MP: Government blocks historic pubs protection bill
MP Mike Wood says Labour blocked his Heritage Public Houses Bill on October 16, leaving historic pubs vulnerable. He also announces Older People's Information Fair in Wordsley on November 20.
Category : Politics
DWP pensioners to face first-ever state pension tax bills
State pension rises to £13,036 in 2027, £466 above the £12,570 tax threshold, meaning pensioners with small private pots face HMRC bills.
HMRC writes off £12.9bn in unpaid tax as firms collapse
HMRC wrote off nearly £13bn in unpaid tax last year, with £9.8bn in write-offs, as business insolvencies hit record levels, a National Audit Office report reveals.
Tesco Express closes over mice activity in Birmingham
Tesco Express at The Mailbox in Birmingham closed for over a week after mice activity found. Council inspection on October 9 found no imminent risk, but store remains shut.
Burnham and Healey urged to tax online sales for high streets
British Chambers of Commerce president calls on PM Burnham and Chancellor Healey to overhaul business rates in the Autumn Budget, with IPPR proposing a 2% tax on internet purchases to support physical shops.
Birmingham Council hails recovery despite £88m budget gap
Birmingham City Council leaders say finances are much improved, but a new report warns of budget gaps rising to £88.2m by 2029/30 if action is not taken.
DWP benefits bill to rise by £5.5bn as inflation hits 3.5%
Inflation at 3.5% will trigger a £5.5bn rise in DWP benefits spending in 2027, £2.2bn above Treasury forecasts, affecting PIP, DLA, Carers Allowance and Attendance Allowance.
DWP warned over strict new benefit fraud powers
The DWP faces warnings over new powers to access bank accounts and seize cash from Universal Credit, Pension Credit and ESA claimants suspected of fraud.
Sainsbury's removes SmartShop from 800+ Local stores
Sainsbury's has removed SmartShop from all its Local convenience stores, affecting over 800 locations, due to low usage of just 1% of customers.
Burnham urged to make work-readiness lessons mandatory for Year 9s
Andy Burnham has been urged to make work-readiness lessons mandatory in England's secondary curriculum from Year 9, with the London Chamber of Commerce saying it would level the playing field for young people.
HMRC confirms income tax hikes on property, savings and dividends
HMRC confirms income tax changes: dividend rates rise 2 percentage points from April 2026, savings and property rates rise 2 points from April 2027, raising £2.3bn a year.
Solihull Reform UK crisis timeline: Racism sting resignations
Three Solihull Reform UK councillors resigned after undercover footage showed racist and misogynistic comments. Here's the full timeline of the group's collapse.
Drivers urge fuel duty cut as AA reveals £330 work travel cost
Drivers pay £330 more annually for work travel due to fuel prices. The AA urges Chancellor John Healey to cut fuel duty by 5p ahead of the October 28 Budget.
Revised Wollaston Rec plans revealed after gym scrapped
Revised plans for Wollaston Recreation Ground, funded by Aldi land sale, include benches, goalposts, and play equipment after outdoor gym proposals were dropped.
DWP confirms 6 bank details to share on benefits claimants
DWP confirms six details banks will share under new EVM powers for Universal Credit, Pension Credit, and ESA claimants, including names, account numbers, sort codes, linked accounts, balances, and abroad transactions.
Dench backs Archers cast in BBC Birmingham studio plea
Dame Judi Dench and 100+ Archers cast and crew urge BBC to keep the drama in Birmingham after plans for a new Digbeth studio were scrapped amid £500m cuts.
DWP bank checks: new rule affects 7 million households
New DWP Eligibility Verification Measure lets banks share financial data on over 7 million benefit households to detect fraud, affecting Universal Credit, Pension Credit and more.
NatWest urges Andy Burnham to make 5 changes for businesses
NatWest calls on Andy Burnham to adopt five actions for mid-sized firms, which contribute £1.2 trillion to the economy but face a 'conversion gap'.
DWP state pension warning for 7 million born before 1979
Seven million adults aged 45-54 are in the dark about their DWP state pension, HMRC warns. One in eight have never checked their forecast.
BBC licence fee could extend to Netflix and Disney+
A Labour white paper under Andy Burnham may extend the BBC licence fee to streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ and YouTube, a Whitehall source told The Independent.
Reform accused of 'hijacking Christmas' in Willenhall lights row
Labour's Simran Cheema says Reform cancelled her Willenhall Christmas light switch-on, but Reform leader Elaine Williams denies claims and cites financial governance.
Dudley planners reject £4m 'prison-like' apartment block
Dudley planners refused a £4m four-storey apartment block on St James' Road, citing design that 'looked like a prison' and failed to preserve the conservation area's historic character.
HMRC pension inheritance tax change April 2027: gift warning
From April 6, 2027, most unused pension funds count for Inheritance Tax, potentially hitting estates that previously owed no tax. Experts warn parents to review lifetime gifts carefully, considering care costs and timing, as councils can charge for care a
Birmingham councillor suspended from prison job over racism
Alan Feeney, a Birmingham and Solihull councillor, has been suspended as a custody manager at HMP Birmingham pending an investigation into racist and misogynistic comments caught on undercover footage.
HMRC confirms £93 bonus for 601,000 families
HMRC confirms 601,620 families received an average £93 top-up in June, saving up to £2,000 a year per child through Tax-Free Childcare.
Dudley planners reject £4m flats branded 'prison-like'
Dudley Council has refused a £4m four-storey apartment block on St James' Road, with a heritage officer calling the design a 'dull rectangular box' that looks 'prison-like'.
Birmingham Road closure for urgent gas repairs in Sutton Coldfield
Birmingham Road in Sutton Coldfield will close one lane from 7pm Wednesday for urgent Cadent gas works after a reported smell of gas, with a half-mile diversion in place.
DWP confirms state pension age review underway
The DWP confirms the Third State Pension Age Review is underway, deciding future pension ages amid calls to cut it to 65. The review considers life expectancy and independent reports.
Two new worker protection laws confirmed from October 30
From October 30, employers must take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and third-party harassment under the Employment Rights Act 2025, affecting customer-facing roles.
Dudley Council Accuses MP of Point Scoring in Funding Row
Dudley MP Sonia Kumar criticises £300k town centre grant allocation as unfair, prompting council accusations of point scoring.
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