Howard Lloyd

Major UK supermarkets are expected to operate altered or location-dependent schedules on Monday, August 31, 2026. Aldi stores in England and Wales will generally open 8am–8pm, while Lidl stores outside the M25 and in Wales will mostly operate 8am–8pm; Tesco’s larger England and Wales stores will generally open 8am–6pm. Sainsbury’s supermarkets are mostly scheduled for 7am–8pm, convenience stores for 7am–11pm, and Morrisons’ English and Welsh stores for 7am–8pm. Co-op, Iceland and most Scottish stores will operate as usual, while Asda, Waitrose, Argos and individual branches across the chains may vary. Customers are advised to check each retailer’s local store locator before travelling.

A refuse worker known as No1.binman urges households to put used nappies in a securely tied black bag in the general waste bin, not in recycling, food waste or garden waste. Incorrect disposal can contaminate recyclable materials, create unpleasant smells in hot weather and potentially make refuse workers ill. Plymouth City Council says it sees up to 500 nappies a day in recycling collections. Disposable nappies contain at least 15–20% plastic, while Bristol Council is working with Nappicycle to recover their cellulose and plastic components for reuse. Cloth nappies are presented as an alternative that can reduce environmental impact and household costs.

Sophia Forrester, 24, describes how relationship OCD caused intrusive fears that she might cheat on her boyfriend, leading her to withdraw from friends, avoid the gym, lose focus at work and repeatedly seek reassurance. After beginning private therapy, exposure exercises and citalopram, she says the thoughts have become less believable and she is recovering. She now shares her experience online to challenge misconceptions that OCD is only about neatness or contamination and to explain how it can target a person’s deepest values and fears.

Faye Condon, from Plymouth, was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis at age five despite negative autoimmune tests and a muscle biopsy suggesting a congenital muscle disease. She subsequently received six cycles of chemotherapy and other treatments before genetic testing and a referral to Great Ormond Street Hospital led to a diagnosis of de novo Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy type 2, for which there is no curative treatment. Her mother says the delayed diagnosis left the family without appropriate accessibility preparations while Faye’s mobility and independence deteriorated. She is now seeking adaptations and care support and is making a formal complaint against Bristol Children’s Hospital; Bristol NHS Foundation Trust has said it will listen to the family and examine what happened.

Financial expert Laura Pomfret said that paying energy bills by fixed monthly direct debit can save customers around £100 a year on average compared with pay-as-you-go payments, while also making household budgeting easier. The arrangement spreads estimated annual energy costs across 12 months, building credit during lower-use summer months to help cover winter bills. However, direct-debit defaults reached a record 2.7% in April because many households lacked sufficient funds, highlighting worsening financial pressure. Ofgem said energy debt requires urgent action and outlined measures requiring suppliers to identify struggling customers and offer support such as affordable payment plans and emergency credit.

Ofgem’s latest price cap is set to increase by 13% from July, raising typical household energy costs by about £18 a month or £221 a year. Experts advise customers to compare fixed and variable tariffs, check their payment arrangements and meter readings, and reduce consumption through measures such as lowering boiler and thermostat settings, using off-peak electricity and switching appliances off standby. Wholesale gas prices have risen amid conflict in the Middle East, with further increases possible in October. Uplift argues that expanding renewable energy is the only durable way to reduce exposure to fossil-fuel price volatility, while Ofgem says investment in the energy network is needed to improve security and resilience.

Martin Lewis advises motorists to obtain car insurance renewal quotes 21 to 28 days before renewal and compare offers rather than automatically renewing. He explains that insurers may raise premiums after an accident even when the policyholder was not at fault, because claims history is used to assess statistical risk. Fuel prices have surged amid higher oil prices linked to US-Israeli military action in Iran, with petrol and diesel reaching their highest levels in nearly three years. Car insurance remains expensive because modern vehicle repairs increasingly involve costly sensors and cameras, although average premiums remain below early-2023 levels.

Martin Lewis says households should compare and consider fixing their energy tariff before the price cap falls on 1 April 2026. Although the cap is expected to decline by about 7%, cheaper fixed-rate deals could become roughly 15% to 16% below the cap, potentially saving an average household around £200 a year. Ofgem says the reduction is being driven mainly by government changes to energy policy costs, alongside lower wholesale prices, and encourages consumers to review tariffs and payment methods.

The Financial Ombudsman Service warns that investment and job scams are driving thousands of complaints, with more than half of roughly 20,000 authorised-payment scam complaints in 2025 linked to online investment schemes. Victims are often lured by high-return or high-paying work promises, then pressured to make larger payments or pay fees in cryptocurrency. Its five recommendations are to listen to bank warnings, verify firms through the Financial Conduct Authority, treat social-media adverts cautiously, independently confirm company details and question offers that seem too good to be true.

A Brain Tumour Charity report found that brain tumour diagnoses create severe financial and employment pressures: most patients and many carers reduced or stopped work, one in three respondents relied on benefits for most or all household income, and nearly half reported a bad experience with the benefits system. Liberal Democrat MP Munira Wilson asked the government about the findings. Social Security Minister Sir Stephen Timms outlined support available through Universal Credit and disability benefits and said the Timms Review would examine whether PIP is fair and fit for the future, with disabled people and representative organizations involved in its development.

Kirsty Ginger describes losing weight from more than 23 stone to approximately 11 stone between March 2021 and August 2025 after years of emotional eating, injury-related mobility problems and unsuccessful dieting. Following support from her GP and NHS Tier 3 weight-management services, she began using clinically prescribed Mounjaro through Oushk Pharmacy, losing a further four stone over 19 months. She says the medication reduced her “food noise” and, alongside guidance on portions, nutrition and sustainable habits, helped her improve her mobility, confidence and relationship with food.

Herbert Rowse Armstrong, a Plymouth-born solicitor and Territorial Army major, was convicted of murdering his wife Katherine with arsenic and attempting to poison rival solicitor Oswald Martin. Evidence included arsenic in his possession, poison in his wife's exhumed remains, contaminated chocolates and cream, and a forged will. Despite maintaining his innocence and retaining public support, Armstrong was hanged at Gloucester Prison on 31 May 1922, becoming the only UK solicitor executed for murder. Later claims, including Martin Beales's book Dead Not Buried, argued that Armstrong was framed, leaving the case disputed despite his conviction.