Connect with us
DAPA Banner

NewsBeat

Do drivers with high blood pressure have to inform DVLA?

Published

on

Do drivers with high blood pressure have to inform DVLA?

According to the Government website, malignant hypertension, a sudden rise in your blood pressure also known as accelerated hypertension, could land drivers with a £1,000 fine and prosecution if not reported to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), according to the gov.uk website.

However, car and motorbike drivers have been reassured that they do not need to tell the DVLA if they have ‘generic’ high blood pressure.

You must stop driving if a doctor says you have malignant hypertension (a sudden rise in your blood pressure, also known as accelerated hypertension) and can only resume once a doctor confirms their condition is under control.

Advertisement

The rules differ slightly for bus, coach, or lorry licence holders. They must inform the DVLA if they have high blood pressure, that is consistently above 180/100mmHg.

Similarly, if a doctor diagnoses these drivers with malignant hypertension, the DVLA must be informed.

Individuals can resume driving once a doctor verifies their condition is well-managed.

There are different forms you must fill in on the DVLA website depending on the type of high blood pressure you have.

Advertisement

High blood pressure tends to be symptomless, making it hard to detect without regular monitoring.

The NHS reports this condition is “common” and more prevalent among older adults.

Risk factors include advanced age, family history of hypertension, certain ethnic backgrounds, an unhealthy, high-salt diet, being overweight, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and chronic stress.

According to the latest NHS health survey, in 2024, 30 per cent of adults had been diagnosed with hypertension which is approximately one in three individuals.

Advertisement

Men are statistically more prone to hypertension, with a prevalence of 32 per cent compared to 27 per cent in women.

Untreated hypertension increased with age, with prevalence highest among those aged 75 and over (18 per cent).

For those with low blood pressure, there is no need to report to the DVLA unless the condition presents symptoms such as dizziness or fainting, which could impact driving ability.

A government spokesperson said: “You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving. You may be prosecuted if you’re involved in an accident as a result.”

Advertisement

Further details on when and how to report health conditions to the DVLA can be found at gov.uk/health-conditions-and-driving.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

NewsBeat

Arsenal 0-2 Man City: Nico O’Reilly’s fairytale continues after Wembley double

Published

on

Nico O'Reilly celebrates

Cometh the hour, cometh the man – with the ‘0161’ phone code inked on his body, O’Reilly came calling on the big stage when City needed a hero to step up.

His first finish was the easiest goal he is likely to score in his career, stooping close to the goalline to head in after Kepa Arrizabalaga fumbled the ball into his path.

The second just four minutes later was a brilliantly-placed header from Matheus Nunes’ cross, effectively sealing victory for a jubilant Guardiola who performed a jig of delight on the touchline.

O’Reilly took the adulation of the City fans after his goals and it will be a double celebration this weekend after turning 21 on Saturday.

Advertisement

The only players younger than O’Reilly to score twice in the final of this competition were 20-year-olds Wayne Rooney for Manchester United in 2006 and Liverpool’s Ronnie Whelan back in 1982.

The Englishman took his goalscoring tally to eight for the season and said: “Bit of disbelief seeing all the fans cheering like that when I scored those goals. Really a good feeling and a great birthday weekend.

“My whole family came down today. They are all in the stand and I know they will be buzzing. I can’t wait to celebrate with them.”

This was O’Reilly’s second match-winning double of the season as well, after scoring twice in the 2-1 Premier League win over Newcastle a month ago.

Advertisement

Former England defender Matt Upson said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “Nico O’Reilly is fast becoming one of the key members in this Manchester City side. He gets the goals, he gets the headlines. He is a player in top form.

“Physically, he is a machine. He’s got height, he can run, he has got the strength and physicality.”

