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The real cost of cash-first: Rethinking crisis payments as risks mount

By Mark Bufton, Senior Business Development Manager at BHN

Mark Bufton

For years, local welfare schemes have faced a quiet tension: how to provide emergency financial help quickly, while ensuring public funds are used responsibly. These schemes are designed to support people facing acute financial hardship – often those on low incomes, families struggling

Continue reading The real cost of cash-first: Rethinking crisis payments as risks mount

Safety is now a duty of care across multiple sectors, says Fire Aware

The cultural change needed to bring about a shift in fire safety starts with a recognition of a duty of care by all of those responsible across multiple sectors, says growing fire safety body Fire Aware.

Everyone involved in the design, construction, maintenance and letting of the built environment needs to understand that they

Continue reading Safety is now a duty of care across multiple sectors, says Fire Aware

Major step forward as powers move from Westminster to Cheshire and Warrington

The transfer of powers from Parliament to Cheshire and Warrington has been confirmed today, giving local people and leaders more control over the region’s future.

The Parliamentary Order to formally establish the Combined Authority has been approved and signed by Minister for Devolution, Miatta Fahnbulleh.

It means the Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority is now

Continue reading Major step forward as powers move from Westminster to Cheshire and Warrington

When Vetting Fails at the Top, Everyone Pays the Price

By: Susie Thomson, Chair Elect of the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) and former founder of Security Watchdog

Susie Thomson

The latest headlines surrounding Sir Keir Starmer and questions over appointments to the House of Lords have once again pushed vetting into the public spotlight. Political controversy will always generate noise, but beneath it lies a

Continue reading When Vetting Fails at the Top, Everyone Pays the Price

Over Four Million Working Days lost to Work-Place Stress in the Public Sector

Work-related stress is causing over four million lost working days per year in the public sector, with an overhaul of staff training needed to fix the problem, according to new analysis by Forbes Solicitors.

Ridwaan Omar

The government’s latest Employer Skills Survey shows that employers in education, health and social work, and public administration

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From Cost Control to Skills Control: How the Public Sector Will Redefine Recruitment in 2026

Author: Suzi Smith, Managing Director, Matrix

As I look back on 2025, it’s clear that the UK’s public sector has been navigating one of its most complex and transformative workforce landscapes in years. The pressures of cost management, legislative reform and evolving expectations from both candidates and hiring managers have converged to reshape how

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Joint Liability, Shared Responsibility: Why HMRC Must Modernise Before 2026

By Varun Monteiro, CEO of Finity

In April 2026, the government will introduce Joint and Several Liability (JSL), a policy that will reshape how compliance is governed across the temporary labour market. For the first time, employment agencies and their end clients will be held jointly responsible for unpaid payroll taxes when working with

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Four in Five Recruitment Agencies Demand HMRC Modernise Systems Ahead of 2026 Liability Shake-Up

Overall sentiment towards the new legislation was focused on integration and simplification, with almost 80% saying HMRC needs to do more to integrate its systems and simplify its processes 75% suggest they will be looking for technology to help manage compliance and conduct real-time audits. Varun Monteiro

As HMRC announces its decision to introduce

Continue reading Four in Five Recruitment Agencies Demand HMRC Modernise Systems Ahead of 2026 Liability Shake-Up

Why do so many UK government projects fail and what can be done about it?

A new book, The Delivery Gap: Why Government Projects Really Fail and What Can Be Done About It by Jonathan Simcock (Emerald Publishing), looks behind the scenes to uncover the problems that plague government projects and offer fresh solutions. 

