The Winter Fuel Payment, or Pension Age Winter Heating Payment as it’s known in Scotland, provides up to £300 to help older people cover heating bills. While most eligible pensioners receive the payment automatically, some must submit a claim before the cut-off date of March 31, 2026.

With the deadline looming, pensioners and their families are being urged to check eligibility, confirm payment details, and ensure no support is left unclaimed.

How to claim a missing Winter Fuel Payment

You can claim Winter Fuel Payment by post – just fil in a Winter Fuel Payment claim form and send it to the Winter Fuel Payment Centre.

Winter Fuel Payment Centre
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 1LR

Or you can call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre to claim by phone.
Telephone: 0800 731 0160

Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.

Before you call, you will need to know:

• your National Insurance number
• your bank or building society details
• the date you were married or entered into a civil partnership (if appropriate)

For pensioners with a taxable income of more than £35,000, the Government said the payment will be taken back through the tax system during in the 2026/27 financial year.

What other help is available for pensioners this winter?

Amid rising living costs, it’s worth accessing every form of support available.

There’s a full guide to the help available here.

Warm Home Discount

The Warm Home Discount has been expanded this winter, meaning 6 million households will receive £150 off their energy bills this winter.

Around 2.7 million extra households should have received £150 off their energy bills, bringing up the number to 6 million in total – including 900,000 families with children and a total of 1.8 million households in fuel poverty.

Who is eligible for the Warm Home Discount?

Those on means-tested DWP benefits, including:

• Housing Benefit 
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) 
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) 
• Income Support 
• Pension Credit (Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit) 
• Universal Credit

For the vast majority of recipients, £150 will be automatically deducted from their energy bill.

DWP Cold Weather Payment

This £25 a week grant aims to help people with their heating bills when temperatures drop to zero. It is paid out by the Department for Work and Pensions to eligible households whenever the average temperature in the area drops to freezing or below for seven consecutive days.

It’s organised by postcodes, and payments are triggered if zero temperatures are either forecast or recorded between November 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026.

It only runs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there’s a one-off Winter Heating Payment of nearly £60.

£150 off energy bills in 2026

In the autumn budget, Rachel Reeves announced all households would get £150 off their energy bills in 2026. Confusingly, this is separate from the Warm Home Discount, and eligible bill-payers will get both.

Occupational discounts

Dave Crawley, Finance Director at Discounts for Teachers and Health Service Discounts, said many former public sector workers are unaware they remain entitled to substantial savings even after retirement.

“Amid ongoing conversations about the rising cost of living and the support available to pensioners through DWP benefits, it’s important to highlight the additional help that retired NHS and education professionals can access,” he says.

“Many people don’t realise that even after leaving the workforce, they remain eligible for thousands of exclusive discounts through Health Service Discounts and Discounts for Teachers.

Our platforms are completely free to use and offer real, meaningful savings on everyday essentials, travel, leisure, and more, helping former healthcare and education staff stretch their pensions further at a time when every pound matters.”

Friends have shared how ‘everything changed’ in an instant for the Prince and Princess of Wales

Prince William’s heartbreak and battle behind closed doors over his wife’s cancer diagnosis has been uncovered for the first time, with friends sharing how “everything changed” in an instant for the couple.

Kate, the Princess of Wales, is now in remission after being diagnosed with cancer in 2024. The diagnosis came after she was admitted to the London Clinic for major abdominal surgery. After the operation, she spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and was recuperating at home when she received the diagnosis of cancer and began chemotherapy.

After stepping away from royal duties to undergo treatment and recuperate, Kate has more recently been carrying out more regular engagements after slowly easing back into her public royal duties over the past year and a half.

It’s now been revealed how both William and Kate tackled the unexpected card they had been dealt, which came as an added blow following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.

In a new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, which is being serialised by the Mirror, the publication’s Royal Editor Russell Myers writes: “While the start of the year usually represents a gentle beginning to the royal calendar, 2024 was about to change all that.

