For the estimated 1.8 million skiers and snowboarders in the UK, it looks like conditions for this year’s winter sports season continue to be set fair. In Europe, the persistence of the La Niña weather phenomenon has encouraged cold air to be drawn down from the Arctic, contributing to healthy levels of snowfall across [...]

It’s that time of year again. Having acknowledged the passing of the old year and rung in the new, we look ahead to what the next 12 months will hold and, in many cases, make promises to ourselves about the changes we will make and the goals we will pursue. Underlying many of those New [...]

Among the many lasting impacts of COVID-19 is the pandemic’s toll on the nation’s mental health. In its wake, referrals to mental health services have continued to escalate. According to official data from the British Medical Association (BMA), this figure reached 5 million in England in 2023 – up 33% on the figure recorded in [...]

Whether or not you support Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s assertion that the NHS is “broken”, there is little argument that the service faces continued pressure on a number of fronts. In England, the latest official data shows that the number of cases awaiting non-emergency treatment stands at over 7 million. While this is slightly lower [...]

First introduced in 1960 on a voluntary basis, the Ministry of Transport test – more commonly known as an MOT – is now an obligatory annual undertaking for all vehicle owners. Checks carried out as part of the test provide an overall view of the ‘health’ of a vehicle, flagging any areas of immediate concern [...]

As September approaches and the summer holidays draw to a close, a large part of the workforce will be adopting a back-to-school mindset, with thoughts turning to the beginning of term. For parents and carers, this point in the calendar can represent a major milestone as children enter the next chapter in their education. It [...]

You don’t have to own a fitness tracker, smartwatch or other activity-monitoring device to know about the importance of the number 10,000. This aspirational target has become widely accepted as the number of steps we are supposed to walk in a day, entering the public consciousness in recent years as wearable technology has grown in [...]

The chances of finding someone who truly enjoys a trip to the dentist are understandably slim. More surprising, perhaps, is the sheer number of people who find it such a painful experience. Research suggests that the majority of the UK population (53%) suffer from fear or anxiety when visiting the dentist. Based on this figure, [...]

For travellers with even the tiniest sense of wanderlust, any chance to hit the road or take to the skies can trigger excitement and anticipation. Whether it’s for work or pleasure, travel provides opportunities for exploring new places, meeting new people, taking in new experiences and creating new memories. From the moment a trip is [...]

With record numbers of the UK population covered by health insurance, it’s perhaps no surprise that payouts for health claims are also at record highs. According to the latest full-year data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), valid claims made by policyholders resulted in payouts totalling almost £3 billion. For those insured, this financial [...]