Poverty and inequality are financial challenges for local authorities and threaten the cohesion of their communities.
Gavin Smith, Service Manager at Housing Access and Homelessness, Fife Council, tells us about how Fife’s approach united teams from Housing, Building Services and Support Services under the common aim of preventing a homelessness crisis, and embedded a culture going forward that focuses on Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan priorities and service redesign.
The pandemic has highlighted various faults in the UK’s food systems, from the quality of free school meals and their provision over holidays to soaring food bank numbers. This briefing outlines some of the most recent issues and policies regarding food and poverty in Scotland, where food insecurity is more prevalent than in the rest…
The Department for Work and Pensions report published in November 2020 and summarised in this briefing is an impact assessment of the Work Programme, which stopped accepting new referrals in April 2017. The evaluation remains relevant because the UK has embarked on new large scale labour market programmes in response to the economic impact of…
A Social Renewal Advisory Board was set up by Scottish Government in 2020 to make proposals for Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic and planning for social progression. In January 2021, the final report “If not now, when?” was published, making 20 calls to action for national and local government.
This webinar has been designed to provide an introduction to mental health, with the aim of understanding more about some of the most commonly diagnosed disorders, as well as provide advice and guidance on how to support ward members who have issues with their mental health.
Local government has been financially under resourced and the policy agenda has underserved in key areas of service, democracy and community. This latest pillar in our Post-Covid Councils project sets out a blueprint for the thinking we need to generate some vital momentum around these pieces of Unfinished Business.
This briefing looks at the UKEAG report on Sustainable Health Equity, a timely and much-welcomed piece of work. It builds an extremely strong case for embedding concerns for public health and wellbeing at the centre of climate change decision-making
The five-week waiting period for new claims to Universal Credit has been the subject of some considerable controversy. The Work and Pensions Select Committee’s October 2020 report on this and the wider context is analysed here, along with the government’s response.
With lockdowns imposed across the globe, Covid-19 put a magnifying glass over local infrastructure – in many cases exposing gaps and inequality. The result has been renewed enthusiasm for 20-minute cities, which prioritise local access to services. In this bundle, we dive into the urban planning ideal to provide a local government perspective.
More than 33,000 rough sleepers were offered places in hotel and other emergency accommodation between March and November last year. What does the successful ‘Everyone In’ scheme demonstrate about the scale of the homelessness problem in England and whether the government is any closer to a long-term solution?