“William was left in an extraordinary position. Suddenly, with three children to care for at home and no live-in staff at their Adelaide Cottage home, and with his wife and father in hospital, his future was looking decidedly different. When the Princess of Wales entered hospital on 16 January, and was then ghosted out two weeks later to disappear completely from public view for potentially months on end, it created an incredible vacuum of information.

“When Catherine went in, he was fairly resolute,’ said a close aide. ‘They both very calmly told the children what was going on and how long Catherine would need to be away for, but explained other than that everything would continue as normal and when she came home, she would need to rest up for a bit.’”

Russell continues: “Catherine was able to keep in touch with her family through video calls from her bedside, catching up on what George, Charlotte and Louis had been doing at school and asking if ‘Papa’ had been able to cook for them while she had been away.

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“At that time it seemed to all be perfectly in hand, they were the calmness in the storm certainly. But away from the children he was of course incredibly pensive. His father’s illness brought into focus just how quickly his life, and that of his family as well as the whole landscape of the institution, could change very quickly.”

The book continues to detail the moment Kate, with William by her side, was given the news, and her decision to share her diagnosis publicly. “Two weeks before that moment on a warm spring afternoon in March when she had sat down to pose for a photograph with her family, Catherine had been contacted by her medical team at the London Clinic,” Russell writes.

“With William by her side, the Princess of Wales, who had previously been in for a major, yet routine abdominal operation, was told that secondary tests had shown cancer was present. The advice was an immediate course of preventative chemotherapy in order to give her the best chance of a full recovery.

“Friends of Catherine say that although she was caught completely in shock, she remained composed. Her first thoughts were of her children and her husband. William, according to friends, later told how he was in ‘a state of disbelief’. First his father had been diagnosed with cancer, and a month later his wife was now facing a similar challenge. Catherine called her parents and her siblings to tell them, then she and William resolved to gather the children and impart what they knew in the best and most positive way possible.”

Russell says that Catherine had already decided to release a personal statement after seeing the “positivity and warmth that had greeted the King when he had been so open about his own diagnosis”.

He continues: “More than that, though, the princess believed that her experience could benefit others in similar distressing circumstances. Catherine’s family rallied round, with her sister Pippa helping to write the script for the short video statement.

“Dressed in a simple striped jumper and jeans, sitting on a wooden bench and surrounded by a serene spring backdrop of daffodils – a world away from the disgraceful chaos peddled by faceless social media trolls – Catherine calmly described how the diagnosis had come as a ‘huge shock’ on top of an’incredibly tough couple of months for our entire family’.

“The message, recorded in complete secrecy by a BBC special events team, was broadcast on the 6pm national news and online. Much like the announcement of the death of Elizabeth II, it felt like an earthquake whose reverberations were felt around the world. ‘The days beforehand were filled with shock, but at that moment, it was genuinely as if the world stood still’, said a senior courtier.

“‘Everyone knew it was a huge moment. It was incredibly emotional. But to know both she and William had had to prepare themselves to tell their three young children that Mummy was ill and would have to go back to hospital, but that she would be OK, was just extraordinary’.”

A close friend also spoke of the prince’s reaction. “It was like being hit by a bus, sudden, brutal, and completely disorienting. One moment life was normal, and the next, everything changed. He worships her, truly. She’s his world, and when the diagnosis came, it was as if the ground beneath him vanished.

“He talked about the rug being pulled, but it was more than that, it was heartbreak, fear and helplessness all at once. Watching him go through it was deeply emotional. You could see it in his eyes; in the way he held himself. But through it all, his devotion to her never wavered. He’s been by her side every step, and the depth of his devotion is something that stays with you. It’s love in its rawest, most powerful form.”

Discussing how William tackled his wife’s ill health, Russell writes: “The Prince of Wales took charge of the school drop-offs, while Catherine’s parents and siblings were regular visitors to the family home in Windsor. Quiet evening dinners were enjoyed at home, playdates were organised to keep the children entertained and there were weekends away at the Middletons’ family home in Berkshire – all part of enveloping George, Charlotte and Louis with as much love and support as possible. While the children benefited from having their mum at home all the time, the road of treatment and recovery was not simple.

