Nottingham Forest are close to appointing former Wolves boss Vitor Pereira as their new head coach.

The Premier League club sacked Sean Dyche shortly after being held to a goalless draw by bottom club Wolves on Wednesday, leaving them three points above the relegation zone with 12 games remaining.

BBC Sport earlier reported Forest had opened talks with Pereira and those discussions are understood to have progressed with an agreement now described as close.

The 57-year-old quickly emerged as the preferred option to replace Dyche, having worked previously under Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis at Greek club Olympiacos.

Pereira was credited for keeping Wolves in the Premier League last season having joined midway through the campaign, but he was sacked in November with the club on two points from 10 matches.

The Portuguese is in line to become Forest’s fourth manager of the season following Nuno Espirito Santo, Ange Postecoglou and Dyche.

The crime thriller has returned to Prime Video for a second season with a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score.

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A gripping crime thriller has made its comeback to Prime Video this week and viewers are applauding its ‘genius’ plot twists. The hard-hitting detective drama initially premiered back in November 2024 and is adapted from a collection of best-selling novels by acclaimed author James Patterson.

Season 1 of the TV series secured a respectable 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but its second season has launched with a significantly higher rating of 90%. The opening season saw Aldis Hodge headline the cast as a detective hunting down a chilling serial killer, portrayed by New Amsterdam’s Ryan Eggold, who disguised his victims as infamous serial killers from history.

Meanwhile, season 2 features a race against the clock to locate a female killer who is plotting to take “revenge” on some of the world’s most powerful CEOs. Cross, which sees Hodge portraying the titular Detective Alex Cross from Patterson’s novels, arrived on Prime Video yesterday. The opening three episodes of Cross are available to stream now, with the remaining episodes releasing weekly until the season 2 finale on March 18.

The official Prime Video synopsis for Cross season 2 reads: “Starring Aldis Hodge, CROSS is a Washington DC based crime drama that follows Alex Cross, a brilliant homicide detective and forensic psychologist, uniquely capable of digging into the minds of serial killers in order to identify and catch them. In Season Two, Cross is in pursuit of a ruthless vigilante who is hunting down corrupt billionaire magnates.”

Season 2 promises even higher stakes and has welcomed some thrilling new cast members, including Scooby-Doo star Matthew Lillard, Roswell, New Mexico actress Jeanine Mason and The Expanse’s Wes Chatham. Taking to X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, fans expressed their views on the series, with some catching up on the show for the first time, reports the Express.

One tweeted: “Just binged Cross S1 on Prime Video. Thought it started slow, but wow… it completely hooked me. Turning the subplot into the real story was genius. The suspense, twists, and performances go crazy. Anticipating Season 2,” they enthused, before later adding: “Holy s***. Season 2 is definitely gonna be fire.”

“First 3 episodes of season 2 #Cross was pretty damn good,” a second person wrote, while another concurred: “#Cross is real good this season!” Another fan confessed they would be “watching #cross for the rest of the day”, as one more remarked: “Watching new season of #cross so far so good.”

Other fans were keen for more episodes to be released following a change to the release schedule from season 1, with one individual lamenting: “Bruh they’re gonna air the episodes weekly for #cross.. ugh. Just drop the damn 8 episodes.” Another added: “Why is #Cross not being released all in one go? First episode of S2 was good.”

Meanwhile, over on Rotten Tomatoes, critics offered their views on series two, with CBR noting: “The second season of Cross tells a disturbing, yet provocatively captivating story that peels back the layers of human morality.”

RIOTUS wrote: “Season 1 left us breathless with no one to trust, but Season 2 is brutal. If you think you’re ready, be worried because the drama-trauma coming your way is real.”

The Movie Blog observed: “Cross Season 2 delivers a timely, twisty mystery that stays sharp and relevant. Aldis Hodge anchors the season with control, and the supporting cast keeps the momentum strong all the way to the finale.”

