment Agency carried out a record 10,000 inspections of water company assets this year.  
    • The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 introduces stronger enforcement powers, including cost recovery and new civil penalties. 

    Year Apr 2025 – March 2026 

    Total: £8,505,424.00 

    EU REFCompany NameDate of AcceptanceValue
    EU1089Severn Trent Water Limited29/05/2025£777,424.00
    EU1147Anglian Water Services Ltd02/07/2025£200,000.00
    EU1086Yorkshire Water Services Limited24/07/2025£50,000.00
    EU1095Yorkshire Water Services Limited25/07/2025£300,000.00
    EU1149Wessex Water Services Ltd08/08/2025£300,000.00
    EU1059Yorkshire Water Services Limited29/09/2025£300,000.00
    EU1091Severn Trent Water Limited29/09/2025£600,000.00
    EU1167Severn Trent Water Limited29/09/2025£500,000.00
    EU1131Anglian Water Services Ltd30/09/2025£180,000.00
    EU1148Anglian Water Services Ltd04/11/2025£100,000.00
    EU1172Severn Trent Water Limited11/11/2025£550,000.00
    EU1154Yorkshire Water Services Limited02/12/2025£500,000.00
    EU1151Yorkshire Water Services Limited16/12/2025£350,000.00
    EU843Thames Water Utilities Ltd18/12/2025£373,000.00
    EU1152Yorkshire Water Services Limited19/01/2026£250,000.00
    EU868Severn Trent Water Limited09/02/2026£700,000.00
    EU1099Severn Trent Water Limited09/02/2026£1,500,000.00
    EU1159Yorkshire Water Services Limited10/02/2026£500,000.00
    EU1227Northumbrian Water Ltd04/03/2026£200,000.00
    EU1230Anglian Water Services Ltd25/03/2026£275,000.00
  • PRESS RELEASE : NHS patients to get quicker tests and scans closer to home [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : NHS patients to get quicker tests and scans closer to home [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 13 April 2026.

    Government invests £237 million to expand Community Diagnostic Centres across England.

    • Patients to get quicker checks, tests and scans closer to home as government invests £237 million in new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs)
    • Four CDCs will open, 17 will be expanded, and 15 will receive enhancements to boost diagnostic capacity and get patients seen quicker.
    • NHS in England carried out record 29 million diagnostic tests in 2025 thanks to government modernisation and investment

    Patients across England will benefit from faster and more convenient tests, checks and scans after the government today announced new investment in 36 new and expanded Community Diagnostic Centres.

    The 36 centres, backed by a £237 million government investment, will significantly boost NHS diagnostic capacity and deliver more care in local communities. 

    The funding is part of the extra £26 billion a year this government is investing in the NHS, which has already helped the NHS in England carry out a record 29 million tests and scans in England last year.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 

    Thanks to this government’s investment and modernisation, the NHS delivered a record number of tests and scans last year. But there’s still a long way to go before we’re catching disease on time.

    I was one of the lucky ones – my kidney cancer was caught early, and today I’m living cancer-free. But it shouldn’t be a question of luck. The NHS should be there for all of us when we need it, catching illness earlier so we can treat it faster.

    As part of the record investment we are making in the NHS’s recovery, these new CDCs are part of the biggest expansion in NHS diagnostics in a generation – continuing the progress we’re making and helping save lives.

    We’re not just investing in more, but delivering differently. The NHS should fit around people’s lives, not require patients to fit their lives around the NHS. Community Diagnostic Centres mean patients can get tests, checks and scans while they’re doing their shopping on the weekend or on the way to pick up the kids from school – without travelling across town to a hospital.

    This is part of the extra £26 billion the government is investing in a new, modern NHS that is fit for the future.

    Professor Stella Vig, National Clinical Director for Elective Care at NHS England, said:

    We’re making it easier to access care, and our network of Community Diagnostic Centres deliver important diagnostic tests nearer to people’s homes, with new, expanded or enhanced centres available to patients across England.

    This expansion means even more patients can have vital checks like MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds in a convenient location at a time that suits them, supporting the NHS’s drive to bring down waiting times even further.