“Once the initial shock of her diagnosis had passed, the schedule of regular hospital appointments and the time needed to recuperate and regain enough strength to start each week, both physically and mentally, took its toll. ‘Throughout everything thrown at her, she was incredibly upbeat’, a friend said.”

William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, published on 26 February by Ebury, Penguin Random House, is available to pre-order now

The man ‘collided with a stationary police van’ after coming off his pedal cycle

A man has died in Liverpool after coming off his bike during an attempted police stop yesterday (February 13). Merseyside Police confirmed today (February 14) the rider died following the incident at around 3.15pm on Back Falkner Street South in Liverpool‘s Georgian Quarter.

A spokesperson for the force said he was rushed to hospital after the attempted police stop.

On Saturday lunchtime, a large-scale police presence remained on the road where the crash took place. A police cordon was still in place at the scene of the incident, alongside a forensics tent and a number of police and forensics officers at work.

Earlier on Saturday police issued a statement urging the public not to speculate, and stating the man, who was 23, had been taken to hospital. A later statement, released at 1.49pm, confirmed he had died, the ECHO reports.

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In that later statement, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that a man involved in an incident on Back Falkner Street South in Liverpool yesterday, Friday 13 February, has sadly died.

“At 3.15pm it was reported that a 23-year-old man had come off his electrically assisted pedal cycle on Back Falkner Street South in Liverpool following an attempt by officers, who were taking part in a proactive police operation, to stop him and carry out enquiries.”

This statement, and the one issued earlier on Saturday, then added: “The man came off his bike after making contact with a police van, which was stationary at the time of the collision.”

However, in a 3.15pm update on Saturday, police issued a clarification to this “in conjunction with the IOPC”, which said: “After coming off his pedal cycle the man collided with a police van, which was stationary at the time.”

The statement added: “First aid and CPR was administered by officers at the scene. An ambulance was called and arrived at 3.23pm and the man was taken to hospital where he died a short time later. A post-mortem will be carried out to confirm the cause of death. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family.

“We would continue to urge people not to speculate and avoid sharing rumours or misinformation. We are co-operating fully with an independent investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).”

On Friday Arriva North West advised customers that bus services were diverted as a result of the police incident.

The company posted on X: “Due to a police incident, services 201 and 699 have been diverted via Crown Street and Oxford Street in both directions. Please allow extra time for your journey.”

New research from Halfords shows three per cent of motorists have skipped their MOT in the past year, equating to around 1.2 million vehicles.

The figures show an increasing trend among younger drivers, with six per cent of Gen Z admitting to missing their MOT, double the national average.

This rises to eight per cent of Gen Z drivers who confessed to having ever skipped an MOT, in comparison to three per cent of Gen X and two per cent of baby boomers.

The research also found men are more than twice as likely to skip MOTs than women.

What can fail an MOT test?

Why do drivers skip their MOT? 

There are a variety of reasons motorists claim for skipping an MOT. Over a third who did (36%) say they simply forgot it was due. 

Meanwhile over a quarter (27%) purposefully skipped it due to the cost of the MOT itself. A further quarter (25%) chose to skip because of struggles with motoring costs in general. 

The wider cost of living appears to be a factor – 61% of the British population reported they’ve experienced an increase in the cost of living meaning the situation may be getting worse. 

This could also contribute to the situation deteriorating – more than four in ten (42%) motorists currently say they are concerned about affording their next MOT. 

Of them, 69% report they are worried about unexpected repairs costs that might arise during an MOT and 50% are concerned about being able to afford it in light of the rising cost of living.

MOT’s are an annual legal requirement to ensure vehicles meet safety and environmental standards. Those without an MOT are potentially dangerous, putting both the driver, their passengers, and other road users in danger. Not having an MOT can also carry fines of up to £1,000, six points in a license and invalidate insurance. 

Halfords Motoring Expert Andy Turbefield says: “Many people are feeling the squeeze financially, but skipping your MOT is a false economy.

