Sweeping reforms to England's home-buying system, unveiled today, have been welcomed by one of the country's leading mortgage lenders as a step towards tackling Britain's affordability challenges.

Northern's 'Creating Customer Confidence' programme is helping to deliver one of the biggest customer satisfaction turnarounds in the operator's history. Train operator Northern has moved up from the bottom of the national rankings in Transport Focus's latest rail passenger scorecard, in one of the clearest signs yet that the operator's drive to rebuild passenger trust is working.

Over 100,000 passengers surveyed in the biggest rail satisfaction survey in British history. 87 per cent of passengers satisfied with their journey. CrossCountry worst-performing train operator in survey with 79 per cent of passengers satisfied. Hull Trains passengers most satisfied with their journey. Results will be used to drive day-to-day improvements for passengers and inform Great British Railways priorities.

The Bank of England was widely expected to keep interest rates on hold this month. But the Monetary Policy Committee’s focus has now shifted towards digesting the implications of the US-Iran deal to extend the ceasefire and restore energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

The amount of money people invest when they first open an Individual Savings Account (ISA) has jumped by 84% in a year, according to proprietary data from Scottish Friendly. The modern mutual’s data shows that opening values have been steadily increasing over the last four quarters, data for Q4 2025 and Q1 2026 shows a 21% increase.

Four in 10 adoptive families say they are facing severe challenges or are at crisis point as the Adoption Barometer 2026 calls for a legal right to lifelong, needs-led support. A major new report from Adoption UK has revealed that too many families are still being left without the support they need once adoptions are made, and adult adoptees continue to be overlooked by policymakers.

Father’s Day (21 June) can be a particularly difficult and lonely day for those whose baby has died, however long ago. Dads with other children may also have mixed feelings and worry about how to approach the day. Every day in the UK, 13 babies die shortly before, during or soon after birth.

Whitehaven Sea Cadets have celebrated a major milestone after moving into a permanent new home and unveiling a state-of-the-art boating simulator funded by Fibrus Broadband as part of their Community Fund.

Britain’s roads have become the “number one issue” for drivers, businesses and the wider economy, warns Edmund King OBE, AA president, saying motorists are paying billions into the Treasury while too many roads remain dangerous, badly repaired and roadworks poorly coordinated.

Dementia specialist Admiral Nurses will host clinics at Nationwide branches in Carlisle and Kendal to offer tailored support and guidance to anyone affected by the condition Nationwide's and Dementia UK’s free face-to-face clinics are returning to Nationwide branches in Carlisle and Kendal, offering specialist support in a safe, comfortable and private space for people to discuss any aspect of…

A new competition will be held to see who can travel to the highest number of railway stations in the North of England in a single day. Passengers can now apply here for a place in The Great Race Across the North, which will be held on Saturday, 25 July. Ten people will be selected to take part and they can compete solo or bring a friend.

Applications have opened for nationwide breakfast club awards, giving schools across the chance to win £1,000 for their breakfast club and be recognised at a special ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.

Nearly one million people in the UK are living with dementia, including more than 106,000 in the North West, but its impact stretches far beyond those diagnosed, with millions of families silently carrying the strain. New research from Alzheimer’s Society, based on a UK wide survey of more than 2,000 people, reveals the emotional toll many are carrying behind closed doors.

The Parish of Oswaldtwistle has announced it has received a £250,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to save the heritage asset of Immanuel Church and secure it for the future use of the community. Immanuel Church - part of The Parish of Oswaldtwistle - has been awarded the grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to repair and renovate the church roof.

Overall index increases by 2.6 points this May, the largest monthly increase since May 2021. Britons forward looking view of their household finances recorded the largest monthly increase since May 2020. Perceptions of house prices also improved.

A fifth of adults in the UK are feeling constant ‘financial regret’ over their spending habits, with pressures felt particularly strongly by younger generations, according to research from Hymans Robertson Personal Wealth.

The UK's electricity system costs are set to more than double by 2030, adding the equivalent of £700 per household even if gas prices remain the same, according to a new post published by the Institute of Economic Affairs.

Giving a sporting chance to children is the aim of the Play it Forward Fund – and it’s back for a fourth year with £50,000 on offer to grassroots clubs in Cumbria. Run by Fibrus Broadband, the initiative aims to encourage youngsters to switch off their devices, go outdoors and get active to boost their health and wellbeing.

Things you didn’t know about blood cancer:1.Blood cancers are the third most common cause of cancer death in the UK. 2.At any one time there are around 2,000 people in the UK in need of a stem cell transplant.

Almost three quarters (72%) of people in the North West would cut back or stop taking holidays in the UK because of the proposed holiday tax, a major UKHospitality poll has found.

The Cumberland has reintroduced face-to-face mortgage appointments at its Cockermouth branch, responding to growing demand from customers seeking in-person support. Mortgage and protection advisor Victoria Rae-Mills has recently begun offering appointments in branch one day a week, marking a return to a more traditional, community-based service alongside existing phone options.

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson have published a landmark joint report calling for a fundamental reform of the legal and commercial framework governing public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the UK.

UK inflation eased more sharply than expected last month, falling to 2.8% in the year to April from 3.3% in March, but economists have cautioned that the respite for hard-pressed households would prove fleeting as the inflationary aftershock from the conflict in the Middle East continues to build.

Over recent years, people have become far more proactive and informed when it comes to their health, with growing numbers seeking earlier answers and a better understanding of their wellbeing before concerns have the chance to escalate further.

Households across the North West continue to feel the impact of financial pressures, according to new research from St. James’s Place (SJP), with many reporting worsening finances over the past year as rising living costs continue to squeeze household budgets.