However, not everyone was impressed, with a critic from Roger Ebert stating: “The highs and lows of this second season mirror a spindling rollercoaster, one whose mechanisms slowly falter until the wheels come loose, before the whole ride comes crashing down.” Collider added: “While Cross Season 2 is mostly entertaining, it’s missing some of the key aspects that made Season 1 work so well.”

Cross season 2, episodes 1-3 are available to stream now on Prime Video and new episodes will arrive every Wednesday.

The Turning Point Brewing Company has announced the proposed sale on its social media sites.

Owners Cameron Brown and Aron McMahon say the sale of the Knaresborough-based brewery follows “nine joyous and successful years.”

Turning Point Brewery began in 2017, originally in Kirkbymoorside, before it moved to its current site in 2019, where the Rooster’s Brewery was until it moved to Hornbeam Park, Harrogate.

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The brewery statement said: “The brewery will operate and trade as normal until a new ownership is found and implemented and all planned projects and events, such as Taproom openings, Imperial March etc, all continue as scheduled.

“The reasons for sale are personal to the Directors, and they feel the time is right for someone with equal passion and drive to take the reins and move this wonderful, thriving brewery and brand forward for many years to come.”

The sale includes The Falcon pub in Micklegate, York, which the pair also own and which Cameron used to run when it was known as the Falcon Tap, before it closed in 2018, until re-opening in 2022.

Cameron Brown outside the Falcon in 2022 when it re-opened after several years. (Image: Darren Greenwood)

For a time, earlier this century, the property, which first opened as a pub in 1715, was a ‘fun pub’ known as Rumours, before returning to its Falcon branding.

The Turning Point Brewery is known for an extensive range of styles, with a focus on New England IPAs, sours, and imperial stouts.

Over the years, it has made 160 different ales, often featuring space-themed names like Astral Voyage and Cosmic Slop. It’s best selling beer is best-selling beer is Disco King, a 5.1% ABV American pale ale.

Some of its beers are stocked in the craft beer sections of Asda, Sainsbury’s and The Co-op.

Turning Point has won many awards over the years. They included last September, the brewery winning gold at the York CAMRA Beer Festival for its Velvet Goldmine in the 4.8%-5.4%ABV category and silver in the 4.5%-4.7% ABV category.

The Turning Point statement added: “Should you be interested in buying a prospering, profitable business, please get in touch at office@turningpointbrewco.com where a full sales prospectus is available.”

A groundbreaking new study has identified the gene that allows melanoma skin cancer to spread and evade the immune system – it’s hoped the findings could help save thousands of lives each year

Scientists have made a major skin cancer breakthrough which it is hoped could save thousands of lives each year.

A tiny molecule that usually helps regulate gene activity has also been shown to drive the growth of the deadly cancer by allowing tumours to evade attacks by the body’s immune system, according to the new study. The gene, named HOXD13, is a key factor in melanoma growth, said study lead investigator Pietro Berico, and also suppresses the T cell response needed to fight the cancer – allowing it to spread to other parts of the body.

Skin cancer kills approximately 2,500 people per year in the UK, and over 8,000 in the US – but researchers hope that they will soon be able to develop inhibitor medicines that tackle melanoma at a molecular level.

READ MORE: Major cancer ‘for the first time’ update as govt issues NHS survival promiseREAD MORE: ‘Doctors told me to keep an eye on mole – then I was given days to live’

Pietro Berico, a postdoctoral research fellow at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine and Perlmutter Cancer Centre, said: “Our study provides new evidence that transcription factor HOXD13 is a potent driver of melanoma growth and that it suppresses the T cell activity needed to fight the disease.”

Dr Hernando-Monge, a professor in the Department of Pathology and a senior investigator in the study, said separate clinical trials are already underway to evaluate the safety, dose tolerance, and effectiveness of inhibitor medications to fight melanoma and other cancers. Some of the trials combined one of the inhibitors with another form of existing immunotherapy – drugs that use the immune system to attack cancer.

