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The government has published its Digital and Technologies Jobs Plan, the workforce plan that sits within the Sector Plan in the Industrial Strategy, setting out how it will open up more routes into digital and technology careers, with a particular focus on young people. 

Government should be bolder in taking stakes in innovative businesses it has backed with grants. In a new report on UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the PAC urges government to do much more to recover taxpayers’ money when a successful company exploits research for which UKRI has paid.

Fraudster exploited three separate schemes designed to support businesses during the pandemic

Ofgem has launched what’s expected to be its largest ever tender round for the offshore transmission assets connecting Hornsea 3 - one of the world’s biggest windfarms - to Britain’s power grid.

The FCA has banned Jeffrey Dawkins, the former chief executive of Vector Wealth Ltd, after he dishonestly acted as a front for a disqualified director using the company to sell high-risk bonds. 

Consumer wearables and digital therapeutics (DTx) both offer a significant opportunity to help people stay healthy, detect conditions earlier and support the shift from hospital to community. Realising that opportunity depends on clear routes to regulation, evidence, adoption and funding.

Government must maintain unwavering focus on costs as central issue in energy transition.

Patients are set to receive cutting-edge treatments as the Government hits its ambitious target to speed up clinical trials

New analysis shows opportunity to attract major new projects.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is experimenting in valuable ways to improve frontline services and staff productivity and has many of the building blocks needed to innovate effectively, according to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report published today (Wednesday 21 October).

The Met Office has issued an Amber wind warning for the whole of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of West Devon ahead of the arrival of Storm Austen.

This data provides information about the number and types of applications that HM Land Registry completed in September 2026.

First Minister building international partnerships and boost exports.

Local leaders supported to drive change in their communities and improve public services with the launch of a new playbook to support decentralisation.

The Environment Agency has opened a consultation into its draft decision to grant an environmental permit to Fornax (North East) Ltd.

Legislation to be brought forward to defer council tax revaluation until the next Senedd term.

UK and Oman commit to closer cooperation across security, defence and trade on State Visit

The governments crackdown on cosmetic cowboys intensifies with restrictions on high-risk procedures.

The Charity Commission has closed its inquiry into The Schwarzschild Foundation, issuing an official warning and an action plan to the charity.

The successful trial showed electric diggers and trucks can handle tough coastal defence work.

Energy Secretary green lights Jackdaw gas field, as Chancellor announces new Energy Wealth Fund.

From today, people no longer need planning permission to install cross-pavement EV chargers.

New law will help remove abusers from social homes while survivors keep their tenancy

10,000 young people will get the chance to get experience under their belt, build up their CVs, and get their foot in the door of Britain's digital and tech sector.

The UK HPI shows house price changes for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A man who repeatedly assaulted and abused his former partner had his suspended sentence overturned after the Attorney General intervened.

Darren Hughes restates the contribution of social care and calls for cross-UK, cross-party working on reforms.

Industrial AI is where a model meets a schedule, a tolerance, and a person who will be blamed if the batch is wrong. The productivity story is real, and it is mostly unglamorous: fewer unplanned stops, faster quality decisions, cleaner handoffs through a supply chain, and design cycles that reuse what the plant already learned. The UK’s edge is not a greenfield AI factory. It is high-mix, regulated, export-facing industry that already records more than it uses.

As the prime minister opens up a debate over Britain’s future relationship with Europe, a major new IPPR report argues that becoming a member of the EU should be the UK’s medium-term goal

New Santander Cycles app with major upgrades launches 17 November, when existing app will cease to work

The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) has referred a man’s murder conviction to the Court of Appeal because the partial defence of loss of control was not properly considered at his trial or put before the jury. 

Cllr Natalie Oliver, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children, Young People and Families Committee, responded to the Children’s Commissioner’s report Childhood Lottery

While frontier AI labs race to release ever more advanced models, real-world deployment remains at an early stage, only scratching the surface of what AI systems could make possible.

