33 m. ago How many people get benefits now and how does the total compare with 20 years ago?

With possible welfare cuts up for debate in the House of Commons today (July 1), here’s a look at how benefits have changed over the years.

Politics

51 m. ago Severe weather hits the US hard as key forecast offices reel from Trump cuts

This year marks the first time that local NWS offices have stopped round-the-clock operations in the agency’s historyA brutal stretch of severe weather has taxed communities on the eastern fringes of tornado alley this spring and early summer, while harsh staffing cuts and budget restrictions have forced federal meteorologists to attempt to forecast the carnage with less data.As of 30 June, there have already been more than 1,200 tornadoes nationwide. Continue reading...

Politics

53 m. ago DWP denies claim they considered cuts for wheelchair users in welfare clampdown

Scottish Labour figures are said to have ensured mobility claims would be unaffected by the welfare bill, which will be voted on tonight

Politics

56 m. ago Dad cut his own throat with chainsaw – but cops thought his wife had attacked him

Christopher York, 65, was trimming hedges at his home in Chesterfield, Derbys. when he lost control of the £120 Bosch chainsaw and it cartwheeled 180 degrees to slice his jaw

Events

69 m. ago 'Super cute' 99p accessory sends fashion fans 'running' to Home Bargains

Shoppers are keen to get the accessories as they return to shelves and are cheaper than in other high-street stores

Politics

79 m. ago Loose Women star takes aim at 'rubbish' show as she tells bosses 'this is not what people want'

Carol McGiffin has not held back as she spoke about the budget cuts that are forcing changes to the channel

Politics

80 m. ago Any cut to cash Isa allowance ‘may not prompt savers to boost their investments’

There has been speculation that plans to reduce the annual tax-free cash Isa allowance could be announced later this month.

Economics

87 m. ago Labour welfare rebellion: Who are the key MPs opposing Starmer’s benefit cuts?

Sir Keir Starmer’s concessions will likely be enough to win the vote, but the prime minister still faces a major rebellion on Tuesday

Politics

90 m. ago Southern Water receives further £1.2bn equity injection to bolster finances

The fresh equity come as part of a deal that will also see the debt owed to its holding company lenders slashed by more than half.

Economics

91 m. ago In Gaza we watched Iranian missiles go by, heading for Israel. That war is over – it seems ours will never end | Hassan Abo Qamar

For two years, we’ve waited for a final ceasefire that has never come. Peace will be delayed as long as our lives are considered disposableLast Tuesday night, Donald Trump announced on social media that Iran and Israel had agreed to a ceasefire, ending what he called a “12-day war”. It was the second war this year, after India and Pakistan’s four-day conflict, to start and end under Trump’s watch. They followed another, earlier conflict between Lebanon and Israel during President Joe Biden’s term.Here in Gaza, all eyes were fixed on the Iran-Israel conflict. Even cut off from the internet, people found ways to follow the news – on the radio, or by catching weak phone signals by climbing to high rooftops or walking near the sea, or just by staying up all night watching the sky, where some of the missiles launched from Iran could be seen from Gaza. Many wondered if Trump, the man who once promised to stop “endless wars”, would seize the moment to stop not only war on Iran but also the...

Events

1 hour ago Mark Zuckerberg unveils superintelligence lab to build superhuman AI

Artificial intelligence effort includes high-profile hires from OpenAI’s ChatGPT team

Politics

1 hour ago Bored mums in clothes shops of the world unite! Together we could be unstoppable | Zoe Williams

We lock eyes while shepherding unruly, ungrateful teens in and out of changing rooms but don’t speak a word. This needs to changeIf there is a solidarity on Earth tighter than “bored middle-aged mothers in a clothes shop”, I don’t know what it is. Whether in Primark, Urban Outfitters or H&M, the crowd is always the same: some teens are in gangs and they are having a fine old time; others, sometimes in sibling pairs, are with their mum, presumably because they have yet to find a way to detach her from her credit card. It’s like that bit in an action movie where you need a guy’s fingerprint to open a vault, so you cut off his arm, except, regrettably, in this case, they have to take the entire body.Some of us are too hot; others are too embarrassing to be believed and have been told that multiple times between each clothes rack. But the main thing we have in common is that we are all incredibly bored. It’s one of those things about youth that I don’t miss at all, along with p...

Politics

2 h. ago Disability benefits cuts: The Scottish MPs who will vote to try and block Keir Starmer's welfare cuts

Sir Keir Starmer is set to face his biggest rebellion since taking office over his proposals to cut disability benefits.

Politics

2 h. ago EU may allow carbon credits from developing countries to count towards climate goals

Exclusive: Green groups furious at plans to let member states buy controversial carbon offsets from abroadEuropean member states may be allowed to count controversial carbon credits from developing countries towards their climate targets, the European climate commissioner has said as states meet for a crucial decision on the issue.The EU will discuss on Wednesday its target for slashing carbon dioxide by 2040, with an expected cut of 90% compared with 1990 levels, in line with the bloc’s overarching target of reaching net zero by mid-century. Continue reading...

Events

2 h. ago Only two Scottish Labour MPs sign new amendment to block benefit cuts

Brian Leishman and Maureen Burke are part of a group of 39 Labour MPs who publicly backed a bid to stop the welfare reforms from becoming law.

Politics

2 h. ago Free agent XI as star Arsenal didn't want to lose and two Man Utd veterans make the cut

A massive 51 Premier League stars saw their contracts end on Monday and not all of those players know where their futures now lie with players from Arsenal and Man Utd without clubs

Politics

2 h. ago Rachel Reeves set to cut cash ISA allowance in blow to savers — here’s what you need to know

At the moment each person has a £20,000 ISA allowance to use where they wish

Politics

2 h. ago Energy bills cut by £129 from today but thousands warned of looming change

The first price cap cut for a year is due to come into effect on July 1, although households are being warned not to expect to see the saving fully reflected in their bills

Events

2 h. ago People suffering from acne, obesity and writer's cramp getting almost £10,000 a year in disability benefits as Keir Starmer tries to push through cuts

The number of people receiving the enhanced mobility personal independence payments (PIP) has shot up from 734,136 in January 2019 to 1.75 million people in April this year.

Economics

3 h. ago Former Chelsea wonderkid announces retirement from football at just 28

Injury plagued career has been cut short after a brief spell in Cyprus

Sport