We understand the pressure many councils are under to run targeted Pension Credit campaigns before the 21st of December. We’d love to offer our support to make it easier and more efficient for Visionary Network to identify pension-age residents missing out on Pension Credit and Winter Fuel Payments. We’re offering a free data analysis of your…
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Reforming Council Tax Reduction Schemes
The Government didn’t make life easy for local authorities when council tax reduction schemes were introduced in 2013. Local authorities were not given much time to prepare the way, so it was unsurprising that most schemes followed the default regulations and ended up very similar to Council Tax Benefit. Local authorities in England were also…
12/5/25 Independent R&B Discussion Group: Local Shifts, Policy Challenges, and the Future of the VOA
A Post-Election Reckoning Following significant changes in local political control across England, members of the Independent R&B Discussion Group gathered to reflect on what these results may signal for local government policy, operations, and stability. Chaired by Malcolm Gardner, the session featured contributions from a wide range of experienced voices in local taxation, housing, and…
28/04/25 Balancing Equality, Welfare, and Accountability: Insights from the Independent R&B Discussion Group
In our recent session, the Independent R&B Discussion Group gathered to examine several pressing topics affecting local government and welfare policy, ranging from Supreme Court rulings to the two-child limit on Universal Credit. With contributions from experienced colleagues including Paul Howarth, Rachael Walker, Kevin Stewart, Thomas Clark, Kirsty Brooksmith, and Sean O’Sullivan, the session offered…
14/04/25 Adapting Through Austerity: Local Government Leaders Reflect on Budget Cuts, Technology and Service Delivery
At the latest Independent Revenues & Benefits Discussion Group, held on 14 April 2025, a broad panel of local authority leaders came together to discuss the realities of delivering frontline services in an era of deepening financial constraint. The conversation, chaired by Malcolm Gardner, focused on departmental budget reductions, the role of automation and AI,…
31/03/25 Spring Statement Sparks Concerns over Welfare Cuts and Public Service Viability
Spring Statement Sparks Concerns over Welfare Cuts and Public Service Viability The UK government’s recent Spring Statement, delivered amid warnings of economic uncertainty, has prompted serious concern among local government leaders and policy experts. As outlined during the Independent R&B Discussion Group on 31 March 2025, the policy direction—particularly in relation to welfare reform and…
Labour Government Reintroduces Stocks for Benefit Fraudsters and Tax Evaders — With a Modern Twist
As seen intoday’s press In a bold and controversial move, the Labour Government has announced the return of the public stocks — revamped for the digital age — as an alternative punishment for low-level offences such as benefit fraud and tax evasion. Dubbed the “Modern Stocks Scheme,” the initiative will see offenders placed inside secure…
A Grim Spring Statement: Fiscal Straightjackets and Political Short-termism
Rachel Reeves is unlikely to satisfy many this afternoon. While the statement she’s delivering may not technically be an emergency budget, it skirts close enough to make the semantics feel irrelevant. The economic backdrop is bleak, and the political narratives emerging on both sides risk obscuring the deeper structural issues. A recent opinion piece by…
24/03/25 Assessing Welfare Reform: Insights from the Independent R&B Discussion Group
On 24 March 2025, a diverse panel of experts and practitioners convened for a robust discussion on the latest developments in the United Kingdom’s welfare system. With topics ranging from the migration to Universal Credit and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claimants to the broader implications of pathways to work reforms, the session provided a…
Pathways to a More Empowering Welfare State: Winners, Losers, and the Cost of Inaction
The recent “Pathways to Work” green paper lays bare the escalating cost and inherent dysfunctionality of a binary welfare state—one that categorises individuals simply as either capable or incapable of work. This approach, particularly when applied to supporting those with genuine disabilities, is proving both economically unsustainable and socially regressive. As argued in Abundance by…
17/3/25 Insights from the Independent R&B Discussion Group: A Multifaceted Debate on Welfare Reform and Policy Innovation
On 17 March 2025, a diverse panel of experts and practitioners came together for a thought-provoking discussion that spanned the challenges of welfare reform, the role of automation in public services, and emerging trends in the property market. Moderated by Malcolm Gardner, the session brought a wealth of perspectives from speakers including Tom Clark, Nikki…
10/3/25 Innovative Analytics, Housing Strategies and Welfare Reform: Insights from the Independent R&B Discussion Group Meeting
10 March 2025 – The discussion among key stakeholders in the Independent R&B Discussion Group, focused on topics that ranged from the latest developments in CTR analytics to housing strategies and welfare reform. Moderated by Malcolm Gardner, the session brought together a diverse group of experts who candidly shared their experiences and ideas. Transforming CTR…