Ambitions stated by the Prime Minister that young people should no longer face “long waits anymore for mental health support growing up” are at risk of being undermined by changes to funding for children’s mental health care. 

From developing cancer drugs in orbit to robots that stop grain from spoiling, technology developed by UK space start-ups goes far beyond satellites and rockets.

The Spruce Site Assessment (SSA) grant has helped 41 landowners survey over 2,450 hectares of woodland to tackle the threat of Ips typographus.

Matthew Hopkins highlights the need for political "air cover" ahead of difficult decisions about maternity services.

Imagine a manufacturer testing AI that predicts when a machine is likely to fail. The pilot works, engineers are impressed, and the business case promises fewer breakdowns. Then someone suggests deploying it across five factories, with different equipment, data systems and maintenance routines, and suddenly the algorithm is the straightforward part.

The UK ranks 41st in the world for energy security, lower than Romania, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine, reveals a new index by the Adam Smith Institute (ASI). The report is the first-ever annual global ranking of countries’ energy security and control, measuring their ability to produce or procure the energy they need for a safe and prosperous society

Public Health Wales welcomes the report from Module 6 of the Covid-19 Public Inquiry and its considerations of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on care homes and adult care settings in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.  

Water companies ordered to protect customer supplies as severe drought persists across parts of England

This page shows the statement following the meeting of the Separation Agreement Joint Committee on 20 October 2026.

Procurement is still one of the biggest challenges for suppliers working with policing, justice and fire and rescue services. From the time and cost of bidding to how contracts are scoped and awarded, these processes shape which suppliers can take part and how quickly new technology reaches the frontline.

Consultation on how Land Reform Act will empower people.

The Scottish and Welsh Governments have called on the UK Government to scrap “punitive” welfare policies, adopt plans to cut energy bills, and to further devolve powers to help drive continued progress in tackling poverty.

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak responded to the sixth report of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, published today (Tuesday), which finds the Covid-19 pandemic "exposed and exacerbated the underlying fragility of the adult social care workforce"

A South Manchester man who raped and sexually assaulted children as young as six over a period of eight years has been jailed for 23 years

Prosecution proves a man raped a child and sexually abused more victims in first of its kind use of digital forensics to link a camera with pictures.

An Official Statistics Publication.

From spooky visits to Ruthin Gaol, to a 20ft copper dragon in Rhayader, to bat boxes in the Rhondda, there’s plenty on offer this October half term as the Welsh Museums Festival kicks off for its 12th year.

Neil Carberry, chief executive of the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, responded to today’s ONS labour market figures

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University responded to the labour market figures for October 2026 released by the Office for National Statistics. Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University commented:

The Wastewater Analysis for Narcotics Detection (WAND) programme uses wastewater analysis to provide robust and timely estimates of drug consumption. The method is used internationally and is based on measuring drug analytes excreted by the body that enter wastewater systems. 

UK firms will help deliver new schools, clean water infrastructure, electricity networks and government buildings.

The UK will provide additional defensive military support to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, given escalating Houthi attacks in the region.

The Work Foundation at Lancaster University responded to the labour market figures for October 2026 released by the Office for National Statistics.

Opening up iPhone contactless technology could boost innovation, lower costs and help UK fintechs grow.

Support of over £2,600 available through pregnancy and early parenthood

On 19 October BBC’s Panorama programme broadcast an episode focused on rogue landlords accused of exploiting supported housing residents by providing minimal or no support services, while claiming high levels of rent through Enhanced Housing Benefit.

Convicted killers and serious sexual offenders detained in hospital are among those who will lose their entitlement to benefits under regulations laid in Parliament today.

We have issued reprimands to Ogi Networks Limited (ONL) and the Local Government Data Unit – Wales, known as Data Cymru, following a ransomware attack. During the attack the personal information of 3,300 people was taken, the majority of whom were children.

After CYBERUK this year, those of us on techUK's Cyber Resilience Committee were asked whether anything from the conference might be of particular interest to techUK members. For me it was Duncan M's session on the NCSC's new approach to cross domain, and so, with the help of techUK, we organised an afternoon session on 1 October. 

