Changes from April will halve the additional payment for new Universal Credit claimants with severe health conditions, as a Nottingham MP warns reforms must not become a ‘cost-cutting exercise’

A DWP minister has admitted that forthcoming changes to Universal Credit may “sound a bit hard” as a Nottingham MP asks the government not to exacerbate people’s difficulties.

From April, alterations will reduce by half the amount received by new Universal Credit claimants with severe health conditions.

The government says this is part of a wider package of measures designed to encourage the 2.8 million individuals unable to work due to illness or disability back into employment.

However, a Nottingham Labour MP who previously opposed her government’s welfare plans argues that its reforms should not merely be a “cost-cutting exercise.”

Stephen Timms, the Minister for Social Security and Disability, visited Mansfield on Thursday (February 19) to observe a service that has assisted over 500 disabled individuals into work in recent years.

At an employability conference at Portland College, Sir Stephen stated that the previous approach had essentially seen the DWP “abandon” those unable to work due to illness or disability.

Speaking to NottinghamshireLive, the minister said: “There’s 2.8 million people – far, far too many people at the moment – out of work because of a health problem or disability and we know that hundreds of thousands of those people would love to be in a job, so we are determined to make that aspiration possible.”

In addition to the standard Universal Credit allowance, those with severe health conditions preventing them from certain work activities receive an extra £423 a month.

One of the government’s changes will mean that from April, new claimants will only receive half of that amount.

The government says the benefit reduction will be accompanied by a rise in the standard Universal Credit allowance and a £1 billion package of employment support – including 1,000 work coaches being allocated in Job Centres, a Connect to Work scheme expanding to the East Midlands from next month and a Work Well programme linking the NHS into employment support coming to Nottinghamshire in November.

When questioned whether the benefits changes would be too drastic, Sir Stephen said: “It won’t be a cliff edge because anyone who’s in the old system at the moment will stay in there, they won’t have their benefit cut.

“It’ll be new people coming in who will find that the the lower premium is available for them.

“We’ll be matching that with the Pathways guarantee that they will get serious personalised support for moving back to work.”

Nottingham East’s Labour MP, Nadia Whittome, was amongst 49 Labour MPs to vote against the government’s welfare changes in July 2025.

Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Universal Credit were the focus of the government’s original plans.

PIP is not linked to whether people can work or not, with the aim instead being to help claimants cover additional costs associated with being disabled or long-term sick.

People are assessed against ten different categories to determine whether they are eligible and how much they should receive. The government’s initial proposals would have made it more difficult for individuals to accumulate enough points to qualify for PIP.

Downing Street eventually conceded a series of reversals, including the announcement that any changes to PIP were being postponed until a review was conducted by Sir Stephen.

Regarding the government’s aim to increase employment among disabled people, Nadia Whittome stated: “There are many disabled and chronically ill people who would love to work but currently find this impossible for a number of reasons.

“The government is right to want to improve the support that it provides to disabled people, but it must be genuine support, rather than cuts to benefits which just make people’s lives harder.

“I was proud to work alongside disabled campaigners to successfully oppose the government’s proposed cuts to Personal Independence Payments (PIP) last year.

“The review of PIP that was promised in its place must be co-produced with disabled people, must improve the support they receive and the experience of claiming PIP, and must not be a cost-cutting exercise.”

Speaking about the PIP review, Sir Stephen told Nottinghamshire Live: “Spending on PIP has rapidly increased, really since before the pandemic.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re using those resources for the best possible impact to enable disabled people and people with long-term health problems to be independent, including if they’re up for it to be in work and to make sure that we’re removing barriers which have held people back in the past.

“We’re going to have recommendations by the autumn, I don’t know what’s going to be in those, but I’ve very much enjoyed the discussions we’ve had so far and I hope it’s going to be a really fruitful review.”

The application from Club 55, above Ziggy’s nightclub in Micklegate, to renew its sex establishment licence is set to go before a York Council hearing on Monday, March 2.

One objection has been lodged claiming it is fuelling antisocial behaviour in an area popular with tourists and families.

Council officials said there are no legal reasons compelling refusal of the application and the number of such venues will remain at the locally-set limit of one if approved.

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It follows a delay to a decision on the application after the council mistakenly sent it the Licensing and Regulatory Committee instead of a licensing sub-committee hearing.

