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Millennials and Gen Z savers have until Sunday to use their £20,000 ISA allowance, with major changes to cash ISA limits coming from April 2027 reducing the amount to £12,000

Those born since 1981 are being urged to take note as a significant HMRC deadline approaches tomorrow. The average ISA held by a Baby Boomer — broadly defined as those born between 1946 and 1964 — now stands at £56,260, according to new data obtained by Bowmore Wealth Group via a Freedom of Information request to HMRC — nearly five times the £12,010 held by a typical Millennial — those born between 1981 and 1996.

The figures come to light as the current tax year draws to a close on Sunday, April 5, with ISA allowances resetting when the new year begins on Monday. Yet even Baby Boomers’ ISA savings are overshadowed by those of the “Silent Generation,” individuals born before 1946, who boast average ISA investments of £67,950.

One surprising finding, according to experts, was that Generation Z — those born between 1997 and 2012 — had average ISA investments of £8,690, not considerably lower than their Millennial counterparts.

Bowmore noted that this once again raised the frequently debated question of whether Millennials have set aside adequate savings. Many argue that Millennials have found it difficult to accumulate wealth comparable to earlier generations, owing to sluggish wage growth in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis, combined with soaring housing costs.

John Clamp, Chartered Financial Planner at Bowmore Financial Planning, said: “The data highlights a clear generational divide when it comes to ISA savings. While older generations have benefited from decades of compounding and consistent contributions, younger investors appear to be falling behind at a crucial stage in their financial journeys.

“Even relatively small, regular contributions can build significantly over time thanks to the tax advantages ISAs offer. For Millennials and Gen Z, engaging early with long-term saving and investing is key to narrowing this gap and improving financial resilience in the future.”

With regard to ISAs, savers currently benefit from a £20,000 annual allowance. This resets on the first day of the tax year, April 6, and any unused allowance is lost, reports the Mirror.

From April 2027, reforms introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves will mean that only £12,000 can be deposited into a cash ISA. While the overall ceiling will remain at £20,000, the remaining £8,000 up to the full £20,000 will need to be placed into a stocks and shares ISA.

For those with a greater appetite for risk, Bowmore advised that investing a portion of their capital into a stocks and shares ISA is worth considering.

Over the longer term, stocks and shares consistently deliver stronger returns than cash savings held in a cash ISA, the firm added.

John said: “The challenge for many investors is balancing short-term uncertainty with long-term opportunity.

“While holding cash can feel safer, it can also limit the growth potential of savings over time, particularly in an inflationary environment.

“For those able to take a longer-term view, introducing investment exposure through an ISA can be a powerful way to build wealth more effectively, especially when combined with regular contributions and a disciplined approach.”

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers were called to Breightmet at around 1.30pm on Friday (April 3) to reports of a young boy believed to be suffering a medical episode.

Emergency services rushed to Lenham Gardens and the boy was transferred to a hospital.

However, police have confirmed that the child died shortly after arriving at hospital.

GMP has added that there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances, with enquiries ongoing.

A spokesperson for GMP said: “At around 1.30pm yesterday, officers responded to reports of a four-year-old boy suffering from a suspected medical episode in the Breightmet area of Bolton.

“Emergency services immediately responded and despite their best efforts, the child sadly died shortly after in hospital.

“There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances and enquiries are currently taking place.”

Police were called to Lenham Gardens, Breightmet, at around 1.30pm to reports of the young child believed to be suffering a medical episode.

The boy was rushed to hospital, however police confirmed he died shortly after.

The boy suffered a medical episode in the early afternoon on Good Friday (Image: Newsquest)

Now, people in the community around Lenham Gardens have described their shock and sadness following the incident.

One person, who did not wish to be named, said emergency services arrived at the scene after 1pm and they were there for “about half an hour”.

He said: “I know the dad but I didn’t know the boy. It’s really, really sad.”

John Grimes, 47, described seeing the emergency services arriving and lots of commotion.

The incident was described as “really sad” by one resident (Image: Newsquest)

He said: “I saw the air ambulance landing in the field behind the estate, and there were people stood around – some were filming.

“The boy wasn’t breathing and ended up going in the road ambulance and that was the last I heard about it.”

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s really shocking and such a sad thing for the family.”

Greater Manchester Police said that there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances, with enquiries ongoing.

The community around Lenham Gardens has been left shocked by the incident (Image: Newsquest)

A statement from the force said: “At around 1.30pm yesterday, officers responded to reports of a four-year-old boy suffering from a suspected medical episode in the Breightmet area of Bolton.

“Emergency services immediately responded and despite their best efforts, the child sadly died shortly after in hospital.

“There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances and enquiries are currently taking place.”

With lodge and apartment accommodation, a big indoor subtropical-style pool and a wide range of paid activities, from cycling and climbing to watersports and spa treatments.

