In today’s newsletter: As the Department of Work and Pensions looks to ‘tighten’ work capability assessments, we look at the impact of a decade of welfare policies

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Good morning.

After a decade of austerity, the Conservative party’s track record on providing an adequate safety net for those who need it has been heavily criticised. A growing body of research indicates that a reduction in health and social care spending in real terms has led to tens of thousands of excess deaths.

Police | An undercover officer used his fake identity to deceive a woman into a 19-year relationship in which they became partners and had a child together, on whose birth certificate he used his fake name, the Guardian can reveal.

Politics | Labour should consider using wealth taxes to raise £10bn as the UK “needs to go further” to bring in money to repair public services, the head of the Trades Union Congress, Paul Nowak, has said.

Climate | The summer of 2023 was the hottest ever recorded, as the climate crisis and emerging El Niño pushed up temperatures and drove extreme weather across the world.

Schools | Nine out of 10 schools in England have said they are providing clothing and uniforms for students, while seven out of 10 are giving out food in the form of parcels, food bank provisions, vouchers or subsidised breakfasts because of the cost of living crisis. Teachers are reporting deteriorating hygiene among pupils as families cut back on brushing teeth, showering and even flushing the toilet.

Technology | The EU has unveiled a set of “revolutionary” laws to curb the power of six big tech companies, including allowing consumers to decide what apps they want on their phone and to delete pre-loaded software such as Google or Apple’s maps apps.