The NAO makes C&AG Reports on audited accounts, Value for money (VFM) reports and other outputs available to the public. Wherever possible it provides an easy method of accessing this information.
The role and remit of Local Enterprise Partnerships has grown since 2010, but the approach taken by DCLG to overseeing Growth Deals risks future value for money.
The Ministry of Defence (the Department) has committed itself to annual rental bills of nearly £200 million and lost out on billions of pounds of asset value as a result of selling and leasing back the majority of its married quarters estate to Annington Property Limited in 1996 because of the subsequent steep increase in house prices and rents.
Michael Jary CBE has been announced by the Prime Minister and the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) as the next chair of the National Audit Office.
The Better Care Fund has not achieved the expected value for money, in terms of savings, outcomes for patients or hospital activity.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has made good progress in its devolution aims.
The Department for Education recognised since 2010 that child protection services are not good enough but its subsequent response has not yet resulted in better outcomes. Spending on children’s social work, including on child protection, varies widely across England and is not related to quality. Neither the DfE nor authorities understand why spending varies.
Local authorities have kept up levels of capital spending but face pressure to meet debt costs and maintain investment in existing assets.
The repurchase of the MoD’s military housing estate in 2024 puts a stop to what would have been billions of pounds of further lost value.
This document summarises the findings of our work and identifies sources of help that may be useful to local areas and government departments supporting local public service reform.
Devolution deals to devolve power from central government to local areas in England offer opportunities to stimulate economic growth and reform public services for local users, but the arrangements are untested and government could do more to provide confidence that these deals will achieve the benefits intended
This report highlights the issues our case study areas told us were important to them in carrying out the Care Act. Local authorities may find their experience informative as they continue to develop their own approaches to carrying out the Care Act.
Responses to Freedom of Information (FOI) and Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) requests made to the NAO in 2024.
This paper explores the principles departments should use to manage provider failure. There is room for improvement in the way failure of providers is considered and managed.
The government has made a commitment to improve support for young people leaving foster or residential care in England but the system is not working effectively.
UK Government says it is on track to meet target to resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees by 2020. Local authorities’ ability to secure suitable school places and houses a risk to success. NAO estimate programme will cost £1.12bn by 2020.
Fire and rescue authorities have managed funding reductions well. The Department for Communities and Local Government should, however, seek greater assurance that authorities are maintaining service standards and delivering value for money locally
While the impact of the Pupil Premium will take time to become clear, it has the potential to bring about a significant improvement in outcomes. However, the Department for Education and schools have more to do.
This Departmental Overview is one of 17 we are producing covering our work on each major government department. It summarises our work on the Department for Communities and Local Government during 2013-14.
This investigation covers the Home Office’s establishment and administration of the Windrush Compensation Scheme.