“This data supports the combined targeting of angiogenesis and adenosine-receptor pathways as a promising new treatment approach for HOXD13-driven melanoma,” she said. For the study, researchers analysed tumours from over 200 melanoma patients living in the US Brazil, and Mexico to see what genetic pathways were elevated or suppressed, with HOXD13 among the ones that stood out in the results.

Further experiments in mice and human melanoma cell lines showed that HOXD13 also drove angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels by tumours – and evasion from the immune system. Tests involving inhibition of HOXD13, VEGF, and adenosine went on to show that HOXD13 was key to the cancer’s growth and survival.

What are the symptoms of melanoma skin cancer?

The main symptom of melanoma skin cancer is a new mole or an existing mole that changes in size, shape, or colour, according to the NHS. These may present in different shades of brown, black, red, or blue.

Key warning signs include moles with uneven edges, multiple colours, or those that are itchy, inflamed, or bleeding. You should make an appointment with your GP if you notice any unusual or changing spots on your skin.

In Britain, most skin cancer diagnoses – approximately 90% – are for non-melanoma skin cancer, which is usually caused by ultraviolet light. The main types are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining within the historically healthy range of the past few years.

Applications for jobless aid for the week ending Feb. 7 fell by 5,000 to 227,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s basically in line with the 226,000 new applications that analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet had forecast.

Filings for unemployment benefits are viewed as representative of U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

On Wednesday, the government reported that U.S. employers added a surprisingly strong 130,000 jobs in January and the unemployment rate fell to a still-low 4.3% from 4.4%. However, government revisions cut 2024-2025 U.S. payrolls by hundreds of thousands. That reduced the number of jobs created last year to just 181,000, a third of the previously reported 584,000 and the weakest since the pandemic year of 2020.

While weekly layoffs have remained in a historically low range mostly between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years, a number of high-profile companies have announced job cuts recently, including UPS, Amazon, Dow and the Washington Post in recent weeks.

Mounting layoff announcements in the past year, combined with the government’s own sluggish labor market reports, have left Americans increasingly pessimistic about the economy.

The Labor Department also recently reported that job openings fell in December to the lowest level in more than five years, another sign that the American labor market remains sluggish, even though the economy is registering solid growth.

Data over the past year has broadly revealed a labor market in which hiring has clearly slowed, hobbled by uncertainty raised by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the lingering effects of the high interest rates the Fed engineered in 2022 and 2023 to tamp down a spike of pandemic-induced inflation.

Economists are conflicted about whether the stronger-than-expected January job gains are a one-off or possibly the first sign of a recovering labor market, which could lead the Fed to further delay more cuts to its key interest rate.

Some Fed officials have specifically argued that last year’s weak hiring shows that borrowing costs are weighing on growth and discouraging companies from expanding. A sustained pickup in hiring could undercut that theory.

Fed officials signaled in December that they expect to reduce their key rate once more this year, while Wall Street investors expect two reductions, according to futures pricing.

Thursday’s unemployment benefits report from the Labor Department also showed that the four-week moving average of jobless claims, which balances out some of the weekly volatility, rose by 7,000 to 219,500.

The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the previous week ending Jan. 31 increased by 21,000 to 1.86 million, the government said.

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor’s cause of death has been confirmed at an emotional inquest, with heartbreaking testimonies from close friends and dance partners

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The cause of death for former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor was determined today following a three-day inquest.

A jury concluded the death was suicide after hearing the dancer was “vulnerable to rejection both emotionally and professionally.” Windsor was discovered dead at the Hoxton Hotel in Shepherd’s Bush, London, on February 19, 2024 at the age of 44.

The ex-Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer had a blood alcohol level more than double the drink-drive limit and had consumed the drug GBL. Following approximately two hours of deliberation, a 10-person jury established that Windsor had taken his own life, determining that the likely causes were “an accumulation of many attributes to depression”.