FM highlights potential for growth ahead of India trade mission.

Public Health Wales is working with Natural Resources Wales on the pollution incident affecting a tributary of the River Taff. 

A man who left the UK and travelled to Somalia in a bid to join a proscribed terrorist group has been jailed.

The National Care Service Programme sets out how the Welsh Government will create a more consistent and sustainable care system that puts people first.

New station for Bradford will improve connections, support economic growth and set the foundations for new homes, jobs and opportunities across the North.

Drivers to get new rights to challenge unfair private parking charges, alongside crack down on car dealers winding back mileages

Hundreds of young people attended Nottingham's first Youth Guarantee Jobs Fair, to explore opportunities for jobs, apprenticeships, training and work experience at some of the UK’s largest businesses.

Young people will get thousands more opportunities to start skilled careers in some of Britain’s fastest-growing industries, as government and businesses join forces to expand apprenticeships, work experience and training.

The Digital Poverty Alliance (DPA) yesterday launched Tech4Young People in Care, a new programme delivered in partnership with E2BN to support young people in care aged 11 to 19 across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

UK scientists and engineers have reached a major production milestone in a global mission to understand why there is so much more matter than antimatter.

The families of British people missing abroad are set to receive improved support, as a result of a new partnership between the UK Government and the charity Missing People.

Ofgem yesterday confirmed a funding package for a major electricity transmission upgrade that will help connect consumers to more homegrown clean power and boost energy security.

Over 60 UK companies joined partners from over 20 nations to showcase military engineering solutions, strengthen collaboration and support UK defence exports.

The changes are intended to make sure people can travel with greater confidence.

Public invited to help shape a lasting tribute to Queen Elizabeth.

The UK is right to put fraud at the heart of its FATF presidency. Success will require source countries to have the means to act.

Somalia’s domestic instability is being compounded by sharpened regional rivalries, paving the way for a more entrenched conflict as seen elsewhere in the Horn of Africa.

The health and social care sector has never been short of passionate people. Every day, health and social care professionals make a difference to the lives of the people, families and communities they support. 

GAD modelling explored how uncertainty in vaccine development could affect pandemic response decisions and their economic impact.

The Welsh Government is calling for the views of people, organisations, sports and culture community groups to develop a new, ambitious strategy for culture and sport in Wales.

The Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee is pressing the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to launch a full market investigation into the UK’s live music industry before the end of the year.

Blog posted by: Andrea Bollella, Third Party Data Manager and Marisa Hayes, Partnerships Delivery Project Manager, GeoPlace.

Calder Hall, the world’s first nuclear power station, marks 70 years. Decommissioning of the facility progresses, creating space for Sellafield’s future mission

Tackling nuisance behaviour on buses and trains will help people feel safer and more comfortable.

First Minister announces series of interventions to tackle violence against women and girls.

The first ever waste crime summit to bring partners together in Liverpool City Region was held in Widnes.

Autumnal weather moves in as low pressure takes charge of UK weather.

£140 million will fund 14 urgent care schemes, with 25 more sites opening for winter, to boost NHS capacity and ease pressure on A&E.

£30m Scotland Together Fund to tackle poverty, disadvantage, and racism.

The collaboration will offer new training and capacity building for those involved in fighting financial crime and sanctions evasion.

All 3 masts of SS Richard Montgomery have been successfully removed and have been transferred to the Historic Dockyard Chatham for conservation and preservation.

The Government will today [Monday 19 October] strengthen the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill through a substantial package of amendments.

The decision by the Israeli government to open tenders for settlements in E1 is a direct threat to the prospect of a two-state solution.

The First Minister of Wales, Rhun ap Iorwerth, will today call on the UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to agree a new "partnership for growth” when the 2 leaders meet later this month.

After months of extreme weather, the Environment Agency have been stepping up efforts to protect the country from weather whiplash.

