Over the last two years the English My Way programme from Tinder Foundation has taught more than 9,000 people who don’t speak English as a first language how to interact with the wider community - including talking to doctors, teachers, shopkeepers and bus drivers.

A study conducted by Turn2us has found that half of low income households are not claiming the vital welfare support for which they are eligible to receive.

Liberal Democrat Housing Spokesperson, Baroness Bakewell, warns the proposed Lords' amendments to the Housing Bill are necessary "to soften the bill’s hard edges."

A new animation demonstrates how disclosure of bank lending data should unlock access to finance for businesses and families in the UK - having helped lever over $2 trillion in the USA.

MPA sales of mineral products in the first quarter of the year provide hard evidence that recent construction activity has flattened out.

Lib Dem peer Baroness Thomas of Winchester writes on the topic of her Lords debate: 'Discussions with Disability Rights UK and Disability Benefits Consortium on identifying a mobility criterion in the Personal Independence Payment'.

Speaking with PoliticsHome, Tory MP Maria Caulfield says it is time to stop letting agencies from charging arbitrary and exploitative fees.

House of Lords amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill, which would target small development sites for expensive affordable housing contributions and increase regulations and taxes on small builders, will stifle the supply of new homes at a time when they are needed most, warns Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

The welfare cap is encouraging a greater understanding of spending across government, according to the National Audit Office, but it is important that processes for managing the cap are reliable.

The Campaign to Protect Rural England urges Government to get volume builders to develop their existing brownfield sites, before needlessly ravaging more precious open land.

In a round-up of the housing commitments featuring in the main London mayoral candidates’ manifestos, Dods Monitoring compares their plans to tackle London's housing crisis.

Salaries for small building firms are soaring as a result of the growing skills shortage, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Unicef responds to MPs decision to reject a call for the UK to take in unaccompanied refugee children from Europe.  

Callum Murray of Yarm Butchers named as winner of Young MicroEntrepreneur of the Year in 2016 Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards – and takes home £5,000 prize

Ever-increasing numbers undermine Government claims that it truly wants to protect the Green Belt

The Campaign to Protect Rural England explains that new figures - showing there are now more than a quarter of a million houses planned for the Green Belt - make ‘a mockery of Government commitments to protect it.’

The Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) has agreed a two year deal involving a 5% pay rise over two years. 

Health and social care services habitually treat conditions in isolation resulting in significant human and financial implications

Devolution deals to devolve power from central government to local areas in England offer opportunities to stimulate economic growth and reform public services for local users, but the arrangements are untested and government could do more to provide confidence that these deals will achieve the benefits intended, according to the National Audit Office.

The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has launched a new consumer guide to help homeowners understand the dangers of asbestos and the importance of ensuring it is removed professionally and safely.

EY's new report finds that consumer spending will continue to drive GDP growth this year, but is set to slow in 2017.

The House Builders Association (HBA) responds to Zac Goldsmith's housing manifesto for London. 

Following pressure from the former Tory Cabinet Minister, Sir Eric Pickles and retirement specialists Saga, the Government have announced a u-turn on the hike in Stamp Duty that would have seen granny annexes taxed as second homes. 

 

The steel crisis has highlighted the strategic importance of key energy intensive industries to the UK and the need for action to be taken to ensure competitiveness with other European and global suppliers.