A report by a government watchdog has highlighted urgent concerns.

A government watchdog has slammed Salford council’s adult social care service as ‘inadequate’, after people needing care were ‘left waiting several years’ for assessments, concerns were ‘ignored’, and ‘human rights were not respected’.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the service as ‘inadequate’ in all areas and has demanded the council make urgent improvements. The local authority says it is ‘taking the findings seriously’ and that it had already started taking more direct control over its social care from its care provider Northern Care Alliance Trust (NCA). The lead for adult social care, deputy mayor John Merry, has been asked to step down.

A spokesperson for the NCA said it was ‘working closely’ with the local authority to improve the service.

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Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett shared he was ‘shocked’ by the result, and said: “It’s not what I expected for Salford, it’s not what I expected for the town hall, and above all it’s not what what I expected for our residents.”

In a statement, he added: “I am deeply disappointed by the report’s findings and I want to reassure you that we are changing how adult social care in Salford is delivered and we are going to fix this.”

An inspection conducted in November and published on May 15 found several major issues with the council’s services, which includes additional support for adults with learning disabilities, elderly care, occupational therapy, and support for unpaid carers.

Chris Badger, CQC’s chief inspector, said: “There needs to be more awareness of the needs of the local community, so people receive the support they need, and inequalities are reduced. This wasn’t happening, which was putting people at risk of harm and giving them a reduced quality of life.

“We have told leaders at Salford City Council where rapid and widespread improvement is needed. We are aware that the authority is in the process of bringing services back under its direct control, and we are hopeful that this approach will help address some of the issues we have identified, and support more consistent and effective care going forward.”

The report foun some people were left waiting for ‘several years’ for a care assessment – a review conducted by the council to identify what support a person might need for daily living, which is needed to access care. This ‘resulted in harm to people which impacted on their physical wellbeing’, according to inspectors.

Waits for occupational therapy were particularly long, with one carer telling the watchdog their relative had been ‘unable to access their shower for several months due to assessment waiting times, leading to a deterioration in their health’.

The CQC also found problems with safeguarding and had to refer four cases to the safeguarding team during their inspection. One of these had to be escalated with social workers.

“This missed concern was only identified as a result of CQC finding it,” an inspector wrote. “When we spoke with senior leaders regarding this, they accepted that the correct safeguarding legislative framework was not used by either the social worker or the care provider involved.”

The report also found significant problems with the way financial assessments and advice were dealt with at the council. One carer started receiving debt collection notices from the local authority, ‘causing significant distress’. It later emerged they had not only been paying the necessary charges, but were owed a refund by the local authority for overpaying.

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Most carers were also unaware they were eligible for direct payments – a one-off sum of money paid to carers to give them time to look after their own well-being, according to inspectors. The scheme has nationally proved vital for supporting unpaid carers, who often are responsible for round-the-clock care for their relatives.

Overall, the watchdog found that the service only took individual’s personal wishes into account in 50 per cent of cases, leading an inspector to conclude ‘people don’t have their human rights respected’ when it comes to what care decisions are made for them. People leaving hospital or care facilities often ‘felt unsafe and unsupported’, and services were ‘siloed and disjointed’, the report continued.

A big concern raised by care-givers was also communication, with many sharing they had pursued formal complaint routes just to get an answer from the necessary service – and were often left dissatisfied with the reply.

Mayor Paul Dennett said the results were partly due to the way social care has operated in the city over the last decade, using a ‘complex set of arrangements’ with Salford Royal Foundation Trust initially from 2016 and the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust since 2021. The city was one of the trailblazers for joining ‘integrated partnerships’ in 2016 – effectively out-sourcing care services to the NHS and local health providers – and was lauded for it at the time.

But the CQC’s report is now viewed as a ‘lesson in not following national gimmicks’, according to senior members of the council.

Coun Dennett said: “These arrangements haven’t delivered consistently good outcomes for Salford people, and they have not given us the grip and accountability that we need. This is why, in April last year well before this report was published, we made the decision to bring Adult Social Care back under the direct leadership and management of the City Council.

“On behalf of the City Council I want to apologise unreservedly to those residents and families who have had poor experiences of adult social care in Salford or have had to endure long waiting times for services.

“This isn’t the level of service and quality of provision I expect as your Directly Elected Mayor. Adult social care arrangements in the city have simply not been fit for purpose and my personal commitment to you is that we are going to fix this. We will take back control of social care, bringing the staff and services back home safely to the City Council, supporting our residents and families to live healthy lives.”