The Children’s Commissioner will name the hardest places to grow up in England and warn of a ‘state of emergency’ in some communities.

Two Defence Technical Excellence Colleges are coming to Scotland after the Scottish Government confirmed it will match fund the UK Government's £10 million,

CMA proposes to designate Microsoft with strategic market status in its business software ecosystem.

Cap to be expanded across the north east of Scotland from April 2027.

Ofsted's Chief Inspector, Sir Martyn Oliver, recently (16 October 2026) spoke at the Confederation of School Trusts 2026 annual conference in Birmingham.

As Children’s Commissioner, I want every child to have the chance to have a happy, healthy childhood. 

Italy’s low fentanyl death toll reflects Europe’s distinct opioid market history, not mafia restraint – but synthetic opioids such as nitazenes are a growing threat.

Statement given recently (16 October 2026) by Ambassador Kate Foster, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Sudan.

Fund to Leave scheme investment doubled to £4 million.

A speech delivered recently (16 October 2026) by Sir Ian Bauckham, Chief Regulator at Ofqual, at the Confederation of School Trusts annual conference.

EFRA Committee Chair Alistair Carmichael MP recently (16 October 2026) told the government to act decisively on the future of Thames Water, amid reports that its creditors may issue new debt that would allow the company to continue operating into autumn 2027.

'Organisational failure' at water company behind pollution.

Fraudsters who agreed millions of pounds in contracts to supply healthcare staff PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic but instead bought luxury cars and renovated their home have been sentenced.

The Committee on Standards recently (16 October 2026) published its report on complaints against Ms Carál Ní Chuilín MLA that she had breached the Assembly Members’ Code of Conduct (the Code).

More than 250 additional nursing graduates have been placed into posts across NHS Wales since June.

Gillian Cooper, Director of Energy at Citizens Advice, responded to Ofgem's latest announcement on the Market Stabilisation Charge 

The shift from analogue to digital is already happening across health and care. The question now is whether the system can match industry's pace.

A vehicle recovery driver has pleaded guilty after a runaway Range Rover he failed to secure rolled down a hill in Bournemouth, dragging him beneath the vehicle before crushing a member of the public who attempted to help

Businesses across the UK backed with a share of £50 million to deliver innovation and training for real-world quantum technologies.

Sir Ciarán says NHS leaders recognise the importance of ensuring that services are safe, inclusive and legally compliant for every patient and member of staff. 

Investment Doubled for Bridges Programme.

On Monday 12 October, techUK hosted a Women in Tech Group breakfast event, Closing the gap: Women, work & AI adoption, to open Women in Tech Week and mark the day before Ada Lovelace Day.

A new Community Jobs Fund could give local leaders the resources to create paid jobs for young people shut out of the labour market in areas where opportunities are scarcest, according to a new report from the Work Foundation at Lancaster University

Root and branch reforms are needed to the Capital Gains Tax system to help tackle the rental housing supply crisis. 

Tom MacInnes, Director of Policy at Citizens Advice, responds to Ofcom’s Interim Review on the Universal Service Obligation

With all eyes on the forthcoming UK Budget, more than 200 businesses, politicians and other leaders joined CBI Northern Ireland at its flagship annual networking breakfast in Country Antrim to discuss growth, resilience and the opportunities presented by the Northern Ireland economy.

A spokesperson for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said:  “We have written to the Green Party of England and Wales about its recently adopted ‘Zionism is racism’ motion to ask for more information and assess its practical implications and potential impact.

Report Fraud, run by the City of London Police, is urging the public to be sure of who they are talking to following a spike in reports of calls from ‘spoofed’ police force phone numbers.

The price of a Second Class stamp will remain flat in real terms until March 2028, under proposals announced today by Ofcom. 

Proposal to activate the Market Stabilisation Charge to mitigate risks to consumer interests.

US voters are linking economic concerns to the Trump administration’s foreign policy choices. This is bad news for Republicans.

Fixed link transport infrastructure, such as bridges and tunnels, has the potential to deliver 'transformative benefits' for Scotland's island communities, according to a new report published today by the Scottish Affairs Committee.

