The UK has no plans for a large-scale deployment of its troops to Ukraine, other than the small group already there advising the Ukrainian armed forces, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said yesterday, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron's suggestion.more

The rivers of Britain and Ireland are in a desperate state from the impact of pollution, with not a single waterway in England or Northern Ireland listed as being in good overall health, a report said on Monday.more

An entire church has hit the market - for just £5k more than a parking space in London. The dilapidated building in Pembrokeshire is in need of some love and attention but could be a unique home for the right buyer. The three-bed, two-bath property has already had more than 20 viewings, estate agent John Francis said. more

For people who never moan about the cold, can take or leave showers and will get used to a relentless thrum of hooting trumpet noises, ideal jobs have come up. A heritage charity is advertising vacancies at the bottom of the world. Based in Antarctica, just 9,000 miles from the UK, successful applicants will have to adapt to near-constant daylight and always freezing temperatures.more

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is conducting a thorough review of its cost of living payments to determine if more are needed, reports BirminghamLive. Charities, campaigners, and MPs have been urging for another round of financial aid as daily costs remain high, but the government has so far stated that no further payments will be made after the recent £299 sum.more

Labour is being warned by a powerful alliance of thinktanks and charities that poverty will soar if it comes to power and then fails to spend many billions of pounds on welfare reform to help those struggling most with the cost of living.more

Around 250 banks are set to close this year or have already shut - as financial services continue to be stripped from the high street at pace. Twelve major bank branches closed in January alone and another 38 will have been shut down by the end of this month. They are among 245 banks set to close in 2024, with another six branches also due to shut but with no end date yet announced.more

The majority of councils across England and Wales have introduced measures to dim or cut street lights altogether over the past 15 years, some saving millions of pounds a year. Now cash-strapped local authorities have increased the cuts in an effort to plug gaping holes in budgets, with Croydon, Cornwall, Havering and Hampshire the latest to declare plans to switch off lights.more

Bus company staff in London are set to strike next month over pay. Around 40 members of staff will be involved in the strike that is set to impact 18 bus routes for 9 days.more

To alleviate the problem of lack of prison space and reduce costs, British Justice Minister Alex Chalk wants foreign perpetrators of less serious crimes not to be tried, but deported with a lifetime ban on returning to the UK.more

England should ditch its school calendar “stuck in place since Victorian times” and replace it with shorter summer holidays and longer half-term breaks to improve the lives of pupils and teachers, according to a new report.more

Oxford Street has begun to bounce back, with the proportion of vacant shops down by 40% and almost a fifth of its troublesome candy and souvenir shops now closed.more

The energy price cap in Great Britain will fall by £238 to £1,690 this spring thanks to a mild winter and lower gas prices, easing pressure on household finances. Set by energy regulator Ofgem, the cap reflects the average annual bill for 29 million households in England, and takes effect from April. It is a 12.3% reduction from £1,928 in the current quarter.more

A Which? survey has named Wizz Air the worst short-haul airline for the second year in a row. In October 2023, the consumer champion’s annual airline satisfaction survey assessed 10,775 flights, with UK passengers asked to rate airlines on customer service, value for money, seat comfort, and food and drink.more

Waitrose was today crowned Britain's most expensive supermarket of the year - and Aldi the cheapest - in a price comparison of 43 shopping basket essentials. The news will boost sales at the German discounter which - along with rival Lidl - has seen a boom against the background of the cost of living crisis.more

Russian agents may again use the warfare poison agent Novichok on UK soil, British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has warned. Speaking to "The Sun on Sunday", he also stated that Vladimir Putin is one of the greatest threats to world peace since Adolf Hitler.more

The Royal Mint has unveiled a new collectable coin featuring the late pop star George Michael. Michael, who grew up in Hertfordshire, formed Wham! with fellow Bushey Meads School pupil Andrew Ridgeley.more

People in their early 20s are more likely to be not working due to ill health than those in their early 40s, a report has found. This is "radically different" from the past, the Resolution Foundation said, when the older you were the more likely you were to not work due to sickness.more

A number of London newspapers are raising questions about whether British politics has begun to be driven by fear of Islamists and the radical left, and where further appeasement due to concerns about MPs' physical safety will lead.more

The West should be bolder in seizing Russian assets that were frozen after the invasion of Ukraine; this is necessary so that these assets can be used to rebuild Ukraine, wrote British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in The Sunday Times.more

Most of the UK companies that took part in the world’s biggest ever four-day working week trial have made the policy permanent, research shows. Of the 61 organisations that took part in a six-month UK pilot in 2022, 54 (89%) are still operating the policy a year later, and 31 (51%) have made the change permanent.more

The author of a heavily criticised review of Britain’s counter-terrorism strategy claims the public have been left “at risk” because many of his key recommendations have been ignored.more

Menopause symptoms can be considered a disability and employers face being sued if they do not make "reasonable adjustments", a watchdog has said. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued the guidance to clarify the legal obligations to workers going through the menopause. more

Yesterday, King Charles III of Great Britain expressed his appreciation for the determination and strength of the Ukrainian people. In a statement issued on the occasion of the second anniversary of the Russian attack, he wrote that - despite the difficulties and pain inflicted on them - Ukrainians continue to demonstrate heroism.more

More than two-thirds of women experience harassment while running, a study has found, as victims say they no longer report abuse to the police as it has become an “everyday occurrence”.more