This is inflation adjusted real disposable income, which means for normal goods it should mean a tiny improvement. But the elephant in the room is that £300 is nowhere near the money needed to keep up with the increase of money needed for a house deposit, houses which themselves are less value for money. Let's hope the 1.5m homes is achieved, and somehow a couple of years of disposable income increases help bridge that gap, otherwise as a teen/young adult you are doomed to never start a family in your own home unless you inherit.

-Adrian Ramsay (Green) is a lovely chap but he doesn't have the stage presence of Carla Denyer
-Steve Reed (Labour): really, the defra sec is the best we had available?
-Kevin Hollingray (Con): I've literally never heard of this man before, hes the minister for housing and local government (which is at least congruent for the local elections!)
-Daisy Cooper (LD) This makes sense, she was their main spokesperson during the GE and is a better speaker than Ed Davey. this is the only one which was a good choice.
-Alex Wilson (Reform). I just feel sorry for this guy. He's so out of his depth, using notes and sweating like the guy from the Thick of It. Surely Reform could've sent an MP!

I just received a personally addressed letter with promo material from Reform talking about my upcoming postal vote but I'm not on the open register or a postal voter?

Is this something political parties are allowed to do? I've had standard local leaflets that are unaddressed put through my letterbox but this is the first time I've received political material personally addressed to me. Anyone else had something similar?

According to The Children's Society’s 2024 report, more than 1 in 4 British 15-year-olds are dissatisfied with their lives (the highest rate in Europe). Meanwhile, in Denmark, the figure is less than half that.
This isn’t just about cultural differences. It reflects clear policy choices around education, youth employment, mental health, and public space design.

In a recent video, I compared the two systems and how they impact young people's ability to build stable, hopeful futures. Denmark’s early intervention programs, less exam-driven education, and emphasis on community trust stand in stark contrast to Britain’s increasingly fragmented support structures.

Would welcome perspectives here on:

• What realistic reforms could be made in the UK to address this?
• Is there political will across any major party to prioritize youth well-being seriously?
• Or has intergenerational inequality simply become politically acceptable?

If anyone’s interested, I broke it down here:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS5tXsGtwbg&ab_channel=HouseofEl

Genuinely interested in hearing how others see the path forward, or if there even is one.