“It can actually lead to greater financial burden if you get fined and if you were to crash your vehicle and a lack of an MOT invalidates your insurance, you could be out of pocket for far more. 

“MOT failures are often a result of low-cost issues such as a blown bulb or even low screenwash.”

How you can avoid MOT fines

Find out when your MOT is due

As soon as your car hits three years-old, it will need an MOT before its birthday each year.

You can easily check when your MOT is due using your number plate on GOV.UK.

You can undertake your MOT test up to a month (minus a day) before its expiry date while still preserving its annual due date.

Set up a reminder

Simply set a reminder on your email calendar – or in Great Britain, you can sign up online to get a free text or email reminder one month before your vehicle’s MOT is due.

In Northern Ireland you’ll get a letter in the post seven weeks before your MOT is due.

Create a car contingency account

Cars are expensive – there’s no denying that – and MOTs can throw up unexpected repair costs in order to pass.

It’s a good idea to set up a car contingency savings account; putting aside a little each month to spread the costs and make sure you can afford any unexpected nasty surprises.

Shop around for your MOT

Just as you should shop around for a cheaper premium on your car insurance, you can also compare prices for your MOT.

The maximum price of an MOT is £54.85 for a car and £29.65 for a standard motorcycle.

But many garages will offer it cheaper than this – especially if bought in conjunction with your regular servicing.

Busy Bees has announced 10 new apprenticeship roles across its nurseries in Sunderland, part of a wider push to bring 500 new apprentices into the organisation nationwide.

The roles will be based at Busy Bees centres in Sunderland Doxford, Ashbrooke, Cleadon, Fulwell, and Ryhope Village.

Emma Langford, European People Director at Busy Bees, said: “Our apprenticeship programme reflects the culture we’re so proud of at Busy Bees – one that is rooted in investing in our people and nurturing future talent.

“We welcome ambitious individuals who want to build a career in early years while making a meaningful difference to children’s lives.

“Our apprentices play a vital role in shaping children’s formative years, and we’re incredibly proud of their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to supporting children’s learning and development.”

Apprentices will work towards Level 2, 3, or 5 qualifications in childcare and education, gaining hands-on experience in the nursery environment.

Successful candidates will be offered a permanent role following completion of the programme and will benefit from employee perks including enhanced family leave, discounted childcare, and pay rates above the National Minimum Wage.

Apprentices will also contribute to delivering Busy Bees’ Bee Curious curriculum, which has been designed to feed children’s natural curiosity and foster a lifelong love of learning.

Emily Mellors, who recently achieved her Level 2 in Childcare and joined Busy Bees as an apprentice in September 2024, said: “I chose to do an apprenticeship at Busy Bees as I’ve always had a passion for working with children since I was a little girl.

“I love watching the children grow in confidence and come into a happy setting.

“I recommend doing an early years apprenticeship because it gives you hands-on experience from the very start, helping you build real skills while you learn.

“It also helps you grow in confidence, communication, and responsibility early on, while earning and gaining a qualification at the same time.

“An apprenticeship can open doors to long-term career opportunities and gives you a strong foundation for working in early years or progressing into further education later on.

“I’m excited to keep on developing my skills with Busy Bees and giving children the best start in life.”

The company currently has more than 1,100 apprentices in training across more than 357 nurseries and has been named among the top five employers in The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2025.

For more details, visit www.busybeeschildcare.co.uk/working-at-busy-bees.

Sir Alex Ferguson is hailed as the most successful manager to ever grace the Premier League, with a legacy at Manchester United that will likely never be beaten

Sir Alex Ferguson sealed his legendary status as Manchester United manager with one last Premier League victory in the 2012/13 campaign. During his near three-decade reign at Old Trafford, the Scottish boss secured an extraordinary trophy haul.

Following his announcement to leave the club in May 2013, Ferguson guided United to another Premier League crown and secured Champions League qualification. The Red Devils finished 11 points clear of nearest challengers Manchester City and suffered just five defeats across the entire campaign.