    This government’s investment in and modernisation of the health service has led it to carry out record levels of diagnostics.

    In 2025, the NHS in England carried out a record number of key diagnostic tests – almost 30 million – and has carried out an additional 3.5 million tests in the first 18 months of this government compared to the 18 months prior to July 2024.

    Today’s investment will accelerate this progress even further. 

    Four new CDCs, all equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, will open in Gorton, Luton, Boston and Bideford during 2026/27. 

    A further 32 centres will be expanded and improved with new scanning equipment, outpatient clinic space and additional testing facilities. 

    Of these,17 will be physically expanded with new rooms and state-of-the-art scanning and diagnostic equipment – such as MRI, CT and ultrasound scanners – significantly increasing the range and volume of tests each centre can offer.

    A further 15 will receive targeted enhancements, adding specialist kit, new clinic rooms or additional services such as audiology, ophthalmology and respiratory care to existing facilities.

    Together, these upgrades will mean patients can access a greater range of tests at their local centre, reducing the need to travel to hospital. 

    These upgrades will start benefiting patients as early as this year. 

    Rory Deighton, acute care director at The NHS Alliance, said:

    This is a welcome investment in expanding diagnostic capacity through new community diagnostic centres (CDCs), helping patients access tests, checks and scans more quickly and closer to home.

    NHS leaders know that CDCs can improve efficiency, cut waiting times and ease pressure on hospitals.

    Opening new CDCs is a clear example of how capital investment in the NHS can speed up diagnosis and treatment. A decade of underinvestment in capital has left the health service struggling with outdated buildings and too few modern diagnostic machines. Capital funding is essential if the NHS is to buy the scanners and equipment needed to make it fit for the future.

    Dr Bernie Croal, Royal College of Pathologists’ President, said:

    This additional investment is greatly appreciated. Pathology services form an integral component of Community Diagnostic Centres. From monitoring heart disease to checking kidney function or diagnosing diabetes, the centres bring diagnosis and treatment into community settings. These centres are also instrumental in tackling health inequalities, delivering improved access to diagnostic testing, reduced waiting times and earlier diagnosis for patients.

    Community Diagnostic Centres are local hubs that provide patients with access to a wide range of tests, including MRIs, CT scans and ultrasounds.

    CDCs are located in convenient community settings – from high streets, shopping centres, and retail parks to leisure centres – and many are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week, so patients can access tests closer to where they live, without needing to travel to hospital.

    Background: 

    ·       There are currently 170 CDCs in operation across England. Four new ones will open, and 32 are being expanded and improved.  

    ·       108 CDCs currently operate for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

    Please find a list of new, refurbished expanded and enhanced CDCs below. 

    New (four) 

    ·       Gorton (Manchester) 

    ·       Luton 

    ·       Bideford 

    ·       Boston 

    Expanded (17) 

    ·       Bridgwater 

    ·       Broad Marsh (Nottingham) 

    ·       Exeter 

    ·       Eltham 

    ·       Hull and East Riding 

    ·       Ipswich 

    ·       Isle of Wight 

    ·       Leeds Seacroft 

    ·       Metrocentre, Gateshead 

    ·       North Bedfordshire 

    ·       Plymouth 

    ·       Stoke-on-Trent 

    ·       Tees Valley 

    ·       Walton Hospital (Chesterfield) 

    ·       Warwickshire North CDC (Nuneaton) 

    ·       Wembley 

    ·       West Swindon 

    Enhanced (15) 

    ·       Andover 

    ·       Buckland Community Hospital (Dover) 

    ·       Cannock Chase 

    ·       Clacton 

    ·       Ely 

    ·       Florence Nightingale (Derby) 

    ·       Grantham 

    ·       Milford 

    ·       Northgate (Great Yarmouth) –  

    ·       Paddington (Liverpool) 

    ·       Redcar 

    ·       Southlands (West Sussex) 

    ·       West Essex 

    ·       West Kent 

    ·       Whitworth Hospital CDC (Matlock) 

    Additional quotes:

    Kieran Winterburn, Alzheimer’s Society’s Head of National Influencing, said:

    Alzheimer’s Society backs the UK Government’s investment to expand and strengthen Community Diagnostic Centres across the country, which presents an important opportunity to improve access to a timely diagnosis. It is essential people with dementia benefit fully from this expansion.

