Dr Rachel Emma-Jane Fentem CMG has been appointed His Majesty's Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, succeeding Colin James Crooks LVO, who is leaving the Diplomatic Service. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said she takes up the post in March 2027.
The UK government said it plans to abolish household gas standing charges for around 23 million homes, asking Ofgem to deliver the change in 2027 or as soon as possible after, according to a 28 October 2026 announcement.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has announced proposals to extend protection from building and fire safety remediation bills to more leaseholders, alongside new powers for government to recover contributions from construction product manufacturers.
The Planning Inspectorate says development consent was granted on 27 October 2026 for the Great North Road Solar and Biodiversity Park, an 800MW solar, battery storage and grid connection project in England.
The Planning Inspectorate announced on 27 October 2026 that the Frodsham Solar application has been granted development consent by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, following a six-month examination.
The UK government announced a £15 million misogyny prevention fund to be invested over three years through the Office for the Impact Economy, with the aim of unlocking additional philanthropic and corporate funding.
The UK government has introduced no- and low-interest loans to help households install heat pumps, batteries and solar panels without upfront costs, with ten lenders initially participating and up to thirty years to repay in some cases.
Cabinet Office Minister Mark Ferguson opened the new National School of Government and Public Services on 27 October 2026, with its first regional hub in York and training programmes including AI.
Eleanor Sanders travelled to Dar es Salaam on 20 October for talks with media, religious, pastoralist, political and human rights groups ahead of Tanzania's Universal Periodic Review.
HM Land Registry launched two consultations on 27 October 2026 covering a simplified fee approach and broader access to land ownership data in England and Wales.
Britain's Defence Secretary Wes Streeting met Polish counterpart Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz in Warsaw to set out the first phase of defence cooperation under a new UK-Poland treaty, covering air defence, drones, cyber and industry.
The Regulator for Social Housing says England's social housing sector provided around 4.6 million homes at 31 March 2026, a net increase of about 36,000 since 2025, driven by Affordable Rent and low-cost home ownership growth.
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