Society
The NHS, public services, and the way Britain lives now.
Airlines to be banned from charging parents to sit with children
Ministers announce plans to outlaw child seating fees and booking-error charges, with the changes to follow Royal Assent of the Civil Aviation Bill.
Vape tax takes effect as ministers target youth vaping and illicit trade
A new excise duty of 2.20 pounds per 10ml applies from today, with duty stamps rolling out on retail packaging and tobacco duty rising alongside it.
Leasehold fees face caps as Government promises property agent regulation
More than five million leaseholders would gain protection from uncapped charges, and every property agent would need a licence under plans unveiled in Liverpool.
The fee rise that did not fix universities
Tuition fees went up to 9,535 pounds, but nearly half of England's universities still face deficits. The funding model is the problem.
Social care funding: the crisis the Budget cannot ignore
Councils are rationing care as demand rises and funding fails to keep pace. A levy has been floated, but the politics are toxic.
The NHS heads into winter with waiting lists stubbornly high
Hospitals are bracing for the annual winter surge with elective backlogs still far above pre-pandemic levels.