But now, things are set to change.

The company previously offered a crèche service for kids between three months and three years, for up to three hours.

The price was around £30 a session.

However, it has confirmed that this will no longer be offered at any of its five UK resorts by the end of next month.

Customers with upcoming bookings have discovered they can no longer book their kids in if their holiday is after the end of May, and the option has been removed across all of Center Parcs’ UK sites.

For many, it opened up the opportunity for parents to enjoy quality time together, or for grandparents to be let off the childcare hook.

A spokesperson for Center Parcs told Metro: “We’re always looking to review and evolve the guest experience. We have made the decision to remove the crèche activity from our breaks, to reflect guest feedback and limited demand for this particular activity.

“Crèche sessions are one of more than 20 activities available within our Activity Den and our other activities will continue to run as normal.”

What is a crèche service?

A crèche service is short‑term childcare where young children are looked after while their parents or carers do something else nearby (for example, working, studying, using a gym, attending an event or shopping).

It’s usually:

• Occasional and short‑duration – children are typically there for a couple of hours rather than full days, and it’s not necessarily the same children every day.
• Linked to a venue or activity – often attached to leisure centres, colleges, workplaces, conferences, weddings or community events so adults can take part while children are safely supervised.
• Supervised play, not full nursery education – staff provide a safe space, toys and activities, and meet basic care needs (nappies, drinks, comforting), but it’s generally more about short‑term care than structured early‑years education.

Depending on how long children stay, their ages, and whether parents remain on site, crèche services may need to be registered and inspected under local childcare regulations (for example by Ofsted or equivalent bodies).

Flying debris possibly leading to ‘injuries or danger to life’

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Power cuts warnings have been issued tonight as the Met Office say Storm Dave will “continue to deepen”, bringing heavy snow and gale-force winds to northern parts of the country. An amber weather warning for wind has been issued for parts of northern England, Scotland and Wales on Saturday evening, the Met Office added as it warned of flying debris possibly leading to “injuries or danger to life”.

The Met Office’s forecast said: “Storm Dave will continue to deepen as it moves north-eastwards. Heavy rain and snow will also bring some disruption.”

Gusts of wind of up to 66mph have been recorded in Capel Curig, north Wales, according to the forecaster. Meanwhile, the Energy Networks Association (ENA) – which represents electricity network operators – has warned of potential power cuts and issued safety advice following the weather warnings.

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It said in a statement on Saturday: “The storm has the potential to affect local power infrastructure, increasing the risk of a power cut and fallen power lines. Network operators are increasing staffing for operational teams, and moving spare equipment to where the weather is expected to be most disruptive, so it’s ready to use if needed.”

The ENA shared advice for how to prepare for the severe weather, including to keep a torch ready and to boil water and keep it in a Thermos in case the power goes out.

The statement added: “You can call 105 for free in England, Scotland and Wales to report power cuts and receive updates. Remember, during power cuts, modern internet-powered landlines and mobile masts might not work.

“If you see damaged power lines or lines brought down over the coming days, stay well clear and call 105 for free to report it, or dial 999 if there’s an immediate danger to life. Make sure your neighbours are okay, especially if they’re elderly or vulnerable.”

Parts of Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Northumberland, north Wales and Scotland are covered by the amber warning, which comes into effect at 7pm on Saturday and is due to remain in place until 3am on Sunday. Up to 30 centimetres of snow could fall, as the Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning in Scotland for heavy snow and blizzards causing some travel and power disruption.

Greg Dewhurst, a Met Office meteorologist, said: “There is cold air across Scotland at the moment and, as the rain pushes across this afternoon, it is going to turn to snow. We’ll see heavy snow forming across parts of the Highlands as we go through the rest of the afternoon into the evening time and early hours, as much as 20 to 30 centimetres could fall over the higher ground, and five to 10 centimetres over lower ground.”

Those driving in the areas covered by the weather warning have been urged to check their journeys before setting off. Network Rail Scotland said the worst affected lines would be on the Ayrshire coast, the East Coast Main Line and in the north-east.

Proposals were initially submitted last year by Sunderland City Council to its own planning department for the land at Sheepfolds Industrial Estate, which is earmarked for major transformation under regeneration plans.

In August, SAFC owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus confirmed the club was lodging a formal objection to the original plans, which he said could have “catastrophic operational consequences” for the club and the Stadium of Light.

The ground was built with scope to extend the stadium to a potential 63,000 capacity by extending the top tier around the entire bowl and the club has already submitted a pre-application notification for re-development and extension of the South Stand.

Stadium Of Light Credit: LDRS

Hundreds of objections were also lodged by residents over the application.

