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Taxi drivers across England are set to face “rigorous vetting” under new licensing reforms, a minister has confirmed, as the government moves to address concerns over passenger safety and exploitation.The proposed changes, part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will introduce a national minimum standard for drivers, specifically targeting problems associated with out-of-area working.Local government minister Miatta Fahnbulleh stated these standards would prioritise “safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility”.The move follows Baroness Casey’s audit, which highlighted “many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation” linked to taxi services. More

With Chancellor Rachel Reeves set to unveil her autumn Budget, the government faces pressure to raise revenues. Economic analysis released in October suggests that for the Chancellor, hiking income tax would be the “least damaging” option for the economy compared to increasing VAT.The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) found raising VAT would push harder on real incomes, while an income tax rise would be less detrimental. The think tank, which analysed income tax, corporation tax, and VAT, also warned against seeking revenue beyond these “main” UK taxes, deeming other methods potentially harmful.Of the three, NIESR said raising VAT would have the biggest negative impact on the UK economy by lowering real personal disposable income (RPDI) by nearly 3 per cent and real gross domestic product (GDP) by nearly 1 per cent in the first year of the tax being applied.A higher rate of VAT would also push up inflation more than the other levers because of the impact it would have on prices in shops.Raising corporation tax – which is charged on the profits made by businesses – would have a smaller short-term impact but drag on the economy in the long run by reducing investment, according to the analysis.Raising VAT would have the biggest negative impact on the UK economy, a think tank said More

Taxi drivers across England are set to face “rigorous vetting” under new licensing reforms, a minister has confirmed, as the government moves to address concerns over passenger safety and exploitation.The proposed changes, part of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, will introduce a national minimum standard for drivers, specifically targeting problems associated with out-of-area working.Local government minister Miatta Fahnbulleh stated these standards would prioritise “safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility”.The move follows Baroness Casey’s audit, which highlighted “many cases of group-based child sexual exploitation” linked to taxi services.Speaking at the Bill’s report stage, Ms Fahnbulleh told MPs: “The powers sought are necessarily broad, so that we can make sure that the new powers catch all complexities of the current legislative framework.“National minimum standards will set a high but proportionate standard for licensing that is focused on safeguarding passengers and improving accessibility of these services for everyone.“This means that people, particularly those who rely on these services the most, such as women and girls and people with disabilities, can be reassured that the drivers, such of these services, have undergone rigorous vetting where they are in the country, wherever they are in the country.“This is an important first step to tackle some of the issues that have arisen from the practice of out of area working.“In addition, we will be consulting shortly on making local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicles, further strengthening the regulation of the sector, and we will continue to build on these reforms in the weeks and months ahead.”Transport committee chair Ruth Cadbury told MPs of the need for common standards across England that were “not basic minimum standards, but high and absolute standards”. More