    More than a third of people living with dementia in England have not received a diagnosis. Without one, people are unable to access the support, care and treatment they need, which can increase the risk of avoidable crises and unnecessary hospital admissions.

    Dementia remains the UK’s biggest killer, and while the science is flying and new ways to diagnose dementia are emerging, there is more to do to ensure the UK makes the most of these advances. Other countries, including Italy, Germany and Spain, are already offering wider access to biomarker testing, and we now have a real opportunity in the UK to accelerate progress here too.

    That’s why it is vital the Government’s upcoming Modern Service Framework for Dementia and Frailty places a strong and sustained emphasis on improving diagnosis.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of a new Independent Prevent Commissioner [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Appointment of a new Independent Prevent Commissioner [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Home Office on 13 April 2026.

    The Home Secretary has announced the appointment of Tim Jacques as the government’s new Independent Prevent Commissioner.

    Today, the Home Secretary has announced the appointment of Tim Jacques as the government’s new Independent Prevent Commissioner, following a robust open competition. 

    In December 2024, the role was created by the former Home Secretary to provide consistent oversight, increase effectiveness and develop insight into the Prevent system over the longer term.

    Tim brings a wealth of experience from his previous roles as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism Policing, as well as Senior National Coordinator for Prevent and Pursue. In June 2022 he became an executive advisory board member at The Leadership in Counter Terrorism Alumni Association too. Tim is also Chief Executive Officer of the Vault Youth Zone, Preston, a charity that provides young people access to facilities and activities in sports, arts, performance and enterprise. 

    Welcoming the appointment, the Security Minister, Dan Jarvis, said:

    I am delighted to announce that Timothy Jacques has been appointed as the Independent Prevent Commissioner.

    Protecting the public is this government’s first duty and Prevent remains a vital tool in keeping people safe by intervening early to stop individuals from being drawn into terrorism. I am confident that Mr Jacques’ experience and expertise will support continued improvements to the programme and help ensure Prevent continues to operate effectively and proportionately.

    I’d like to thank Lord Anderson for his time as interim Independent Prevent Commissioner and for his report ‘Lessons for Prevent’, which has made a significant contribution to strengthening Prevent and will continue to shape the government’s work in this area. We are incredibly grateful for the knowledge, sense of purpose and duty he brought to the post.

    Independent Prevent Commissioner, Tim Jacques, said:

    I am delighted, honoured and humbled to be appointed to this important, independent public role. I am grateful to Lord Anderson and his team for the work already undertaken as the Interim Prevent Commissioner, and for his support to me in taking up this position.

    Preventing terrorism matters. I believe the British public want a system that is understandable, accessible, coherent and consistently applied, in a fair and non-discriminatory way.

    Most of all we need a system that works, as best as it possibly can, in preventing terrorist atrocities and terrorist motivated offending, with all the ensuing human cost, and wider societal impact.

    This role was introduced to bring independent, objective oversight and scrutiny of Prevent and its effectiveness. In order meet this requirement I will work with and listen to anyone with a genuine interest in Prevent, be they policy makers, practitioners, proponents, informed observers or those with genuine concerns.

    As part of his role, Mr Jacques will provide independent strategic oversight and a review function for Prevent to ensure that it can meet its objectives as effectively as possible. He will begin his tenure on Tuesday 14 April, the day after Lord Anderson’s tenure finishes. 

  • PRESS RELEASE : The UK supports EU-UN coordination in maintaining international peace and security – UK statement at the UN Security Council [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : The UK supports EU-UN coordination in maintaining international peace and security – UK statement at the UN Security Council [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 April 2026.

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Cooperation between the UN and the European Union.

    The UK shares the EU’s commitment to effective multilateralism. 

    With deepening global instability, close cooperation between the UN and regional organisations remains essential. 

