Santander and Halifax among lenders dropping mortgage rates

The UK has one of the most stable electricity grids in the world.

But no country’s energy system is 100 per cent secure and large-scale blackouts, although rare, are possible.

Here’s how to prepare, and what could happen, if we do have a blackout.

For EV owners that are already on the road, Professor Keith Bell, who works in electricity planning, recommends that those with an EV with reasonable charge use it as a generator, like your own store of electricity.

In the case of the power system going down, petrol isn’t a totally safe option as queues at petrol stations could be huge and places are likely to run out of fuel.

The longer the power takes to return the worse things are likely to get. In 2021 Storm Arwen physically damaged power lines across the UK.

Bottled water

A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended.

A blackout is unlikely but we should make small changes.

• If possible, don’t let your petrol tank run down to almost empty. Keep it over half full so you’re never caught short.
• Always have a portable power bank, and spare batteries, to charge your phone and other essentials.
• As card machines could fail, keep some cash at home.
• To keep yourself distracted and entertained, keep board games and a pack of cards handy to play.

Create a schedule

Designated screen-free times helps children develop a routine that balances screen use with other activities.

Creative hobbies

Getting creative, through drawing, painting or model construction, enhances cognitive skills and offers an alternative to screens.

Have a reward

Implement a reward system where screen time is earned through positive behaviour. 

Can following a particular diet
help prevent or delay dementia? 

Some studies suggest so.

These are the eight brain-boosting foods registered dietitian Fareeha Jay
recommends people consume as part of a weekly diet…

Coffee

Caffeine can reduce inflammation and
slow the degeneration
of brain cells.

Walnuts

These improve heart health markers, which is linked to a lower risk of neurological disorders.

The diet aims to reduce dementia risk and the decline in brain health. 

• It was created in 2015 by Dr Martha Clare Morris and colleagues at Rush University Medical Centre and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health.
• It encourages vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fish, beans, and poultry.
• These foods contain nutrients that promote good brain health by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.

By 2030, almost half of all employees in the UK workforce will be over 50.

36%

Now one in three workers are over 50. 

Yet more than a third of those between 50 and 69 believe that their age puts them at a disadvantage when they apply for jobs. 

37%

The Age Without Limits study from 2024 shows that 37 per cent of workers between 51 to 70 felt badly treated in work because of their age.

Embrace technology

It’s nonsense that older people can’t pick up how to use new tech.

Become full-time childcare

Grandparenting on the horizon? If you don’t want to do childcare, have the conversation early – even before a child becomes pregnant – that you plan to continue working and love your job.

Rush into retirement

Everybody thinks early retirement is the dream but the reality can be different. There can be loneliness, lack of purpose and a sense of invisibility. 

By November, UK food prices will be 50 per cent higher than they were at the start of the cost-of-living crisis 

With that in mind, food editor Sophie Morris shares how she saves money on her weekly shop

Don’t plan everything

If you plan every meal all week, there’s no leeway for necessary last-minute changes of plan (or leftovers).

Consider a vegetable box delivery

Having a Riverford box delivery helps Morris avoid impulse buys and go to the shops
less – even though the box is pricey. “It is expensive, but of great quality and organic”.

Take stock

Do a quick cupboard stocktake. You might find you already have three jars of one thing.

Do you need it now?

Returning a few things to the shelves that you won’t need in the near future can save you a healthy amount.

I’ve been a cleaner for 30 years – these are the 10 products I swear by

Rebecca Jones has tried most cleaning products in her
decades-long career.

She shares the ones she can’t
live without.

Best mop and bucket

The Vileda H2PrO set is light, manoeuvrable and keeps clean and dirty water separate.

Best multipurpose cleaner

Method’s multi-surface cleaner is plant-based, cruelty-free, and works great on grease, sinks, sealed wood surfaces, hobs, bins and sealed laminated floors.

Best cloths

The Seep Eco Bamboo clothes have a streak-free finish and last.

Best stain remover

The Mr Siga Multi-Functional Eraser Sponge acts like fine sandpaper to lift
dirt, stains, and scuffs using only water.

Around 957,000 people aged 16 to 24 are classed as NEET ie. not in Education, Employment or Training

But as youth unemployment rises, not all companies
are looking to universities to find their new recruits. Meet the people who have benefitted.

My whole life was being a carer, so I was very lost…

From the age of around 10, Bruce Devlin took responsibility for everything at home – from administering his mother’s medication, to doing the shopping, cooking, cleaning and supporting his mother’s mental health.

He scraped through school, leaving with the lowest grades.

Now, aged 26, he has secured a job by pursuing an unconventional route.

Creating more routes in is not just about opportunity – it helps bring in talent with different experiences.

Paula Cunnington, the chief talent officer for Publicis Groupe UK, a network of marketing agencies that has hired 79 apprentices, says curiosity and real-world experience are far better indicators of future success.

Up to 75 per cent of us in the UK are not drinking enough water.

The human body can survive for a time without food, but it cannot survive for long without water.

Here are the signs you need more fluids, according to a GP.

Water is the most vital component for life.

6-8

NHS guidelines advise we should be drinking six to eight glasses of fluid per day.

This does vary depending on our activity levels, the weather, and if we are ill.

80%

An estimated 50-80 per cent of our bodies and brains being made up of water. 

It allows us to deliver nutrients to cells in our blood, lubricates our joints, regulates our temperature and much more. 

What to drink

Not all fluids are the same – water takes top spot, as it hydrates without sugars or calories, but lower-fat milks, sugar-free drinks or moderate amounts of tea and coffee can all count towards fluid intake.

1. Our brains

When dehydrated, we can display an exaggerated response to pain and experience headaches. Concentration, attention, reaction times and short-term memory can also all be negatively impacted.

2. Our bodies

Another common sign of dehydration is constipation. Our skin can look duller, be less bouncy to the touch and be less elastic.