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Mother who lost five loved ones says Buncrana pier tragedy ‘feels like yesterday’

Published

on

Belfast Live

Sean McGrotty drowned along with his sons Mark and Evan, his wife Louise James’ 14-year-old sister Jodie-Lee Daniels and his wife’s mother Ruth when their car slid off a pier and sank in Lough Swilly

A mother who lost five members of her family in a pier tragedy 10 years ago has said it “feels like it was yesterday” as hundreds came out for a memorial walk.

Louise James’ partner Sean McGrotty, their two sons Mark, 12, and Evan, eight, her mother Ruth and her 14-year-old sister Jodie died when their SUV sank after sliding off a slipway in Buncrana, Co Donegal, in March 2016.

The only survivor was the four-month-old Rioghnach-Ann, daughter of Mr McGrotty and Ms James.

Advertisement

Mr McGrotty handed his baby daughter through the broken driver’s side window just moments before the vehicle sank to former footballer Davitt Walsh, who swam out into the harbour in an effort to save the six occupants.

Approaching the 10-year anniversary of their death, hundreds attended a memorial walk in Buncrana wearing red and white.

Prior to setting off a minute’s silence was held and a family friend sang Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher and Higher.

Advertisement

Ms James said she felt “overwhelmed” at the support and love from the community.

“Very overwhelmed. It was a fantastic success, it was amazing, the sun came out it was beautiful,” she said. “Very, very, very overwhelmed.”

She added: “It went exactly how I wanted it to go, with laughter and fun and everyone smiling and remembering them, that’s what I wanted.”

It is understood the vehicle lost grip on a thick blanket of algae coating the structure and slid into the waters of Lough Swilly.

There were no signs at the slipway warning of the dangers of slipping and a gate designed to control crowds using a summer ferry service in the popular tourist spot was left open.

It was used by people watching the sun going down despite dangers that were highlighted during the inquest in 2017.

Ms James said Rioghnach frequently come down to the pier to remember their family.

Advertisement

“We come down and we’ll do the walk,” she said.

“This is the walk along the shoreline, so it’s beautiful, you know, it’s a very peaceful walk and Rioghnach will play in the play park, so it’s really nice where her brothers played as well.”

Ten years on, Ms James said the tragedy “feels like it happened yesterday”.

Advertisement

“Still feels like it was only yesterday so it’s very overwhelming but a sadness too,” she said.

Donations for the walk were collected for the RNLI, and the walk finished at Lough Swilly RNLI lifeboat station.

Ms James said “it was lovely” to see the people of “Derry and Donegal” pulling together.

“But not just Derry and Donegal it was the whole of Ireland, because there was people here from Cork and Wicklow, and so lovely to see them all and just to be here supporting us in what we wanted to do,” she said.

Advertisement

She added: “It was great just to support the RNLI and the good work that they really do. And this is all for them, too.”

Before the walk, those gathered heard a prayer: “We pray for all who grieve, for every broken heart in the community that still remembers.

“Help us to stand together in compassion, to support one another, to support one another and to never forget the precious lives that were lost.

“May we honour them and how we live with kindness, with care and love for one another, may their memory always be a blessing.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Trump’s shifting strategy on the Strait of Hormuz drives criticism

Published

on

Trump's shifting strategy on the Strait of Hormuz drives criticism

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — At war with Iran, President Donald Trump is cycling through an increasingly desperate list of options as he searches for a solution to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. He is jumping from calls to secure the waterway through diplomatic means to lifting sanctions and now escalating to a direct threat against civilian infrastructure in the Islamic Republic.

Trump and his allies insist they were always prepared for Iran to block the strait, yet the Republican president’s erratic strategy has fueled criticism that he is grasping for answers after going to war without a clear exit plan. On Saturday came his latest attempt, via an ultimatum to Iran: Open the strait within 48 hours or the United States will “obliterate” the country’s power plants.

Trump’s aides defended the threat as a hard-edged tactic to press Iran into submission. Opponents framed it as the failings of a president who miscalculated what it would take to get out of a geopolitical mire.

“Trump has no plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, so he is threatening to attack Iran’s civil power plants,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass, adding: “This would be a war crime.”

