Latest news with #AgeUK
The Independent
21 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Amber heat health warnings issued across England — this is what it means
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued an amber heat-health alert for the entire country. The alert is active from 12pm Thursday to 9am Monday, warning of a likely rise in deaths among vulnerable people. Temperatures are expected to reach 31C on Thursday and Friday, peaking at 33C on Saturday, with similar high temperatures on Sunday. All regions in England are at high risk, anticipating significant impacts across health and social care services. Charities including the British Heart Foundation, Age UK, and Dementia UK have provided advice for vulnerable groups, emphasizing hydration and checking on older relatives.
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Mental health: 'A bit of a walk in open air is the best medicine'
I'm back with the latest in our 25in25 series - a chance to shine a spotlight on interesting people and places in our week I'm in Brinnington, a suburb of Stockport in Greater an area of open farmland, everything changed in the 1950s and 1960s when council housing developments transformed the natural amongst the high-rise flats, though, there are still nearly 400 acres (161 hectares) of woodland, waterways and natural beauty is set against the industrial backdrop of the Tame viaduct, known locally as the 16 arches. Sand martins and kingfishers nest in the river mill ponds and wetlands are visited by wildfowl including geese, herons, grebes, cormorants, coots and a variety of ducks. It is a truly serene place in which locals and visitors alike can walk, talk, stop and watch the world go the perfect location for weekly mindfulness walks led by Danny Drayson, from Age UK Stockport."A lot of people don't know about the area," he said."So it's my job to get people out of the flats and get walking."When asked why that was so important to him, he replied: "Because it benefits everybody."A bit of a walk in open air is the best medicine for anybody."For the past three years, Danny has been outside Hollow End flats every Monday morning ready to lead the walk, regardless of distractions like poor weather or bank thinks "there is no better way to start the week". 'Creating friendships' I joined a lovely bunch, some from Brinnington and others from further visitor, Jaqueline, said: "I was nervous to begin with but the people have been so friendly and lovely and I'd never been to this park before."As well as making the most of local open spaces and improving mental and physical health, Danny hopes the walks, which were set up in collaboration between Age UK Stockport and Life Leisure, will help create friendships. Jimmy Glindon has certainly been helped by the walks."I was well overweight - I wasn't going anywhere, I wasn't doing anything with my life," he said. "I was miserable, suffering with depression and anxiety."I'm not sure where my life would be [without the group] but it wouldn't be half as good as it is now."Anyone wanting to join in should head to Hollow End Towers on Northumberland Road at 10:30 BST on Mondays. If you would like to nominate someone to feature in 25in25 then email nwt@ with their details and why they deserve to be recognised. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Bathgate and Linlithgow MP pledges to stand up for unpaid carers in Parliament
Kirsteen Sullivan MP attended a Carers Week event in Parliament earlier this month and met with unpaid carers to hear about their experiences of caring and the inequalities they face, how carers can be better identified and recognised, and the support they urgently need. Bathgate and Linlithgow MP Kirsteen Sullivan has pledged to stand up for unpaid carers in Parliament and address the inequalities they face. Kirsteen attended a Carers Week event in Parliament earlier this month and met with unpaid carers to hear about their experiences of caring and the inequalities they face, how carers can be better identified and recognised, and the support they urgently need. The event was organised by Carers UK and supported by seven other Carers Week charities – Age UK, Carers Trust, Motor Neurone Disease Association, The ME Association, Oxfam GB, Rethink Mental Illness, and The Lewy Body Society. Together, these organisations are calling on the Government to commit to undertaking coordinated cross-Government action in support of unpaid carers, leading to the delivery of a new National Carers Strategy. Kirsteen said: 'Unpaid carers in Bathgate and Linlithgow provide a vital role in supporting family members and friends, often without support for themselves. 'The value of care they provide amounts to a staggering £184 billion each year – equivalent to a second NHS – yet too many face inequalities because of their caring responsibilities. 'Many carers face financial hardship, struggle to balance paid work and unpaid care, or go without essential support for their own health and wellbeing. 'I pledge to stand up for carers in parliament to ensure unpaid carers in Bathgate and Linlithgow receive the support they need and recognition they deserve. 'I support the call for co-ordinated cross-Government action in support of unpaid carers and a new National Carers Strategy, to tackle the inequalities unpaid carers face and deliver the support they urgently need.'
