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The Independent
08-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Children going without heating in ‘almost-Dickensian' poverty
The Children's Commissioner has warned that some young people in England are experiencing "almost-Dickensian" levels of poverty, citing examples such as black mould, no heating, and a lack of places to wash. Official estimates for the year to March 2024 indicate a record 4.45 million children were living in poverty across the UK. The Commissioner's report strongly advocates for the government to scrap the two-child benefit limit, arguing it is fundamental to any child poverty strategy. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson suggested that recent financial pressures could make it more difficult to abolish the two-child benefit cap, despite calls from various campaign groups. Beyond scrapping the limit, the Commissioner also urged for a "triple-lock" for child-related benefits, reforms to temporary accommodation, free bus travel for school children, and enhanced safety measures in low-income areas.
The Guardian
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
After disability benefits, is Labour really about to target the educational rights of special needs children?
What will Keir Starmer and his colleagues learn from the disaster of their attempt to cut benefits? Most speculation so far has been focused on the prime minister's prospects, and other ministerial careers. But there are soon going to be more big decisions to make, which will have massive consequences for people's lives. One policy area in particular is about to return the political conversation to the subject that defined last week's fiasco: disability. Once again, Labour MPs from all wings of the party are feeling anxious and restless. Campaign groups and charities – not to mention the huge numbers of people who will be directly affected – fear the worst. With the wounds from the welfare bill fiasco still raw, there is a grim sense of a possible reprisal of the same story. And this is why. The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, wants to reform England's system of provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, or Send. Long years of Conservative failure – not least, reforms introduced a decade ago that were lamentably underfunded, and an exodus of children from mainstream to specialist schools – have resulted in ballooning costs amid disappointing outcomes. The councils that administer everything are crying out for help. The Treasury, meanwhile, surveys the mess and demands action. A new education white paper will be published in the autumn. Phillipson says the government needs to 'think very differently'. She wants to reverse a trend that took root in the Tory years and prioritise the inclusion of Send kids in mainstream schools. There is talk of somehow 'making sure that all teachers are teachers of special educational needs [sic]'. A new neurodivergence task and finish group that will 'work alongside the department to drive inclusive education' has been created; £740m of capital funding is being spent on 'adapting classrooms to be more accessible and for creating specialist facilities'. On the face of it, these moves are very welcome. But self-evidently, it will take much more – and a lot of time – to meaningfully turn things around. One of the big teaching unions has already said that without a commensurate increase in day-to-day schools spending, the plans could put 'extreme pressure' on teachers. And there is an even bigger tension at the heart of the government's plans. Since Labour won the election, rising noise has been coming from Whitehall and beyond about drastically restricting the legal rights to dedicated provision that underpin the education of hundreds of thousands of children and young people. Those rights are enforced by the official Send tribunal, and embodied in education, health and care plans (EHCPs), which set out children's needs and the provision they entail in a legally binding document. Contrary to what you read in certain news outlets, they are not any kind of 'golden ticket': parents and carers used to unreturned phone calls and long waits still frequently have to fight their local councils for the help their plans set out. But – and as a special needs parent, I speak from experience – they usually allow stressed-out families to just about sleep at night. For about 40 years, such rights have been a cornerstone of the Send system. But their future is now uncertain: councils, in particular, are frantically lobbying ministers to get parents and their pesky rights out of the way. Late last year, a government source quoted in the Financial Times held out the prospect of 'thousands fewer pupils' having access to rights-based provision. Despite the fact that EHCPs are most sorely needed in mainstream schools, a senior adviser to the Department for Education recently said that a consideration of whether EHCPs should no longer apply to children in exactly those settings is 'the conversation we're in the middle of'. There are whispers about families who currently have EHCPs being allowed to keep them, while in the future, kids with similar needs would be waved away, something that threatens a stereotypical two-tier model, another element with worrying echoes of the benefits disaster. As a result, parents and carers – and many teachers – are terrified. Whenever ministers are asked about what is going to happen next, they tend to come out with the response: 'no decision has been made'. On Sunday, the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg challenged Phillipson on whether she is about to 'get rid' of EHCPs, which was met with vague words about improved support in schools, familiar claims that the current system is too 'adversarial', and no specific answer. This, needless to say, is not exactly allaying people's fears. Just under 483,000 children and young people in English schools now have an EHCP, up 11% on the previous year's figure. Their numbers have risen partly because ad hoc, informal special needs provision in schools has become so unreliable that the only way of having any chance of securing what a child needs is to apply for one. Official data shows that the majority of applications for EHCPs are initiated by schools and colleges, often as a last-ditch move. In short, many children desperately need them. Without the support such plans are meant to guarantee, even more pupils would either exit mainstream into specialist provision that is often eye-wateringly expensive, or end up joining the increasing numbers of kids who are not in formal education at all. For the foreseeable future, because even an optimist would have to agree that improvements promised by the government will take years to really kick in, all that will remain the case. So the safest and most humane option would be to leave children's legal entitlements in place, and start to improve Send provision as Phillipson wants, on the basis that boosted ad hoc help will naturally bring down EHCP numbers and costs. Instead, her most vivid move could be an awful rights grab, which would surely heighten the impression that this Labour party has an ingrained problem with issues around disability. A new campaign titled Save Our Children's Rights was launched over the weekend with a