The jury forewoman informed the court: “Windsor suffered from childhood trauma, he was vulnerable to rejection, both emotionally and professionally.”

The jury also concluded that “loneliness, the lack of emotional maturity, the pressure of mounting debts, the lack of consistent mental health care and support and recurring heartache” were “contributing factors” to Windsor’s decision to take his own life, reports the Mirror.

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In a message to a close friend written before his death, Windsor stated: “This all actually really started when I lost my place on Strictly and I have been fighting it ever since.”

He wrote: “I had a good run, I’ve done some incredible things in my 44 years and had an unreal life doing what I loved, but all things must come to an end and my curtain has come down for the final time.”

A separate message addressed to former partner and actor Ollie Augstin, from whom Windsor had separated the previous year, stated “I need you to understand, this is not your fault!”.

The Latin and ballroom performer became part of Strictly in 2010, partnering with actresses Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson and Lisa Riley, alongside Dragons’ Den businesswoman Deborah Meaden across four series until 2013. A back injury prevented him from participating in the 2014 series and he wasn’t invited back in 2015, though he still featured in that year’s Christmas special, performing with TV presenter Alison Hammond.

Upon delivering the verdict, Coroner van Dellen addressed Mr Windsor’s family member present in court: “I hope the family can take some comfort from the joy Robin brought to so many people and the positive effect he had on so many people.”

The coroner continued, “That’s a wonderful legacy for Robin to leave.”

Van Dellen instructed jurors to establish how Windsor met his death.

“You will need to consider the extent to which matters or events probably more than minimally contributed to Robin’s mental health deterioration, which in turn led him to take his own life,” van Dellen explained.

Throughout the inquest, deeply moving evidence was provided by Windsor’s friends and professional associates, including his Strictly partners Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden, along with former Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff.

In evidence presented at Wednesday’s hearing, Emmerdale actress Riley revealed that Windsor’s “glow had gone” following his removal from Strictly. “It was from this moment, on to the time of his death, he kept slipping deeper and deeper into endless depression,” she explained.

The soap actress revealed that she and Windsor maintained a particularly strong bond that endured well beyond their stint together on the 10th series of Strictly.

“To say we hit it off was an understatement. We were joined at the hip. Robin was my rock, my best friend.”

Lisa revealed Robin would “tell me of times where he would not feel good enough”. Riley indicated that Windsor had faced difficulties in his love life, splashing out on expensive presents which left him “drowning in debt”.

“Robin was and always has been influenced by other men. It became a standing joke he would fall in love after three days. He craved to be loved. I warned him so many times he was covering up his true feelings with booze, parties, and recreational drugs.”

The court was also informed that Windsor had battled with his perception of his own appearance. “Body image played an enormous part in his insecurities. He took steroids for his body shape” Riley documented, noting that she felt the steroids amplified the impact of Windsor’s excessive alcohol consumption.

Her statement continued: “He opened up to me and told me of a time where he was molested by his old dance teacher.”

In a separate statement, entrepreneur and Dragon’s Den personality, Meaden, acknowledged that whilst Windsor “always did his best to present a bright and sunny face”, she had witnessed her dancing partner “tearful and distracted at times.”

Another witness, John Gleede, a pantomime performer, revealed that Windsor “seemed obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing” whilst working on a 2023 production of Aladdin, a decade after his departure from Strictly.

He explained: “During the rehearsal period he had a lot of time on his hands. He was sitting on the sidelines watching footage of strictly, the current series. He was looking at it on his phone continuously. He missed it dearly.”

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. In the UK & ROI, Samaritans are available on 116 123. In the US, call or text 988.

When the UK’s offensive chemical and biological weapons programmes were terminated in the 1950s, work at the high-security military research centre in Porton Down, Wiltshire switched to defensive strategies. These included developing chemicals for use in riot control and countermeasures to the evolving threat of chemical and biological weapons.

