36 h. ago Is improving your home still worth it? The renovations that can leave you up to £55,000 out of pocket... and the ones that add value

Home improvements may once have paid off handsomely when it came time to sell, but many homeowners are now disappointed to find this isn't the case for them.

Economics

3 d. ago 46,000 families at risk as major UK funeral firm collapses into administration

Two men have been charged with conspiracy to defraud over the collapse of Safe Hands pre-paid funeral scheme, which left 46,000 families potentially out of pocket and uncertain about their funeral arrangements

Events

6 d. ago Are heat pumps worth installing in your home? The Independent’s guide

This guide looks at prices, efficiency and the factors that determine whether a heat pump is a good long-term investment

Society

1 week ago Now is the perfect time to sort out your garden seeds, the Monty Don way

These long, hangover-free January weekends offer a great opportunity for some horticultural housekeepingLots of pressure at this time of year, isn’t there? All those pink cheeks and sweaty brows puffing their way around the park in dusted-down trainers; all those Botivo mocktails (delicious, for what it’s worth) as we strive to self-improve during one of the most grisly months of the year. I’ve never really been one for resolutions, nor time-measured sobriety (amazing how having small children deflates one’s desire to drink enough to conjure a hangover). I prefer to believe that we should mirror what the outdoor world is doing at this time: namely hibernating in an attempt to store up energy for the warmer months that are to come.Still, if you really feel you must do something vaguely horticultural at this time of year, can I suggest you get your seeds in order? I still think about a photograph I saw of Monty Don’s seed stash in a colour supplement years ago. It ...

Politics

1 week ago TV icon Phil Spencer's urgent warning as 'broken system' leaves Brits £10,000 out of pocket

The Location, Location, Location star warns caravan owners are being ripped off with hidden charges and resale traps and his new site aims to give buyers and sellers a fair deal

Events

2 w. ago 34 Swiss inferno victims died after renovated staircase 'fell apart' as they tried to escape the flames, leaving them trapped, it emerges

Horrific new details of the basement inferno in Le Constellation, in the ski resort of Crans Montana, were released on Monday, as its owner, 49-year-old Jacques Moretti, prepared to appear in court.

Events

2 w. ago Kate Moss loses planning row over neighbour's renovation despite complaints it could ruin drinking water and leave sewage overflowing in their Cotswold village

Other Little Farringdon locals also joined Kate Moss's protest about the proposed works as they claimed it would cause sewage issues and worsen access to clean drinking water.

Politics