Insurers often define a storm as involving wind speeds of around 55 miles per hour or more, or extreme rain, hail, or snow, and standard buildings insurance covers the resulting damage.
GCSE results day 2026 is 20 August. Key facts: resit rules, bursary, free school meals from 2026, and appeals. The 7,400 pounds threshold still matters for pupil premium.
easyJet will stop flying from Leeds Bradford after 5 January 2027, ending six routes. Passengers can choose a free transfer or full refund. UK261 rights apply.
HMRC has sent more than 81,000 warning letters to crypto holders over possible unpaid capital gains tax. The letters are prompts, not penalties, but ignoring them can lead to penalties or prosecution.
The Withdrawal Agreement protects UK nationals lawfully resident in the EU before 31 December 2020, but some, like in Sweden, have faced removal due to application issues.
The DVLA is rolling out a digital driving licence through the GOV.UK Wallet app during 2026, with wider rollout in August 2026. It is optional, and physical photocards remain valid until at least 2030.
The inheritance tax nil-rate band is 325,000 pounds per person. Married couples and civil partners benefit from the spouse exemption, but unmarried partners do not. The residence nil-rate band can increase the allowance, and couples can pass on up to 1 million pounds.
Gordon Brothers is weighing an auction of Poundland around 13 months after buying it for a nominal £1, with the chain now at roughly 600 stores and about 12,000 staff after a court-sanctioned restructuring.
Fresh dog food brand Years has recalled its buckwheat meals over a suspected link to canine dry eye, affecting around 40,000 customers. What owners need to know and how pet insurance may respond.
Lloyds and Halifax mobile apps and online banking went down on 18 August 2026, with about 67% of reports app-related, before services were restored by mid-afternoon. What to do if a payment failed.
NS&I lifts the Premium Bonds prize fund rate to 4.35% tax-free from the September 2026 draw, with odds shortening to 21,000 to 1 and over 6.5 million prizes worth around £497 million.
Since 17 January 2025 new broadband and mobile deals cannot link mid-contract rises to inflation: any rise must be shown in pounds and pence up front, typically £3-£4 a month. Older CPI-linked contracts continue. When you can leave penalty-free.
Delay Repay pays out when your train arrives 15 minutes or more late: 25% of a single fare for 15-29 minutes, up to 100% at two hours. You have 28 days to claim. How the scheme works, what counts, and how to escalate a rejected claim.
The average UK house price was 272,000 pounds in June 2026, up 2% annually. The North West led growth, London fell. The next index is due 16 September.
Gel manicures are not banned. From 15 August 2026 the ingredient TPO cannot be newly placed on the GB market, with an off-shelf deadline of 14 February 2027. What TPO is, why it was restricted, what it means for salons and customers, and how to check a product.
A hosepipe ban (temporary use ban) stops mains hosepipe and sprinkler use, but a watering can, bucket or water butt is still fine. Breaching it is an offence with a fine up to £1,000. What is restricted, the exemptions, and how bans are declared and lifted.
Time restrictions on disabled bus passes in England are set to be removed, giving free travel at all times instead of only 9:30am to 11pm on weekdays. Backed by £60 million and due to start next year. What changes, who qualifies, and how the concessionary scheme works.
Check free at gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall whether your car has an outstanding safety recall. Repairs are always free from the maker, whatever the age or mileage, with no time limit. How the DVSA system works, your rights, and what to do if yours is affected.
Car and motorcycle licence holders can now tell DVLA about a wider range of medical conditions online, up to 10 days faster than by post. It covers ~1,600 conditions and is available 24/7. What is notifiable, how it works, and the £1,000 penalty for not telling DVLA.
A hosepipe ban does not change a metered household's unit rate. Support runs through your water company: the WaterSure cap helps eligible benefit claimants with high essential use, and regional social tariffs cut bills for low-income homes. How to claim.
Next April's state pension rise is set by the triple lock: the highest of September 2026 CPI, May to July 2026 earnings growth, or 2.5%. The full new state pension is £241.30 a week now; a ~3% rise would take it near £248. How the figures land and when.
Rental homes in England and Wales must hit EPC C by 1 October 2030, up from E. Royal estate lets are ~90% below it, a bill of up to £10m. The £10,000 cost cap, the new Home Energy Model and what landlords should do now.
From 17 August 2026 England's updated NPPF requires developers to prove there is no reasonable prospect of a pub staying viable before it can be converted to homes or offices. Here is what changed, what it means for landlords, buyers and communities, and what it does not do.
State pension age is rising from 66 to 67 in monthly steps from 6 May 2026. Born 6 April 1960 to 5 March 1961? You retire at 66 plus one to eleven months. Born on or after 6 March 1961? Your state pension age is 67.
Reform UK proposes cutting £50 billion a year from welfare by abolishing PIP and the Universal Credit health element for working-age adults. 2.89 million people would be affected. What is proposed, what critics say, and what actually applies today.
DWP payments due Monday 31 August 2026 are paid on Friday 28 August. Universal Credit, State Pension, PIP, Carer's Allowance and other benefits are covered. It is the usual amount, three days early, and no action is needed.
Around 1.9 million UK pensioners (16%) live in relative poverty. The triple lock took the full new state pension to £241.30 a week from April 2026. Here is what the measures mean, who is most at risk, and what changes in April 2027.
easyJet has accepted a £7.15 a share cash offer from Apollo, valuing it at about £5.7 billion. Completion is expected by the end of March 2027, subject to a shareholder vote and regulatory clearance. Bookings are unaffected.
A Universal Credit overpayment is recoverable even when the DWP caused the error. Mandatory reconsideration must normally be requested within one month, or within 13 months where special circumstances explain the delay.
There is no legal maximum workplace temperature in the UK. The Approved Code of Practice sets a floor of 16C, or 13C for physical work, but no ceiling. The HSE is now reviewing that code.
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