The council said it has already launched a process of bringing the services back ‘in-house’, alongside an improvement program and an extra £4.5m investment into the service over the next two years. The damning report has also resulted in a change of the guard, with deputy mayor John Merry to step down as cabinet member for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing.

He will be replaced by coun Tracy Kelly.

Stephen Young, Chief Executive of Salford City Council added: “We are already beginning to see progress but we need to go further and faster and we will.”

NCA Deputy Chief Executive- Suzanne Robinson said the health trust takes the report’s findings ‘very seriously’, and ‘recognises its responsibility’ to make improvements as Salford’s care service provider.

Robinson said: “The report highlights concerns about people’s experiences, including delays, communication and how services work together. We acknowledge that some patients, service users and carers have not received the standard of experience they should reasonably expect. We are sorry for this and are committed to putting it right.

“We are working closely with Salford City Council and system partners to address the issues identified, with a clear focus on improving people’s experience of care and support and ensuring any safety concerns are escalated and acted on.

“Services are expected to transfer back to Salford City Council later this year. Until then, we remain focused on driving improvements, maintaining continuity and working collaboratively to ensure people receive the support they need.”

Record View says it’s right the Scottish Sentencing Council will consult the public on sentencing guidelines to help judges deal with cases and communicate with victims

Many have questioned the priorities of our justice system when sentencing thugs who abuse their partners.

Too many women who suffered at the hands of violent men told us their attackers are back on the streets within months of their convictions. It’s right the Scottish Sentencing Council will consult the public on sentencing guidelines to help judges deal with cases and communicate with victims.

AJ Smith’s partner Regan McIlmoyle battered her so badly she wished she would die. She was choked and beaten black and blue, yet he was freed weeks later and no one explained why.

AJ says the system needs to be sorted – and she’s not wrong. Last year, we told how Eve Graham’s husband inflicted 47 years of terror on her in a domestic abuse case that shocked Scotland.

Scumbag William McDonald pushed her off a pier, punched and bit her in almost five decades of hell. She suffered in silence for too long, but when she was brave enough to report his abuse, he was jailed for just two years.

Do we really believe such short sentences can rehabilitate those who carry out the violent abuse of women? Or that they will deter men from carrying out these brutal crimes?

Hopefully the consultation will spark a national debate that brings about the change women desperately need to see. The courts need to start reflecting the horror felt by right-minded people at cases like AJ’s and Eve’s.

Smoke them out

The devastation caused by the fire at Union Corner in Glasgow in March was a brutal reminder of what can happen if reassuring to hear that Elfbar are left unregulated.

The blaze forced the closure of dozens of businesses and very nearly spread to Scotland’s busiest railway station. The economic damage caused by the fire is still being counted – but will undoubtedly run into tens of millions.

The only positive was no one was seriously injured in the fire. So it’s remove licences, a leading manufacturer of e-cigs, has now called for tough new licensing rules to crack down on Scotland’s growing number of dodgy vape shops.

Councils would be given the power to remove licences from rogue traders, effectively closing them down. It’s a common sense position and one that should have been reached before now.

The new MSPs being sworn in at the Scottish Parliament this week must ensure the SNP Government keeps its pre-election commitment to crackdown on unlicensed shops.

The alternative could be a more devastating fire and lives put at risk.

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The fresh arrivals are expected later this year to strengthen two of the show’s families – the Tates and the Sugdens.

Emmerdale boss Laura Shaw revealed plans to expand the families during an interview with Inside Soap, but fans don’t yet know who the characters will be or the connections they have with the existing characters.

Laura said: “At the heart of last year, I wanted to cement the families in our show.”

She continued: “Everyone always talks about the Dingles, but I felt like we needed to build up some of the other families – that’s probably what I’m most proud of.”

She revealed that the return of Joe Tate in 2024 was designed to bolster the Tate family, who are the Home Farm estate owners.

Joe came back to the estate with Kim Tate after stealing Caleb Milligan’s kidney.

Laura told Inside Soap: “What that story did was really cement Kim and Joe as surrogate mother and son, which was important to me, to try to build that family of Tates up at Home Farm.”

She added: “Similarly, we brought Dawn and the kids in to bolster it, and then we were missing the dad of the family, so we went mad and brought Graham back!”

Emmerdale also intends to restore the prominence of the Sugdens, one of the show’s original families.