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
All the areas giving out FREE white goods including fridges, freezers and washing machines this summer
HOUSEHOLDS can get free white goods including fridges, freezers and washing machines this summer. Essential appliances aren't cheap to come by, with Which? estimating the average price of a fridge freezer is around £800. 1 But you might be able to get help with the up front costs through a giant government fund. The Household Support Fund is worth £742million and has been distributed between councils in England. Further money has been issued to local authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. What help you can get and whether you qualify for support depends on where you live as each council sets its own eligibility criteria. However, in most cases you will be in line for support if you are on a low income, benefits or vulnerable. Some areas are giving hard-up residents free white goods or help towards the cost of them too. We've rounded up some of the councils offering residents help with the cost of essential household appliances. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council is offering thousands of hard-up households help. Some can get help covering the cost of white goods such as washing machines and fridges, and even beds for children. The council wouldn't say how much the average price of a white good someone will receive might be. How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills Households requesting help must be referred to the council by someone like children's services, adult services or Age UK. You'll need to be of limited income to be referred. The criteria you must meet is: Single adult in work: Your household income must be below £26,057 (before tax and National Insurance) Two or more adults in work: Your household income must be below £38,870 (before tax and National Insurance) Your household savings must be under £2,000 If you're a pensioner, you can have savings up to £16,000 If you have received help towards the cost of white goods from Blackburn with Darwen Council in the last 12 months, you cannot get help in this latest round. More details on the scheme and how to apply are here - Isle of Wight Council Isle of Wight Council is distributing funding to local organisations to help residents pay for energy-efficient white goods like ovens and fridges. That means if you want help you will have to apply via either your local town or parish council, schools or colleges or a local charity. If you are on a low income or benefits, it's worth contacting the Isle of Wight council to see if you qualify for help. The number to contact is 01983 823644. Enfield Council Enfield Council is offering free white goods to households in need, with home delivery included. Those who qualify for help will be contacted by a supplier who will arrange for any appliances to be installed. You will need to prove you're struggling financially to apply though. To apply, you must: live in the borough of Enfield have an annual household net income of less than £40,000 have less than £1,000 in savings To find out more and apply, visit: Southend-on-Sea City Council Southend-on-Sea City Council is open for applications from hard-up residents - and households can get white goods. Households can also apply for help covering the costs of beds, bedding and clothing. You can apply for help if you're 16 or over, live in the Essex area, are on a low income and fit any one of a number of criteria. For example, one of these criteria is that you need help to ease "exceptional pressures" on yourself and your family. Another is that you cannot meet your immediate short-term needs because of an emergency like a fire or flood in your home. For more details and to apply, visit Barking and Dagenham Council Barking and Dagenham Council is distributing support to residents through a number of means including help towards the cost of white goods. The council has said help will only be given to those who need an appliance due to an emergency. To be eligible you need to be living in the borough and struggling with rising living costs like food and energy bills. You also need to prove you have previously taken steps to boost your income by claiming council tax support, housing benefit, Universal Credit or another benefit. More details can be found via What to do if you live outside these areas If you don't live in one of the above areas, check your local council's website to see what help you can get. You might not be able to get help covering the cost of white goods but may be eligible for other help. For example, Middlesbrough Council has started issuing payments worth up to £120 to those on benefits. Meanwhile, households in Reading are in line to receive £125 vouchers in the coming weeks if they receive free school meals, which are paid to families on benefits including Universal Credit. You can find what council area you fall under via Household Support Fund explained Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund. If you're battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline. The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living. Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households. Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments. In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families. Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying. Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income. The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer. The last round ran until the end of March 2025, but was extended. The most current round is running between April 2025 and March 2026.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
6 surprising signs you're lonely according to experts