letter in the Guardian signed by leading figures from charities and lobby groups, including Disability Rights UK, the National Autistic Society and Mencap – as well as such high-profile Send parents as the broadcasters Christine McGuinness and Carrie Grant, along with the TV naturalist and neurodiversity campaigner Chris Packham (full disclosure: I am helping out, and I was one of the signatories). For the second time in less than six months, are these really the kind of people ministers want to argue with on Good Morning Britain, 5 Live and BBC Breakfast? As I watched the benefits fiasco unfolding, knowing that the special needs story would soon explode, it brought one big thought to mind. Labour needs to stop sowing fear and dread among people whose lives are already full of those things. Instead of picking on vulnerable parts of the population who already view the future with deep anxiety, they should maybe go after much more powerful interests, who might be compelled into helping the government with its financial woes. Instead, fear is swirling around parts of society that are already unable to cope. Labour governments are meant to make people feel less scared, not more. If there is going to be yet another 'reset', this is where it should be focused. There is one point that may yet bring clarity to the government's thinking. Governing politicians habitually pretend they will win future elections. But there is now every chance that Reform UK might end up in power, possibly in partnership with whatever remains of the Conservatives. Judging by his recent pronouncements, Nigel Farage has very questionable views about special needs and disabilities. There is strong evidence that the same is true of Kemi Badenoch. The current fashion on the political right for nonsense about savagely cutting back the state would have deep implications for Send families. If Labour takes away so many children's basic educational rights, it may well end up leaving them at the mercy of politicians who will then vandalise their lives. 'No decision has been made,' say ministers. It is time they took the only morally and politically right one, and fast. John Harris is a Guardian columnist
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
UK energy meter switch-off delayed amid fears over heating and higher bills
As the temperature climbed towards 30C the peril of turning off a system that could leave people with their heating stuck on full must have looked like an avoidable disaster. On Thursday ministers confirmed the 'widespread switch-off' of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), which controls an old type of electricity meter, 'will not happen' on 30 June. Instead the technology will be phased out more slowly. The first stage will involve a maximum of 600 households over a three-week period, and during this time the response times of suppliers to vulnerable consumers will be monitored closely. But campaign groups say they are waiting for details of the new timetable, and want assurances that customers will not end up paying more when they are forced to switch meters. Introduced in the 1980s, RTS was designed for people who also use electricity for their heating and hot water. It uses the long-wave radio frequency to switch meters between tariffs and can also turn heating and hot water systems on and off. Suppliers had been given a deadline of 30 June to transfer customers away from the old technology, but problems in the transition – reported by the Guardian last month – led to fears that 300,000 homes could end up without a functioning meter. Readers have continued to report problems obtaining an appointment or problems with replacements. Some were told a smart meter would not work in their home because of poor connectivity or even that there was currently no suitable tech that would integrate with their home set-up. 'We've had three visits from Ovo engineers, all of whom advise a smart meter cannot be installed as the signal is too weak,' one married couple, who wished to remain anonymous, living near Chichester in West Sussex, said. 'This has been going on for about 15 months.' Energy UK, the energy industry trade body, said there are now technical solutions for every home. If a customer has previously been told a replacement is not possible, they should recontact their supplier, it added. These solutions include a pre-programmed smart meter. After being contacted by the Guardian this is the solution being offered to the couple. It can be remotely switched to smart when signal strength improves. Ovo said: 'We have solutions in place for exceptional cases like this and remain committed to supporting them in scheduling an appointment to replace the meter.' Other consumers are worried about what the switch off could mean for their energy bill. The old-fashioned RTS systems often include panel heaters or immersion heaters in water tanks that charge overnight when electricity is cheaper. 'My advice to anyone with storage heaters contemplating a change to a smart meter would be: don't,' said Bryan Jones, who lives in Redruth in Cornwall. Having his meter replaced by EDF 18 months ago (the network was originally due to be switched off in March 2024) was, he said, 'one of the worst financial decisions I have ever taken'. 'Initially my smart meter was set up incorrectly to charge all units at day rates,' he said. 'This was subsequently corrected but the adjusted smart meter then malfunctioned in different ways.' 'A recent review of my electricity usage between January and April 2025 has revealed that a third of my night units have been charged as day units, due to the smart meter overriding my heater settings.' Two appointments to replace the meter were missed by the supplier. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Jones is now on a priority list to have his meter changed. After the Guardian contacted EDF it apologised for the missed appointments and applied compensation. It is now investigating the billing errors. Ofgem, the energy regulator for Great Britain, said 'no customer should be financially disadvantaged' as a result of the swap. Suppliers should be 'offering the same or equivalent tariffs after their RTS meter has been upgraded', it added. The meters are replaced at a rate of 1,800 a day but Ofgem wants the work to 'go faster' still. The government said the energy minister, Ofgem and Energy UK will meet fortnightly to review the progress of the phase-out, with particular attention paid to Scotland where about a third of the remaining meters are located. Charlotte Friel, the Ofgem director for retail pricing and systems, said the cautious approach being adopted 'should reassure customers' but it 'remains crucial that these meters are replaced urgently'. 'It's vital to engage with your supplier when offered an appointment,' she added. Simon Francis, the coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said the RTS switch-off process was doomed to failure after it became clear that the deadline was simply unachievable. 'We now need to see a plan published that sets out how the gradual switch-off will take place, including which regions will be affected and when,' he said. 'Crucially, we also need firm and binding reassurances that no customers will be left without heating or hot water, and that no household will face higher bills as a result of the changes.'
