UK politics news today: welfare will cost more first, salaries in job ads, leaked EU summit plan
By the Population Decides team. Every story summarised from several outlets, with links to the originals.
Good morning. It is Saturday 7 November 2026. The Prime Minister says fixing the benefits system will cost more before it saves money, employers will have to show the pay in every job advert, and a leaked EU paper sets out what Brussels wants from this month's summit. House prices are also falling. Here is what happened and what it means for you, plus our weekly quiz.
Prime Minister says fixing welfare will cost more before it saves money
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that cutting the long term cost of benefits will mean spending more money first, on things like education and support for young people.
He was speaking ahead of the Milburn review, a report on how to help the roughly one million young people who are not in education, work or training. He told Times Radio the government would find money to respond to the review and that "in time, the savings will come". He suggested a guaranteed 45 day work placement for 16 to 18 year olds, and said tough decisions could include changes to who can claim benefits, in return for more support in work, including help with mental health.
The Office for Budget Responsibility, the official forecaster, expects welfare spending to reach £431 billion by 2031 to 2032, mostly because of health related benefits and benefits for pensioners. More than half of welfare spending goes to pensioners. Asked whether the bill would fall before the next election, the Prime Minister told the BBC it would happen "as soon as possible", and said he would not make crude cuts. Critics, including the Conservatives, say the bill keeps rising every year and needs firm savings now. Ministers are due to respond to the Milburn review and a separate review of disability benefits in the coming weeks. Read our guide to welfare and try balancing the books in the People's Budget.
Explain it like I'm 15
The government wants fewer young people living on benefits. It says it has to spend money on training and support first, and the savings will only come later.
The People's Verdict: What is the best way to bring down the cost of benefits over time?
Employers will have to show the salary in every job advert
The government says it will pass a law making all employers state the pay for a job when they advertise it.
The Prime Minister said: "we will make it a legal requirement for all employers to say what you pay." The details, such as exactly what must be shown and how it will be enforced, will be set out later, and the law will come "as soon as possible". Until then, he is asking businesses to start doing it now. A 2024 survey by the CIPD, a body for HR professionals, found only 41% of employers always publish a salary range, and 18% always give a specific salary. The government says 94% of people who answered its consultation backed the idea, including 93% of businesses.
Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson said no one should go into a job application "salary blind". The Fawcett Society, which campaigns for women's equality, says secrecy about pay has held women back, and the TUC union group wants flexible working listed in adverts too. The plan is also aimed at young people, as one in eight 16 to 24 year olds is not in work, education or training. Some employers have argued in the past that pay should be agreed case by case. See what your MP says and track the government's promises.
Explain it like I'm 15
When you apply for a job, you will always be able to see what it pays before you apply. Supporters say it is fairer, especially for women and young people.
The People's Verdict: Should employers be made by law to show the salary in job adverts?
Leaked EU paper asks the UK for money and a promise on deportations
A leaked draft from the European Union says the UK should pay towards helping poorer EU regions in return for joining the EU's electricity market, ahead of a UK and EU summit in Brussels on 20 November.
The paper, first reported by Sky News, is the EU's early position and has not been approved by EU countries or agreed by the UK. It also says the UK should promise "not to proceed" with planned deportations of European offenders. The UK changed the law this year to remove more foreign criminals faster, partly to ease full prisons, and some EU countries object to people being sent back without warning. Both sides have reportedly agreed a deal to cut checks on food and farm goods, and a youth mobility scheme is said to be nearly finished.
A UK government spokesperson said it does not comment on leaks, and a Cabinet Office source said the deportation point was the EU's view, not something the UK had agreed. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said Labour was offering foreign criminals a way out, and that the Conservatives would deport every foreign criminal. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called concessions to the EU a betrayal of the Brexit vote. Supporters of closer ties say they could cut costs for businesses and energy bills. Read our guide to the EU and energy.
Explain it like I'm 15
The UK and the EU are working on new deals, and the EU wants some money and promises in return. Nothing is agreed yet, and parties strongly disagree about how close the UK should get to the EU.
The People's Verdict: Should the UK pay into EU funds in return for joining the EU electricity market?
UK house prices fell 0.6% in October, according to Lloyds Bank, leaving the average home at £296,285.
Prices were 1.2% lower than a year earlier, the biggest yearly fall since October 2023. Andrew Asaam, mortgages director at Lloyds, said demand was being tested by a "challenging economic backdrop". The figures came a day after the Bank of England raised interest rates from 3.75% to 4%, which makes many mortgages more expensive. Analysts expect more rises in 2027, depending on the economy and the conflict in the Middle East.
Falling prices can help first time buyers who are saving for a deposit, but can worry homeowners who want to sell or move, especially if their mortgage costs are going up at the same time. See how your money is affected with our Budget calculator, or set interest rates yourself in the game.
Explain it like I'm 15
Homes are getting a little cheaper, partly because borrowing to buy one is getting more expensive. That can help people trying to buy their first home but is bad news for some sellers.
Prime Minister wants progress on the Chagos Islands deal by the end of the year
Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he hopes for progress by the end of the year on handing the Chagos Islands, a group of islands in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius.
Under a treaty signed last year, the UK would keep the joint US and UK military base on the island of Diego Garcia and pay Mauritius £165 million a year for the first three years of a 99 year deal, then £120 million a year. The law needed for the deal was paused in April, and the government said in September it could not go ahead without US support. US President Donald Trump has called it a "terrible deal".
The Prime Minister met Mauritius's Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua, where they agreed to work on a shared plan. He said he is committed to a solution that keeps the base safe. Critics of the deal say the UK should keep the islands and not pay to lease the base, while supporters say it settles a long legal dispute.
Explain it like I'm 15
The UK plans to give some islands it controls to another country, but keep using a military base there. The deal is stuck because the US President does not like it.
The People's Verdict: What should the UK do about the Chagos Islands deal?
The Prime Minister's 10 year plan for Britain, covering housing, transport and more public control of services, may slip into the new year. He told The Economist that December or January should be left open. Decisions on welfare and defence are being held until a Spending Review, which has moved to next autumn.
Hospital consultants in England are due to strike from 6.59am on 25 November to 6.59am on 27 November, the BMA doctors' union says, with emergency care staffed at Christmas Day levels. The BMA says consultant pay has fallen 25% in real terms over 17 years. NHS Employers called the decision "highly disappointing".
Reform UK has named Angus MacIntyre, an RAF Wing Commander with 40 years of service, as its defence spokesman. Reform says it would raise defence spending to 3.5% by 2035. Defence minister Luke Pollard criticised Reform's plans.