During his final interview with Sky Sports, the manager fielded questions on a range of topics. However, two points in particular caught my attention regarding today’s football landscape.

At the time, the reporter asked why Wayne Rooney wasn’t included in either the starting XI or on the substitutes’ bench. Ferguson responded with remarkable honesty, admitting that the United legend had asked to leave – and even explained the reasoning behind Rooney’s choice.

READ MORE: Man Utd ready to rival Arsenal for blockbuster Sandro Tonali transfer this summerREAD MORE: Bryan Mbeumo makes telling comment about Man Utd under ex-boss Ruben Amorim

Ferguson said: “I don’t think Wayne was keen to play simply because he’s asked for the transfer.

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“I think he wants to think it through in his mind, I think that’s a good idea. We’re not going to let him go and I think he’s maybe just a little bit frustrated [after] being taken off once or twice in the last few weeks.”

Such stark honesty would be unthinkable in today’s Premier League, where managers typically shield their players by keeping transfer matters tightly under wraps. Yet it appears Ferguson’s influence at Old Trafford endured long after his 2013 departure, as Rooney remained at Manchester United until 2017 – a full four years later.

Sir Alex also made another startling allegation about the club “leaking” sensitive information. This concerned his planned retirement being made public before any official statement.

When questioned about the months-long delay in announcing his exit – despite making the decision over Christmas – Ferguson explained he’d hoped to maintain secrecy for as long as possible. However, after informing relatives and his playing squad on the Tuesday, whispers started spreading.

The United legend said: “Unfortunately there were rumours going around on Tuesday [but] wherever it comes from, you never know. Our club’s a sieve, stuff leaks out and it shouldn’t leak out but we then started to speed it up a bit.”

This pattern has persisted throughout United’s history, with an internal investigation opened just weeks ago in January 2026 to identify those responsible for current breaches. The investigation was triggered after the starting line-up was ‘leaked’ to journalists hours before the club’s 2-0 derby victory against City.

Ferguson’s reputation at United remains virtually untouchable, considering his extraordinary achievements during his tenure. However, in his farewell address as manager of one of England’s most decorated sides, he didn’t hold back from delivering some stark realities.

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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package

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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.

Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games this season, an increase of up to 100 more.

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According to the Met Office snow and ice are likely across Bolton, Bury and the rest of the North West from 9pm on the evening of Saturday February 14.

A yellow weather warning is set to be in place up to 10am on the morning of Sunday February 15.

A Met Office statement said: “Snow, heavy at times, may cause some disruption to travel, especially over high ground during Saturday night and Sunday morning.”

It added: “Outbreaks of rain spreading eastwards on Saturday night will fall as snow initially, even to low levels for a time, before becoming confined to higher ground as milder air arrives from the west.

“Temporary snow accumulations of 1-3 cm will be possible at low levels, with 3-7 cm possible above about 150 m elevation, and perhaps 10-15 cm above 400 m.

“Areas sheltered to the north of high ground may see very little snow. Ice will be an additional hazard, particularly across northeast England and parts of Scotland where precipitation has the potential to fall on frozen ground leading to very slippery conditions.

“Snow will turn increasingly to rain into Sunday morning, perhaps as a short spell of freezing rain in places, before eventually clearing to the east with a steady thaw of lying snow then setting in.”

England captain Harry Kane has reached 500 career goals after scoring twice for Bayern Munich in a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.

Kane scored his ninth penalty of the season in the 22nd minute before doubling Bayern’s lead with a shot from the edge of the box to take his tally for the season to 41 goals. His record for the German giants now stands at 126 goals in 131 games.

And that second strike was the 500th of Kane’s career, meaning the former Tottenham striker reaches the milestone in 743 games for both club and country, and just over 15 years on from his first professional goal – for Leyton Orient against Sheffield Wednesday as a 17-year-old in January 2011.

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According to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), Kane is the 27th man to score 500 goals in official games at the highest level of football, reports The Athletic.

This puts him alongside legends such as Cristiano Ronald (961), Lionel Messi (896), Pele (762) and Romario (756), with Kane perhaps expecting to surpass the likes of Uwe Seeler (552 ) and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (561).

