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HEADLINE NEWS IN TODAY'S EDITION
business
Apprentice Wage Rises Squeeze Northern SME Budgets
frontpage
Generation AI-Lone: 38% Of Young People In The North West Turn To AI For Support, Company Or Advice
business
FMB Calls On Construction Industry To Support Workers With Disabilities
business
UK’s Largest Defence Company Strengthens North Of England’s Skills Base
sports
Yorkshire Teenager Preparing For Second Round Of The Uae Trophy Series
arts
From Soundchecks To Stadiums: Finn Forster's Breakout Year
FEATURED WRITERS
Helen Kitchen
Autumn Budget: South Yorkshire Locksmith Reflects
business
Alicia Newton
Yorkshire Teenager Preparing For Second Round Of The Uae Trophy Series
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Jeremy Williams-Chalmers
From Soundchecks To Stadiums: Finn Forster's Breakout Year
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Ruby Boyd
A Budget Full Of Promises – Figgy Pudding Or Christmas Turkey?
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LATEST
Generation AI-Lone: 38% Of Young People In The North West Turn To AI For Support, Company Or Advice
Crewe Youth charity The Dome Youth Zone, part of the OnSide Network, is raising concerns about growing digital dependence and a lack of real-life social spaces for young people — as new research published today highlights that 38% of young people in the North West are turning to AI for advice, support or company.
Post Office Urges The Nation To Post Early Ahead Of Peak Day For Christmas Posting On Monday 8th December
Image by Stefan Wiegand from Pixabay
Post Office has announced that Monday 8th December is expected to be its busiest day across UK branches for sending Christmas parcels and post. With Brits planning on sending more gifts this year compared to last (33 per cent 2025 vs 20 per cent 2024), Post Office is urging the public to post early to avoid the rush and ensure gifts arrive in time for the big day.
1:00 AM 4th December 2025
North Cumbria Vet Practice Leads Tech Trial To Cut Anaesthetic Emissions
A north Cumbrian vet practice has become one of the first in the world to trial a new technology which could dramatically reduce the environmental impact of anaesthetics. Laura Binnie, sustainability lead at Paragon Veterinary Group which has installed the new kit at its Dalston branch, said: “This is very exciting new technology, and we are proud to be pioneers in this.
1:08 AM 3rd December 2025
YouGov/cebr Consumer Confidence Index Declines In November
In November the YouGov/Centre for Economic and Business Research consumer confidence index declined 1.2 points to 108.0. Any score greater than 100 indicates positive sentiment; less than 100 indicates negative sentiment.
1:00 AM 3rd December 2025
RMT warns of surge in violence against rail workers
Photo: ©Steve Hare
Rail union, RMT says a sharp rise in attacks on rail workers are taking place at the same time as the British Transport Police (BTP) presence is being cut on the network. Official figures show a 17% rise in assaults on rail workers over the summer months compared with the same period last year.
9:02 AM 2nd December 2025
Local Student Wows Parliament With Innovative STEM Project
Elsie Neale, a student from The Grangefield Academy in Stockton-on-Tees, impressed MPs and Peers last week after being invited to showcase her innovative Big Bang Competition project at Westminster.
1:00 AM 2nd December 2025
Opinion
A Budget Full Of Promises – Figgy Pudding Or Christmas Turkey?
As the most expensive and stressful time of the year hurtles towards us, many members of the public (including me) worry about money, inflation, and how we are going to afford it all. The luxuries of Christmas and the costs of enjoying the festive period hang over us all. The word hangover being somewhat apposite here.
11:04 AM 1st December 2025
Autumn Budget Could Put Independent Restaurants Under Pressure
The Government’s long-awaited Autumn Budget was delivered Wednesday by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, introducing measures that could reshape the outlook for independent restaurants and other hospitality venues. Key reforms to business rates were unveiled, while experts say that rising labour costs and no changes to VAT may place further pressure on the sector.
1:00 AM 1st December 2025
Hundreds Of Upgraded CCTV Cameras Set To Watch Over TransPennine Express Stations
TransPennine Express (TPE) is rolling out one of its biggest-ever security upgrades, with more than 600 new high-definition cameras being installed across its stations. The £4.4 million investment will deliver sharper images, wider coverage, and faster access to footage - helping staff and police respond to incidents more effectively and giving customers extra peace of mind.
1:00 AM 1st December 2025
Budget Impact On UK Town Centres - Limited Relief For UK High Streets As New Data Shows Footfall Declines
Harrogate: Photo: ©Steve Hare
New visitor data from Place Informatics reveals a deepening decline across UK high streets. While the 2025 Autumn Budget introduces changes to business rates that could benefit some, for many struggling retailers, the relief may be too limited to offset broader pressures.
