People will be encouraged to work longer under government plans to phase out the so-called default retirement age of 65. Photograph: Alamy Today’s top Society Guardian news and comment Inquiry calls for closure of children’s heart surgery unit Compulsory retirement at 65 to be phased out Tell people they are fat, not obese, says minister [...]

The quarterly outlook for the UK is NIESR’s first in-depth analysis of growth prospects since George Osborne’s emergency budget. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty The UK economy will only limp out of recession this year and growth in the following years will undershoot the expectations of the government’s fiscal watchdog, according to a thinktank. The National Institute [...]

An offshore windfarm near Prestatyn, north Wales. Photograph: Christopher Thomond Energy secretary Chris Huhne will today set out the government’s policy to secure the UK’s energy supplies amid warnings of a potential power crisis. The government will also publish a series of suggestions as to how the UK can meet its commitment to reduce emissions [...]