Advertisement

“He’s lost control of the war and he is panicking,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., responding to Trump’s post.

Over the course of roughly a week, Trump has repeatedly shifted his approach on the crucial waterway for global oil and gas transport. There is growing urgency for Trump as soaring oil prices rattle global markets and pinch American consumers months before pivotal midterm elections.

Trump and diplomacy

Trump tried his hand at a diplomatic solution last weekend when he called for a new international coalition to send warships to the strait.

Allies turned him down. Trump then said the U.S. could manage on its own. On Friday he suggested other countries would have to take over as the U.S. eyes an exit. Hours later he indicated the waterway would somehow “open itself.”

Advertisement

“You can’t all of a sudden walk away after you’ve kind of created the event and expect other people to pick it up,” Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. told ABC’s “This Week.”

Trump’s Treasury Department on Friday made its latest attempt to get a handle on the soaring gas prices, by lifting sanctions on some Iranian oil for the first time in decades. That relieved some of the pressure that Washington traditionally has used as leverage against Tehran.

The goal was to send millions more barrels of oil into the global market. It is not clear, however, how much of a dent that would make in lowering pump prices or how the administration could prevent Iran from cashing in on the renewed sales.

The administration earlier temporarily lifted sanctions on some Russian oil.

Advertisement

An ultimatum to Iran

Trump’s ultimatum, conveyed while he spent the weekend in Florida, carries a threat of remarkable aggression. His previous messaging has mostly focused on U.S. success in hitting Iran’s air force, navy and missile production. This time, the threatened target is the energy infrastructure that powers hospitals, homes and more.

His social media post — 51 words, much of them in capital letters — did not have the appearance of a message that underwent the careful legal scrutiny needed to justify an attack on civilian infrastructure, said Geoffrey Corn, a military law professor at Texas Tech University and a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army who served as a military lawyer.

“It certainly has a feeling of ready, fire, aim,” Corn said of the Trump’s moving strategy.

“He overestimated his ability to control the events once he unleashed this torrent of violence.”

Advertisement

That type of widespread attack would probably be a war crime, Corn said. For military leaders, it could force a choice between obeying an order to carry out a war crime or refusing and facing criminal sanction for willful disobedience, he said.

Laws governing warfare do not explicitly forbid attacks on power plants, but the tactic is allowed only if an analysis finds that the military advantages outweigh the civilian harm, legal scholars say. It is seen as a high bar to clear because the rules of war are, at their core, designed to separate civilian and military targets.

Iran’s U.N. ambassador, in a letter to the Security Council, warned that the deliberate targeting of power plants would be inherently indiscriminate and a war crime, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The White House has already faced intense backlash after the U.S. was blamed for a missile strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed more than 165 people.

Advertisement

Trump aides justify latest attempt to rein in the crisis

Trump provided scant detail on which plants might be targeted and how. He gave Iran until Monday to reopen the strait or else the U.S. will strike “various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”

Trump’s team came to his defense Sunday, offering justification for striking Iran’s energy grid..

Mike Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard controls much of the country’s infrastructure and is using it to power the war effort. He said potential targets include “gas-fired thermal power plants and other types of plants.”

Speaking on Fox News, Waltz said he wanted to get ahead of “hand-wringing” from the global community, calling the Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. “The president is not messing around,” he said.

Advertisement

NATO’s secretary-general, Mark Rutte, who has allied himself closely to Trump, tried to calm tensions. He said he understood Trump’s anger and stressed that more than 20 countries are “coming together to implement his vision” of making the strait navigable as soon as possible.

Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, cautioned against an all-out attack like the one Trump threatened. “We want to leave everything in the country intact, so that the people who come after this regime are going to be able to rebuild and reconstitute,” he told CNN’s ”State of the Union.”

Trump’s threat could prove counterproductive: If it’s carried out, Iranian leaders said they would completely close the strait and retaliate against U.S. and Israeli infrastructure.