Over half of Kane’s goals so far have come for Tottenham Hotspur – with the 32-year-old having netted 280 times for Spurs – while a further 78 have come in an England shirt, with the current captain having moved to the top of his nation’s all-time top scorer list.

During his career, Kane has finished as the top scorer in the World Cup, the Premier League (three times), the Bundesliga (twice so far), the Champions League (joint-top in 2023/24) and the 2024 European Championship (joint-top), while he is also England’s top scorer in major tournaments, with 15 goals.

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Kane’s highest-scoring seasons saw him net 52 goals in both 2017/18 and 2023/24, though with the England striker having netted 46 already this season – and with a World Cup and the rest of the season to come – he is set to surpass that tally soon.

His latest brace against Werder Bremen helped Bayern to maintain their six-point lead over rivals Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga, and the Bavarians can move nine points clear next week as they face Eintracht Frankfurt before Dortmund take on RB Leipzig later in the day.

In an email to staff, which has been seen by BBC Scotland News, Brewdog said: “AlixPartners are specialists in business performance and transformation, and they will work alongside the leadership team in the coming weeks to evaluate options and make recommendations, including assessing the next phase of investment in the business.

Lumley Castle, located in Chester-le-Street and owned by the Earl of Scarbrough, dates back to the 14th century and has a storied past.

Originally a manor house, it was converted into a castle by Sir Ralph Lumley in 1389 after returning from military campaigns in Scotland.

Following his involvement in a plot against Henry IV, Sir Ralph was executed, and his lands were seized, though they were later returned to his grandson, Thomas Lumley, in 1421.

Lumley Castle is set to host a two day music festival in September. (Image: LUMLEY CASTLE)

King James I of England was among its most notable visitors, staying there briefly in 1603 on his journey from Edinburgh to London to claim the English throne.

The castle later became the residence of the Bishop of Durham in the 19th century after Bishop Van Mildert donated Durham Castle to the newly established University of Durham.

Lumley Castle served as a hall of residence for University College, Durham, with first-year students—known as Castlemen—living there before moving to Durham Castle for the remainder of their studies.

The castle was eventually sold in the 1960s by University College, with proceeds used to build new student accommodation closer to the university’s main site.

In the 1970s, Lumley Castle was transformed into a hotel, now boasting more than 70 rooms, and with a reputation as one of the most haunted sites in County Durham.

One legend claims the castle is haunted by a 14th-century lady of the manor who was thrown into a well for refusing to convert to Catholicism.

Reports of paranormal activity gained international attention in 2005 when the Australian cricket team stayed at the castle during the Ashes test.

The castle hosted Australia during the 2005 Ashes. (Image: LUMLEY CASTLE)

Belinda Dennett, Australia’s media officer at the time, told The Sun: “I saw ghosts.

“I swear I’m telling the truth.

“Several of the players were uneasy, although a lot of them in the morning said they were fine but maybe they were just trying to be brave.

“I looked out of the window and saw a procession of white people walking past.

“It was amazing, very scary.

“Then I returned to bed and the blind went up again—and there was someone looking in through the window.

“I know I wasn’t dreaming because I wrote down the message from my phone and the time.

“Certainly, when I started to tell my story, a lot of them didn’t want to know the details.”

Australian cricketer Shane Watson was reportedly so frightened he slept on teammate Brett Lee’s floor – England player Darren Gough later mocked him on the field by pretending to be a ghost and sneaking up on him.

Darren Gough mocked Australian cricketer Shane Watson by pretending to be a ghost. (Image: PA)

This is not the first time visiting sports teams have been unnerved; in 2000, three members of the West Indies squad reportedly also left the castle early after hearing unexplained noises during the night.

Lumley Castle will soon add another chapter to its history as it prepares to host Opulence, its first-ever music festival, on September 4 and 5.

Daz Flatman, operations manager at ATA Events, said: “We didn’t want to do something that was just another show in a field, we wanted a spectacular location where we could stage something unique.”