The most evil Emmerdale villains

Currently, Robert and Sarah are the only Sugdens remaining in the village.

Ms Shaw said: “Well, as I said about building the clans, I’ve been trying to do the same with the Sugdens as well as the Tates.”

Although Victoria Sugden, played by Isabel Hodgins, is on maternity leave, Laura emphasised that Sarah remains part of the family’s legacy.

She said: “There’s going to be a couple of arrivals to strengthen both the Tate and Sugden clans.”

You can read the full interview in Inside Soap’s latest issue.

Who do you think could be the new arrivals? Tell us your predictions in the comments below.

A significant stretch of a major UK motorway has been shut to traffic following a serious collision.

The crash occurred in the early hours of Friday morning, 15 May, after a vehicle left the carriageway.

Eastbound drivers will find the M54 in Shropshire closed between J3 (Albrighton) and J2 (Wolverhampton) as a result of the incident.

Officers are currently at the scene and a diversion route has been put in place.

You can follow the latest on this breaking story in our live blog down below.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published new figures showing £9.9 billion was lost to benefit fraud and payment errors in the financial year ending 2026, according to official DWP data.

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The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has released new data revealing that billions of pounds were incorrectly distributed across the benefits system last year. The latest Fraud and Error in the Benefit System report estimates 3.2 per cent of benefit expenditure was overpaid in the financial year ending 2026, equivalent to £9.9 billion.

A further 0.4 per cent was underpaid, worth £1.2bn. The DWP stated that underpayments featured in the report occur as a result of official error, including mistakes or delays by the department, a local authority or HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

The DWP distributes benefits to approximately 24.3 million people, with total benefit expenditure reaching £308.6bn in the financial year ending 2026, up from £286.6bn the previous year.

The DWP noted that overpayments arise due to fraud, claimant error and official error. Fraud accounted for £6.8bn of overpayments, claimant error for £2bn, and official error for £1.1bn.

The net loss from overpayments, following recoveries, stood at £8.6bn. The DWP confirmed that £0.6bn of Universal Credit, £0.2bn of other DWP benefits and £0.4bn of Housing Benefit was recovered throughout the year, reports the Daily Record.

The report draws on a sample of benefit claims scrutinised for accuracy by a specialist team. The claims were sampled between September 2024 and October 2025.

The data highlights varying concerns across different benefits. Universal Credit continues to be the largest source of overpayments in monetary terms, Pension Credit has the highest overpayment rate as a proportion of expenditure, and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) saw a statistically significant increase in overpayments.

State Pension maintains the lowest overpayment rate, though underpayments remain substantial due to the magnitude of expenditure and persistent National Insurance record problems.

Universal Credit continued to be the primary contributor to overpayments in cash terms. The DWP calculated that 8.5 per cent of Universal Credit expenditure was overpaid in the financial year ending 2026, amounting to £6.72bn. This represented a decrease from 9.5 per cent the previous year, though DWP noted the change was not statistically significant.

Universal Credit expenditure rose from £65.3bn to £79.2bn, meaning monetary figures cannot be directly compared across the two years. The report revealed that 24 in every 100 Universal Credit claims were either overpaid or underpaid, while 21 in every 100 were overpaid.

Fraud represented £5.42bn of Universal Credit overpayments, with claimant error accounting for £690m and official error representing £610m. The primary drivers of Universal Credit fraud overpayments were earnings and employment, living together rules and capital, which collectively accounted for more than £6 in every £10 overpaid through fraud.

The report indicated that earnings and employment fraud, including under-declaration of income from work, declined from 2.2 per cent to 1.5 per cent. Universal Credit underpayments were estimated at 0.4 per cent, valued at £350m.

State Pension represented the largest expenditure of any DWP benefit at £146.1bn, comprising just under half of total benefit spending. The State Pension overpayment rate stood at 0.2 per cent, valued at £230m. DWP stated this is consistently the lowest overpayment rate across all DWP benefits.

State Pension underpayments remained at 0.3 per cent, valued at £390m. According to the report, National Insurance contribution errors continued to be the primary cause of State Pension underpayments, with problems surrounding historic Home Responsibilities Protection accounting for £6 in every £10 underpaid due to contribution errors.

Home Responsibilities Protection operated between 1978 and 2010 to safeguard the State Pension entitlement of individuals with domestic caring responsibilities.