___

Advertisement

Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Easter weather forecast as UK set for 700-mile heat plume and 20C temperatures

Published

on

Daily Mirror

A 700 mile-wide French heat plume is set to bring sunny skies and temperatures pushing 20C to the UK over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, with families expected to flock to coastal resorts

Brits are in for a cracking Easter with blue skies and temperatures climbing towards 20C. A 700-mile-wide French heat plume will see the nation basking in sunshine from Good Friday through to Easter Monday.

Families are expected to descend on coastal resorts, tucking into ice creams on packed beaches. BBC Weather is predicting temperatures in the mid to high teens in the days leading up to Easter, reports the Daily Star.

Advertisement

The BBC said: “After changeable conditions in coming days and a chance of wintry showers from midweek, the following two weeks look milder. High pressure will return, with below-average rainfall. An increased southerly flow could lead to warmer conditions.”

The Met Office said: “Many areas will see more settled conditions again in early April. Plenty of dry weather is likely, with the wind direction seeing temperature differences day by day.”

It comes after temperatures reached 17C in the South at the weekend. However, temperatures are set to nosedive into single figures from midweek with a risk of blustery winds, showers and even snow flurries in the North.

READ MORE: Brits warned ‘stay indoors’ as Storm Therese hits holiday hotspotREAD MORE: Met Office warns of ‘big weather change’ as hail and thunder forecast

Met Office meteorologist Alex Deakin said Wednesday will signal a “cold plunge” and Scotland could see the white stuff.

He said: “If we look at the temperature profile for the next few days, then we really notice that difference by the time we get to Wednesday.

“Temperatures by Wednesday [will be] single digits for many, and that’s the max, so it’s going to get cold at night.

Advertisement

“Probably the peak of that cold will be on Wednesday night, that’s when the cold plunge really comes in.”

The rain and wind are expected to lessen later in the week but temperatures are likely to stay chilly with the possibility of overnight frost in some areas.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Schoolboy asks stepdad to adopt him in tearful speech at his mum’s wedding

Published

on

Daily Record

After walking his mum down the aisle, Oliver bravely addressed the entire wedding and had everyone in tears.

Scots schoolboy’s ‘powerful’ speech at mum’s wedding

A schoolboy asked his stepdad to adopt him during a tear-jerking speech at his mum’s wedding. Leigh Gardiner, 31, married her husband Arron, 32, at the Brig o’ Doon House Hotel in Ayr earlier this year.

But it was the blushing bride’s 12-year-old son Oliver that stole the show when he stood up to deliver a speech after walking his mum down the aisle. Sitting at the top table alongside his brothers Alfie, 5, and Leo, 3, the brave boy took the microphone and addressed the guests.

Oliver started off with traditional gags and warmed the crowd up before the emotional moment. He thanked Arron for making him feel special from the moment he came into his life and for being someone who he looked up to and admired.

As his stepdad – and others at the top table – looked on weeping, Oliver said: “Arron, you have been my dad pretty much all of my life.

“You have shown up for me in ways you didn’t have to and I have never once felt like anything less than your own. You said ‘I do’ to my mum so will you say ‘I do’ to me too? Will you adopt me and make our family official?”

Arron broke down and held his face in his hands before standing up and embracing Oliver.

Advertisement

The clip ends as Oliver continues: “So please everyone please raise your glasses to my dad, my mum, and the best family a boy could ever ask for.”

Speaking to the Record, Leigh said her son’s speech was one of the most emotional and proud moments of her life.

She said: “As his mum, I’ve always known how special he is, but standing there and hearing him speak with such confidence, warmth and sincerity completely took my breath away.

Advertisement

“In that moment, I didn’t just see my little boy — I saw the young man he is becoming, and it filled me with an overwhelming sense of pride. Every word he said came straight from the heart.

“What touched me most was the way he spoke to Arron. His words were full of love, respect and honesty, and when he asked him to adopt him, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room — including mine.