    The UK supports EU-UN coordination in maintaining international peace and security, as set out in the EU-UN Strategic Partnership. 

    We also welcome the strengthening of our own cooperation with the EU since the 2025 UK-EU Summit, and the signing of the UK-EU Security and Defence Partnership.

    We continue to build on this in pursuit of European and international security.

    I will now make three points.

    First, the EU makes a vital contribution to stability in our shared neighbourhood. 

    Like the UK, the EU has consistently championed Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, which Russia continues to violate through its illegal war. 

    Russia must end its aggression, and any peace must be just, lasting, and consistent with the UN Charter. 

    In the Western Balkans, the EU plays a vital role through the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and contributing to stability and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina through EUFOR ALTHEA.

    Second, EU-UN cooperation contributes to peace and security well beyond Europe. We welcome the EU’s commitment to the protection of civilians, the Women, Peace and Security agenda, and climate-related security.

    In the Middle East, the UK and the EU welcome the current ceasefire as an important step back from escalation and an opportunity to create space for diplomacy. 

    The EU and its Member States have been a consistent voice of support for freedom of navigation and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

    In Sudan, the EU is a valued partner for UN efforts to alleviate the humanitarian crisis and bring an end to the conflict.

    The Berlin Conference on 15 April, co-hosted by the UK, EU, Germany and others, will be an opportunity to reinforce international focus and drive practical action. 

    We also welcome the EU’s diplomatic and humanitarian engagement in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and work on governance, resilience, and peacebuilding in Africa and beyond.

    Third, President, we welcome the commitment shown by the EU and its Member States to the UN as an institution, including through the UN 80 reform process. 

    We share the goal of a reformed UN that is effective and representative. 

    A UN that advances international peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights.

    We are proud to count the EU as a key partner in this cause.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £50 million boost to defence innovation in South Yorkshire with new Defence Growth Deal [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : £50 million boost to defence innovation in South Yorkshire with new Defence Growth Deal [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 13 April 2026.

    New £50 million South Yorkshire Defence Growth Deal expanding cutting-edge defence research to help defence companies and boost skills in a region that already supports 3,200 defence jobs.

    • New Defence Growth Deal to boost skills, research and development and supply chains across South Yorkshire.  
    • Investment will support hundreds of well-paid jobs and make defence an engine for growth.  
    • Yorkshire and the Humber benefits from almost £1 billion a year in defence spending, supporting 3, 200 jobs.   

    South Yorkshire will benefit from a £50 million investment to create highly-skilled jobs and strengthen UK national security.  

    A new Defence Growth Deal, which Defence Minister Luke Pollard MP discussed with industry today at the University of Sheffield, will help defence companies and boost skills by expanding cutting-edge defence research in South Yorkshire.  

    The targeted funding is part of the South Yorkshire Defence Growth Deal and will catalyse growth across the region by boosting innovative R&D capacity and reinforcing the supply chains defence companies need to equip our Armed Forces. 

    The region is already a defence industry hotbed, with 3,200 jobs in Yorkshire and the Humber directly supported by almost £1 billion of defence spending each year, driving defence as an engine for growth.  

    Major facilities such as the MOD-owned Sheffield Forgemasters and BAE Systems’ advanced artillery factory complement defence SMEs, contributing to growth in the region and producing vital kit which keeps Britain safe now and in the future, such as howitzer gun barrels and steel for the Dreadnought-class next generation of submarines. 

    Luke Pollard MP met with Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard at the University of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre, which conducts crucial research to develop hi-tech innovative defence equipment of the future.  

    Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: 

    This £50 million investment will mean South Yorkshire’s superb defence companies can develop innovative new technology, helping strengthen our Armed Forces and keep Britain safe in this new era of threat. 

    With government, industry and academia – such as the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre – working hand in hand we are making sure this support is really targeted where it will have the biggest impact. 

    Through this Defence Growth Deal our government is backing British, and backing South Yorkshire. We’re harnessing the proud industrial base in this area to make defence an engine for growth, delivering new jobs and skills for local people.