Pension Credit recorded the highest overpayment rate relative to spending for the second consecutive year. The overpayment rate reached 10 per cent, valued at £620m, compared with 10.3 per cent, valued at £610m, the previous year.

The proportion of Pension Credit claims overpaid rose from 28 in 100 to 33 in 100. DWP indicated this was statistically significant and represented the third successive year that Pension Credit had the highest proportion of claims being overpaid.

Nevertheless, the report noted most Pension Credit overpayments were relatively modest, with more than half of overpaid claims involving less than £10 per week. Capital and abroad rules remained the two principal causes of Pension Credit overpayments, collectively accounting for more than £5 in every £10 overpaid. Claimant error linked to capital rose from 1.8 per cent to 2.5 per cent.

Pension Credit underpayments were estimated at 1.3 per cent, worth £80m. The primary cause was official error involving additional amounts, predominantly linked to unpaid Extra Amount for Severe Disability.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

Personal Independence Payment saw one of the most significant shifts in this year’s report. The PIP overpayment rate increased to 2.3 per cent, worth £660m, from 1.3 per cent, worth £330m, the previous year. The DWP described this as a statistically significant rise. The proportion of PIP claims overpaid also climbed from one in 100 to three in 100.

Functional needs, where claimants failed to report an improvement in their needs, remained the leading cause of PIP overpayments, accounting for more than £7 in every £10 overpaid on PIP. Fraud was the primary driver behind the increase. PIP fraud overpayments rose to 1.4 per cent, worth £410m, from 0.4 per cent, worth £100m.

However, the report also highlights a separate “Not Reasonably Expected To Know” category. These are cases where a claimant was incorrectly overpaid, but the DWP stated they would not reasonably be expected to know they needed to report the change.

The value of PIP cases excluded from overpayment estimates under this category increased to £1.03bn, up from £500m the previous year. PIP underpayments remained at 0.2 per cent, worth £70m. All PIP underpayments in the report were due to award determination, meaning an incorrect decision on entitlement by DWP.

Housing Benefit overpayments fell significantly. The overpayment rate dropped to 6.2 per cent, worth £800m, from 7.2 per cent, worth £1.1bn, the previous year. The proportion of Housing Benefit claims overpaid also fell from 17 in 100 to 15 in 100.

DWP attributed the decline primarily to reductions in pension age Housing Benefit overpayments, including non-passported pension age claims. Capital, meaning under declaration of financial assets, remained the principal cause of Housing Benefit overpayments, accounting for more than £4 in every £10 overpaid. Housing Benefit underpayments were estimated at 0.3 per cent, worth £40m.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) incorrectness increased from four in 100 claims to nine in 100 claims compared with when it was last measured in the financial year ending 2024. The DLA overpayment rate was 0.9 per cent, worth £70m, while underpayments rose to 2.3 per cent, worth £190m. DWP confirmed that all DLA underpayments recorded in this year’s report were the result of award determination.

Cambridge Leisure Park is currently up for sale and could be redeveloped by new owners

People are divided over plans to potentially redevelop the Cambridge Leisure Park. Some have said that it would cause “chaos” for local businesses while others say it would “inevitably attract people”.

Cambridge Leisure Park is up for sale and could be redeveloped with new offices, labs, retail, and leisure opportunities. It currently hosts a hotel, car park, restaurants, cinema, and bowling alley.

According to a sales brochure by real estate company JLL, it is the city’s “only multiplex and drive-to leisure destination”. A proposed masterplan shows how the 8.4-acre site could be redeveloped.

The brochure explained: “The proposed master plan would comprise of massing ranges from 2 stories to 10 storeys. These buildings would comprise a mixed-use estate for Office, Lab, Retail, F&B, the Junction, Creative Workspace, Leisure, Car Parking and Energy centre.”

This includes a “new sustainable home” for the Cambridge Junction, which hosts a variety of events. The repurposing opportunities also suggest that a “big box retail warehouse space” could be explored to draw in shops like M&S, TK Maxx, Next, and Superdrug.

CambridgeshireLive went to the leisure park to speak with locals about their thoughts on the potential plans. Ishwar Bankar, 28, who works at Pizza 1889, said: “We have offices here but adding more offices, I think it will affect the hospitality.”

Ishwar said business is regularly brought in to Pizza 1889 from Cambridge Junction and he believes that if the Junction moves, even within the site, the “visibility of small businesses would be less”. He is concerned about the impact this could have on businesses.

