Category: Gov Press Releases

In the first report of its kind, Public Health England (PHE) has revealed the impact of women’s reproductive health issues on the nation’s physical, mental and social wellbeing. The report combines women’s experiences, as reported in a new survey, with existing data to define reproductive health as a public health issue.

The report shows for the first time the extent of the impact these issues have on women’s ability to work and go about their daily lives and will form the basis of a cross-governmental 5-year action plan on reproductive health.

The survey of 7,367 women reveals that 31% had experienced severe reproductive health symptoms in the last 12 months, ranging from heavy menstrual bleeding to menopause, incontinence to infertility.

The hidden burden of reproductive health was particularly evident in the workplace. Focus groups undertaken as part of the study revealed that reproductive symptoms often affect women’s ability to carry out daily activities, but many conceal their symptoms from work colleagues.

Existing studies show that 12% of women have taken a day off work due to menopause symptoms and 59% have lied to their boss about the reasons for their absence. In addition, the PHE survey revealed that 35% of women have experienced heavy menstrual bleeding, which previous evidence shows is associated with higher unemployment and absence from work. Stigma surrounding reproductive health was a key concern for women taking part in the survey, with less than half of women seeking help for their symptoms, regardless of severity.

Overall, the report highlighted that women would like reproductive health issues to be normalised so that they can be discussed openly and self-managed where possible. It also underlines the need for more openness and support in the workplace around these issues.

Angela Kilcoyne, 44 and lives in Derbyshire, took part in a PHE focus group, said:

Since I was 13, I have felt embarrassed about having heavy menstrual bleeding – a health issue which has caused me debilitating pain and nausea.

I worked for years in banking, which was a very male dominated environment, and I never told my managers that I was off due to horrendous period pain. They would not have understood at all, so I would have to invent reasons month after month and soldier on. Or I would dose myself up and try and get through the day best I could, then collapse when I got home.

Reproductive health should be spoken about in the workplace in the same way as sickness or flu.

Dr Sue Mann, Public Health Consultant in Reproductive Health, from PHE said:

Women’s reproductive health concerns can fundamentally influence physical and mental well-being throughout their whole life course. Our research has highlighted that while individual reproductive health issues and concerns change throughout a woman’s life, the feelings of stigmatisation and embarrassment were almost universal.

The report reveals the need for an open and supportive approach in the workplace and in the health system. We encourage women to seek support from their workplace, and for workplace management to be aware of how reproductive health symptoms can affect women’s daily life.

A new consensus statement, which brings together 18 healthcare bodies, including Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the Royal College of GPs, has positioned reproductive health as a public health issue that needs to be addressed. Working with partners, PHE will create an integrated cross-governmental five-year action plan, informed by the best available data and women’s real life experiences of reproductive health symptoms.

Background

1. World Health Organisation defines good reproductive health as ‘A state of physical, mental, and social well-being in all matters relating to the reproductive system. It addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life and implies that people are able to have a satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when, and how often to do so.’
2. This report was launched after Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer, called on ‘increased awareness, dissemination of information and person-centred care’ around reproductive health in her 2014 annual report The Health of the 51%: Women.

A multi-billion pound boost to social housing across England was confirmed today (26 June 2018) by Secretary of State for Communities, The Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, as part of the drive to build the homes communities need.

Around 23,000 new affordable homes will be delivered through a £1.67 billion government investment deal. This will include at least 12,500 social rent homes in high cost areas in a move to support families struggling to pay their rent.

This is part of the government’s £9 billion investment in affordable homes, £1.67 billion of which was announced in March 2018 for London. This latest funding will deliver homes across the rest of the country.

The Communities Secretary also heralded a new generation of council housing by inviting local authorities to bid for a share of £1 billion extra borrowing to build much-needed homes. This £1 billion borrowing cap raise will be split equally between London and the rest of England.

Local authorities have requested this extra financial flexibility, which will be allocated to those in areas with the highest affordability pressures to ensure homes are built where they are needed most.

These new measures are part of the government’s ambitious plans to build 1.5 million new homes by 2022 through planning reform and targeted investment.