Club 55, which offers lap dances and pole shows, has applied to operate for another year and continue opening from 9pm to 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

It would also be able to open from 6pm to 4.30am on race days if the application is approved.

The venue’s application was approved last year without objections.

Club 55 (right, first floor), in Micklegate, York. Picture is from Google Street View

North Yorkshire Police withdrew their objection ahead of last year’s hearing following an inspection the previous December after the venue was warned over not following licensing rules.

The police have not objected to Club 55’s bid to renew its licence this year, according to a council report.

The only objection to the application, from a Micklegate resident, stated it would be a shame if people started avoiding the area because of the club.

They said: “There is also concern about antisocial behaviour outside the venue.

“We have witnessed an extremely violent attack between two groups of men waiting to go in, which led to at least 10 officers an ambulance attending and an arrest.

“An establishment which attracts large groups of men following heavy drinking sessions potentially lays itself open to this kind of behaviour, especially on race days when drinking starts much earlier in the day.

“Having a sex establishment inside a Grade II*-listed building in one of York’s most important historical streets has a detrimental impact on the street and city’s reputation as a leading tourist destination.”

The council’s report stated the venue’s owners could appeal a decision to refuse their application at a Magistrate’s Court.

NEW YORK (AP) — Neighbors, government workers and a powerful railroad snow-clearing machine nicknamed “Darth Vader” scrambled to dig out much of the northeastern United States from a brutal and — in some areas — record-breaking storm that blanketed the region with snow and resulted in thousands of flight cancellations.

But as the snow moved northward and tapered off in other areas Tuesday, forecasters warned that another storm could be right around the corner.

Monday’s storm that meteorologists are calling the strongest in a decade dumped more than 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow in parts of the Northeast. By Tuesday, roads were beginning to reopen, mass transportation was coming back online in some cities and power had returned for some of the hundreds of thousands who had lost electricity in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Delaware and Rhode Island.

In New York City, which canceled classed Monday, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that schools would reopen for in person learning on Tuesday, raising questions about how feasible that is with snow still piled along sidewalks.

Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said school should remain closed, while Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, described the situation as “a big mess.”

“There’s going to be low attendance of students. You’re going to have low attendance of staff because people don’t know if they can travel, if they can get to schools,” he said.

Spokespersons for Mamdani didn’t respond to an email seeking comment but his schools chief, Chancellor Kamar Samuels, said in a post on X, that they were “confident in our decision to reopen.”

Philadelphia switched to online learning Monday and Tuesday. Districts on Long Island and elsewhere in the New York suburbs said they would cancel school again Tuesday.

The National Weather Service said it’s tracking another storm that could bring more snow to the region later this week.

While the new storm is not expected to be as strong, even a few extra inches of snow on top of hard-hit areas could make cleanup more difficult, said Frank Pereira, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

“Any additional snow at this point is probably not going to be welcome,” he said.

The weather service referred to Monday’s storm as a “classic bomb cyclone/nor’easter off the Northeast coast.” A bomb cyclone happens when a storm’s pressure falls by a certain amount within a 24-hour period, occurring mainly in the fall and winter when frigid Arctic air can reach the south and clash with warmer temperatures.

More than 2,000 flights in and out of the United States were canceled Tuesday, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. Most of the cancellations involved airports in New York, New Jersey and Boston.

Rhode Island’s T.F. Green International Airport paused its airport operations Monday as it dealt with nearly 38 inches (97 centimeters) of snow, according to the Weather Service, breaking a record set in 1978.

Central Park in New York City recorded 19 inches (48 centimeters) of snow. Warwick, Rhode Island, exceeded 3 feet (91 centimeters), topping the nation so far. The highest wind gust of 83 mph (134 kph) was recorded in Nantucket, with hurricane-force gusts seen all over Cape Cod.

New York, Philadelphia and other cities, as well as several states, declared emergencies.

The Boston Globe management called off printing its daily newspaper for the first time in its more than 150-year history because snow and winds kept staff from safely getting to its printing plant, the newspaper said in an article on its website.

In the New York City-area, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said Monday evening that subway lines are mostly operational after earlier delays, with the exception of the hard-hit borough of Staten Island, where rail service remained suspended.

Commuter rail service to suburbs to the north and east of the city were expected to resume limited service ahead of the Tuesday morning commute, the MTA said.

Christa Prince and two others were out in Brooklyn on Monday afternoon with shovels and an electric snowblower.

