coalition government

In the third and final part of analysis, Richard Walsh discusses the Liberal Democrat, Green Party and UKIP manifestos on health and welfare in the wake of last night's party leader debate.

A Labour government will cap the profits private firms can make from the NHS at 5% while the Conservatives have pledged a seven day NHS, the parties have revealed in the run-up to the general election.

The NHS is failing to meet treatment targets and the rate of slippage has reached levels as bad as the 'early 1990s' the author of a report from the King's Fund told the BBC.

Chancellor George Osborne has said he will cap the country's welfare budget each year for the next four years from April 2015 - but the state pension will not be included.

Minister for care and support has appointed a chief social worker for adults in a bid to drive up the quality of long-term care.

Providers have welcomed the government's statutory sick pay increase, but warned against "woefully" high rates of unprotected families as welfare cuts continued.

Help to Buy, income tax and the state of the economy. Catch up here

The Evening Standard has apologised to the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne after an image of its front page - meant to be released later today - revealed details of the Budget ahead of Osborne's speech.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has brought the social care spending cap forward to 2016 to protect funding above £72,000.

Jeremy Hunt has launched a centre of innovation excellence with Johnson & Johnson to support healthier lifestyles in the UK.