The Rt. Hon James Brokenshire MP, Secretary of State for Communities, said:

The government has ambitious plans to fix the broken housing market and build the homes our communities need.

Today’s announcement is a further milestone. It will secure the delivery of an additional 23,000 much-needed affordable homes as well as paving the way for a new generation of council houses.

The majority of these new homes will be in high cost areas helping to ease the burden of rent on hard working families and delivering stronger communities.

A bidding process will now begin for both programmes, with successful bids for the affordable homes funding notified throughout the year. A list of successful councils who have had their borrowing caps increased will be announced in due course.

Further information

Since 2010 over 378,000 affordable homes been built.

An area of affordability pressure would be defined as an area where there is a difference of £50 more per week between average private sector rents and social sector rents.

This funding will include homes let at social rent, alongside other tenures such as affordable rent and shared ownership. All 12,500 of the homes for social rent will be delivered in areas of high affordability pressure.

Registered providers of social housing are invited to bid through Homes England’s Continuous Market Engagement process. See further details.

Local authorities outside London are invited to bid through Homes England’s bidding process. See the bidding prospectus detailing who can bid and how bids will be judged.

Almost a third of parents in Great Britain (31%) feel stressed trying to arrange childcare for the school holidays according to a new YouGov poll out today.

The poll for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) also found that around a third of British parents (30%) worried about balancing their job and school holiday childcare. And more than half (54%) admitted they look forward to their children returning to school in September.

But to help with summer childcare, working parents are being reminded that they can use Tax-Free Childcare (TFC), which is worth up to £2,000 per child per year, to pay for regulated holiday clubs during the school holidays.

More than 58,000 registered childcare providers including school, football, art and tennis clubs have signed up across the UK. Parents that pay into their account regularly can ‘save up’ their TFC allowance and use it for childcare during school holidays. The money can go towards a whole range of regulated childcare including nurseries, childminders, before and after school clubs, or holiday clubs.

Parents can apply for Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare* at the same time and are encouraged to do so before the end of June in time for next term. They can then both be used together, with Tax-Free Childcare payments applying to any additional childcare costs over and above the 30 hours support, throughout the year. Both offers are available to self-employed parents.

Parents can find out what government help is available and apply online by visiting the Childcare Choices website. It includes a Childcare Calculator that compares all the government’s childcare offers to check what works best for individual families.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, said:

Organising childcare for school holidays is important for parents. Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare help make things easier by cuttings thousands of pounds from the childcare bills of working parents.

So I hope families across the country visit the Childcare Choices website to take advantage of the offer available from the Government, and enjoy the holidays.

Children and Families Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, added:

We are spending more than any other government on childcare because we want every child to get the best start in life.

We are supporting as many families as possible with access to high-quality, affordable childcare helping to put more money in their pockets and balancing work and family lives.

How Tax-Free Childcare works:

• Working parents can apply, through the childcare service, to open an online childcare account. For every £8 that families pay in, the government will make a top-up payment of an additional £2, up to a maximum of £2,000 per child per year (or £4,000 for disabled children). This top up is added instantly and parents can then send electronic payments directly to their childcare providers. The maximum government top-up is £500 per quarter for each child, or £1,000 if the child is disabled.
• All registered childcare providers – whether nannies, nurseries, childminders or after school clubs – can sign up online now to receive parents’ payments through Tax-Free Childcare.
• Parents need to sign back in every three months and confirm their details are up to date, to keep getting government top-ups.
• Tax-Free Childcare is replacing ‘childcare vouchers’, which is only available to parents if their employer offers it. Employer-Supported Childcare will be closing to new entrants on 4 October 2018, but parents who are already a member of a scheme will be able to remain in it as long as they remain with their employer and their employer continues to offer it. The tax and National Insurance exemption for workplace nurseries will remain in place. Parents moving from Employer-Supported Childcare to Tax-Free Childcare can still use childcare vouchers they’ve previously accrued.

