Londoners disproportionately affected by fraud, Met Police says

Learner drivers have to wait an average 20 weeks before booking a practical test, according to new figures, despite attempts to reduce delays. The data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for August is only a marginal improvement from an 20.2 weeks in July. The average wait time between booking and sitting a…

Pooja Bhatt, an associate professor at OP Jindal Global University, says that mismatch is increasingly difficult to ignore. “Given its young demographics and ‘Digital India’ aspirations, it makes sense for the nation to build and maintain its own internet infrastructure for security and governance purposes,” she says. India has already taken a step: the government…

Getty Images There has been speculation that November’s Budget could see Chancellor Rachel Reeves break Labour’s pre-election pledge not to increase income tax, National Insurance (NI) or VAT for working people. It’s been suggested that she could extend a freeze to the income thresholds at which people start paying the taxes, or have to pay…

Zoe ConwayCorrespondent, BBC News and Pritti MistryBusiness reporter BBC Mohammed Muhedi noticed problems almost immediately following insulation work in his home in 2023 A government scheme aimed at cutting energy use by insulating homes was botched on a vast scale, a spending watchdog has found, leaving tens of thousands of homes in need of remedial…