Before being tested on military personnel, potential riot control compounds had to go through an informal preliminary screening. According to a 2006 history of Porton Down published by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), this would sometimes involve laboratory staff “cautiously sniffing” new compounds in order to “eliminate the less promising ones”.

Today’s scientists working inside the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), which is headquartered at Porton Down, won’t be doing any sniff tests. But according to an anonymous whistleblower, Porton’s CEO, Paul Hollinshead, has warned that the laboratory needs to improve its health and safety record, or risk losing its operating licence.

The Guardian reported that an internal survey had raised widespread concerns about staff lacking the “resources to work safely”. The facility is now undergoing a major reorganisation, but a Porton spokesperson stressed to me that “any changes will protect and enhance its critical functions” – including working with government departments beyond the MoD.

A history of staff self-testing

My research with colleagues inside Porton Down found that between 1941 and 1989, staff took part in more than 1,300 tests of 78 different chemical and biological substances.

These included highly toxic nerve agents such as Tabun, vomiting agents including diphenylchlorarsine, and the blister-forming agent sulphur mustard. In the later decades, staff self-testing focused on pre-emptive therapies for nerve agent attacks, using drugs such as Pralidoxime.

Other historical accounts suggest Porton scientists were given great latitude to develop experiments – and join in with them too. One long-term staff member, Mark Ainsworth, described testing a new piece of equipment in the wound ballistics laboratory. Working in it was “heroic”, he wrote in 1976, as the machine would “charge itself up to 300,000 volts, then discharge itself randomly, turning [the testers] into nervous wrecks”.

In an echo of the recent whistleblower complaints, Ainsworth also revealed that he “swore at the management for not being more generous with staff deployment”.

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Inside Porton Down: what I learned during three years at the UK’s most secretive chemical weapons laboratory

During the cold war era, Porton scientists developed troop protection including nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) suits, respirators, and the triple-therapy “combo pen” for treating exposure to potentially deadly nerve agents.

These scientists would have been shocked to find products stemming from their research being used decades later, in March 2018, on civilian shoppers just a few miles down the road. Porton Down was a key part of the emergency response to a chemical weapons attack on UK soil when Novichok was used to try to kill former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter at their home in Salisbury.

Despite the aggressive toxicity of this nerve agent, neither died – partly thanks to Porton Down expertise that was shared with the emergency and health services involved in their care.

Three months later, however, another Salisbury resident, Dawn Sturgess, died after spraying herself with Novichok hidden in a discarded perfume bottle. Her partner Charlie Rowley was also exposed to the nerve agent, but survived.

Biosecurity risks

Insights into the secretive work carried out at Porton Down also come when its scientists’ work is published in academic literature. DSTL senior fellow Tim Atkins, for example, is among researchers leading the global response to Q fever and melioidosis – two potentially deadly bacterial diseases.

Porton also conducts research into the continuing response to COVID and other highly infectious pathogens such as Yersinia pestis (the bacterium that causes plague) and Ebola virus. The highest levels of biosecurity are therefore required to prevent outbreaks of disease against which the public would not be protected.

My experience of working inside Porton’s secure area between 2002 and 2008 was that entry to, and passage around, the site was strictly controlled. Machine gun-armed MoD police were stationed at the facility’s outer entry points and also guarded the secure inner area.

We were investigating risk of cancer and mortality in the approximately 20,000 service personnel who took part in tests at Porton Down between 1945 and 1989. While we found a small increased risk of mortality, it could not be attributed directly to Porton attendance. The last documented case of staff self-testing, in June 29 1984, involved 7-methoxy cycloheptatriene, a non-corrosive “irritant compound”.

One former senior staff member I spoke to recalled working at Porton as “stimulating” and “fun”, partly because of the freedom scientists were afforded to innovate. Such freedom may be a thing of the past – but the work inside this top-secret British laboratory remains as important to national security as ever.

According to the Porton Down spokesperson: “Our people remain the bedrock of DSTL, and their dedication has ensured that our performance this year is better than last … Through the largest reforms to defence in more than 50 years, we are strengthening our ability to anticipate and respond to evolving threats, including increasing our safety standard.”

