DWP warned against UC and PIP cuts for under-25s
Disability experts urge DWP not to cut Universal Credit health element and PIP for under-25s, warning it would harm health and increase poverty.
Category : Public Health
Pensioners face tax bills ahead of Burnham triple lock change
State pensioners face HMRC tax bills as frozen thresholds and triple lock rises push incomes above £12,570, ahead of Andy Burnham's 2030 rule change.
DWP confirms £965 October payout for new state pension
The DWP is paying £965 this month to full new state pension claimants born after 1951, working out at £241 a week. Here's who qualifies.
Burnham pension waiver could create two-tier tax system
Andy Burnham's state pension waiver could create a 'two-tier tax system', warns Croner. Pension could rise 3.9% in April, potentially above the £12,570 personal allowance.
Bowel cancer symptom Birmingham patients hide from GPs
83% of Birmingham residents would delay seeing a GP about bowel changes; new programme launched to boost early diagnosis
PIP claims hit 4.09m; psychiatric disorders top list
PIP claims reached a record 4.09 million by July 31, 2026. Psychiatric disorders are the most common condition, affecting 39% of claimants. New claim grant rates continue to fall.
Nursing Shortages Delay Pain Relief for Patients
Royal College of Nursing warns patients wait hours for pain relief due to nursing shortages, with hundreds of safety incidents monthly across England.
12,000 parents face £100k childcare cliff edge by 2030
CenTax warns 12,000 parents may hold incomes below £100,000 by 2030 to keep free childcare, with the cliff edge disproportionately affecting mothers.
PIP claimants with back pain, arthritis, anxiety could be paid less
DWP's Timms Review may reduce PIP payments for claimants with back pain, arthritis, or mild anxiety, as part of a more tailored benefits programme.
Martin Lewis warns energy bills could soar 15% in January
Martin Lewis warns UK energy bills could rise 15% in January as gas costs hit highest level since 2022, affecting British Gas, EDF, EON, Ovo and Octopus customers.
DWP £150 Warm Home Discount for millions from October
Millions of DWP benefit claimants will receive a £150 Warm Home Discount from October, with Universal Credit households now all eligible for the one-off energy bill boost.
5 UPFs that are good for you, nutritionist says
Nutritionist Sarah Fancourt says not all ultra-processed foods are bad. Wholemeal bread, baked beans, flavoured yoghurt, plant milks and wholegrain cereals can be part of a healthy diet.
Over-80s in Scotland could get £316.70 winter payment
State pensioners in Scotland aged over 80 could receive a £316.70 Pension Age Winter Heating Payment from November 2026, paid automatically to most eligible people.
Women face 4 months without pension, TUC warns
The gender pension gap leaves women effectively without pension payments for four months a year, according to TUC analysis of Prospect data, with a 32.8% gap in retirement income.
Five DWP PIP Timms Review recommendations revealed
Five emerging recommendations from the DWP Timms Review into PIP have been revealed, including in-kind support and faster terminal illness claims, ahead of the final report this autumn.
Public backs PIP protection as DWP cuts loom, Scope says
A new British Social Attitudes survey shows 49% of people want more DWP disability benefit spending, with only 7% favouring cuts, as the government awaits the PIP review.
Pensioners urged to unplug 5 appliances as energy bills soar
Energy experts urge state pensioners to unplug five appliances—set-top boxes, TVs, chargers, microwaves, showers—to cut standby costs as bills rise.
Rubery health divide: ONS data shows stark gap
ONS census maps reveal a stark health divide in Rubery, with residents on the Birmingham side reporting significantly worse health than neighbours in Worcestershire.
State pensioners face unexpected tax bills under Burnham
State pensioners risk an 'unexpected bill' as the full new state pension at £12,547.60 nears the frozen £12,570 personal allowance, with a single above-inflation uprating potentially triggering tax liabilities.
Burnham government urges stockpiles after El Niño warning
Angela Eagle tells UK households to stock up on food and water for a few days after UN warns of 'supersize' El Niño, with record harvest failure expected in 2026.
Birmingham GP warns students as STI cases rise nearly 20%
Gonorrhoea diagnoses in Birmingham rose 17% to 1,844 in 2025, while syphilis cases increased 15.8%. A GP urges students to prioritise sexual health.
Xylitol sweetener linked to heart attacks and strokes
Xylitol, a sweetener in gum, toothpaste, jam, yoghurts and ice cream, is linked to higher risks of strokes, heart attacks and death, per new research presented at the ESC congress.
Birmingham tops West Midlands drug death rates
Birmingham recorded the highest drug misuse death rate in the West Midlands, with 613 deaths between 2022 and 2024, according to a new report.
PIP could rise to £9,600 a year under Burnham
PIP payments may rise to £9,600 a year from April if inflation stays at 2.9%, Chancellor John Healey to confirm at Budget.
Parents lose £843 a year caring for sick kids, study finds
Parents lose an average of £843 a year in earnings caring for sick children, with 63% taking time off work, research shows.
NHS: Three groups may wait until November for flu jab
NHS confirms some patients may wait until November for flu jab as vaccinations begin September 1. Schools, care homes, frontline workers affected.
Sepsis warning: student's near-fatal misdiagnosis as hangover
Sepsis kills thousands yearly, yet many mistake its early signs for a hangover or flu. A Cardiff graduate's story highlights why urgent action is vital.
State pensioners could face £98 HMRC bill under triple lock
A 4.1% state pension rise could push full new pension above the tax threshold, leaving pensioners with a £98.48 HMRC bill unless the Government clarifies its policy.
Solihull targets smoking and vaping to narrow life expectancy gap
Solihull Council will prioritise tackling health inequalities, focusing on smoking, vaping, and health checks to close the widening life expectancy gap between affluent and deprived areas.
Meta UK safety rules expected after US settlement, Burnham govt says
The Andy Burnham government expects Meta to match its new US safety rules in the UK, after a landmark lawsuit settlement introduced time limits, school-time notification bans, overnight blocks and more.
Page 1 of 28