Advertisement

“It was such a brave and beautiful thing to do, and it showed just how big his heart is. In that moment, I felt an overwhelming mix of emotions — pride, love, gratitude and, if I’m honest, a little bit of disbelief that my 12-year-old son could stand up and speak so powerfully in front of a room full of people.

“It was more than just a speech — it was a reflection of the kind, strong and thoughtful person Oliver is. I have never been prouder to be his mum, and it’s a moment I will treasure for the rest of my life.”

Get more Daily Record exclusives by signing up for free to Google’s preferred sources. Click HERE

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

‘It took 14 years and four surgeries to diagnose my condition, this needs to change’

Published

on

Belfast Live

A woman from Northern Ireland is calling for commitment to employ a specialist for endometriosis after having to travel to London for a diagnosis.

Laura Moore, 35, from Newtownabbey, has gone through a harrowing ordeal over 14 years and multiple surgeries.

Endometriosis is a condition where tissue similar to the uterus grows outside it, causing debilitating pain.

This month is endometriosis awareness month, and Laura spoke to Belfast Live about the lengthy process of getting her diagnosis and how this condition impacts her life.

Advertisement

She said: “It goes right back to when I first started getting my period, though I didn’t realise it at the time.

“When I was 17 I had emergency surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst. From then on I was in the gynae system, and from there the pain got a lot worse as well.

“It actually took 14 years and 4 surgeries to diagnose my endometriosis. I had 3 laparoscopies at home in Northern Ireland and those consultants said I did not have endometriosis, and then said that I did but they were very small lesions.”

Laura highlighted the fact that, in Northern Ireland, there is currently no medical professional who specialises in endometriosis. This in turn affects waiting times and diagnoses.

Advertisement

She said: “I was diagnosed in 2021, the diagnosis wait itself in general is ridiculous. It is between 8-10 years. The issue we have is not just with waiting times, it is with the fact that we do not have a specialist for endometriosis.”

“I had to travel to London to get my diagnosis. I got that in June 2021, had an emergency surgery in October 2021 for an ovarian cyst and then in March 2022 I needed another emergency surgery.

Advertisement

“There are a lot of other people like me, I’m not the only one. I’m awaiting surgery again, there is a chance I might need a bowel resection as well this time.”

For Laura and other sufferers of endometriosis, the level of care provided in Northern Ireland is just not good enough.

Laura said: “I think there is not enough training, gynaecologists cover a wide range of things. Any gynaecologist will cover anything from endometriosis fibroids to delivering babies.

“We don’t have anyone who focuses just on endometriosis. I think the services just aren’t adequate. The Trust will say it is down to funding, which I do think is part of it. But if you look at how many women need multiple surgeries and care due to later diagnosis, the money going into a specialist they would save in people only needing one surgery if it’s caught early.

“Many people think endometriosis is just a women’s health issue or a menstrual issue when it is a whole body disease. It can be found on your diaphragm and your lungs, it is bordering on my bowels, it can impact your kidneys.

“It impacts every aspect of my life. I had to cut my working hours after my last surgery, that then has a financial effect, especially as I have to travel to London for treatment.

“It impacts my energy levels and what I’m able to do in a day, it affects my friendships, relationships, everything. You learn to live in a certain degree of pain and mask it, which isn’t right either.”

Advertisement

Laura remarked on how awareness is growing around endometriosis and that this is an important development for those who have the condition or are seeking a diagnosis.

She said: “I think it is hugely important that awareness is growing. There are a lot of pages with fact-based, science led information out there that can help people recognise symptoms and recognise what is going on. The people can then go to appointments armed with more information and can hopefully get a better or quicker diagnosis.

“One thing that people may not be aware of is that the stages of endometriosis do not directly correlate with the pain levels someone is experiencing.

Advertisement

“In articles it’s mainly stage four endometriosis that gets discussed, which means that those with stage one or two might feel like their pain is inadequate or they aren’t deserving of follow up treatment if they feel they need it.

