The government has said that anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is now eligible to book a test, ahead of the rollout of the test and trace service.

The new Government Consulting Hub has been launched to boost internal expertise across government, saving the taxpayer money.
Based on Glasgow, Birmingham and London, the new hub will upskill civil servants, reducing the reliance on external consultancy firms. It forms part of the Cabinet Office and will work across all departments to reduce consultancy spend by using internal civil service resources, rather than hiring external staff. In 2019/20, central government spend on external consultants was more than £700 million.

The End Child Poverty Coalition has revealed that, even before the pandemic, the majority of children are growing up in poverty in some parts of the UK.

Further measures have been announced to help ensure taxpayers get value for money by improving the transparency of local government audit.

CIPFA will shortly issue new guidance to councils on governance arrangements for local authority trading companies.

London boroughs have warned of a fast-approaching summer wave of homelessness in the capital, with pressures likely to reach record levels.

Professor Deborah Sturdy has outlined her commitment to recognise the outstanding contribution made by social care workers and nurses.

The majority of parents of pre-school children are worried about the impact on their child’s overall development or well-being during the pandemic.

The Public Services Committee has warned that ‘left behind’ places will be ‘short-changed’ if ‘levelling up’ plans are not better targeted.

Plans for better high streets, stronger schools and more jobs outside of London will be unveiled by the government as part of its plan to level up the UK.