One in ten working-age people in England and Wales now claims disability or incapacity benefits. The cost to the taxpayer has increased dramatically over the last decade and now stands at £56 billion a year – four times what is spent on the justice system. Disability benefits have seen the sharpest rise, particularly among young people, and more than half of the overall increase has come from claimants with mental health and behavioural conditions. So what's behind the increase? Reporter Bronagh Munro investigates the spiralling costs and asks whether the health-related benefits system is fit for purpose.

The Rising Cost of Health Benefits

Will Robots Take My Job?

Framed For Murder?

More than half of UK households have a pet. We value their fun, love and companionship. But vet bills have rocketed in recent years, increasing by almost 50% since 2020.  Richard Bilton investigates why it’s become so much more expensive to go to the vet. He speaks to industry insiders and hears from dog owners and cat lovers who found themselves in a dilemma when the health of their pet was dependent on paying bills that could run to thousands of pounds. A recent report has recommended changes to a market that has become increasingly dominated by large corporate chains and asks if the proposed changes go far enough.

Why Are Vet Bills So High?

As the cost-of-living crisis continues, millions are leaning on credit cards to make ends meet. Are regulators doing enough to protect us from getting into debt?

Maxed Out: The Credit Card Trap

It’s been called the worst miscarriage of justice in British history. Hundreds of postmasters were wrongly prosecuted after money disappeared from the Horizon computer system. But who’s really to blame for the Post Office scandal?  With the public inquiry due to deliver its final report later in 2026, the Metropolitan Police says it is looking at more than 50 'persons of interest'. They include managers, investigators and lawyers. Reporter Andy Verity investigates some of those responsible for decisions that saw innocent postmasters jailed, lives destroyed and reputations ruined.

Post Office: Who's to Blame?

Panorama follows a year in the life of the BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, and his work reporting from one of the most hostile places in the world to be a journalist.

Our Man in Moscow

Kelyan Bokassa was murdered on a bus in broad daylight in Woolwich in south east London in January 2025. He was 14 years old. A few weeks earlier, his friend, 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell, was also murdered in a knife attack on a nearby street. Both boys were being exploited by criminal gangs. Their mothers tell Panorama they knew their sons were in danger, and that they desperately tried to get help. But they say the authorities failed them. The local council says it's working hard to tackle knife crime, and that it is committed to learning from what happened.  So how did Kelyan and Daejaun slip through the cracks of a system which is meant to keep children safe? Reporter Frankie McCamley traces the lives of two lost boys and follows the mothers left behind, who now want answers.

Knife Crime - What Happened to our Boys?

Omar Benguit has spent 23 years in prison for murder, but there's no CCTV or forensic evidence linking him to the crime. The main prosecution witness is a proven liar with a history of making false allegations. Panorama reveals how the police built their case around her, even though they had evidence that discredited her account.  Reporter Bronagh Munro, who has been investigating the case for ten years, also talks to witnesses who say they were pressured to lie in court and finds information that strengthens Omar Benguit's alibi. The new evidence raises serious questions about the police's original investigation and suggests he may have been framed for murder. Dorset Police say the case has been dismissed twice by the Court of Appeal and that its investigation was thorough, detailed and very complex.

Robots can already do many jobs more quickly and efficiently than humans. Soon, they may be better than us at many more tasks. In Silicon Valley, plans are underway for massive changes in the workplace – prompting fears that millions of people will be replaced by robots and AI.  So, will this future bring freedom from work in a world of unlimited resources or a dystopia where millions of workers are discarded and impoverished? Reporter Richard Bilton investigates the rise of the robots and what it could mean for all of us.

As the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, Jane Corbin investigates the origins and aims of the US/Israeli offensive against Iran that could reshape the region.

At War: Trump, Israel and Iran

Will assisted dying ever happen in the UK, and how would it work if it did? The BBC's medical editor, Fergus Walsh, talks to leading supporters and opponents.

Assisted Dying: What Next?