“I would be classed as stage four deep infiltrating endometriosis. Other people may have stage one or two endometriosis which is on the surface, but it doesn’t mean it’s any less of an issue.

“The staging system is really out of date, I think it focused on fertility rather than the severity of people’s symptoms.”

Laura raises awareness of endometriosis on her Instagram page, which can be found here.

Advertisement

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

NewsBeat

The Other Bennet Sister’s Tom Hayward star and where you’ve seen him before

Published

on

Daily Mirror

Tom Hayward is a key love interest in The Other Bennet Sister.

The Other Bennet Sister fans are only just realising where they have seen the poetry-loving lawyer.

Advertisement

The Other Bennet Sister is back on BBC One and the delightful period drama stars Call the Midwife’s Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet.

The series, which stars plenty of familiar faces, follows on from the events of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and it tracks the overlooked Bennet sister as she travels to London following a tragic death in the family.

One of the characters she comes across is Tom Hayward, a friend of the Gardiners, with whom Mary is staying as she works as a governess. Mr Hayward is played by Dónal Finn, a 30-year-old Irish actor who was raised in Dromina, County Cork, and is one of eight children from a farming family.

Opening up about what drew him to the role, he said: “I come from a big family with lots of sisters. Many people watch Pride and Prejudice and want to be Elizabeth, but I identify much more with Mary.

Advertisement

“She represents how people often feel internally constrained by expectations and circumstance. The story shows how someone can change when they’re removed from an environment where they can’t flourish.”

Finn graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in acting from LAMDA in 2018 and his first notable role was in an episode of The Witcher as a peasant named Nettly.

In 2022, he was cast as the soldier Eoin McGonigal in the first series of the BBC drama SAS: Rogue Heroes. Fans may also recognise him as Mat Cauthon in the second season of The Wheel of Time.

Advertisement

Named one of the ‘Rising Stars of Ireland’ by Screen Ireland, he played Orpheus in the West End production of Hadestown.

Most recently, fans will see him in the Prime Video series Young Sherlock, in which he plays James Moriarty.

When it comes to film, he played Karl Boden in How to Build a Girl, Albert in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore and Sean Gore in Four Letters of Love.

Advertisement

He does not only appear on screen, as the star has just leant his voice to a new historical audio drama, Turpin.

He plays the lead role of Richard Turpin, who abandons his stable life as a butcher to become a violent outlaw.

The Irish actor is also a talented singer and as he was raised around music, he took up singing himself when he was a boy.

Speaking to The Rake magazine, he said: “For family gatherings, as the night rolls on, people do start to sing. So the notion of singing in front of other people, I always saw as a kid.”

Advertisement

The Other Bennet sister airs on BBC One on Sundays, the series is also available on BBC iPlayer

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

County manor used to house Belgians in WWI now a popular wedding venue

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

Today, the house is a popular destination for weddings

A manor house that’s popular for weddings was used to house Belgians during the First World War. The war was a time of fear and uncertainty, as normal life was turned upside down.

Advertisement

Many people had to flee their home countries, including some that left Belgian and found safety in Cambridgeshire. In August 1914, Germany invaded Belgium.

This forced around 250,000 Belgians to flee their home country and find refuge in Britain. To help in the effort, local communities and large houses were used to try and help house people in need.

Histon Manor was used to accommodate Belgian refugees between 1914 and 1918. Before it was used in the war effort, the house had a “colourful history”, according to the Histon Manor website.

Between 1877 and 1897, the house was owned by William Peed. He made significant changes to the building, including reducing the three-storey hall to a two-storey manor house.

Advertisement

Peed appeared to be a country gentleman on the surface, but a newspaper quote from 1897 put paid to that image. One morning, he disappeared owing millions of pounds. He left his wife and children penniless.

Today, the house is owned by The Biggs family, who bought it in 2018. While it is still a home, it can be used for weddings.

On the manor website, it said it’s a “discreet venue of understated luxury, coupled with warmth and charm”. Its vast front lawn is a perfect place for a marquee.

