Almost half of private renters in England are living in homes that are cold, damp or mouldy, even in the summer, Citizens Advice has warned. A survey by the advisory service found 45% of private renters are currently experiencing damp, mould or excessive cold in their home, and 48% of these households have been living with the disrepair for more than a year.more

Two in five pension savers face a “miserable” retirement as rising living costs outstrip incomes in old age, a report has found. Around 14 million working age people risk not having enough money to cover their basic needs when they retire, according to research from Scottish Widows.more

Seven Labour MPs have had the whip suspended for six months after voting against the government on an amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Ex-shadow chancellor John McDonnell was among the Labour MPs who voted for an SNP motion calling for an end to the policy, which prevents almost all parents from claiming Universal Credit or child tax credit for more than two children.more

The number of people mainly using cash for day-to-day spending hit a four year high during the cost of living crisis, research suggests. Some 1.5 million adults mainly used cash in 2023 - marking the first rise since 2019, according to UK Finance.more

Around 40,000 Londoners will be helped by the capital’s first multibank which opens on Tuesday. The scheme in Greenford, west London, is run by the Felix Project charity and will give out more than 400,000 surplus essential goods such as tolietries and bedding over the next 12 months.more

A new rental platform believes AI is the answer to help busy Londoners find their next home. Rentsmart, a tech startup founded by north Londoner Callum Hook, says it saves customers an average of eight hours per week searching for properties on listing sites and arranging viewings.more

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the proposals would have to meet air and noise pollution conditions before being approved.more

Six decades after the original Barbie hit shelves, Mattel is launching its first blind Barbie doll in an effort to make its range more inclusive. The US toymaker said the doll, which is now available online and instore, has been created in a bid to make blind and low-vision children more represented within society.more

The average rent being asked in London has risen to a new record of of £2,661, up from £2,567 a year earlier — a rise of four per cent.Advertised rents outside London have also risen seven per cent to hit a new record of £1,314 per month, with each property typically receiving 17 inquiries from prospective tenants, according to a website.more

From January 2025 providers will have to tell customers upfront in ‘pounds and pence’ about expected increases, writes "The Guardian".more

A court in London today found British radical imam Anjem Choudary guilty of terrorist offences, Reuters reported, citing the PA Media agency. No information was available on the details of the verdict.more

The state of our armed forces, after decades of cutting military spending, is much worse than we thought, UK Defence Minister John Healey has announced. The politician highlighted the need to change the culture of management in the army.more

Ministers should integrate health services into job centres to unlock a hidden workforce of about 3 million “economically inactive” people who are without jobs, according to pioneering research that could provide a blueprint for government thinking on the labour market.more

The Piccadilly line is to be partly closed for more than a fortnight in August – causing massive travel disruption across north and west London.more

High street pharmacist Boots says the last remaining stores in its 300-shop closure list will be gone by the end of summer. In June last year the retailer announced it would shut 300 pharmacy outlet branches to save £618million, reports 'The Mirror'.more

Estate agents are seeing Londoners up sticks and move to a smaller and cheaper city in the South West. Called a 'little London' by some, Bristol is just an hour and a half away from the capital and has seen an influx of London buyers and renters in the last few years.more

Car washes and parts of the beauty sector will be targeted by immigration officers as they step up enforcement action over the summer, the home secretary has announced.more

The Department of Health (DoH) has secured a derogation from the EU's new mercury regulations. Northern Ireland dentists can continue to use dental amalgam until 31 December 2034, or until the date agreed by the global Minamata Convention, to which the UK is a signatory, whichever is earlier.more

BT has been fined £17.5m for a "catastrophic failure" of its emergency call handling service which led to thousands of 999 calls not being connected. The network fault, which lasted for more than 10 hours on 25 June last year, led to 14,000 calls to emergency services failing to connect.more

Prince George, the eldest child of the Prince and Princess of Wales, is celebrating his 11th birthday on Monday.more

Health service IT systems are back online following Friday’s global outage, according to NHS England. However, it has warned that there may still be disruption, particularly with GP services who may need time to rebook appointments.more

Keir Starmer does not want to be a charismatic politician, he prefers to be a complicated politician, because he believes that politics is more complex than simple slogans and simple solutions - says Tom Baldwin, author of the biography of the new British Prime Minister "Keir Starmer. The Biography" published in March. more

The UK's new Labour government is interested in a partnership with the EU on defence, and is also open to improving economic relations, notes international affairs analyst Bartłomiej Kot. On both these issues, Poland can be a bridge between London and Brussels, he noted.more

The UK government will resume its co-funding of UNRWA, the UN's aid agency in Gaza, and provide it with £21 million, Foreign Secretary David Lammy announced on Friday.more

Bamburgh, the Northumbrian village known for its sprawling sand dunes and imposing castle, has retained its title as the UK’s best seaside destination for the fourth consecutive year.more