    Today’s discussion included establishing a South Yorkshire Defence Board, deepening collaboration between the government, South Yorkshire’s mayoral authority, industry and academia, working hand-in-hand on making the Growth Deal as effective as possible while attracting long-term public and private investment.  

    South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard said: 

    In an ever more dangerous world, South Yorkshire has a significant role to play in the defence and security of the United Kingdom and our allies. 

    The £50 million Defence Growth Deal we have been awarded by the government doesn’t simply recognise the expertise and assets we have here today, it will help us to build the technologies and innovations of the future.

    That Deal will mean we can continue making things, creating secure, well‑paid jobs, giving people across South Yorkshire the opportunity to stay near and go far. All while helping to keep the UK and our allies safe, secure and protected.

    This £50 million boost directly responds to the Strategic Defence Review’s commitment to supporting the UK’s defence industry’s innovation, and will help make defence an engine for growth by powering investment and jobs across South Yorkshire. 

    The UK is delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, hitting 2.6% of GDP from 2027.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 61 – UK Statement on Human Rights Defenders [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 61 – UK Statement on Human Rights Defenders [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 13 April 2026.

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue on Human Rights Defenders. Not delivered due to time constraints.

    Thank you Mr Vice President,  

    The United Kingdom welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s report on the challenges human rights defenders face. We also wish to commend her tireless efforts throughout her term to promote the work of human rights defenders. 

    The UK recognises the essential role human rights defenders play in promoting and protecting human rights. The report demonstrates their bravery and resilience as they carry out this work.  

    However those defending human rights face increasing attacks, including killings and disappearances. These reprisals are taking place in a context of shrinking civic space and democratic backsliding globally. The UK unequivocally condemns such actions.  

    The UK therefore welcomes the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation to strengthen protection mechanisms. The UK is proud to be funding the new Lighthouse Fund, which is providing protection support to human rights defenders and civil society organisations. 

    Madam Special Rapporteur, how can the United Nations system best strengthen accountability and protection mechanisms for human rights defenders? 

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : £30 million funding boost to help the next generation of games developers take their ideas to the next level [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : £30 million funding boost to help the next generation of games developers take their ideas to the next level [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 13 April 2026.

    £28.5 million UK Games Fund to support video games studios with great ideas create the next Grand Theft Auto or Tomb Raider.

    • London Games Festival kicks off with £1.5 million of new government funding to help it attract investment in British talent
    • Measures form part of government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, part of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, to turbocharge economic growth

    Video game developers with great ideas for the next generation of smash hit games are being urged to apply for a share of a new £28.5 million pot of funding.

    The move represents a doubling in funding for the sector as the government puts the Creative Industries Sector Plan into action. These targeted investments are expected to pay dividends to the taxpayer by driving economic growth and creating jobs. Applications for funding will open from 14 April.

    The UK is already an international powerhouse in gaming, having created global hits like Grand Theft Auto, Fable, PowerWash Simulator and No Man’s Sky. Across the UK, there are more than 2,000 gaming companies, employing tens of thousands of people recognised globally for their talent and creativity.

    Through the Games Growth Package, the government will support newly-formed and expanding developers to turn blueprints for games into reality, enabling them to sell their product both in the UK and around the world.

    The package is launching as leading games companies from around the world gather at the London Games Festival. Today the government can also announce that £1.5 million of new funding has been awarded to the festival over the next three years, to help ensure the UK remains at the centre of the sector globally.

    The funding will help strengthen investor partnerships, doubling the value to £30 million per year of private investment deals at the festival. 

    Creative Industries Minister Ian Murray said:

    Video games are not only great fun, they are big business – and for too long their value to the British economy has been overlooked.

    That is why the government has thrown its full support behind the sector with £30 million of new funding. This will turbocharge the careers of some of our most talented game developers, creating more jobs and economic growth right across the country as their ideas come to fruition.

    The video game market is bigger than ever before, with £8.8 billion being spent by gamers per year, meaning there are excellent expansion prospects for our world-class sector. This new funding will empower developers to take advantage of these opportunities, creating jobs and driving economic growth.