1:00 AM 28th November 2025
Men From Across The UK Unite To End Violence Against Women As Powerful New Portrait Series Launches
A nationwide campaign calling on men to use their voices to speak up in their everyday lives to help prevent men’s violence against women and girls has launched to mark White Ribbon Day 2025 – featuring a powerful new portrait series which has been unveiled as part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
1:10 AM 27th November 2025
IHT Change Doesn’t Come Close To Protecting Many Family Farms, Say NFU
Image by Siggy Nowak from Pixabay
The small change to inheritance tax1 for farm businesses is nowhere near enough to protect many family farms and does nothing to remove the cruel impact of the policy on elderly and vulnerable farmers, says the NFU. Since changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR) were first announced, there has been mounting opposition to this family farm tax2.
1:00 AM 27th November 2025
Budget Round Up 2025
Paul Harper, commercial director at Daish’s Holidays, says: “As a family-run coach holiday provider operating a portfolio of UK seaside hotels, Daish’s Holidays is concerned that the autumn 2025 budget delivers yet another blow to an already over‑burdened hospitality sector.
1:00 AM 27th November 2025
ISA Reform: All Bark No Bite
Nicholas Hyett, Investment Manager at Wealth Club said: “There’s a certain logic to ISA reform. Anyone who hits the maximum £20,000 cash ISA allowance year-after-year should really be thinking about investing some of that in the stock market. However, the reality is that this policy needn’t affect your savings decisions at all.
2:39 PM 26th November 2025
"Buckaroo Budget” will not fix broken Britain
OBR: working-age sickness and disability benefit spending to increase by further £17.8 billion by 2030/31 Jobless claimants with no requirement to work up 940,000 since May 2024, CSJ analysis reveals in crisis of millions "written off" Joe Shalam, Policy Director at the Centre for Social Justice, said: “Loading yet more taxes onto the British public like a game of buckaroo is not the same as do…
2:32 PM 26th November 2025
TUC - More Than Half Of Young People Say There Is Not Enough Support To Land Decent Entry-level Jobs
New polling published by the TUC shows more than half (56%) of young people do not feel there is currently enough state support to help them get paid entry-level jobs with training and opportunities for progression.
1:00 AM 26th November 2025
We Speak Up: Powerful New Portrait Series Unveiled To Mark White Ribbon Day
A series of portraits that sees men from across the UK use their voices to speak up and help end men’s violence against women and girls has been unveiled as part of a nationwide campaign.
1:00 AM 25th November 2025
Budget Risks Accelerating Decline Of UK High Streets As New Data Shows Sharp Drop In Visitors
Image by SteveBulley from Pixabay
With the Chancellor expected to deliver a Budget centred on fiscal tightening and significant tax rises, new visitor data from Place Informatics reveals a deepening decline across UK high streets, raising serious concerns that the Budget could intensify an already fragile situation for town centres.
1:00 AM 24th November 2025
Carers UK Welcomes Publication Of Carer’s Leave Review Terms Of Reference, Calling It An “Important Step Forward”
Photo by Matthias Zomer: Pexels
The Department for Business and Trade has published the Terms of Reference for its review into Carer’s Leave.
1:00 AM 21st November 2025
Remortgagers Could Cover Christmas With Savings From Lower Mortgage Rates
Photo by Antoni Shkraba Studio: Pexels
The latest research by mortgage adviser, Alexander Hall, has revealed that those currently approaching the end of their fixed-term mortgage could be in for an early Christmas present, as recent improvements in the mortgage market mean the savings available to them could more than pay for the increased cost of the next three Christmases.
1:00 AM 20th November 2025
Over A Third Of Carers Struggling To Make Ends Meet Don’t Know Where To Go For Financial Advice
20 November is Carers Rights Day: New report by Carers UK sponsored by HSBC UK calls for increased financial guidance and support 1 in 5 unpaid carers find it a challenge to cover costs and a third (34%) of carers in this situation don’t know where to go to get financial guidance 41% don’t know what social security benefits they are entitled to
1:00 AM 20th November 2025
December Rate Cut More Likely After Further Fall In Inflation
The Office for National Statistics showed the annual rate of CPI inflation falling to 3.6% in October 2025, from 3.8% in September.
8:58 AM 19th November 2025
Low-Tax Countries Have Better Welfare
New analysis published today by the Institute of Economic Affairs busts the myth of Nordic-model high-tax welfare superiority that has dominated political discourse for decades, and delivers a devastating verdict on Britain's welfare performance as the tax burden and welfare budgets have ballooned.