Claire and Gareth Ferris’ story of struggling to keep their Warwickshire home warm amid rising energy bills and poor insulation has resonated with Independent readers.Responding to the article, many highlighted that energy poverty is widespread, with some sharing their own experiences of freezing homes, mounting debt, and the daily challenge of staying warm. Several pointed out that British housing is often inefficient, poorly insulated, and expensive, contrasting it with countries such as Denmark, where better construction and higher public support make cold winters more manageable.Others emphasised that while government support schemes exist, they are insufficient, and households are forced to ration heat, exercise to stay warm, or improvise with measures such as plastic sheeting. A few readers stressed that some people still need practical advice on budgeting and prioritising heating, while others argued the root problem is a lack of government action on energy security and rising costs.Many also noted the human cost of cold homes, warning that extreme winter conditions can be deadly, particularly for the elderly, vulnerable, or those in poor housing. Overall, readers agreed that the issue goes beyond individual behaviour – it reflects systemic failures in housing quality, energy provision, and social support.Here’s what you had to say:Dire straitsDuring the early 1970s oil embargo, we could not afford oil to heat our home either. We used plastic sheeting to cover all of our drafty windows. Us kids cut strips of paper grocery bags about an inch wide to staple all around the sheeting, which held it to the wooden window frames. The windows we could not reach outside were sealed in a similar fashion on the inside.We also closed off the entire second floor of the house and sealed the door to upstairs with plastic sheeting. With only a living room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom left, we heated with a wood-burning stove.I was 10 at the time, and my job was to take my younger brothers out into the woods each day to gather firewood for that evening. We ate, slept, and lived in that living room that way each winter until 1981.It certainly seems many folks are in those same dire straits now. I feel your pain.GalvanUK housing is inefficient and depressingI agree the houses in the UK are very ugly, depressing to look at, inefficient, and of poor quality. I believe I’m correct in saying we have some of the lowest housing standards in Europe. Utterly shameful in the sixth richest economy on the planet.I have family in Denmark. Beautiful houses, better insulation – triple glazing, better quality and much better looking. It’s colder there, but they pay lower energy costs. Higher wages, higher taxes, much better public services, much lower homelessness, and a much happier population. I wish I could live there.BexJFT97Energy bills spiralling out of controlWe are unable to meet our monthly ‘usage’ costs in full and owe almost £4k on our gas and electric. I have absolutely no idea how we are ever going to be able to pay this, and the shortfall just keeps increasing month on month. This island is an energy cartel.HelenEnergy advice fundingDo away with the energy advice service and use the savings to reduce bills. Also, make the regulator truly independent, not paid supporters of the energy companies. When funding is provided by the people you are regulating, they are always going to be biased.PAULT2Insulating and staying activeI’ve lived in my old solid brick-walled cottage for 27 years. In that time, instead of whining, I insulated bit by bit. I’m half German, grew up there, and every morning, no matter how cold it is outside, I open all the doors and windows for at least half an hour for a good ‘blow through’, getting rid of stale, musty, moist air, dust, and mould spores.Sure it’s cold, but I am busy cleaning, so I get warm.I insulated my cold, solid brick walls too. Every external wall has either insulated plasterboard or polystyrene on a roll put onto the wall and then papered on top.Then I went to a charity shop last week and bought a huge pair of lined velvet curtains. One curtain does each door front and back. They cost me £4. Another pair, which are so thick and heavy, cost £6. One curtain for the large front window and another for the back window, and they get drawn as soon as it starts to get dark.fenwomanFar behind homes in EuropeI am afraid British houses are far behind houses in Europe in terms of energy efficiency and quality of build. They are extremely expensive and very poor quality, with no heat insulation and windows with gaps that would almost allow cats to get through and run away. No wonder people are struggling to heat such houses. There is no amount of energy that is enough to heat such a house, especially in winter windy days.Grumpyoldman38Even hard-working people struggle to make ends meet with the cost of living as the bills are sky-high, and hard-working people should never be the ones that struggle in life to make ends meet. The old people now get a winter fuel payment from the Government, and that’s a good thing, but for everyone else there is no such help. Even the unemployed and those living in poverty have to decide when it’s really cold whether to put the heating on or buy food for themselves and their children. It’s more like 1825 than 2025.Stacey BenoitBills just keep risingI am finding it difficult to keep the home warm – the bills just keep rising. I feel so sorry for families with children. It’s not just heat poverty; for many, the food prices are just unreal.jellyjVictorian draughtsWhen I first married in the 1970s, we used to put polythene over the windows to keep the cold out. Our house was single-glazed with Victorian sashes, and they let the draughts everywhere.HeraExercise to keep warmSome time ago, a politician was pilloried for suggesting people might do exercise to keep warm… maybe he said it cynically, but for those who can do it, a couple of minutes running on the spot is a very good way to get warmer. The body continues to burn energy for a while after you stop.It has many other beneficial effects as well.For those who are not able to run on the spot, ANY exercise they can do, even sitting down, will help warm you from within, where we need to maintain temperature.much0adoBlame the ToriesWhy didn’t the Tories do anything about securing our own energy within their one and a half decades in power? Why didn’t they do ANYTHING within their 15-year stint apart from rinse the economic pot dry, austeritise our public services, leave our infrastructure to rot, and privatise anything and everything they could get their hands on?I blame the Tories and I’ll continue to blame them for LIFE.AmySome of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the day’s top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click ‘log in’ or ‘register’ in the top right corner to sign in or sign up.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment, click here. More

Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic and chaotic culture” at No 10 while poor decision-making and delays in introducing a lockdown contributed to the deaths of more than 20,000 people during the pandemic, a highly critical report has found. The second report of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry also found that the views of women were often ignored by the then prime minister and his closest aides, while Mr Johnson is also said to have demonstrated a “failure to appreciate the urgency of the situation” during the early days of the pandemic.During a series of hearings, the chair of the inquiry, Heather Hallett, a former Court of Appeal judge, heard wide-ranging criticisms of Mr Johnson and his team, with WhatsApp messages and emails detailing disagreements disclosed to the inquiry.Boris Johnson was found to have failed to appreciate the urgency of the situation ahead of the first lockdown More

‘You try’: Frustrated Boris Johnson loses cool at Covid inquiryThe UK Covid-19 Inquiry is set to publish its findings into decisions made by former prime minister Boris Johnson and his senior advisers.Key players, including Mr Johnson and former health secretary Matt Hancock, gave evidence to the inquiry into what they were thinking in 2020, including before the first lockdown was announced in March.During a series of hearings, they were questioned over government measures introduced during the pandemic, such as Covid testing, social distancing and the Eat Out to Help Out scheme designed to support businesses.Chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett, a former Court of Appeal judge, heard wide-ranging criticisms of Mr Johnson and his team, with WhatsApp messages and emails detailing disagreements disclosed to the inquiry.When giving his own testimony, Mr Johnson said it was “very unlikely” the first Covid lockdown could have been avoided by earlier action.In a statement, the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK group blamed “failures by those in power” for the deaths of “more than 230,000 of our loved ones” as they called for accountability.The full report from the inquiry will be published at 4pm on Thursday.I regret the suffering Covid inflicted, says Swinney ahead of inquiry reportScotland’s First Minister has spoken about his “regret” for the “suffering” experienced by many during the coronavirus pandemic.Speaking ahead of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry publishing its report into how governments across the country responded to the virus, John Swinney said it had caused “enormous damage”.Mr Swinney was deputy first minister in Scotland at the time of the pandemic, and when pressed to apologise for his actions on Thursday, including the deletion of messages related to decision-making, he said: “I have been very clear that I regret the suffering individuals experienced during the period of Covid.“It did enormous damage to people. People lost loved ones, it did enormous damage to our society and we are still dealing with the consequences of Covid.”Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has spoken about his ‘regret’ for the ‘suffering’ experienced by many during the coronavirus pandemic More

A refugee who escaped political persecution in Africa to safety in the UK fears he could be sent back to his home country under Labour’s new migrant crackdown.Shams Moussa has described controversial plans to reform the asylum system, which could see refugees returned to their home nation if they are later deemed safe, as “deeply worrying”. The 48-year-old, who met King Charles at a humanitarian reception at Buckingham Palace two years ago, has also accused Labour politicians of “scapegoating migrants” while failing to take responsibility for asylum claims.On Monday, home secretary Shabana Mahmood unveiled her proposed overhaul of the asylum system, claiming that the UK’s generosity had made it an attractive destination for those seeking sanctuary compared to other European nations. Describing the current system as “out of control”, she said she planned to reduce the number of people arriving illegally in Britain and ramp up removals of those with no right to be in the UK. The proposals, which have faced backlash from some Labour figures, include cutting the time refugees are initially granted to stay in the UK, from five years to 30 months, which could only be renewed if it is not safe for them to return to their home country. Refugees would also have to spend 20 years in the UK before being allowed to apply for settled status, up from five years. Shams Moussa with his invitation to meet King Charles at Buckingham Palace in 2023 – he said Charles sympathised with his situation More

People who were at school with Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claim he displayed offensive behaviour as a boy, including giving Nazi salutes and making racial slurs.The Clacton MP, who could potentially be the UK’s next prime minister, as his party leads in opinion polls, emphatically denies allegations in The Guardian that he used racist or antisemitic insults as a teenager.He suggested that the paper was attempting to smear Reform. One former contemporary at Dulwich College in south London told The Guardian he felt humiliated by the antisemitic words of a 13-year-old Mr Farage, who allegedly also urged pupils of overseas heritage to “go home”.Peter Ettedgui, now an award-winning director and producer, told the paper: “He would sidle up to me and growl: ‘Hitler was right,’ or ‘Gas them,’ sometimes adding a long hiss to simulate the sound of the gas showers.” The Clacton MP denies allegations in The Guardian that he used racist or antisemitic insults as a teenager More