Loneliness is a deeply personal experience that can affect anyone, often in ways we don't immediately recognise. While it's easy to associate it with being physically alone, the reality is far more nuanced. Loneliness can be emotional, social, or even existential, manifesting through feelings of disconnection, emptiness, or being misunderstood, even when surrounded by others. As Loneliness Awareness Week (9–15 June) reminds us, this feeling is not a personal failure or weakness; it's a natural part of life that most people experience at some point. According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, in 2022, nearly half (49.63%) of adults in the UK – approximately 26 million people – reported feeling lonely at least occasionally, with some saying they felt lonely often or always. But loneliness doesn't always show up in obvious ways. Yahoo UK spoke to two experts to unpack the lesser-known signs and offer advice on what you can do if you're struggling. Relationship expert and British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy-accredited counsellor, Georgina Sturmer tells Yahoo UK: "When we feel lonely, it can be tempting to fill our diary with as much as possible or surround ourselves with people all the time. But the problem is that when we feel lonely, what we really crave is not the company of lots of others but a real sense of connection." Sturmer says that it is possible to feel lonely in a crowded room, to which Ruth Lowe, the head of loneliness services at the charity Age UK, agrees. She adds that the key to tackling this feeling is forming meaningful relationships. "If you're out with lots of people, but you don't actually feel connected to them or like they care about you, or you don't have any meaningful connection there, then you can feel even lonelier," she explains. Lowe says that loneliness can also result in people declining social invitations. "Somebody declining invites and not engaging in things they used to might think, 'Maybe I'm declining these things because I don't want to go anymore.' But it could be that you are feeling lonely and you are struggling with your confidence," she continues. "Loneliness can bring up a lot of negative thoughts and feelings. People might actually start to feel nervous about going to things and start thinking, 'Does anybody actually want me there?' Because it impacts your self-worth." Lowe says that loneliness can result in you feeling angrier or more emotional than usual. "You might find that things are continuing to go round in your head, and maybe you're overthinking things. You might experience moods that make you behave or act in ways that you don't usually," she explains. "Loneliness isn't a mental health condition, but it is closely linked to our mental health and our mental wellbeing." Loneliness also might inhibit you from taking time off work, or it might drive you to say 'yes' to extra projects, even if you're already feeling stressed. "Work might be full of pressure and deadlines, but it often offers us a certain level of structure and an opportunity to escape from other worries," Sturmer explains. The counsellor says you may also experience "free time anxiety," explaining that in a society that prizes friendship, spending time alone can make you feel like a failure. 2.1 million older people (15%) say they take less care of themselves when they're lonely, according to research by Age UK. "Loneliness can make it feel like there's no point in your existence, that you don't have a purpose. That might mean that you're struggling to make the effort and get the motivation to take care of yourself, to take care of the space that you live in," Lowe shares. This sign of loneliness is cross-generational, as Sturmer states that it can result in anyone feeling like they are "not good enough," leading to low self-esteem. "When we think about self-care – eating well, exercising, getting out in the fresh air – it's important to recognise that we are only able to look after ourselves if we feel that we deserve to do so," she says. "And then it becomes harder to prioritise ourselves and to do the things that we need to do in order to feel healthy and well." According to Sturmer, when you're in a state of loneliness, it's natural to crave connection. While people will often seek comfort online, she warns against this. "At a very surface level, it might feel that scrolling on social media delivers us a sense of connection, so we can find ourselves scrolling mindlessly through our newsfeed. However, that social media feed might actually amplify our loneliness," she says. Some people turn to drugs and alcohol to help them ignore their feelings of loneliness. Lowe explains: "Loneliness can make you feel like you've got very little self-worth, and people might try and find solace in using drugs or alcohol to try and make themselves feel better, to try and numb how they're feeling." Lowe recommends speaking to someone about your feelings, whether it be a family member, friend or a GP. "We know that talking about loneliness can be difficult. It can take a lot of courage, but the most powerful thing you can do for yourself is speak to someone and say the words out loud," she says. "1.1 million older people feel embarrassed to talk about their feelings of loneliness, and they might not feel as comfortable as younger people do to talk about their emotions and their mental health. Older people can contact Age UK for support, and there are other organisations out there for different groups of people." Lowe says it's important to take small steps to improve your situation. She advises against joining multiple groups and clubs at once, as that could be overwhelming. "Try and take small steps. It could just be something like, 'I'm going to try and reach out to a friend that I haven't spoken to for a little while. I'm going to send them a message or give them a call.' Don't put too much pressure on yourself to do too much too soon, especially if you are feeling quite down about yourself." Volunteering is a great way to expand your social circle and can help when you're experiencing any negative feelings. "Meet new people, give yourself a sense of purpose, and give yourself some routine. Having people relying on you and going to do something can really help," Lowe says. Read more about loneliness: Loneliness increases as we age, study suggests (PA Media, 3-min read) 5 ways loneliness can negatively affect your health (PA Media, 4-min read) The loneliness myth: what our shared stories of feeling alone reveal about why you can't 'fix' this very human experience (The Conversation, 15-min read)
