Richard Keen

This introductory guide provides sources of statistics on inflation and prices.

This introductory guide provides sources of statistics on interest rates, banking and finance.

This introductory guide provides sources of statistics on agriculture and fisheries.

Elections for the London Mayor and London Assembly were held on 5 May 2016. The Labour Party candidate Sadiq Khan was elected as Mayor of London with the highest number and share of first preference votes since mayoral elections began in 2000. Labour won 12 of the 25 seats in the London Assembly, the Conservatives 8, the Green Party and UKIP 2 seats each and the Liberal Democrats one seat. Turnout in the mayoral election was 45.2%.

Local elections were held for 2,782 council seats across 124 district, unitary and metropolitan borough councils in England on 5 May 2016. In the elections the Conservatives had a net loss of 38 seats, Labour a net loss of 15 seats and the Liberal Democrats a net gain of 48 seats. Changes in council control across England were minimal.

Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 5 May 2016 resulted in little change in the party composition. Following the elections the two largest parties in the Assembly remain the DUP (38 MLAs) and Sinn Féin (28 MLAs).

A summary of Budget 2016 and the Office for Budget Responsibility's forecasts for the economy and public finances.

This House of Commons Briefing Paper summarises some key findings arising from research into the impact of the under-occupation deduction from Housing Benefit (also referred to as the 'Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy' or 'bedroom tax').

There will be an Opposition Day debate on Housing Benefit cuts and supported housing on Wednesday 27 January 2016. This Library Debate Pack provides a background briefing, and media and parliamentary coverage.

Cold Weather Payments are made from the Social Fund to certain recipients of Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Pension Credit during periods of very cold weather. To “trigger” the payments, the average temperature at a specified weather station must be recorded as, or forecast to be, 0°C or below for seven consecutive days. The scheme runs from 1 November to 31 March each year.

Updated analysis of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

This note sets out the main benefit and tax credit rates for the 2016-17 financial year.