1:00 AM 19th November 2025
Scottish Friendly CEO Backs Cut Of Cash ISA Allowance
Stephen McGee, Chief Executive of Scottish Friendly, says a bold move to reduce the cash ISA allowance that is supported by a national awareness campaign could help trigger a “paradigm shift” in investing in the UK.
1:00 AM 18th November 2025
Councillor Shortlisted For National Community Champion Cllr Award
Councillors have been shortlisted at the 2025 LGIU and CCLA Cllr Awards. Now in their 16th year in England and 8th year in Scotland, these Awards highlight the vital contribution of councillors, often the unsung heroes of local democracy.
9:01 AM 17th November 2025
Housing Market Stalls As Pre-Budget Anxieties Hit Buyer Confidence
Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay
The latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey for October 2025 reveals a notable cooling across the UK’s housing market, with buyer demand, sales activity and new instructions all falling further into negative territory. Survey respondents strongly attribute the slowdown to mounting uncertainty ahead of the forthcoming Autumn Budget and potential tax-raising measures.
7:18 AM 17th November 2025
Young Adults Turning To "Bank Of Everyone" As Cost Of Leaving Home Soars
Today's young adults are having to draw on grandparents, siblings, friends and even charities to move out of the family home, new data has revealed. Research from Scottish Friendly's Family Finance Tracker shows a stark generational divide, with Gen Z relying on a significantly wider support network than previous generations to afford either renting or buying their first home.
1:00 AM 14th November 2025
MySight York and Living 4 Moments Unite for International Day of Disabled Persons
(L-R) Rachel Barber and Vicky Colombi
To celebrate International Day of Disabled Persons, MySight York, the city’s expert sight loss charity, is partnering with Living 4 Moments to deliver a dynamic Inclusion Taster Workshop that explores what true inclusion looks like and why it benefits everyone.
1:04 AM 11th November 2025
RICS Report Warns Of Sustainability Slowdown In Global Built Environment
Image by Rosy / Bad Homburg / Germany from Pixabay
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, revealing a slowdown in global demand growth for sustainable buildings and a concerning lack of progress in carbon measurement across construction projects.
1:00 AM 11th November 2025
Almost Half Of Parents Feel Self-Conscious Playing Imaginary Games With Their Kids, According To A New Study
As many as 49 percent of British parents struggle to let themselves go and embrace their own inner child, when playing games with their children, with a quarter (26%) confessing to feeling “stupid”.
1:00 AM 10th November 2025
Nearly one third of Brits don’t know if they have a relative who served in WW1
Almost a third of UK adults (29%) are unsure whether they have relatives who served in WW1, highlights research commissioned by Findmypast. Of those who know they have a war hero relative, more than two-thirds (63%) know ‘little to nothing’ about them.
1:00 AM 8th November 2025
Thousands Of Homes Risk Losing Vital Energy Efficiency Funding
Thousands of homes could miss out on crucial financial support to help cut their energy bills permanently. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is the longest running fuel poverty scheme in Great Britain. Across the country it has provided energy saving measures, such as insulation and upgrading heating systems, to 523,045 existing ECO homes, making their homes warmer and cheaper to heat.
1:00 AM 7th November 2025
UK’s Biggest Youth Census Reveals Gen Z Are More Local, More Spiritual And More Self-Aware Than Any Generation Before Them
A major new study by LADbible Group has revealed that Britain’s Gen Z are far from the ‘disengaged’ digital stereotype, they’re a generation defined by faith, friendship and local pride - finding meaning in spirituality, wellness and community as well as in their social feeds.
1:00 AM 7th November 2025
Interview
Cumbria’s Local Heroes Celebrated In Churchill Living Awards
Local Hero winners
Churchill Living has recognised the remarkable contributions of over 60s in Cumbria as part of its first-ever Local Hero Awards, celebrating inspirational individuals who are making a real difference in their communities. Terry Peate, 70, from Cockermouth, has been crowned Cumbria’s Local Hero.
12:00 AM 7th November 2025
Historic England Reveals Its Heritage At Risk In The North West
No.7 Bottle Shop, St Helens Photo: Historic England©
Historic England has today revealed its Heritage at Risk Register 2025. The Register gives an annual snapshot of the health of England’s valued historic buildings and places. It helps to ensure they can be protected and continue to be enjoyed in the future. Heritage plays a vital role in the pride people feel about their local place.
1:00 AM 6th November 2025
Journey To Great British Railways Gathers Steam With Landmark Legislation
Image:©Steve Hare
Landmark legislation that will transform Britain’s railways is being introduced today, paving the way for a simpler, more reliable network which puts passengers before profits.
1:00 AM 5th November 2025
Urgent Need For Additional Support From Financial Services And Debt Advice Providers For Neurodivergent People In Debt, As 73% Report Feeling Overwhelmed
Image by Mimzy from Pixabay
New research commissioned by debt charity StepChange supported by global credit reference agency Equifax has uncovered the profound and often hidden financial challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.