How 30 hours free childcare works:

• 30 hours free childcare is for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds who can get 30 hours a week of childcare for 38 weeks of the year, a total of 1,140 hours per year, which can be used flexibly with one or more childcare provider. Some childcare providers will allow parents to spread fewer hours over more weeks. This offer is available in England*. This is a further 15 hours in addition to the universal entitlement for all 3 and 4 year olds.
• Parents can take up a 30 hours place the term after their child turns three and the date they receive a 30 hours code, whichever is later. Parents should apply in good time to get their 30 hours code, they can apply up to 16 weeks before their child turns three. We are encouraging eligible parents to apply for a code now in time for a September start. Parents already receiving the offer need to reconfirm they are eligible every three months.

An animation setting out the new childcare offer

Childcare offer

Notes for Editors

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 334 adults who are parents of children aged 16 and under from an overall sample of 1613 GB adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 21 and 22 May. The survey was carried out online.
2. 31% of British parents surveyed feel stressed trying to arrange childcare for the school holidays. 26% described feeling stressed before childcare arrangements have been organised, with the same percentage relieved when arrangements are made. 30% worry about balancing their job and school holiday childcare. 54% of parents admitted they look forward to their children returning to school.
3. In 2019/20 the government will spend around £6 billion on childcare support.
4. High resolution images of the Childcare Choices logo, infographic and website can be found here
5. Follow HMRC’s Press Office on Twitter @HMRCpressoffice
6. HMRC’s Flickr channel

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

This evening the Prime Minister called President Erdogan of Turkey to congratulate him on his victory in the Turkish Presidential elections.

The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of the bilateral relationship between the UK and Turkey and expressed her desire to continue working in partnership with President Erdogan and his government on our shared priorities including security cooperation, trade and investment, the situation in Syria and supporting a political settlement in Cyprus.

The Prime Minister thanked President Erdogan for Turkey’s support on the Chemical Weapons Convention Special Session and the leaders looked forward to meeting at the NATO Summit next month.

A Downing Street spokesperson said:

In a meeting at Downing Street, Prime Minister Theresa May and European Council President Donald Tusk discussed this week’s upcoming European Council meeting in Brussels.

The Prime Minister said it would be an opportunity to discuss a number of important issues, including migration and security and defence ahead of the NATO Summit.

On the Brexit negotiations, the PM looked forward to discussing the continuing progress we have made on issues relating to the UK’s withdrawal and work to build towards a deep future partnership.

The PM said the UK will be setting out more detail on the UK’s vision for the future relationship in a White Paper after the June Council.

The Prime Minister and President Tusk also looked forward to the Western Balkans Summit which will take place in London next month.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

I realise the disappointment this decision may cause, but ultimately this project did not meet the threshold for taxpayer value.

The reality is the consumer and industry would have been paying disproportionately high prices for electricity when cheaper alternatives are available. I was an early and consistent supporter of the scheme – and took it to Number 10 – but after months of hard work by officials – the conclusion when taking a responsible approach to taxpayers money – is it just did not stack up.

It’s important to stress that the issue here is specifically with the tidal lagoon application, not the concept of marine energy itself. The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales and wider Government is committed to renewable energy and we will remain open to different sources of that. However, the priority always has to be that renewable energy represents good value for the Welsh consumer.

Read the Business Secretary’s statement to the House in full here

Read the Value for Money assessment here

UK aid is supporting the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) to educate 500,000 children and provide health services for 3 million Palestinian refugees.

The UK will deliver financial support earlier than originally planned to ensure vulnerable Palestinians continue to receive food, education and healthcare. At the UNRWA pledging conference in New York today (Monday 25 June), the UK will confirm that it will be imminently releasing £38.5 million to the agency to help alleviate some of the financial pressures the organisation is under.

Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt said:

The UN Relief and Works Agency is a necessary humanitarian and stabilising force across the Middle-East, providing millions of Palestinian refugees with hope and opportunities every day.

The recent violence on the Gaza border has significantly added to the burden on UNRWA’s services, and their vital work delivering food, education and healthcare has never been more critical.

I urge the international community to come together and follow our lead so the Agency can continue its often life-saving work.