Successive UK governments have a terrible track record when it comes to large-scale projects.  Almost

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Arcadis-led Consortium Secures Position on National Highways Specialist and Technical Services Framework

Arcadis-led team brings expertise from engineering, data analysis, and design Programme includes consultancy services across 26 core competencies including asset operation, road user behaviour, strategic transport planning, sustainability, and more. Arcadis already delivering award-winning data-centric approach to prevent crashes in Warwickshire

Arcadis, the leading global design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets,

Continue reading Arcadis-led Consortium Secures Position on National Highways Specialist and Technical Services Framework

Clearing Border Bottlenecks with Smarter, Faster Digital Solutions for Travel

By Andy Smith

We all want travel to be secure, safe, and easy. But as traveler numbers surge to record highs and governments aim to unlock tourism’s full economic power, border agencies face a critical challenge: how do you handle rising demand without compromising security?

This week, European and global leaders in border security,

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INTRODUCING SMURFIT WESTROCK SECURITY CONCEPTS

Can you tell us about SWSC?

SWSC is an internationally recognised high security printing and identity management solutions provider with a range of award-winning products including passports, identity cards, excise stamps, birth and education certificates. For government and public sector organisations our solutions help secure borders, protect citizens, prevent fraud, generate revenue and enable

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NHS: World’s largest quango scrapped under reforms to put patients first

Major reforms to empower NHS staff and put patients first Changes will drive efficiency and empower staff to deliver better care as part of Prime Minister’s Plan for Change Move will reduce complex bureaucracy and undo the damage caused by 2012 reorganisation

Reforms to reduce bureaucracy, make savings and empower NHS staff to

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QUANTUM TRILOGY LAUNCHES TO DELIVER TAILORED MISSION-CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY APPROACH FOR HIGH-STAKES OPERATIONS

Today, Quantum Trilogy launches to deliver mission-critical and agile solutions aligned to urgent government requirements. Its new and pioneering approach proves essential for high-profile organisations worldwide, such as militaries, governments, and national security organisations.

Quantum Trilogy is adopting an optimal sourcing strategy to develop vendor-agnostic, custom-built secure technology that accurately meets an organisation’s unique

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Calling for regulations for the cosmetic surgery industry

Introduction to Regulations in the Cosmetic Surgery Sector

By kagan seymenoglu, CEO of Longevita

The cosmetic surgery industry has seen remarkable expansion in the last few years, not least because of technological advances and changing attitudes – there is no longer a stigma around such treatments.

kagan seymenoglu

However, this surge in demand hasn’t been

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Why Social Value Should Be an Important Part of the Public Sector Procurement Process

By Siobhan Goss, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, Matrix Workforce Management Solutions

As the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Matrix, I’ve had the opportunity to witness the increasing importance of social value within the procurement process. Social value is no longer an optional consideration; it is now a significant factor in public sector

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Addressing the core issue

By Barley Laing, the UK Managing Director at Melissa

The new government brings with it new ideas on driving efficiencies and positive change within the public sector. It is a necessity in light of the state of the public finances.

Barley Laing

As it formulates its next steps in these areas the onus is

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Fusion21 announces suppliers appointed to £80 million Lifts Framework

Procurement organisation and social enterprise Fusion21 has announced the suppliers successfully appointed to its national Lifts Framework worth up to £80 million over four years.

A total of 37 specialist firms – 76% being SMEs, have secured a place on the framework which is now in its fourth generation and has been designed to

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Digital and data roadmap passes two-year milestone

By Sascha Giese, Tech Evangelist at SolarWinds

It’s now two years since the UK published its 2022-2025 roadmap for digital and data to transform government services and ensure every penny of taxpayers’ money is well spent.

Sascha Giese

The roadmap set out ambitious plans to “transform digital public services, deliver world-class digital technology and

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Lincolnshire County Council streamlines both long and short-term highways maintenance with Confirm enquiry forms

Summary:

Lincolnshire County Council (LLC) needed to improve and expedite its operational and financial highways management processes, from initial defect reporting through to completion confirmation of the final repair. Over five years, the council saved more than £1.5m after using Confirm to replace old office systems. The council also saved more than £3m of

Continue reading Lincolnshire County Council streamlines both long and short-term highways maintenance with Confirm enquiry forms