“We’re just making a path for this car,” Prince said. “It’s not our car but you know, we’re just doing our neighbor a kind deed.”

___

Izaguirre reported from Albany, New York. Associated Press writers Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania; Mark Kennedy and Mike Sisak in New York; Darlene Superville in Washington; Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; Philip Marcelo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.

DadFest will return to South Cliff Holiday Park, in Bridlington, from Friday, May 15, to Sunday, May 17, celebrating father figures with a weekend packed full of activities.

The festival, organised in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Rewilding Youth, was created by The Dads’ Network CIC and is open to dads, father figures, male carers and their children of all ages.

Dads and children are set to bond under the stars as DadFest returns to South Cliff Holiday Park in Bridlington (Image: Supplied)

Councillor Nick Coultish, cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome DadFest back to South Cliff Holiday Park in 2026.

“This unique festival gives dads and children the chance to connect with nature while enjoying fun activities that help develop new skills and strengthen family bonds.

“I had the privilege of taking part in the last DadFest and was hugely impressed by how well organised it was and by the wide variety of activities on offer.”

The weekend will include archery, camping, storytelling, beach games, trampolines, den building, and the Regional Dad Dancing Championships, with one dad crowned Yorkshire Champion.

The ticket price covers all activities and camping for the entire weekend.

A small number of discounted tickets are available for low-income families.

Lee Harris, 55, of Salisbury Terrace, Stockton-on-Tees, tried to steal a motorhome from outside a business on Grindon Way, in Newton Aycliffe, at around 9.30pm on August 22 last year.

After failing to get the vehicle to move by tampering with the ignition, the 55-year-old ripped the two front seats from the floor and made off with them.

Forensic experts examining the scene found a small speck of blood on one of the remaining cushions, which was analysed and revealed a DNA match for Harris.

He was charged with attempted theft of a vehicle, theft from a motor vehicle, and criminal damage.

Harris pleaded guilty to the offences, as well as further charges, including theft of a motor vehicle, relating to a similar incident which took place in North Yorkshire last year.

That earlier incident, in January 2024, involved a late‑night operation in which an £85,000 motorhome was stolen from a driveway in Claxton, sparking a police chase through rural North Yorkshire countryside.

Harris and Alexander Ross, of Sunnyside in Middlesbrough, both attempted to flee across moorland, but were quickly arrested by police due to the fact they both tripped over.

A third man, Thomas Bennett, was later found hiding under a hedgerow, while a fourth suspect has never been identified.

Harris appeared at York Crown Court last week where he was jailed for seven years and four months.

Detective Constable Joshua Chew, from South Durham CID, said: “This was an organised and pre-planned attempt to steal someone’s pride and joy, which caused extensive and irreparable damage.

“Thanks to the diligent work of our crime scene investigators, we were able to place Harris at the scene of the crime and bring him to justice.

“I hope this conviction and sentence sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those offenders who wish to cause harm to our communities.”

The leader of the Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) cartel, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, died in custody on February 22, shortly after he was captured by the Mexican authorities. The operation, which came amid renewed US demands for “tangible results” against fentanyl trafficking, appears to have relied on American intelligence support.

This is the most significant intervention against the cartels since the capture of former drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in 2016. The CJNG is one of the strongest criminal organisations in Mexico and, alongside the Sinaloa cartel, sits at the centre of US claims about fentanyl production and trafficking.

The killing of Oseguera Cervantes, who is better known as “El Mencho”, may have enabled Mexico’s authorities to secure a political win with Washington. But the operation should not be seen as a victory. What often comes next when the Mexican state removes a high-profile cartel figure like El Mencho is an extended period of violence and instability inside the country.

In my own research on criminal conflict in the Tierra Caliente region of western Mexico, I trace how earlier rounds of arrests and state killings have reshaped local criminal groups, broken alliances and created openings for new players and leaders. It was through this very cycle of state enforcement and cartel reorganisation that El Mencho rose to prominence.

El Mencho began as an operational figure linked to the Valencia cartel, an organisation based in the state of Michoacán. The group lost ground in the late 2000s following sustained pressure from the authorities. After key parts of the Valencia network were dismantled around 2010, El Mencho and other remnants of the group moved to Jalisco further north and founded the CJNG.

