12 h. ago Cosy and warm electric under blanket less than £20 and costs 1p an hour to run

It can help save on heating bills and is lovely and warm on cold winter nights

Economics

18 h. ago The stunning country walk with amazing views perfect for a cold winter's day

Explore mysterious ruins and take in incredible countryside views

Politics

47 h. ago The Beckhams lead stars shunning the sun to brave a New Year's in chilly UK after previously living it up Miami

This year it appears more celebrities are choosing to brave the harsh winter cold of the UK rather than jetting abroad for their lavish New Year's celebrations.

Politics

3 d. ago DWP enables £25 Cold Weather Payments for 18 areas – full list

The Department for Work and Pensions has triggered the first Cold Weather Payments of winter for 6,000 households in 18 postcode areas in the North of England and you can check if your area qualifies using our interactive map

Economics

3 d. ago Where to shop Maura Higgins' new 'teddy bear' faux fur coat for cold winter days

Maura Higgins just shared a cosy 'teddy bear'-esque look perfect for the colder months with her fans, and we know exactly where to shop her exact coat

Politics

3 d. ago The 6 horrifying ways cold weather wreaks havoc on our bodies – from ‘winter penis’ to blood clots and stroke

BRITS are bracing for a freezing start to the New Year as temperatures plunge, bringing with them cold weather health warnings. Heavy snowfalls and ice are forecast for parts of Scotland. Meanwhile, amber cold health alerts have been issued for other areas, where temperatures could fall to an icy -4C. The warning, issued by the...

Events

4 d. ago Why you feel less rested in the winter months and what to do about it

Shorter, darker days and chilly bedrooms can have a big impact on sleep patterns

Politics

4 d. ago 'Outstanding' film set in Scotland has 100% Rotten Tomatoes score and makes viewers cry

This critically acclaimed film, set in Scotland, has earned a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes – and some viewers even say it deserves to win an Oscar

Politics

4 d. ago Pharmacist urges Brits to stock up on 4 medicines now to 'avoid GP visit in January'

A pharmacist has urged people to prepare for winter by stocking up on basic medicines before the cold and flu season really bites in January. Frederick Apenteng said they may help you avoid a GP visit

Politics

4 d. ago What happened next: Maggots, rats and growing despair – a year of the Birmingham bin strike

Action began in January, before an all-out strike in March. For locals, the flytipping, vermin, maggots and mess are taking a huge environmental and emotional tollIt’s an icy cold winter morning, and 80-year-old Mohammed Bashir is armed with a broom, tackling the large pile of rubbish that has accumulated outside his terraced house in Small Heath, Birmingham.This has become an almost daily activity for Bashir since the city’s bin strike started 50 weeks ago and, like many in the city, he is starting to lose patience. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago Powerful winter storm to batter much of US with snow, rain and strong winds

Snowy holiday season in the upper midwest and north-east comes as a cold front is expected to hit the southA powerful winter storm was sweeping east from the Plains on Sunday, driven by what meteorologists describe as an intense cyclone that is expected to impact much of the US with a mixture of snow, ice, rain and strong winds.“Part of the storm system is getting heavy snow, other parts of the storm along the cold front are getting higher winds and much colder temperatures as the front passes,” said Bob Oravec, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service (NWS) office in College Park, Maryland. “They’re all related to each other – different parts of the country will be receiving different effects from this storm.” Continue reading...

Events

6 d. ago Woman says we've been wearing winter coats wrong – 'correct' way is much warmer

Warm coats are a must if you plan on going outside at any point during the cold winter weather, but one woman has claimed there's a trick to make your coat even warmer

Events

7 d. ago The moorland walk with amazing views near Greater Manchester perfect for Boxing day

Grab your big coat, round up the family and venture out on a traditional Boxing Day Walk

Sport

9 d. ago ‘Lovecraftian’ Netflix show with perfect rating that’s leaving fans ‘disturbed’

The supernatural horror series has been dubbed 'disturbing' and 'perfect' by viewers

Politics

9 d. ago Netflix's 'perfect' series that's giving viewers a 'constant feeling of unease'

Described as 'haunting' and 'disturbing' the 12-episode show is certainly not for the faint of heart

Politics

9 d. ago When my father first came to the UK, people bonded and looked after him. Would that happen now? | Nell Frizzell

I’ve taken in refugees from time to time, and formed ties that have lasted to this day. Instead of demonising people, we could try sharing our lives with themThere is one Christmas story from when my father first arrived in the UK, 43 years ago, that can still make me howl with laughter. It was a cold winter and my dad had been gripped by the idea of roasting chestnuts. He had grown up in the southern hemisphere, in a former British colony, so despite the fact that his Christmases were hot – spent in shorts and flip-flops – he had been surrounded by images of snowy churches, robin redbreasts, holly, ivy and, yes, chestnuts roasting on an open fire.And so, he headed out to Clapham Common in south London to collect conkers. They were chestnuts, after all. Horse chestnuts but hey, that’s still a chestnut. Or so he thought. And so, that evening when his British friends arrived at the house where he was staying, they were greeted by the suspiciously acrid smell of about 30 conkers, bakin...

Politics

1 week ago ‘An unsung alternative to the Cotswolds‘: exploring Leicestershire’s Welland valley

This hidden gem has country inns, canalside walks, a stunning viaduct, the historic town of Market Harborough – and not a tour bus in sightIt was a chilly Sunday in November 2000 when the gods chose to smile on Ken Wallace. The retired teacher was sweeping his metal detector across a hillside in Leicestershire’s Welland valley when a series of beeps brought him up short. Digging down, he found a cache of buried coins almost two millennia old. He had chanced upon one of the UK’s most important iron age hoards, totalling about 5,000 silver and gold coins.More than 25 years on, I’m staring at Ken’s find at the civic museum in the nearby town of Market Harborough. The now gleaming coins are decorated with wreaths and horses. They’re about the size of 5p pieces, but speak of a wild-eyed age of tribal lands and windswept hill forts. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Cold, flu or Covid? Symptoms explained as winter illnesses sweep the UK ahead of Christmas

How to tell if your symptoms are a common cold, flu or Covid as a 'super flu' wave hits NHS hospitals

Science

1 week ago The city named best winter sun destination with flights from £18 from Manchester Airport

Escape the cold winter weather and book a sunny getaway

Economics

1 week ago Professional gardener shares crucial task everyone must do before next week to protect plants

Gardening expert Tom Strowlger recommends protecting cold-sensitive plants with fleece before the harsh winter weather arrives

Politics