1:00 AM 4th November 2025
Shared Ownership Expands In The North, As Affordability Drives Demand, Finds CBRE Report
Global real estate advisor, CBRE, has released new regional insights from its “Future of Shared Ownership” report, highlighting sustained demand for the Shared Ownership (SO) model across the North West and Yorkshire & Humber.
1:00 AM 3rd November 2025
Deregulate To Boost Birth Rates, New Research Suggests
A new paper, published today by the Institute of Economic Affairs, shows that while the total fertility rate hit a record low of 1.44 children per woman in 2023, women's intended fertility has remained remarkably stable at around 2.2 children since 1979, suggesting that the 'fertility gap' may have grown since it was last measured in 2011.
1:00 AM 31st October 2025
Barrow Artist Brings Founding Father's Travel Case Back Home
A Striking Piece Of Barrow's History Has Been Returned To The Town Thanks To A Local Artist The one-off embossed leather travel bag, which was spotted in a Carlisle antiques shop, previously belonged to Cumbrian industrialist Sir James Ramsden.
1:00 AM 31st October 2025
Stagecoach Offers Free Travel To Veterans This Remembrance Day
All serving military, veterans and cadets will qualify for free national travel on Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day in support of Stagecoach’s employee Veterans Network Stagecoach, the UK’s largest bus and coach operator, has announced that free travel will be available on all its bus services across the UK for serving military, cadets, and veterans on Remembrance Sunday (9 November) and Ar…
1:00 AM 30th October 2025
How Landlords Can Adjust To The Renters’ Rights Act
Image by Oleksandr Pidvalnyi from Pixabay
The Renters’ Rights Act has now achieved Royal Assent and is set to bring about the most significant overhaul of the private rental sector in England in a generation, with the aim of creating a fairer and more transparent system for both tenants and landlords.
1:00 AM 30th October 2025
Festive Carlisle Pop-Up Shop To Raise Money For Children’s Cancer North
Kitty with her little brother
A special festive pop-up shop in Carlisle this November will raise funds for a cancer charity inspired by a little girl who has recently overcome leukaemia. Mandy Norwood will host the week-long Little Treasures pop-up at Intro PR’s premises on Paternoster Row, near Carlisle Cathedral, from Saturday 1 November.
11:02 AM 29th October 2025
What’s Happening With UK House Prices?
Image by Nattanan Kanchanaprat from Pixabay
The property market is unbalanced with buyers holding “unprecedented power”, according to property expert Jonathan Rolande who has released a report sharing his analysis of current market activity and where he thinks prices are heading.
1:00 AM 29th October 2025
Charity Unveils Ambitious Plan For North Of England Heart Care
The Children’s Heart Unit Fund (Chuf) has launched a bold new strategy that will guide the charity’s next decade of support for children and families living with heart conditions across the North of England.
1:01 AM 27th October 2025
Clocks Change In The UK
The clocks in the UK will change on Sunday, October 26, 2025. At 2:00 AM, the clocks will be set back by one hour, marking the end of British Summer Time (BST) and the return to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
11:00 PM 24th October 2025
Emma Neville Hosts The Great Mancunian Lunch And Raises £40,000 For Moya Cole Hospice
The Great Mancunian Lunch, an exclusive charity event created by Moya Cole Hospice, in partnership with the Taylor Lynn Corporation and hosted by Emma Neville, to raise funds for the new Moya Cole Hospice that took place this week!
3:32 PM 24th October 2025
Environment Agency Continues To Call For Urgent Action
Water companies in England achieve only 19 stars out of 36—the lowest since assessment began in 2011. Serious pollution incidents up 60 per cent from 2023. Environment Agency urges water companies to take action as tougher regulation and record investment are implemented. United Utilities received a 2-star rating.
12:00 AM 24th October 2025
Landlords Have Less Than Two Weeks To Prepare For A Major Law Change - Which Could See Them Hit With Fines
A property care expert has urged landlords to act now - as the clock ticks down towards a major law change. “Awaab’s Law” places a legal duty on social landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould hazards within strict timescales. It kicks in from October 27, the date at which all emergency hazards must be investigated immediately and fixed within 24 hours.
12:01 AM 22nd October 2025
Sea Scouts All Shipshape Thanks To Fibrus Donation
Wigton Scouts
Scouts in Cumbria have been enjoying late summer evenings on the water in their new canoes thanks to funding from a local Full Fibre broadband provider. The 3rd Wigton Sea Scouts tested out the Canadian canoes during a regular evening session on Bassenthwaite Lake.
5:37 PM 21st October 2025
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