£500 million for hydrogen infrastructure

13 June 2025
£500 million for hydrogen infrastructure
The government has confirmed a £500 million boost for hydrogen infrastructure, as part of the government’s plan to make the UK a clean energy superpower.
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London councils' financial stability remains unsteady

12 June 2025
London councils' financial stability remains unsteady
Although London Councils network praise the £39 billion boost for affordable housing, as well as additional investment for children’s social care and temporary accommodation, it expresses concern at the small increase to council funding.
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Wales to benefit from Spending Review

12 June 2025
Wales to benefit from Spending Review
As part of her Spending Review, chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced investment into Welsh rails worth at least £445 million, as part of a wider mission to boost the UK’s renewal.
This transformative package will reconnect Wales’ industrial heartland, improve commuter journeys, and drive economic growth in areas that have suffered from isolation and disconnectivity.
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Spending Review: £39 billion for housing

11 June 2025
Spending Review: £39 billion for housing
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled her spending review, promising £39 billion for social and affordable housing, an extension to free school meals and the £3 bus fare cap, and a 3 per cent spending increase for the NHS a year, after inflation.
This is the first multi-year spending review since 2021 and will set the day-to-day budgets of government departments over the next three years.
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Rough sleeping to be decriminalised

11 June 2025
Rough sleeping to be decriminalised
The government has announced it will repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824 by Spring next year, meaning rough sleeping is no longer a criminal offence.
While use of the Act has declined, it still remains enforceable in law.
The government has said it is repealing the Act to ensure rough sleeping is no longer a criminal offence, and it is concentrating its efforts on getting to the root causes of homelessness.
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Winter Fuel Payments reintroduced for nine million pensioners

10 June 2025
Winter Fuel Payments reintroduced for nine million pensioners
The government has announced that everyone over the State Pension age in England and Wales with an income of, or below, £35,000 a year will benefit from a Winter Fuel Payment this winter.
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AI to be used to cut planning delays

10 June 2025
AI to be used to cut planning delays
A new AI tool which can scan hundreds of files in seconds is being rolled out to speed up planning permissions. It is hoped this will make it easier to make home improvements, while also helping the plan for change to build 1.5 million homes.
The prime minister announced "Extract", an AI assistant for planning officers and local councils, developed by government with support from Google, at London Tech Week.
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Smart home concept art

£86 billion for science and tech

9 June 2025
£86 billion for science and tech
Ahead of the spending review, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced £86 billion for the UK's fastest growing sectors, including tech and life sciences, advanced manufacturing and defence.
There will be £22.6 billion a year in 2029/2030 for research and innovation. Every £1 invested in R&D generates up to £7 in benefits to the UK economy and leverages double in private investment in the long run
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New digital marketplace to refresh tech procurement

9 June 2025
New digital marketplace to refresh tech procurement
A new digital marketplace is being built to refresh how the public sector buys technology.
It is hoped the shake up will unlock £1.2 billion in annual savings, save time and give public servants the power to rate suppliers.
The National Digital Exchange (NDX) aims to make it faster and easier to buy the right technology and aims to drive forward the government’s Plan for Change: 'helping to deliver simpler, smarter, and more responsive public services for the people who rely on them, while ensuring better value for taxpayers'.
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tech procurement