    The sector has strong footholds in areas outside London including Dundee, Leamington Spa and Guildford, and this additional funding will help ensure it thrives in all regions of the UK.

    The Games Growth Package was a key commitment in the Industrial Strategy’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, a £380 million growth blueprint to ensure the UK’s creative sectors remain the best in the world.

    Grants from the UK Games Fund will be split into three categories:

    • An Entry Track, with grants of up to £20,000 available to newly formed companies with limited track records but strong potential for growth.
    • An Emergent Track, with grants of up to £100,000 for prototyping new games.
    • An Expansion Track, with grants of up to £250,000 – the largest ever provided by the Fund – available to take games forward to completion and enable studios to scale up.

    This is on top of significantly increased support for the sector from the British Business Bank and the UKRI research body and generous games tax relief. Additionally, £20 million of funding has been provided by the government to Tay Cities Region to back local talent in advancing creative technologies like computer games and virtual reality to drive new products and grow the economy.

    It also builds on work such as Ukie’s Made in the UK games campaign, which showcases the best homemade games like RuneScape and Tomb Raider, and the business that built them.

    The government has also commissioned the Chartered Trading Standard Institute to develop new guidance to help gamers better understand their consumer rights when purchasing their favourite games. The guidance clarifies business obligations and consumer rights under the law when selling and purchasing digital content, including video games. A CTSI-led consultation will launch in the coming months to inform this guidance. 

    As part of the government’s wider plans to grow the gaming sector, it will engage with the newly-established UK Esports Advisory Panel, a Ukie-led forum between government and the esports sector which will ensure the UK remains a world leader in this industry.

    This is the latest step in the delivery of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, following recent events to promote funding for innovation and access to finance.

    Paul Durrant OBE, UK Games Talent and Finance CIC Founder and Director, said:

    We welcome this strong reinforcement of government support for the UK video games development sector. The three track funding approach will ensure that support is provided across the broadest level of the UK sector.

    Nick Poole OBE, Chief Executive of Ukie, said:

    We welcome the Government’s Games Growth Package as a strong vote of confidence in the UK games industry.

    We have been pleased to work with the DCMS team to help shape this package of support, ensuring it reflects the needs of studios across the country. Targeted support across the development pipeline will help studios start, scale and stay globally competitive.

    As we look ahead to a defining year for games made in the UK, we will continue working closely with government to support growth, drive innovation, and create high-quality jobs across the country.

    Dr Richard Wilson OBE, TIGA CEO, said:

    Access to finance is a persistent challenge for many game developers. TIGA has previously called for more prototype and content funding to enable studios to access the investment they need to make great games. Today’s announcement of an increase in grant funding for newly formed companies, prototype funding and expansion funding is great news for studios, the games industry and the wider UK economy.

    Michael French MBE, Head of Games London & Festival Director, London Games Festival, said:

    Over the last ten years, LGF and Games London has supported talent across the UK and helped establish London as one of the world’s largest hubs for games makers – but this commitment from national government into the London Games Festival has fast-tracked our deeper ambitions.

    The efforts are already paying off: This week sees the largest showing yet for our festival, which will help to further promote London and the UK as a video games centre of excellence to global investors and decision makers. This can only keep growing over the next three years and we are excited to help raise the international profile of the UK’s games market, reach bigger audiences nationally and around the world, and facilitate investment into games businesses up and down the country.

    Nick Button-Brown, Chair, UK Video Games Council: 

    This is an amazing statement of intent by the government and a sign of their long-term support for gaming in the UK.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Free travel and new routes – Government’s bus revolution hits another gear [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Free travel and new routes – Government’s bus revolution hits another gear [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 13 April 2026.

    £3 million funding boost will help 6 mayoral authorities set up bus franchising to improve travel for passengers across England.

    • government is continuing to invest in better bus services, with a new £3 million boost to help areas transition to a franchised bus model, ensuring buses work better for the people who rely on them every day
    • local authorities are already using record government funding to introduce schemes such as discounted and free fares, as well as new services to previously unserved rural areas
    • alongside the government’s biggest reform to buses in a generation, the support will help local leaders shape services around their communities and deliver a modern, passenger‑focused network

    Millions of bus passengers across England are benefitting from cheaper fares, new routes and better services as local authorities are putting government funding to work in their communities.

