ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ENERGY BILL SUPPORT IN 2022-23 ON BANK RATE AND MORTGAGE RATES

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Key finding:The £40 billion spent on energy bill support in 2022-23 could have increased the cost of a new representative mortgage by £360-£850 a year.£605 a year is the midpoint of the range of estimates(£600 to the nearest hundred). Method and assumptions * Energy bill support costs are taken from the OBR Forecast Evaluation Report, October 2023.(1)The cost combines supportthrough the ...


ORGANISATIONS RECEIVE CLEAR, ACCESSIBLE GUIDANCE ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT EQUALITY LAW IN UPDATED DRAFT CODE OF PRACTICE

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Government lays the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) draft updated Code of Practice in Parliament * The draft Code provides guidance to make the law clearer for service providers and others, protecting people's rights across England, Scotland and Wales. * The approach is practical and proportionate, ensuring everyone can access services safely, free from harassment, and with dignity. The Minister f...


CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE PRIME MINISTER REWARDS "THE DOERS NOT THE TALKERS" WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF PERFORMANCE-RELATED PAY FOR SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * Following Darren Jones' announcement in January on his ambition to modernise the civil service to better incentivise delivery and innovation by rewarding top performers, the Government has confirmed senior civil servants' pay rises will be linked to whether or not they deliver for the public for the first time. * As part of the Future Civil Service Programme, the Cabinet Secretary and Permanent Secretaries have ...


BRITISH HIGH COMMISSION DHAKA HOSTS SEND-OFF RECEPTION FOR BANGLADESH WOMEN'S CRICKET TEAM AHEAD OF ICC WOMEN'S T20 WORLD CUP

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The reception, hosted by British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke, celebrated the team's achievements and wished them success as they prepared torepresentBangladesh on the global stage. The event brought togethermembers ofparliament,senior government officials, members of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), politicians, sports personalities, and representatives from the media. British High Commissioner...


£1BN BOOST TO PE AND SCHOOL SPORT TO END FITNESS POSTCODE LOTTERY

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: More young people will have access to high quality PE and school sport under the government's new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will bring national sportingexpertiseinto every primary and secondary school to tackle inactivity. The government is investing over £1 billion in school sport over the next three years,includingfundingforthe new Partnerships Network, improvements toschool sports fa...


REPEAT POLLUTER PAYS OUT OVER SLURRY OFFENCES

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: A farm partnership has been told to pay out £19,468 after improper slurry spreading led to multiple pollution incidents in a tributary of the River Yarty. Exeter Magistrates Court heard that D I & R Dyer (Farm Partnership) is a family run businessoperatingat Crawley Farm,Yarcombe, in Devon. Following Wednesday's hearing, the farm was fined £6,600, told to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and costs...


NEW PENSION RULES TO BOOST RETIREMENT INVESTMENTS

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: Millions of local government workers are set to benefit from the new reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) thanks to legislation being laid today, (21 May). New regulations set to come into force next month will introduce new requirements for how pension funds are managed and invested in a boost for frontline council workers and growth. These changes finalise the rules, so that pension funds can ...


FIRST-EVER NATIONAL CADETS WEEK TO CELEBRATE CADETS AND RECONNECT YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE ARMED FORCES

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: * The first National Cadet Week in October 2026 will celebrate the cadet forces, one of the country's most effective youthorganisations * A newCadets Action Planwill set out the government's long-term vision for the cadet forces * The initiative will help deliver on the Strategic Defence Review's demand for a whole-of-society approach to defence Tens of thousands of young people across the UK will have the opport...


POLLACK OVERFISHING PUNISHED - MMO PROSECUTION

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: MMO took the cases after routine checks of sales note and catch data revealed the vessels - Kerry Marie NN795 and Annie May PZ71 - had overfished their quota by a total 182 and 192 kilos respectively in area 7. At Bodmin Magistrates court on 19 May 2026, Berlewen Fishing and Leisure Limited, owner of Kerry Marie NN795, and its then master William Paul Chapman, admitted one charge of breaching their licence by ove...


ROMSEY FLOOD ALLEVIATION SCHEME STRENGTHENED WITH NEW DEFENCES

LONDON, May 21 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news: The Environment Agency has completed two significant improvements to the Romsey flood alleviation scheme, reducing flood risk and disruption for local communities. Stockbridge Road raised to prevent flooding New tarmac being laid at Stockbridge Road Working in partnership with Hampshire County Council, the Environment Agency raised the surface of Stockbridge Road nearTimsburyby around 40 centimetres late last y...