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Public accounts committee finds real-terms median pay has decreased for most Whitehall staff since 2013Morale in the civil service is being hit by chronic low pay, and Whitehall is increasingly unable to keep staff because salaries have declined in real terms for a decade, the public accounts committee has warned.The cross-party watchdog, chaired by the Labour MP Meg Hillier, said there were “chronic pay...

Proposals to reduce funding for services from bin collections to social care, arts and libraries leave many worried for the futureIt wasn’t long ago that the people of Birmingham were being told the city was on the brink of a “golden decade”, with record levels of investment off the back of events including the Commonwealth Games and the arrival of HS2.Now the council has...

Women’s groups urge chancellor to ignore calls for tax cuts in next week’s spring budgetFurther cuts to public services in England will put gender equality “into reverse”, according to women’s groups and unions that have urged the chancellor to ignore calls for tax cuts from the right of his party in next week’s spring budget.The Fawcett Society, the TUC and Women’s Aid are among...

Regulator sets out possible ways forward in review of requirement to deliver across Britain, six days a weekBusiness live – latest updatesRoyal Mail could save up to £650m if it delivered letters just three days a week and £200m by stopping Saturday deliveries, the communications regulator has said.The watchdog said a reduction from six to five days a week would save £100m to £200m,...