    With the cost-of-living crisis continuing to play a part in people’s everyday lives, local authorities are stepping up to make buses work better for everyone, reducing the burden on households.

    Support comes as the government commits a further £3 million to better buses, supporting 6 mayoral authorities to set up bus franchising, building on the success of the Bee Network in Greater Manchester.

    The 6 authorities benefitting from today’s (13 April 2026) £3 million funding package are:

    • Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
    • North East Combined Authority
    • West Yorkshire Combined Authority
    • South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
    • West Midlands Combined Authority
    • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority

    From £1 fares for those 21 and under in the north-east, to brand new bus routes connecting rural Norfolk villages for the very first time, councils across the country are choosing to invest in the journeys that matter most to people’s daily lives.

    Liverpool City Region, which is on course to franchise its services by the end of 2027, has maintained its £2 bus fare cap and introduced new express services to Liverpool City Centre, while in the West of England, the £1 fare cap for children has been extended until Spring 2029, helping families with the cost of living.

    Meanwhile, in Norfolk, a new bus service has been introduced between Great Yarmouth and Caister into Norwich, serving several rural villages previously without a bus route into the city. This transformative new route is connecting isolated communities with jobs and education, showing the government’s commitment to breaking down barriers to opportunity.

    Many authorities are choosing to make travel completely free, and in Barnsley, all those aged under 18 are receiving free travel for the next 2 years, meaning young people don’t have to pay a penny as part of the school or college commute.

    These schemes are all backed by the government, with more than £3 billion invested through the Local Authority Bus Grant between 2026 and 2029 – money that local leaders can spend on the things passengers actually need.

    The result is a network that is becoming more affordable, frequent and connected, particularly for those in rural and less affluent areas who have for too long been left with no viable alternative.

    Roads and Buses Minister, Simon Lightwood, said:

    It is an incredibly exciting time for buses at the moment with record government funding supporting new services, including to rural communities and discounted ticket offers, alongside our £3 fare cap.

    Meanwhile, today marks a major milestone on our journey towards better buses. Our £3 million funding boost will help mayors take a step closer to franchising, allowing local leaders to take control of their buses to deliver for the thousands of people who rely on bus travel in their regions.

    Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group, said:

    Buses are the backbone of our public transport system. Local areas are investing in bus services like never before, with mayoral combined authorities leading the way in making their bus networks affordable, accessible and integrated.

    This £3 million funding boost, together with the new Bus Service Act, will unlock the future of bus reform and see local passengers and communities benefit from better bus services.

    Lydia Horbury, CEO of passenger champions Bus Users UK, said:

    Buses are a lifeline for millions and putting passengers at the heart of the network is the only way to ensure these services truly thrive. This investment is a positive step toward creating a more integrated and affordable transport system that works for the people who use it every day.

    Whether it is a young person in Barnsley accessing education for free or a resident in a rural Norfolk village finally being connected to their local community, seeing local leaders use this funding to break down barriers is incredibly welcome.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Unpaid carers impacted by unclear guidance to have debts cancelled [April 2026]

    PRESS RELEASE : Unpaid carers impacted by unclear guidance to have debts cancelled [April 2026]

    The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 13 April 2026.

    Tens of thousands of unpaid carers affected by confusing guidance on their earnings are set to have their debts reduced, cancelled, or refunded, in a major reassessment of cases launched by the government.

    • Over 200,000 Carer’s Allowance cases affected by confusing guidance will be reviewed, with debts potentially reduced, cancelled or refunded for around 25,000 unpaid carers.
    • Unclear government guidance on fluctuating earnings, in place from 2015 to 2025, left busy carers facing unexpected debts without realising they had broken the rules.
    • Carers do not need to take any action now as this government steps in to put right the failures in the system it inherited.

    Tens of thousands of unpaid carers affected by confusing guidance on their earnings are set to have their debts reduced, cancelled, or refunded, in a major reassessment of cases launched by the government.

