US tax brackets are rising for 2027. A college tax break is standing still
Higher tax thresholds will not protect every benefit from inflation. A worked example shows how a small income rise can reduce help with tuition.
Living standards
Higher landlord fines would still leave some rentals below the new energy standard
Tenants in England and Wales are promised better-insulated rentals under plans backed by higher landlord fines. But spending limits would let some properties stay below the intended energy standard.
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More babies are missing vitamin K shots, with bleeding risks beyond birth
New studies track falling vitamin K use and rising bleeding diagnoses. The birth injection protects beyond the first hospital stay.
England wants phones out of pupils’ hands. Some use them as medical equipment
Stricter school phone rules are planned for England. Existing guidance protects pupils who need a device to manage a medical condition.
The new weight-loss drug eye warning goes beyond Ozempic
The US eye-risk warning covers more medicines than earlier British and European notices. Risk estimates differ.
A completed Vinted sale does not always mean you can withdraw the money
Vinted’s own help pages distinguish a completed sale from access to the proceeds. Identity checks can pause withdrawals after money becomes available.
The Alice Huang case raises a bigger question
Nvidia’s investigation raises a wider question about AI company power, workplace tools and the choices available to public services and their users.
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Water & energy
Access to water and energy, water quality, costs and who is responsible.
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Migration & asylum
Immigration status, accommodation, rights and oversight of migration and asylum policy.
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Enforcement & rights
Government powers, oversight and the protection of rights during enforcement and detention.
More to explore
Shopworker abuse week begins. Employers’ duties cover threats, too
A national week against shopworker abuse begins on November 9. Our check of campaign material and safety guidance shows what employers must do.
US citizenship memo targets benefit use, but poverty alone cannot justify refusal
US citizenship plans target benefit-related conduct. Existing law still requires assessment of each applicant.
England’s £40m winter care plan uses existing family doctor funds
Family doctors are being asked to help vulnerable patients before they need hospital care. The £40m plan uses existing money.
Britain’s grid upgrade could add £30 a year after expected savings
Ofgem expects higher network charges and savings elsewhere from grid upgrades. We explain its £30 estimate and how National Grid's global spending differs.
England’s £100 energy payment can miss households struggling to pay
England’s new energy payment uses property tax bands, rather than current income. Some households struggling with bills will need other help.
England promises more arts lessons, but teacher training falls short
England wants pupils to study more subjects for longer. Music and drama teacher training fell well below official recruitment targets.
Britain advises three days of supplies. Its power target is five days.
Household emergency advice and electricity recovery targets use different timescales. People who cannot manage alone need support throughout.
College athletes could gain new rights while losing a way to challenge pay limits
A US college sports bill would protect medical care and scholarships while shielding certain pay rules from competition-law challenges.
Taxing high wages would close more of Social Security’s gap than a pension age of 69
Two official estimates show different ways to fund US pensions: tax more high earnings or reduce future payments at the same claiming age.
More school places can still leave working parents without childcare
A Queens daycare closure shows why counting school places misses the ages, hours and holidays that working parents need care to cover.
Sky’s news funding promise outlasts its protection from owner interference
Documents behind Sky’s proposed ITV takeover put different end dates on news funding and protection from owner interference.
US employers added jobs, but more workers could not get enough hours
October brought more US jobs and more people working part time because they could not get full-time hours. A closer look shows why.
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Living standards
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Civil rights, democratic accountability and the exercise of state power.
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Access to learning, equal opportunity and the future of public education.
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Decisions about public life are decisions about people. We examine who benefits, who carries the risk and whether those with power are held to account.
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