Within its 11 acres of grounds, it includes four separate formal gardens, woodlands, an island and a moat. It’s described as “one of Cambridge’s most sought after shoot locations”, as it is a great place to take photos.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Common Market’s newest food vendor is one of the most exciting new arrivals in a while

Published

on

Belfast Live

“It’s the year of the half and half”

Phat Dragon in Common Market

I popped into Common Market this week to grab some lunch and I noticed that a brand new food vendor had opened.

I knew something was coming when I heard that Badmaash was closing, but something has very quietly taken its place. Phat Dragon opened between two viral favourites, Wing Society and Smash Bros, so it is in great company. The minute I noticed it was there, I knew I had to get something from it and report back on what everyone can expect from it.

What I ordered:

The menu really focused on the famous ‘half and half’ that we have all come to love, so I went for the one that I reckon most people will be ordering, and that was the salt and chilli chicken half and half with curry sauce.

Advertisement

There was also a range of Chinese-inspired sides on the menu, so I decided on the spring rolls. They had a satay filling and came with a satay dip too. However, it is worth noting that the filling on these will change regularly.

What I liked:

Advertisement

Straight away, when I was handed the half and half, I noticed the weight of it and it was packed so full that the box wouldn’t actually close. I really liked how the chosen sauce came in a large tub, which was on the side, so you could choose whether to dip or pour it.

Now, when it comes to the actual taste, this was some of the freshest and best Chinese food I’ve had in quite some time. The downfall of a half and half is often the chips, and there wasn’t a soggy chip in sight with this one, and they were cooked to perfection. The salt and chilli seasoning was perfectly balanced across the chicken and the chips.

The spring rolls were the size of my head, and that’s not an exaggeration. It must have been so big because it was so full of flavour. These paired with the satay sauce, were absolutely brilliant, and you need to give them a go when you head in.

What I would change:

Honestly, very little because I went in very shortly after they had opened, and that’s not something I like to do because every restaurant and food establishment deserves the time to bed in. It’s a simple menu on offer here but that’s not a bad thing in my opinion.

How much it cost:

The half and half was £13, and the spring rolls were £7, which is £20 in total, and in my opinion, I thought that was pretty good. The portion sizes were enough for these to be shared, and that’s exactly what I did with them, so it came to £10 per person. So, compared to other comparable ‘street food’ vendors, I think it’s pretty spot on.

Advertisement

All in all, I really mean it when I say this is one of the most exciting new food spots to arrive in Belfast City Centre in some time. It was exactly what Common Market was missing and I can already see it becoming one of the most popular food vendors in the bustling food market.

Their motto on Instagram is that it’s “the year of the half and half”, and I really see the vision here. A fantastic street food vendor picks a few things and really works on them to get them right, and Phat Dragon has done just that. It has taken a fan favourite and nailed it.

In the interest of fairness and transparency, we pay for all the meals and drinks we review. This ensures that we are giving accurate and honest representations of the food and service that we receive. So, unless we state otherwise that we were invited down, we have paid for the meal ourselves and visited without the knowledge of the eatery, so you can trust our opinions aren’t skewed by a freebie.

Advertisement

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

NewsBeat

Full list of DWP benefits rising in April 2026 from Universal Credit to PIP

Published

on

Cambridgeshire Live

Millions claiming benefits including Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments will see payment rates increase from April 2026

Millions of individuals receiving benefits, including Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments, are set to see their payments increase from April. The majority of welfare payments are adjusted every year by the level of inflation from the previous September, which was 3.8%.

Universal Credit standard allowance will rise by 6.2% – higher than the rate of inflation. However, as Universal Credit is paid in monthly payments, people won’t notice the higher payment rate until at least the May payment.

Universal Credit is replacing six older legacy benefits – including Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, the state pension will increase by 4.8% under the triple lock promise. The triple lock guarantees the state pension rises each April by the highest out of inflation (using the previous September inflation figure), wages (average growth between May and July) or 2.5%, reports the Mirror.

Most benefits are paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) but Child Benefit is paid by HMRC.

Attendance Allowance

  • Higher rate: £114.60
  • Lower rate: £76.70

Bereavement Benefit

For deaths between April 9, 2001 and April 5, 2017

  • Widowed Parent’s Allowance: £156.65

Bereavement Support Payment

  • Standard rate (lump sum): £2,500
  • Standard rate monthly payments: £100
  • Higher rate (lump sum): £3,500
  • Higher rate monthly payments: £350

Carer’s Allowance

Child Benefit – paid by HMRC

  • Eldest or only child: £27.05
  • Other children: £17.90

Disability Living Allowance

Care component

  • Highest: £114.60
  • Middle: £76.70
  • Lowest: £30.30

Mobility component

  • Higher: £80
  • Lower: £30.30

Employment and Support Allowance

Contributory and New Style ESA – Personal Allowances

Single

  • Under 25: £75.65
  • 25 or over: £95.55

Lone parent

  • Under 18: £75.65
  • 18 or over: £95.55

Components

  • Work related activity: £37.95
  • Support: £50.35

Income Related ESA – Personal Allowances

Single

  • Under 25: £77.52
  • 25 or over: £97.75

Lone parent

  • Under 18: £77.52
  • 18 or over: £97.75

Couple

  • Both under 18 with child: £117.
  • Both under 18 (main phase): £97.75
  • Both under 18 with child (main phase): £153.61
  • One 18 or over, one under 18 (certain conditions apply): £153.61
  • Both over 18: £153.61
  • Claimant under 25, partner under 18: £77.52
  • Claimant 25 or over, partner under 18: £97.75
  • Claimant (main phase), partner under 18: £97.75

Income Related ESA – Premiums

Enhanced disability

  • Single: £22
  • Couple: £31.40
  • Severe disability
  • Single: £86.05
  • Couple (lower rate): £86.05
  • Couple (higher rate): £172.10
  • Carer: £48.15

Pensioner

  • Single with work-related activity component: £105.90
  • Single with support component £93.95
  • Single with no component: £142.45
  • Couple with work-related activity component: £176.55
  • Couple with support component: £164.60
  • Couple with no component: £213.10

Components

  • Work related activity: £36.55
  • Support: £48.50

Guardian’s Allowance

Guardian’s Allowance is paid by HMRC

Housing Benefit

Single

  • Under 25: £75.65
  • 25 or over: £95.55
  • Entitled to main phase ESA: £95.55

Lone parent

  • Under 18: £75.65
  • 18 or over: £95.55
  • Entitled to main phase ESA: £95.55

Couple

  • Both under 18: £114.35
  • One or both 18 or over: £150.15
  • Claimant entitled to main phase ESA: £150.15

Dependent children

State Pension Age

  • Single or lone parent (State Pension age or over): £256.00
  • Couple (State Pension age or over): £383.35
  • Single or lone parent (reached state pension age on or after 1 April 2021): £238.00
  • Couple (both reached state pension age on or after 1 April 2021): £363.25
  • For the claimant and the other party to the marriage where one or more members of the marriage are State Pension age or over: £383.35
  • For each additional spouse who is a member of the same household as the claimant and one or more of the members are State Pension age or over: £127.35

Income Support

Single

  • Under 25: £75.65
  • 25 or over: £95.55
  • Lone parent
  • Under 18: £75.65
  • 18 or over: £95.55

Couple

  • Both under 18: £75.65
  • Both under 18 – higher rate: £114.35
  • One under 18, one under 25: £75.65
  • One under 18, one 25 and over: £95.55
  • Both 18 or over: £150.15

Dependent children

Industrial Death Benefit

Widow’s pension

  • Higher rate: £184.90
  • Lower rate: £55.47
  • Widower’s pension: £184.90

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

  • Standard rate: This is between £46.78 and £233.90 depending on your award level.

There are other premiums available depending on your circumstances.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025