Estimates have suggested that windfarms across the UK generated more electricity in 2016 than coal power plants for the first time.
The Carbon Brief claim that the milestone reflects a collapse in coal generation, which contributed just 9.2 per cent of UK electricity last year, compared to 11.5 per cent from wind.
The coal decline saw its output fall to the lowest level since 1935, with three major coal stations closing in 2016. The UK plans to close all of its remaining coal plants by 2025.

An extra £10 million a year has been pledged to ensure the Welsh social care sector is strong and sustainable for the future.
The Welsh Government funding, in addition to the extra £25 million for social care announced in the draft 2017-18 Budget in October, will help meet the extra costs associated with the introduction of the National Living Wage.

New research by Age UK has highlighted that half a million people over the age of 60 usually spend every day alone.
The report, No one should have no one: working to end loneliness amongst older people, emphasises how the UK has a growing number of chronically lonely older people, which is placing increasing demand on health services.
The report goes further to explain that isolated people are more likely to develop health conditions, such as heart problems, depression and dementia.

£7 billion has been made available for the government’s affordable housing programme to meet the diverse housing needs of the country.

A group of MPs have urged Prime Minister Theresa May to find a ‘political consensus’ on funding social care in England before 2020.
The heads of three Commons committees have argued that a ‘swift’ cross-party review would be the best method of finding a ‘sustainable way’ to fund rising social care costs.
Due to pressures arising from an ageing population, inflation and the cost of paying the National Living Wage, the Local Government Association (LGA) estimates there will be a £2.6 billion funding gap in providing adult social care in England by 2020.

A new report has claimed that modern diesel cars produce 10 times more toxic air pollution than heavy trucks and buses.

A new report has emphasised the importance of maintaining access to the EU workforce after Brexit as being ‘vital’ for London’s future growth.
London First’s report, London 2036: An agenda for jobs and growth, examines how London can retain its position as a global leading city amid changes in the political and economic landscape.
With the uncertainty surrounding the UK’s decision to leave the EU still in place, the report said that business leaders were concerned that any potential restrictions on skilled migration would ‘impede London's ability to attract talent’.

In an attempt to manage its projected £8.1 million overspend, Devon County Council has introduced a jobs freeze.
The £8.1 million overspend is mainly the result of increased demand on adult social care, which produced an overrun of £6.4 million. In total, 10,422 packages of care for elderly people and people with physical and learning difficulties were in place in December, equating to 584 more than the council had budgeted for.

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Social Integration has called on the government to make it a requirement for immigrants to learn English before coming to the UK, in a report into how the UK’s immigration system could more effectively promote integration.

Belfast City Council has passed a motion calling on Whitehall to launch a full public inquiry into the ‘shambolic’ renewable heat incentive (RHI) scheme, set to run £490 million over its budget.