Key senators and the families of the 67 dead in an airliner collision with an Army helicopter near the nation’s capital are convinced that advanced aircraft locator systems recommended by experts for nearly two decades would have prevented last year’s tragedy. But it remains unclear if a bill will pass Congress requiring the systems around busy airports.

The Senate Commerce Committee is planning a hearing Thursday to highlight why the National Transportation Safety Board has been recommending since 2008 that all aircraft be equipped with one system that can broadcast their locations and another one to receive data about the location of other aircraft. Only the system that broadcasts location is currently required. The hearing will review all 50 of the NTSB’s recommendations to prevent another midair collision like that of Jan. 29, 2025.

Everyone aboard the helicopter and the American Airlines jet flying from Wichita, Kansas, including 28 members of the figure skating community, died when the aircraft collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River.

The Senate already unanimously approved the bill that would require all aircraft flying around busy airports to have both kinds of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems installed. However, leaders of the key House committees seem to want to craft their own comprehensive bill addressing all the NTSB recommendations instead of immediately passing what’s known as the ROTOR act. The ADS-B out systems continually broadcast an aircraft’s location and speed and have been required since 2020. But ADS-B in systems that can receive those signals and create a display showing pilots were all air traffic is located around them are not standard.

If the American Airlines jet and the helicopter had also been equipped with one of the ADS-B in systems that can receive location data, the NTSB and the victims’ families and key lawmakers say, the pilots may have been able to avoid the collision.

The receiving systems would have provided more warning along with an indication of where the other aircraft was. But for that to work the helicopter’s ADS-B out system that’s supposed to broadcast its location would have to be turned on and working correctly, which wasn’t the case on the night of the crash.

Tragedy could have been prevented

These locator systems are one of the measures that might have been able to overcome all the systemic problems and mistakes the NTSB identified in the disaster. That’s why this requirement was endorsed by NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy — the only witness called to the hearing — Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and all of the Senate.

“This seems like a no-brainer, right? Especially when this is not a new thing that they’re proposing,” said Amy Hunter, whose cousin Peter Livingston died on the flight with his wife and two young daughters.

Afterward, the FAA made several changes including prohibiting helicopters from flying along the route where the crash happened whenever a plane is landing on the secondary runway at Reagan National Airport and requiring all aircraft to use their ADS-B out systems to broadcast their locations.

The crash anniversary and NTSB hearing on the causes of the crash have made recent weeks challenging for victims’ families. And now the Olympics are reminding Hunter and others that their loved ones — like young Everly and Alydia Livingston — will never have a chance to realize their dreams of competing for a gold medal.

Cost concerns for plane owners

The biggest stumbling block is cost. Upgrading some airline jets might cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more, placing an expensive burden on some — especially regional airlines with tighter profit margins like the one that flew the jet that collided with the Army helicopter. Some also worry whether general aviation pilots could afford the upgrades.

But some airlines have already begun to add the technology to their planes, partly because in addition to the safety benefits, the systems can help increase the number of planes that can fly into an airport by spacing them more precisely. American Airlines leads the industry, having added the technology to its Airbus A321s over the past several years, equipping more than 300 of its roughly 1,000 planes to date.

Any plane more than a decade old likely doesn’t have either of these systems installed. Most newer planes have at least an ADS-B out system that broadcasts their location.

But roughly three quarters of the pilots of business jets and smaller single-engine Cessnas and Bonanzas use portable devices that only cost several hundred dollars, made by companies like ForeFlight, that can tap into this location data and display the information about nearby aircraft on an iPad. So it doesn’t appear the legislation would create a significant expense for them.

Tim Lilley, a pilot himself, said having both these locator systems would have saved the life of his son Sam, who was copilot of the airliner, and everyone else who died. He said small plane owners have an affordable option, but even the expensive upgrades to large planes would be worth it.