The conditions that allowed the CJNG to rise came from the same enforcement repertoire that the authorities have now deployed against it. This pattern matters because it undercuts a common assumption among policymakers, including in US agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, that removing a “boss” equals dismantling a criminal market.

The removal of Mexican criminal leaders does not cause the market for drugs to vanish, nor does it cause trafficking routes to disappear. What changes is the balance of power among groups that already compete for territory, labour and access to ports, roads and local authorities.

Studies that track the so-called “kingpin” strategy, the deliberate targeting of cartel leaders by law enforcement, have found that detentions and killings often trigger short-term spikes in homicides and instability in Mexico. Some work suggests that violence rises for months after a leader’s removal, while other research shows that the killing of a kingpin can provoke a sharper increase than an arrest.

This happens because an affected cartel faces a sudden succession struggle and employs violence to prevent – or respond to – rivals testing the new leadership and trying to renegotiate areas of control. As criminal groups cannot use the formal court system to resolve disputes, they tend to do so through open violence or bargains enforced by coercion.

This logic of violence has already been seen following El Mencho’s death. Reports of cartel gunmen blocking roads, launching arson attacks and carrying out disruptions across multiple states fit a familiar script: an affected organisation signalling its capacity, punishing the state and warning local rivals not to seize the moment.

Even if the state contains this wave of violence, the deeper risk sits in what follows. A leadership vacuum invites internal fracture and external opportunism from rivals who have waited for an opening to test boundaries and settle scores.

The 2024 detention of Sinaloa cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, for instance, has provoked a wave of violence in Sinaloa state as different factions in the organisation battle for leadership.

US drug politics

Another cycle that keeps repeating across Latin America is that US drug politics shapes security agendas throughout the region. A surge in overdose deaths, for example, can lead to political panic in the US and the application of pressure on Latin American governments to take action, usually through militarised enforcement.

These governments respond with crackdowns, raids and high-profile captures. This is followed by rising violence as criminal organisations fragment and then, after a period of time, governments try to deescalate. The cycle starts again when concern over drug trafficking next arises in the US.

Drug prohibition keeps this cycle alive by ruling out any response other than force or criminal law, while failing to produce meaningful results. Most countries have criminalised drugs. But despite governments reporting rising drug seizures each year, deaths linked to drug use globally continue to climb.

Mexico’s security forces cannot end a transnational market that is financed largely by US demand, no matter how many high-profile arrests they make. Operations that result in the killing or detention of cartel figures instead redirect and reorganise the drug trade, while often intensifying violence.

If Mexico and the US want fewer cartel-related deaths, they need to stop treating kingpin killings as the main metric of success. While a high-profile strike temporarily satisfies US pressure, it is Mexican citizens who all-to-often have to live with the blowback of this approach.

Rob Williams, from the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), says schools need support from health, social care and other services, adding: “Unfortunately, that extra provision is not always available and these types of services have been chronically underfunded for many years.”

Responding to Lord Mandelson’s arrest, the family of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of sexual abuse, said they “commend the British authorities for taking meaningful action and treating the Epstein files with the urgency they demand”. Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in his associations with Epstein.

TV crews have moved into the beautiful Yorkshire Dales to shoot the new series of All Creatures Great and Small.

The timeless village of Grassington

👀7️⃣🎥 https://t.co/vI1uE0l0nL

— All Creatures Great and Small (@AllCreaturesTV) February 23, 2026

is the real life setting for the fictional Darrowby, where the series is set.

A spokesman said: “Look who’s back in Darrowby…

“Filming has officially started on series 7 of All Creatures Great And Small in beautiful Yorkshire.

“We can’t wait to return with all of you soon.”

The series is based on James Herriot’s cherished books and All Creatures Great and Small remains 5’s most successful drama series to date, having reached over 14 million individuals across the first five series, and it continues to be the top programme across the channel year after year.

This month it won the Best Drama Series at the TV Choice Magazine Awards.

In a statement, the team and cast behind the heart-warming series said: “What an honour to be named Best Drama Series at the awards.

“Thank you to every single person who voted and supported series six. Your support truly means the world to us.

“Massive congratulations to Channel 5 on winning favourite channel/streaming service.”

Greg Barnett, Commissioning Editor, 5 said “ All Creatures Great and Small is a jewel in 5’s drama crown and continues to delight viewers year after year. Its warmth, humour and heart, set against the beauty of Yorkshire, have made it a firm audience favourite. We’re thrilled to extend its future with two more series, with many new stories still to tell and more unforgettable adventures ahead for our Skeldale family.”