Notes to Editors

• The UK will deliver financial support to UNRWA earlier than originally planned, releasing £38.5m to the Agency which includes £10 million on top of the £28.5 million package of support announced by Minister Burt at the Extraordinary Ministerial Conference on UNRWA in Rome in March. This urgent support will ensure vital frontline services remain uninterrupted.
• The announcement will be confirmed at the United Nations in New York by Jonathan Allen, Deputy Permanent Representative for the UK Mission to the UN.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson flew into Kabul today, 25 June, to show support for recent positive developments in Afghanistan. On the back of the ceasefires over Eid, which saw Government and Taliban forces talking rather than fighting in cities across the country, the Foreign Secretary held talks in Kabul with Afghanistan’s President, Chief Executive, and Deputy Foreign Minister.

The Foreign Secretary underlined that Britain was fully committed to helping build a stable, peaceful, and prosperous Afghanistan. He welcomed the National Unity Government’s determination to achieve a peaceful political settlement to the conflict with the Taliban, including through holding timely and credible Parliamentary and Presidential elections.

He also highlighted the UK’s strong support for girls’ education in Afghanistan by meeting Afghan girls who are getting access to sports education through UK funding.

The Foreign Secretary also met General Nicholson, the Commander of Resolute Support, NATO’s training and assistance mission in Afghanistan, and had a chance to talk to – and ride in an armoured vehicle with – some of the Welsh Guards helping to mentor the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces.

The Foreign Secretary said:

At this important moment when Afghan-led efforts towards peace and a political settlement have gained considerable impetus, I was proud and inspired to be in Kabul to see how the UK is working in support of the Afghan Government to achieve this goal.

In my meetings with President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah, I welcomed their historic offer of unconditional talks earlier this year, and their determined recent efforts towards a political process with the Taliban.

I urge all countries with influence in Afghanistan, especially in the neighbourhood, to use it constructively at this crucial moment.

My visit comes just as the UK is considering the request from the US and NATO to give additional assistance to Resolute Support. I was hugely impressed by the work done by British troops as a part of this NATO mission and I believe there is still a lot the UK could contribute to this vital operation. The Government will be taking a decision very soon.

I was also delighted to meet a talented group of Afghan girls to see how excited they were about their prospects, thanks to British funding and the Afghan Government’s determination to do more in this area. A good education for them will help Afghanistan’s development and is a big part of the UK’s commitment towards a brighter future for Afghanistan. I am proud that UK Aid has helped 300,000 marginalised Afghan girls into education and trained over 10,000 teachers over the last six years.

During his visit the Foreign Secretary met President Dr Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah, and Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai.

This is the Foreign Secretary’s second visit to Afghanistan, where the UK is currently investing more than £750m in development assistance to support the Afghan people.

Notes to editors

• The UK is contributing £750m in development spend between 2016 and 2020. UK Aid is helping improve access to education, services and justice for the Afghan people, offering humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable and supporting good governance and anti-corruption efforts.
• The UK has also committed £70m per year until 2020 in non-military support to help sustain the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces. Over 650 UK troops are currently serving in Afghanistan in non-combat roles as part of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission to help train, assist and advise the Afghan Security Forces

Further information

• Follow the Foreign Secretary on Twitter @BorisJohnson and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field said:

The UK was instrumental in delivering today’s introduction of targeted sanctions on seven individuals from the Burmese military responsible for human rights violations in Rakhine. We were involved in identifying the individuals in question, and led on collecting the evidence required to build the legal case for sanctions against them. We also worked hard to secure the necessary EU consensus to introduce sanctions.

These sanctions are a direct response to the appalling violence, including sexual violence, that took place in Rakhine last year. The individuals listed were responsible for units that have been identified as the perpetrators of this violence.

This is a message to the Burmese military. The international community is watching. We can and will identify those responsible for atrocities committed. Further names can be added to this list. We will continue to monitor closely the Burmese military’s behaviour across Burma, and build evidence as necessary.

The human rights violations in Rakhine on which these listings are based are horrific. While we have welcomed Burma’s announcement of a Commission of Inquiry to look into what took place, UK pressure – and international pressure – will not stop until there is accountability for the perpetrators, and justice for the victims.

Further information

• Follow Foreign Office Minister Mark Field @MarkFieldUK
• Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
• Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn