Rob Knight

Dr Amir Khan has called on the UK Government to address an 18-year life-expectancy gap between affluent communities, where average lifespans can reach 88, and poorer areas such as Glasgow and Grimsby, where they are around 70. Drawing on analysis of Office for National Statistics data, the Health Equals campaign links the disparity to housing, air pollution, financial insecurity, education, transport and access to healthy food. Khan and actor Will Mellor promoted the campaign with a “Shelf Life” installation in London, while Health Equals urged the government to make reducing health inequalities a legal duty. A poll found that 95% of respondents view the gap as a problem, but only 20% believe the government is doing enough.

A OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK adults found that learning languages, playing musical instruments and writing were among the most desired but unstarted hobbies. Limited finances, lack of time, low self-belief and uncertainty about how to begin were the main barriers, while some respondents feared judgement or lacked companions. People had an average of five unrealised hobbies and often reported regret or frustration about delaying them. The research also found that many adults are open to reinventing themselves, although confidence declines sharply with age. Davina McCall's Begin Again podcast and Monzo are promoting the Get busy living platform, which will offer free hobby and wellness events across several UK cities.

More than 1.5 million National Lottery players in the UK have unclaimed winnings sitting in their online accounts, with an average unused balance of £3.90 and some accounts holding up to £500. Lottery operator Allwyn is urging players to check their accounts, noting that hundreds of thousands of players across regions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to withdraw their winnings. Senior winners’ advisor Andy Carter encourages players to enjoy their prizes, while a recent £1 million winner from north Wales highlights the potential impact of small wins growing into major prizes. Since 1994, the National Lottery has generated over £53 billion for good causes across the UK.