Melissa Gallant and Sharon Moran, joint Executive Producers for Playground commented: “We frequently receive letters from viewers about how the show has brought joy, comfort and relief in challenging times. Making television that has that effect and is beloved around the world year after year is the greatest privilege, and we’re thrilled to be continuing the All Creatures journey with 5, Masterpiece on PBS and All3Media International into series 7 and 8. It’s a show which people love to watch and love to make and we can’t wait for more adventures in beautiful Yorkshire with our wonderful cast and crew.”

The series is inspired by Herriot’s timeless books, which have sold over 60 million copies globally and remain a cherished part of literary and television heritage.

Series 1 – 6 are currently available to stream on 5.

Sarah and Cain are a troublesome duo in upcoming episodes

Emmerdale star Katie Hill has detailed the “pressure” that Sarah Sugden finds herself under as she helps Cain Dingle hide his diagnosis and steal cars. Actress Katie Hill joined the ITV soap in 2017 as the next star to be cast as Sarah Sugden in order for the character to tackle some more mature storylines.

One of these storylines was being diagnosed with Fanconi Anaemia which has shortened her lifespan and puts her at an increased risk of being diagnosed with cancer.

Sarah decided that she wanted to become a young mum but due to her condition, it was unlikely that she’d be able to fall pregnant, even with IVF. Instead, Charity Dingle offered to become her surrogate.

Since then, Sarah and Jacob became engaged, then married, as they celebrated the news of Charity’s pregnancy. Unfortunately, viewers know the truth isn’t so simple as Charity had a one-night stand with Ross Barton, which led to her falling pregnant.

Of course, the truth is yet to be exposed and while Charity’s due date nears, Sarah has other family concerns on her mind. In recent episodes, Cain Dingle opened up to her that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but refused to tell anyone else.

The pair stole Joe Tate’s car for revenge, but next week Cain’s made it clear to Sarah that he won’t be involving her in any more car thefts. But knowing that the potential TB outbreak might lose them the farm, Sarah can’t help herself when she spies a sports car parked outside the village hall. She’s about to speed off when Jacob appears furious to have caught his wife stealing his boss’ flash motor knowing it could easily spell the end of his medical career.

Soon he’s hurt by Sarah’s inability to tell him the truth about what’s really going on. Sarah is stymied from admitting the truth about Cain, as Cain still insists on keeping his cancer a secret from everyone. Cain’s ready to explode when Jacob turns up shouting about getting Sarah stealing cars. Soon Charity’s livid too, giving Cain both barrels over what would cause him to jeopardise his granddaughter’s freedom, Cain stalks off to avoid the questions.

Cain’s left brooding after Liam gently advises stealing cars with his granddaughter is perhaps an indication his strategy of keeping his cancer diagnosis a secret isn’t working and he is missing out on the support and guidance of his family at a crucial time. Jacob is frustrated as yet again Sarah rushes to make sure her granddad is OK. But once she is there Sarah explains she is fed up with being the only one in the family who knows and calls Cain a coward for being unable to front up to his nearest and dearest.

With his cancer, Moira being incarcerated and Joe’s continuing pressure to get the farm, even Graham is advising that selling up is the best course of action. But will Cain agree?

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News and other press, Katie shared: “I think it’s definitely hard the pressure being on her, and she’s the only one that knows. She appreciates the fact that Cain has confided in her, it’s a massive thing that he’s chosen to tell her about it.”

Touching on the pair of them working together to steal cars, Katie added: “She’s the only one that knows right now, so she probably does feel a lot of pressure that she’s the one that can help him through this, and they do have such a close bond, and she knows that he would always do the same for her.

“She just cares about him a lot and wants him to get through it. Obviously, with his situation right now, he’s so on his own and I think she kind of feels like she doesn’t have a choice, but also because of their relationship she would want to be there and do that for him anyway.”

The actress continued: “After the first one Sarah has a taste for what it’s like, the adrenaline, and how she really enjoys doing that with him. She wants to help him out with money and also a distraction from his diagnosis.

“She knows that it’s not healthy to just sit at home and be sad about it. She’s also a Dingle at the end of the day, so she’s definitely getting some enjoyment from it as well as trying to help him.”

Emmerdale airs on weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.