The recently published independent Policing Productivity Review has made a series of recommendations to improve police productivity. These proposals range from building on recently introduced measures that cut unnecessary bureaucracy to driving greater productivity through the adoption of new and improved technology. If all of these were implemented, they could save up to 38 million hours of police officer time per year, the equivalent of an additional 20,000 police officers. [footnote 50] By giving people greater access to mental health treatment and employment support the government aims to improve their health outcomes, providing both a better quality of life and increasing their chances of staying in or returning to work sooner. Expansion of employment support and available treatments Source: HM Treasury Public Spending Statistics, HM Treasury DEL plans, and Office for Budget Responsibility.

The Republican National Committee has warned some of the 2024 GOP presidential candidates about attending an Iowa Christian organization’s Thanksgiving forum, saying it would disqualify them from participating in future RNC presidential debates. This is a global issue," he tells Sophy Ridge. "We're not the only country challenged with this. We obviously have particular issues in Ireland with people coming across that treacherous travel across the sea that we need to deal with. But it is a really challenging thing."

While day-to-day spending will continue to grow above inflation in future years, public spending faces many pressures. The government must get the most out of every pound of taxpayers‘ money by boosting productivity and focusing spending on the government’s priorities. The government continues to drive forward the Public Sector Productivity Programme to reimagine the way public services are delivered. Cutting tax and rewarding hard work

In the absence of Autumn Statement policies, the OBR forecast that the combined number of people in the Universal Credit LCWRA group and the Employment and Support Allowance Support Group (ESA SG) was due to increase from around 2.4 million individuals in 2023‑24 to around 2.9 million individuals in 2028‑29. [footnote 85] The government’s WCA reforms have significantly reduced this, more than halving the net flows into LCWRA and ESA SG over five years and ensuring that more individuals receive the right work and health support at the right time. [footnote 86]Following a consultation, the government is reforming the activities and descriptors in the WCA to better reflect the greater flexibility and reasonable adjustments now available in the world of work. [footnote 84] This reform will prevent some individuals from being deemed as not fit for work, and ensure they are better supported into employment. These changes will apply to new claims only when the reform is implemented from 2025 onwards. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts borrowing for the UK in the financial year of 2028-29.