With the cost-of-living crisis still squeezing household budgets, Colletta Smith investigates the consequences for communities, jobs and everyday life.

Living without Life’s Little Luxuries

Two years ago, the government banned XL Bully dogs, promising it would save lives. Panorama investigates whether that commitment has been kept.

Dangerous Dogs: Is the Ban Working?

President Trump’s crackdown on immigration has led to a big drop in the number of migrants illegally crossing the border and a sharp rise in arrests in US cities. But his administration’s hardline approach has divided America. Two protesters have been shot dead on the streets of Minneapolis by federal agents, and an estimated 14 million undocumented immigrants are at risk of deportation. Reporter Darragh MacIntyre meets some of the families living under threat and asks whether the president’s tough policies are working.

Trump's Immigration Crackdown

Reports of antisemitic incidents have risen in the UK over the last few years, leaving many British Jews feeling fearful and under threat. In October 2025, a knifeman tried to enter Heaton Park synagogue - two members of the congregation were killed.  Judith Moritz examines how abuse, intimidation and violence aimed at Jewish communities has become more widespread, hearing from the government’s independent reviewer of terror legislation who believes the normalisation of antisemitism makes violence more likely.

Antisemitism - Why British Jews Are Afraid

Shock waves from the Iran War have already been felt in the UK. Fuel prices have risen and interest rates are on hold, but that could be just the beginning of a much bigger economic impact on energy bills, the price of food and mortgage rates. Reporter Rahil Sheikh meets families already feeling the squeeze, businesses having to adapt to a world turned upside down, and experts trying to make sense of it all. What could the war mean for the economy and the cost of living here at home?

Iran War - The Cost at Home

Marianna Spring explores how AI slop is shaping what we see, what we believe and who we can trust. In the age of artificial intelligence, will seeing ever be believing again?

Scams, Lies and AI

Panorama investigates allegations that raise serious concerns that welfare procedures on Married at First Sight UK have failed contributors, leaving them at risk of harm.

The Dark Side of Married at First Sight

As families demand answers for failures in maternity services, Panorama investigates how systemic neglect, inadequate staffing and a reluctance to learn from mistakes have led to heartbreak.

Maternity Failures: The Fight for Justice

A joint investigation by Panorama and The Times newspaper into the behaviour of David Sullivan, who has announced he is stepping down as co-chair and director of West Ham United Football Club.

Predator: The Billionaire Football Boss

In May last year, three arson attacks targeted the prime minister, Keir Starmer. Two properties and a car were set alight. But who lit the fires and why? Daniel De Simone investigates and finds the shadowy figures behind the attacks were also behind fake far-right groups trying to stoke hatred and division in the UK. The fires fit a pattern in which hostile states such as Russia are increasingly using proxies here to do their dirty work. So could Russia be behind the Starmer fires?

The Starmer Files: The Russian Connection

For decades, Dubai has sold itself as a safe place to live, do business and party. But when war broke out in nearby Iran, the city’s carefully curated image was shattered. Missiles and drones hit luxury hotels and critical infrastructure, expats scrambled for safety, and the government clamped down on sharing images of the war. Panorama reveals through the eyes of British residents, business owners and experts how Dubai’s promise of security and prosperity has been tested like never before.

Dubai: Is The Dream Over?

Criminal gangs are targeting the rental market to take over properties and use them to run their operations. Panorama reporter Hazel Martin speaks to flat owners who paid reputable agencies to do tenancy checks but still ended up handing over their keys to criminals using fake IDs and references. One flat was turned into a drugs factory, another became a brothel, and a third was sublet and ransacked. Even when there appears to be clear evidence of criminal behaviour, gangs are escaping prosecution, and landlords say it can take months to repossess their properties.

There's A Gangster In My Flat

What kind of prime minister will Andy Burnham be? Laura Kuenssberg has been behind the scenes with him during his first week in power. In his first major broadcast interview since taking office, she asks about his plans - and the challenges ahead.