However, in February, the club and council confirmed a new and adapted plan for 450 homes had been submitted, which alleviated the previous concerns thanks to the inclusion of a larger “buffer zone” around the stadium.

A statement from SAFC said they “look forward to seeing the proposals progress through the planning process”.

At the latest meeting of the city council’s economic prosperity scrutiny committee, an update was given on when a decision will be made on the proposals.

Neil Guthrie, council director of development and property, said the application, which includes outline permission for a site masterplan featuring 450 homes, is “due to be determined by the planning committee on the 23rd of April”.

CGI image showing how the new residential community at Sheepfolds could look Credit CREO / SCC

The proposals also include consent for a programme of site remediation work.

He added that, subject to the outline consent being granted, a more detailed reserved matters application to allow construction of phase one of the residential development, which would provide more than 100 homes, is expected to be submitted in May.

This would be delivered by Vistry Group and would be on land immediately to the south of the Housing Innovation and Construction Skills Academy.

Meanwhile in the south east corner of the Sheepfolds site the council is developing proposals for a new mobility hub featuring car parking, EV charging, cycle storage and other services.

Mr Guthrie added designs are being finalised and a planning application for that is again due to be submitted in May.

If you can’t get enough of BBC hit The Capture, starring Holliday Grainger, then we’ve got just the series for you to binge in the meantime. 

Season 3 of the high-intensity drama hit our screens last month – but with episodes dropping weekly, you might be left with a thriller-shaped hole in your life the other six nights of the week. 

Fear not, for we have you covered! 

Homeland is on Channel 4’s free streaming service and shares some key elements with The Capture, making it a must-watch for fans of the BBC thriller. 

In a thread on Reddit, 10thisisathr0waway10 agreed that the shows are ‘very similar’. 

Both series explore themes of surveillance, technology, and conspiracy, and like with Rachel Carey (Holliday) in The Capture, Homeland has a strong female investigator at its core. 

Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes, is a determined CIA officer whose instincts propel forward key investigations throughout the eight seasons. 

Series one sees Mathison become suspicious that Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a US Marine who has returned home after seven years missing in action, has been radicalised by terrorist group al-Qaeda and poses a threat to the country’s security. 

It premiered in 2011 and was a huge hit with audiences. 

Season one boasts a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, with rave review from viewers like Pham L who said: ‘The plot is gripping and the acting is excellent. Not a single moment feels overdramatic. 

‘It’s probably the best show I’ve watched in the past five years, especially if you’re interested in the complexities of US-Middle East relations in today’s world.’ 

Roberto D said that the show was his ‘favourite series of all time’. They went on: ‘There’s something truly special about it – a depth, an energy, a tension that never fades, even after eight seasons.’ 

Matt S agreed: ‘This show is one of the best ever! It never gets boring and I’ve lost so much sleep because of it.’ 

The series ran until 2020, until it eventually concluded for good.  

Aside from Damian and Claire, you might also recognise actors like Timothée Chalamet, Mandy Patinkin and David Harewood, to name a few. 

Homeland is available to stream on Channel 4.

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Durham Police say the major A-road will be inaccessible to high-sided vehicles at 7pm and all other vehicles at 9pm between Bowes and Brough tonight (Saturday, April 4) due to the storm.

The Met Office has warned of “disruptive and potentially damaging winds” that could reach 60mph from 7pm on Saturday evening to 3am in the early hours of Sunday.

The amber weather warning covering the North East. (Image: MET OFFICE)

An amber weather warning is also in place and extends across the region as the storm is set to hit the North East from 6pm.

A police spokesperson said: “The A66 Trans-Pennine between Bowes and Brough will be closed both ways from 9pm this evening (April 4) owing to Storm Dave – this is due to the high wind gusts – it will likely close to high sided vehicles sooner due to the same.

“It is worth checking ahead of any scheduled journeys as Storm Dave is likely to cause transport related issues over the next couple of days.”

Initially, the region was placed under a yellow alert but the Met Office now says flying debris could cause a danger to life, power cuts may occur and buildings may be damaged.

Motorists have been advised to drive slower in the blustery conditions, people have been urged to stay indoors and those living along the coast are warned to stay away from large waves.

Met Office deputy chief forecaster, Tom Crabtree, added: “Storm Dave will form and rapidly deepen on Saturday as it approaches the UK from the west.

“By Saturday afternoon winds will strengthen significantly, with gusts of 60-70mph expected at times across parts of Scotland with the potential for gusts of 80-90mph in exposed coastal locations in Scotland.

“Gusts of 50-60mph are likely more widely in northern Britain.

“As well as strong winds, Storm Dave will also bring heavy snowfall over the hills in northern Scotland where up to 10-20cm of snow could accumulate.

“Along with the strong winds this will lead to blizzard conditions.

“Elsewhere there will be heavy spells of rain as the system moves through eastwards across the UK.”