Public spending watchdog and fiscal watchdog for the UK
Prince Harry has visited the UK this month for charity and Invictus events and has met King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove. The meeting has allowed Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibet, to see their grandfather for the first time since 2022. The trip has followed his loss in a High Court privacy case and a dispute over state-funded security for his family.
The government has reformulated a plan to release about 5,000 offenders early to ease jail overcrowding. Ministers are excluding some grooming and serious sex-offence cases from the scheme, but critics say the scope remains too broad and victims’ families remain outraged as the policy edge continues to shift.
Disability Rights UK's Kamran Mallick says funding through the Access to Work scheme has been cut for a driver/support worker after a July call. The scheme funds practical support for disabled workers. The NAO finds processing times have surged to 109 days by late 2025, with more applications in 2024/25 and rising spend. Ministers deny policy changes while campaigners say generosity is being trimmed.
The world faces a record-breaking El Niño that is likely to bring extreme weather patterns. The UK government is advising households to prepare for supply disruptions, with Environment Secretary Angela Eagle highlighting the need for resilience as droughts, floods and cyber threats threaten food security.
Independent and Reuters reports show UK food inflation remains elevated amid geopolitical disruption, drought and energy costs. Forecasts wait on official data; producers urge relief to ease rising bills for households.
Britain’s £70bn grid modernisation is under way but progress is slow. NAO warns delays could push constraint costs to £7.8bn by 2030, while bills may rise if upgrades lag. Regulators and government say transparency and delivery must improve to shield households from volatility.
The cabinet secretary’s exit payment has been disclosed as 859,496 pounds, the largest severance for a civil servant. Reports show ministers approved the payment amid questions of value for money; accounts reveal ongoing scrutiny of exit terms for senior officials.
Labour proposes Great British Grid as a publicly owned body to speed up grid connections, cut costs and boost renewables. The plan, funded from GB Energy, aims to open competition for new transmission projects and co-invest with private firms, while expanding rights for firms to build their own connections. The move signals a decisive step in Labour’s public-control agenda, with a ten-year target to align UK energy costs with Europe.
The Crown Estate has ended the Royal Lodge lease and is marketing future use. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has settled a net £1.5m after paying £1.8m in repairs; the King’s private funds may cover the net outcome. TVP’s legal challenge over search warrants is separate but linked to Epstein-related inquiries.