The site currently has a 611 space multi-storey car park but the proposed plan has 145 spaces. Cambridge City Council is the freehold owner of the site and Land Securities is the leaseholder.

Ishwar believes that one of the main aspects of coming out is spending time with family. The “main concern” is that if parking is reduced, he “would lose on lots of customers because they would then go to other places like the city centre where there are more spaces, so that would affect us as well”.

Anish Bakrania, 21, is a student from Cambridge. He said that it “sounds like a good idea” and that “if there’s space” it could work well.

He believes that there is “definitely better ways to use the space” but if it will “attract more investment and more businesses coming here”, change could have a positive impact. He added: “I think having offices and labs will inevitably attract people and will bring more business here.”

Abi Thk, 39, said that more offices and labs would not be a good idea. The 39-year-old added: “The reason is that if you look at this place [Cambridge Leisure] it is a very open place. People hang around here. It’s not only about coming to these restaurants or for bowling, but it gives a lot of space, and especially in the summer this place becomes energetic.

“So, if offices get built here, there will be change. It will be more of a corporate vibe which I would not say is a good thing. So, my suggestion would be not to have offices here. We have offices already, just opposite the [railway] station and I think that would be the perfect place but not somewhere where people come to enjoy.”

When describing the potential parking space changes, Abi said that Cambridge has a range of companies and businesses nearby who would most likely park their car on site, so to “reduce the number of car parking, again, it would be chaos”.

Ar Julius, 33, lives in Cambridge. He said that at the moment he does not have any problem with parking, and said “it is really good” but “that could all change” if anything happens at the leisure park.

The 33-year-old continued: “If they put offices here, people might need even more parking spaces, and if they lessen the spaces, that could be a problem.”

Kenette Zuluete, 35, believes “there is pros and cons” to the possible plans and that “if they bring more work here, the cost of living will rise”. However, Kenette said it could also be an “opportunity” for many people to find work.

Dog fouling in public places is a criminal offence and councils have more powers than you think

Dog mess left near houses, footpaths and communal areas remains among the most commonly reported neighbourhood grievances throughout Britain. What starts as a minor irritation can quickly develop into an official complaint when it continues or impacts public spaces used by local residents.

Based on official government guidance, allowing dogs to foul in public locations constitutes a criminal offence, with local authorities empowered to issue Fixed Penalty Notices or pursue prosecutions through the courts. In particularly severe instances, penalties can reach as high as £1,000 depending on the situation.

Westminster City Council, for example, confirms dog owners have a legal duty to clear up their pet’s mess straight away from pavements, parks and shared ground. The authority warns that neglecting this obligation can lead to a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice, whether the breach was intentional or accidental.

The legislation is enforced via the Environmental Protection Act 1990 alongside local Public Space Protection Orders, which enable councils to control conduct in specified public locations. Harborough District Council outlines that PSPOs can broaden enforcement capabilities throughout parks, residential estates and communal pathways where repeated issues occur.

Local authorities further emphasise that liability rests with whoever has control of the dog at that moment, not exclusively the registered owner. Gateshead Council confirms that dog walkers, relatives or acquaintances can equally be penalised if they fail to clean up after the animal.

While the bulk of regulations apply to public spaces, persistent dog fouling close to private homes can still be examined if it affects residents’ quality of life. Scottish Borders Council maintains that dog waste can contain harmful bacteria and parasites, meaning continuing issues may lead to health and hygiene concerns.

In numerous cases, councils encourage neighbours to try settling disputes informally before taking matters further. Wigan Council recommends residents keep a record of repeated incidents, noting dates and locations, should informal conversations fail to resolve the problem.

Local authorities indicate this evidence can become vital if the situation advances to enforcement measures. Bury Council clarifies that Fixed Penalty Notices are most frequently issued when offences are directly witnessed by officers or backed by compelling evidence from complaints.

Specialists say neighbour rows involving dog mess are typically resolved before reaching court, especially when early communication is possible. Nevertheless, councils do retain the authority to increase enforcement where the conduct continues or becomes a repeated nuisance impacting the local area.

In some instances, wider Public Space Protection Orders may also introduce additional restrictions in certain neighbourhoods, including designated dog control zones. These can include requirements such as carrying waste bags or keeping dogs on leads in specific areas. Local authorities stress that preventing issues is better than taking enforcement action, with many encouraging residents to speak directly with their neighbours before making an official complaint. That said, if this approach fails, the legal system does allow councils to step in and take suitable measures.