“If those recommendations had been fully realized, this accident wouldn’t have happened,” Lilley said. “I don’t know what value we put on the human life, but 67 lives would still be here today.”

Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert team has also warned people of phrases to avoid

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When we receive a letter saying a contract for a household bill is ending, many providers rely on us doing nothing – even if prices rise sharply. Whether or not the cost-of-living squeeze has hit your household hard, nobody welcomes higher bills, and for those struggling, every single penny genuinely matters.

One effective strategy to dodge price hikes and trim costs is negotiation – something Martin Lewis consistently champions as worthwhile.

The Money Saving Expert (MSE) founder created his platform specifically to assist people in navigating financial challenges – and in one of their comprehensive guides, the website’s financial experts have compiled a list of powerful phrases that can help dramatically reduce your broadband and line rental costs. These tactics can prove equally effective for other household bills as well.

Once you are through to the retentions department. You should always be polite and never rude as anger won’t get you anywhere. Companies value loyal customers and this is what MSE are calling your “powerhouse weapon”.

The experts explain that when approaching the end of your contract, or already beyond it, informing the company of your intention to switch providers should trigger the ‘why are you leaving’ discussion. According to MSE, the retentions department represents the “Holy Grail of haggling” as these staff members possess the authority to offer substantial discounts, reports Bristol Live.

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So what phrases do I need to use?

The money experts say that if you are not happy with the small discounts you are being offered, you can use phrases which could lead to further bill slashing – and maybe even added bonuses.

They recommend trying:

• ‘I’ve worked out my budget, and my absolute max is £[insert amount here] a month…’
• ‘[BT/Sky/Virgin Media] can do it for less…’
• ‘I need to think about it…’
• ‘I think my other half/housemate/horse will go bonkers if I agree to pay that…’
• ‘It’s still a lot of money…’
• ‘Is that the very best you can do?’

Never do this…

MSE warns against accepting the initial offer presented to you. The likelihood is that it won’t be their most competitive deal.

They also urge consumers not to buckle under pressure. They point out that sales staff may try to push you towards accepting by insisting the offer is only valid for a ‘limited time only’.

However, don’t cave in and agree to any price or package until you’re completely satisfied it suits your needs. You can read more about broadband haggling on the moneysavingexpert.com website here.

53 Lloyds, 31 Halifax and 11 Bank of Scotland sites will close

Lloyds Banking Group has revealed it will be closing 95 branches across the UK as part of a new round of announced closures. Lloyds Bank, Halifax and Bank of Scotland are all part of the Lloyds Banking Group, and the closures will see a number of branches from each of these brands disappearing from the high street.

The group has revealed the branch closures will be taking place between May 2026 and March 2027, with 53 Lloyds, 31 Halifax and 11 Bank of Scotland sites shutting under the plans. Lloyds have not yet revealed how many staff members will be impacted by the closures, but all those who work at the branches will be offered a role at another branch or in another part of the business.

The move comes after Lloyds Banking Group announced in September that it would be shutting 49 of its branches. These sites are expected to all have closed by October.

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Once all of the group’s previously-announced closures are complete, Lloyds is expected to have 610 branches remaining.

But despite these closures, cash access network Link said 14 new locations will be receiving a banking hub in order to protect access to cash across the country. These banking hubs will be shared spaces that are operated by staff at different banks on different days, and will offer services including withdrawing and depositing cash as well as paying bills.

A spokeswoman for Lloyds said: “Customers want the freedom to bank in the way that works for them and we offer more choice and ways to manage money than ever before. From our leading apps and 24/7 messaging service to local banking options like our community bankers, PayPoint and access to all of our Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches, we’re giving our customers the flexibility to bank wherever and whenever they need us.”