UK and Germany deepen defence-industrial cooperation at Lancaster House talks, building on the Trinity House Agreement and Kensington Treaty.

From 1 January 2027, central government will score social value differently. 

A new digital platform for recording, transcribing and translating spoken Gaelic has been awarded £600,000 through the CivTech innovation programme.

Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries have caused a Russian kerosene shortage, disrupting flights, draining the budget and pushing Central Asian partners towards other suppliers.

Fishermen, scientists and fisheries managers met at a Defra-hosted conference to share evidence, discuss the impacts of the octopus bloom.

Six men who were supplying cocaine in Northern Ireland have been sentenced after a National Crime Agency (NCA) and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) investigation.

Minister for the Polar Regions, Uma Kumaran MP, yesterday delivered remarks at the launch of the Update to the United Kingdom's Arctic Policy Framework.

Seventeen museums, archives and libraries projects across Wales are to benefit from additional funding - helping to deliver on the Welsh Government's Programme for Government commitment to widen access to culture - with over £550,000 being invested in communities across the country.

Schools across Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds have benefited from £2,500 worth of free stationery thanks to a YPO donation marking the NSPCC Kindness Challenge 2026.

APCC Criminal Justice Leads yesterday welcomed the Government’s response to the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts.

Ofsted has today announced that it is piloting a new Independent Complaints Review (ICR) service for schools inspected during the academic year 2026/27.

Dame Julia Unwin yesterday addressed the Charity Commission's Annual Public Meeting 2026.

This report presents the results of Scottish regional king scallop stock assessments carried out by the Marine Directorate including data up to 2024. It also provides background information on Scottish fisheries for scallops, and the current management and regulatory framework.

Health Innovation North West Coast, NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a long-term strategic partnership.

Parts of England have moved into severe drought as prolonged dry weather continues to put enormous strain on water resources and the environment.

Blog posted by: Robin Linacre, 15 October 2026 – Data, Our services, Splink.

Announces formally amended national policy statement for ports (15 October 2026).

Whether Lula or Flávio Bolsonaro wins Brazil’s presidential run-off, a right-leaning Congress and pressure from China, the US and Europe will constrain its foreign policy.

techUK has submitted its response to the Department for Transport's consultation on the Statement of Safety Principles (SoSP) for automated vehicles (AVs), and we call for further guidance in its implementation.

The new row between Washington and Kyiv must not distract Europe’s leaders from the urgent matter at hand: how to sustain Ukraine’s economy through the winter.

£10 million investment to grow skills in defence sector.

Flu vaccination remains our best defence against workplace and school absenteeism.

New research from PF Global and IPPR Scotland shows that most Scots want Scotland to move to net zero. They favour a pragmatic middle path for the North Sea, with 69 per cent saying oil and gas decisions should be made case by case, while 63 per cent backing further investment in renewable energy.

Marine tech company HydroSurv has secured £150,000 in funding support from Nighthawk Export Finance, backed by a government guarantee.

Viewers and listeners say they find discriminatory language more problematic than swearing on TV, radio and on-demand services according to Ofcom's latest attitudinal study.

The National Fraud Initiative (NFI) is a key counter-fraud tool, using electronic data matching to help public bodies avoid financial losses and delivering various wider benefits, but there is still scope to improve how some follow up data matches and record outcomes.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has published its new research data policy.

Siva Anandaciva, Director of Policy, Events and Partnerships at The King’s Fund, commented on the latest Estates Returns Information Collection data for 2025/26

A new survey from Public Health Wales shows strong support among people in Wales for making healthier food and drink the default option – promoting healthier options, while putting less focus on less healthy choices.  

Matthew Hopkins says despite recent increased investment, trusts face huge infrastructure risks, with many patients treated in crumbling, outdated buildings.

Seven people appeared before Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday 14 October 2026

Almost two million foreign nationals now receive benefits or the state pension, a landmark inquiry reveals