Telegraph
04-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Residents ‘living in fear' as UK flight paths set for overhaul
Residents near British airports are 'living in fear' as the Government prepares to overhaul flight paths for the first time in 70 years. The Department for Transport (DfT) says the plans to modernise UK airspace will deliver quicker, quieter flights and promote growth in the aviation sector. However, campaign groups say that the changes could create more noise pollution for communities near airports, including areas that do not currently fall beneath existing flight paths. Here is everything we know about the proposed 'skyways', including how they could impact holidaymakers and residents. Why are flight paths being redrawn? Britain's air corridors date back to a time when aircraft navigated the skies using ground-based beacons. In the 1960s, Britain's air traffic grew from one million to 15 million passengers per year, meaning airports had to establish set arrival and departure routes. Many of these are still in place today, meaning flight routes designed for Comets are now being flown by Airbus A380s and Boeing 787s. Some of the problems in UK airspace include a requirement for aircraft to ascend in steps after take-off, complex routing, and pilots having to delay descents to manage the workload of their air traffic control colleagues on the ground. Announcing plans to overhaul the UK's air corridors, Mike Kane, the Aviation Minister, said: 'Redesigned 'skyways' will turbocharge growth in the aviation industry, not least by boosting airport expansion plans and supporting job creation, driving millions into the UK economy as part of the Plan for Change. 'Modernising our airspace is also one of the simplest ways to help reduce pollution from flying and will set the industry up for a long-term, sustainable future.' What will this mean for holidaymakers? If delivered as promised, a modernised airspace system will equate to fewer delays and quicker flight times. It is also potentially good news for passengers with an eye on their carbon footprint. The DfT says that allowing aircraft to use modern navigation technologies will boost efficiency and reduce the need for pilots to enter holding patterns before getting permission to land on busy runways. In September 2024, easyJet released a report on the ineffectiveness of the UK's airspace systems. The airline said that seven of its 10 least efficient routes occur inbound into London Gatwick, and that its UK operations had the 'greatest inefficiencies' of anywhere in Europe. In total, easyJet predicts that airspace inefficiencies across Europe increased CO2 emissions by 663,710 tonnes per year. Martin Rolfe, CEO of NATS (National Air Traffic Services), said: 'The UK's airspace network is one of the busiest and most complex in the world. We handle a quarter of Europe's traffic despite having only 11 per cent of its airspace, with one of the best safety and delay records anywhere. However, we have to modernise airspace if we are to maintain this level of performance as traffic grows towards 3 million flights per year.' Could my local area be negatively impacted? It is unknown how the new 'skyways' will be drawn. One possibility is that aircraft approaching airports could be channelled into new, relatively narrow highways in the sky. If this is the case, some communities near airports might see a greater number of planes flying overhead. But groups close to the process say hard information is thin on the ground. A spokesperson for Stop Heathrow Expansion told The Telegraph: 'The only documents we have seen recently relate to the outcome of the consultation on a UK airspace design service, which appear to be concerned with the way changes will be made, rather than the changes themselves.' Sally Pavey, the chair of the campaign group Campaign Against Gatwick Noise Emissions (CAGNE), says: 'There is a real lack of transparency in this process. Residents currently overflown, and those not, are totally unaware of the motorways being designed above their homes that will purely benefit aviation as no compensation being offered with this process.' 'Residents must live in fear of what is being planned for above their heads and homes,' she added. Paul Becker, Policy Director at Heathrow Noise Action Plan (HACAN) says: 'This announcement means even longer periods of uncertainty before overflown communities receive any clarity on what changes will take place to flight paths. 'The development of new flight paths will mean communities across London and the South East [will be] adversely impacted by aircraft noise for the first time. It is also possible that currently overflown communities experience an increase in the intensity of noise they endure as well as more frequent noise disturbances, particularly if expansion at Heathrow goes ahead.' All airports taking part in the airspace change process are following a process which includes stakeholder input and public consultation, details of which are published on the Civil Aviation Authority's website. When will the airspace redesign happen? The latest announcement (made on June 2, 2025) confirms that the DfT will develop a UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) alongside the CAA, to be managed by the UK's air traffic management service NATS. This is expected to be operational by the end of 2025. It is understood that changes to London's airspace are unlikely to be complete until the 2030s, although new 'skyways' around airports outside of the capital could be in operation before the end of the decade.