Full list of Lloyds Banking Group closures

Lloyds Bank branch closures

• Aberdare, Wales – June 23
• Altrincham, Greater Manchester – June 9
• Birkenhead, Merseyside – June 8
• Birmingham Blackheath, West Midlands – June 10
• Birmingham Bordesley Green, West Midlands – June 16
• Birmingham Kingstanding, West Midlands – June 3
• Birmingham Maypole, West Midlands – June 4
• Bournemouth, Dorset – May 28
• Bristol Fishponds, Bristol – August 6
• Camberwell Green, Greater London – June 22
• Cardiff Victoria Park, Wales – June 3
• Cheapside, Grater London – June 1
• Clevedon, Somerset – March 15*
• Coalville, Leicestershire – June 23
• Crowborough, East Sussex – June 9
• Daventry, Northamptonshire – August 3
• Didcot, Oxfordshire – June 24*
• Ebbw Vale, Wales – March 15*
• Golders Green, Greater London – June 8
• Heswall, Merseyside – June 23*
• Hinckley, Leicestershire – June 10
• Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire – June 22
• Honiton, Devon – March 16*
• Horncastle, Lincolnshire – August 10
• Hull Ings Rd, East Yorkshire – June 15
• Kingswinford, West Midlands – June 22
• Lancaster, Lancashire – June 9
• Llangefni, Wales – June 16
• London Bridge, Greater London – June 3
• London Oxford Street 113-117, Greater London – May 27
• London Tottenham Court Rd, Greater London – May 27
• London Victoria, Greater London – May 27
• Longton, Staffordshire – March 17*
• Lymington, Hampshire – June 8
• Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire – June 15
• Newmarket, Suffolk – June 24*
• Norwich Aylsham Rd, Norfolk – June 2
• Redhill, Surrey – May 28
• Ringwood, Hampshire – June 23*
• Sevenoaks, Kent – June 18
• South Newington, Oxfordshire – June 10
• Southam, Warwickshire – June 9
• Staines, Surrey – June 1
• Streatham, Greater London – May 28
• Street, Somerset – March 15*
• Swansea Enterprise Park, Wales – July 2
• Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire – June 17
• Uttoxeter, Staffordshire – June 18
• Wareham, Dorset – June 16
• Wednesbury, West Midlands – March 16*
• West Byfleet, Surrey – June 1
• Wolverhampton Tettenhall, West Midlands – June 11
• Woodley, Berkshire – June 17

Halifax branch closures

• Armthorpe, South Yorkshire – March 17*
• Ashington, Northumberland – June 3
• Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester – June 1
• Beeston, Nottinghamshire – June 4
• Billingham, County Durham – June 4
• Bognor Regis, West Sussex – June 15
• Bramley, West Yorkshire – June 15
• Bridgend, Wales – June 11
• Cardiff Albany Road, Wales – June 11
• Chichester, West Sussex – June 1
• Chorley, Lancashire – June 24
• Croydon City, Greater London – June 25
• Cwmbran, Wales – June 2
• Didsbury, Greater Manchester – June 10
• Ellesmere Port, Cheshire – June 8
• Goole, East Yorkshire – June 17
• Greenford, Greater London – June 16
• Halesowen, West Midlands – June 17
• Hammersmith, Greater London – May 28
• Horsham, West Sussex – June 2
• Hunts Cross, Merseyside – June 8
• Islington Upper St, Greater London – May 27
• Mexborough, South Yorkshire – March 15*
• Shipley, West Yorkshire – June 9
• Skelmersdale, Lancashire – May 27*
• Southgate, Greater London – June 2
• Surrey Quays Shop Ctr, Greater London – June 2
• Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands – June 3
• Thornaby, North Yorkshire – June 17
• Torquay, Devon – July 9
• West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire – June 16

Bank of Scotland branch closures

• Benbecula – July 1
• Blairgowrie – June 18
• Bridge Of Don – June 10
• Broughty Ferry – June 15
• Garrowhill – June 4
• Haddington – June 11
• Kelso – June 18
• Lochgilphead – June 22
• Penicuik – June 4
• Rutherglen – June 11
• Stonehaven – June 18