NCTJ PUBLIC AFFAIRS 2026 EXAMINERS SET
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Principle of universalism - ✔✔- free buses for over 60s
- winter fuel payment for retired
- statutory maternity/paternity pay
- statutory sick pay
✔✔Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - ✔✔Helps with extra costs of long-term ill
health/disabilities for those aged 16-64 (helps for daily living and mobility issues)
✔✔State Pension - ✔✔Contributory benefit for those with over 30 years National
Insurance contributions
✔✔Stakeholder pension - ✔✔For those without occupational pension (government pays
monthly installments)
✔✔Single-tier pension - ✔✔For those retiring after April 2016 based on 35 years NI
contributions
✔✔Additional state pension - ✔✔Minimum income guarantee for some benefit claimants
✔✔HM Revenue and Customs - ✔✔- raises taxes to fund benefits
, - provides Minimum Income Guarantee for others
- tax credits criticised for subsiding employers to pay only minimum wage
- Led to intro of Living Wage, an hourly rate set independently and updated annually
✔✔Home Secretary roles - ✔✔- has overall responsibility for law and order and locally-
run forces
- determines the organisation of locally run forces
- ensures all are adequately run
- ultimately determines pay and conditions for police officers
- leads fight against terrorism
✔✔Police and Crime Commissioner roles - ✔✔- represent local views
- set priorities
- determine policing plan
- set budget and precept
- not directly responsible for day to day policing, appoint/dismiss chief constable and
assistant chief
- hold constable to account
✔✔Chief constables - ✔✔- deliver on-the-ground policing
- manage the force's budget
- hire and fire officers below rank of assistant chief constable
- provide annual report on force's performance
- discipline officers for misconduct
✔✔Independent Office for Police Conduct - ✔✔- supervise and monitor how the police
investigate complaints
- to carry-out and oversee investigation of serious complaints
- can refer the case to Crown Prosecution Service
- can require disciplinary changes to be laid
✔✔PCC Issues - ✔✔- politicising the police
- lack of electoral information
- cuts: fewer police officers, sharing of staff between forces, merger of forces
✔✔Secretary of State for Housing and Communities - ✔✔Responsible for planning
issues at central government level
✔✔Central Government roles - ✔✔- determines large infrastructure schemes
- aim is to improve the long-term economy of the country
- National Infrastructure Commissions formed to look after long-term infrastructure of
the UK
- give guidance/make final decisions in local disputes
✔✔Infrastructure - ✔✔- roads
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔Principle of universalism - ✔✔- free buses for over 60s
- winter fuel payment for retired
- statutory maternity/paternity pay
- statutory sick pay
✔✔Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - ✔✔Helps with extra costs of long-term ill
health/disabilities for those aged 16-64 (helps for daily living and mobility issues)
✔✔State Pension - ✔✔Contributory benefit for those with over 30 years National
Insurance contributions
✔✔Stakeholder pension - ✔✔For those without occupational pension (government pays
monthly installments)
✔✔Single-tier pension - ✔✔For those retiring after April 2016 based on 35 years NI
contributions
✔✔Additional state pension - ✔✔Minimum income guarantee for some benefit claimants
✔✔HM Revenue and Customs - ✔✔- raises taxes to fund benefits
, - provides Minimum Income Guarantee for others
- tax credits criticised for subsiding employers to pay only minimum wage
- Led to intro of Living Wage, an hourly rate set independently and updated annually
✔✔Home Secretary roles - ✔✔- has overall responsibility for law and order and locally-
run forces
- determines the organisation of locally run forces
- ensures all are adequately run
- ultimately determines pay and conditions for police officers
- leads fight against terrorism
✔✔Police and Crime Commissioner roles - ✔✔- represent local views
- set priorities
- determine policing plan
- set budget and precept
- not directly responsible for day to day policing, appoint/dismiss chief constable and
assistant chief
- hold constable to account
✔✔Chief constables - ✔✔- deliver on-the-ground policing
- manage the force's budget
- hire and fire officers below rank of assistant chief constable
- provide annual report on force's performance
- discipline officers for misconduct
✔✔Independent Office for Police Conduct - ✔✔- supervise and monitor how the police
investigate complaints
- to carry-out and oversee investigation of serious complaints
- can refer the case to Crown Prosecution Service
- can require disciplinary changes to be laid
✔✔PCC Issues - ✔✔- politicising the police
- lack of electoral information
- cuts: fewer police officers, sharing of staff between forces, merger of forces
✔✔Secretary of State for Housing and Communities - ✔✔Responsible for planning
issues at central government level
✔✔Central Government roles - ✔✔- determines large infrastructure schemes
- aim is to improve the long-term economy of the country
- National Infrastructure Commissions formed to look after long-term infrastructure of
the UK
- give guidance/make final decisions in local disputes
✔✔Infrastructure - ✔✔- roads
