Social affairs correspondent
Seren writes for the Daily Meridian. 4 articles.
Ministry of Justice figures show councils lost or conceded 19,600 of 20,100 appeals over special needs support, at an estimated cost to taxpayers of £120m in legal fees
Local authorities in England completed 9,800 homes last year and sold 6,200, after discounts were cut and councils allowed to keep all sale receipts
Negotiating body agrees rate 80p above the national living wage for 1.6 million staff in England, with councils warning the £1.2bn cost has not been fully funded
Department for Work and Pensions says the benefit now reaches three-quarters of eligible pensioners, up from 63% in 2023, after data-matching with HMRC and councils