Andy Burnham: The Laura Kuenssberg Interview

When running a big school, how much discipline is too much? Richard Bilton reports from an academy trust whose stakeholders say its strict policies on behaviour have gone too far.

Britain’s Strictest Schools

The Child Maintenance Service is meant to make sure that parents who live apart from their children make regular payments to support them. But it stands accused of doing too little to enforce payments in some cases, leaving parents missing out on money they are legally entitled to, to help care for their children. Meanwhile, parents who make payments say calculations done by the CMS can sometimes be wrong or unaffordable, and that mistakes can affect their mental health.  The government says it takes seriously the small number of cases where things go wrong and is making further improvements to the service. Reporter Krupa Padhy meets parents who receive maintenance and those who pay it, and asks whether the system is failing both them and their children?

Child Maintenance: Parents under Pressure

Following the new release of documents relating to the 9/11 attacks, Panorama investigates the claim that individuals working for the Saudi government might have been involved.

9/11: The Saudi Connection

It’s a sex abuse scandal that has gripped the world. But despite all the headlines and stories, important questions remain unanswered about Jeffrey Epstein. How did he become so powerful?

Epstein: Money, Power and Abuse

For years, organised gangs of abusers, mostly of Pakistani heritage, preyed on young girls in Oxford while the authorities looked the other way. Panorama examines the devastating legacy of this neglect for three survivors, revealing the extent of the abuse they suffered, the enduring impact it has had and the questions they still have.  Reporter Ellie Flynn hears how the women recall being abused by hundreds of men in the city, yet to date only around 20 have been convicted. Both the police and local authority say they have learned from past mistakes, and while Oxford has so far avoided the notoriety of other towns and cities where grooming gangs operated, the programme hears how those who have so far escaped justice may still be active in Oxford.

Grooming Gangs: Why Were We Ignored?

It’s estimated that millions of vehicles on Britain's roads are using illegal number plates designed to evade cameras and avoid detection. Rahil Sheikh reveals how cloned and ghost number plates are leaving innocent motorists facing fines, debt collection threats and years of stress, while dangerous drivers and organised criminals exploit weaknesses in a system relied upon by police and road safety authorities.  While police warn that illegal plates are becoming an increasing threat to road safety, Panorama meets families whose lives have been devastated by drivers using cloned or ghost plates, including victims of hit-and-run incidents and dangerous driving. The programme looks at why enforcement has struggled to keep pace and asks whether Britain's number plate system is fit for purpose.

Ghost Plates: Drivers Cheating the Law

Why are more younger people getting cancer?  Rates of bowel, breast and other cancers are rising among younger generations according to NHS data. Hayley Hassall meets patients facing devastating diagnoses and investigates what may be driving the increase.  From ultra-processed food and changing diets to chemicals found in everyday products, Panorama examines the latest scientific research into possible causes and asks whether regulators and government are doing enough to protect public health.

Cancer Before 50: Why Is It Rising?

Roman Abramovich was the Russian oligarch who brought his wealth to the UK. But what’s the truth about Roman Abramovich’s fortune? Working with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, Panorama investigates the documents that were falsified to hide his wealth and evade tax.

Roman Abramovich's lawyers say he denies evading tax or concealing his fortune.

Roman Abramovich: How He Hid His Fortune

Birmingham has a big and very expensive housing problem. Many vulnerable people, including victims of domestic violence and those facing homelessness, are not getting the supported housing they’ve been promised and the government has paid for, leaving them even more at risk.  Meanwhile, some of the housing providers and agents responsible are making big profits from taxpayers' money. Reporter Michael Buchanan meets residents who say they've been trapped in substandard accommodation, receiving little or no support, and traces those responsible. He also meets neighbours who are concerned about a rise in antisocial behaviour, speaks to charities and local politicians who are outraged at the misuse of public funds and asks: why is this housing rip-off being allowed to continue?

The Big Housing Rip-Off

Current affairs programme, featuring interviews and investigative reports on a wide variety of subjects.

The Rising Cost of Health Benefits

Seasons74

Season 74 Episodes32

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