    The move follows ministers’ acceptance of 38 of the 40 recommendations made by the independent Sayce Review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments in November 2025.

    From April 2015 to September 2025, guidance on how to average irregularly fluctuating earnings was unclear and did not accurately reflect the law.

    Carers juggling paid work alongside at least 35 hours of unpaid caring built up debts without realising they had exceeded the weekly earnings limit. That was a failure of the system, and this government is taking action to put it right.

    The DWP will now review over 200,000 cases. Around 25,000 carers could see their debts reduced, cancelled entirely, or receive refunds where money has already been repaid. In most cases, DWP holds all the information it needs. Carers do not need to contact DWP — the department will get in touch if it needs anything further.

    The exercise comes after the government took action to improve lives for carers, including increasing the weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit by a record amount in April 2025, and increasing again to £204 net per week for 2026/27. That means some unpaid carers can now earn around £10,000 a year and still receive the benefit.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said:

    We inherited a system that left unpaid carers building up debt through no fault of their own, something we’re determined to put right.

    That’s why we accepted the vast majority of the Sayce Review’s recommendations and are now getting to work implementing them, kicking off the reassessment exercise to review cases impacted by unclear guidance.

    Carers are vital to our communities, and we are committed to taking action to rebuild their trust.

    Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:

    We are pleased to see the government taking decisive action to start putting right the failings of the past and provide carers with the redress they deserve. The reassessment process marks an important step in tackling these systemic failures.

    Carers UK has been campaigning on the issue of Carer’s Allowance overpayments for more than seven years, and during that time we have heard from hundreds of carers who have experienced severe financial strain and emotional distress as a result.

    As we mark the 50th anniversary of Carer’s Allowance this week, it is encouraging to hear that the government is also exploring further options for reform. This is sorely needed to ensure that it properly supports and recognises the contribution of unpaid carers, while protecting them from financial hardship.

    Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive Officer of Carers Trust, said:

    Carers Trust warmly welcome the Government’s willingness to get on with the reassessment exercise and undo historic mistakes. This will have a huge impact on thousands of unpaid carers who were penalised for no fault of their own. It has been reassuring to see the Government accept the vast majority of the recommendations of the Sayce Review, whilst the £75 million allocated by last year’s Budget is further evidence the Government is serious about righting these wrongs.

    We thank Liz Sayce for her work, alongside the carers and local carer services who shared their stories to make the Review as effective as possible. We’ll now be helping our network of 130 local carers services support carers as the reassessment exercise gets underway.

    Around half of those changes have already been made, with further reforms under way to modernise the benefit and prevent problems like this from arising again.

    As well as increasing the weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit as part of wider efforts to bear down on the cost of living, the government is also exploring whether earnings calculations can be automated and whether the current cliff-edge earnings rule can be replaced with a tapered system, to reduce the risk of overpayments in future.

    The government has also updated its guidance on fluctuating earnings to ensure that averaging is properly considered and has worked with carers and carers’ organisations to make sure its communications are clear and accessible.

    2026 marks 50 years since Carer’s Allowance was introduced. The next few years will see some of the most significant reform to the benefit in its history, reflecting the government’s commitment to building fair public services that people can rely on, as part of its Plan for Change.

    Additional information

    • The reassessment exercise covers cases from April 2015 to September 2025 in which earnings-related Carer’s Allowance overpayments arose due to guidance that did not accurately reflect the statutory position on averaging irregularly fluctuating earnings.
    • Advice and support for anyone whose Carer’s Allowance case is or might be involved in the reassessment exercise will be available – at no cost – from the Department or from trusted partner organisations such as Carers UK and Carers Trust.
    • The government response to the Sayce Review was published in November 2025.
    • Further information for affected carers is available: Contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit.
    • This reassessment exercise is specifically limited to cases where overpayments arose due to the guidance that did not accurately reflect the statutory position on averaging irregularly fluctuating earnings between April 2015 and September 2025. Carers whose overpayments arose for other reasons are not in scope for this exercise.