Campaigners for universal free personal care should drop the death tax idea, says a new think-tank report.

A new think-tank report published this month argues that consumer insurance for long-term care will not solve the problems of the social care system in England and Wales, and policymakers

A new centre of excellence to improve the lives of children in care is to be established in Scotland, children’s minister Adam Ingram has announced. The centre, to be based at the University of Strathclyde, will provide specialist training for  those working with such children, support colleges and universities in helping them into  ongoing education, and consult with children on how services should be shaped.

A children’s charity has warned that the number of children living in poverty in Scotland is likely to rise dramatically in the coming months. Save the Children said 9% of Scots children were living in severe poverty, where household income was less than half the UK average.

Mental health problems can cause severe debt; severe debt can cause mental health problems. The sheer scale of this national problem is hidden, as both issues carry a stigma.