National figures show that in England the number of pupils getting top grades has risen again with 28.5 per cent getting A* or A compared with last year when 28.3 per cent of UK A-level entries were awarded those grades.

In Yorkshire and the Humber, 7.9 per cent of grades awarded were A* (an increase of 0.2 per cent from last year and 1.4 per cent since pre-pandemic rates), 25.7 per cent were A or A*, and 78.1 per cent of grades were C or above – falling slightly below the national average.

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Maxine Squire, Assistant Director, Education and Skills, City of York Council, said: “We are still awaiting full results data from schools and colleges across the city, but can confirm that students from York schools have once again continued to perform ahead of the national average.”

At York schools, the mood was a celebratory one with most centres outperforming their own results from previous years.

Francesca De Lashley, Head of Sixth Form at Archbishop Holgate’s in Badger Hill, said that she was “bursting with excitement” for this year’s graduates and that they were an asset to the school.

Ripon students celebrate a fantastic year (Image: Ripon Grammar School)

Thirty-nine per cent of all exam entries by the school were graded A* to A, 76 per cent of all entries graded A* to B, and 100 per cent of entries graded A* to E.

Headteacher Lucie Pond added: “To our Year 13s, many of whom have been part of the Archbishop Holgate’s community for seven years, congratulations on these excellent results. They are a true testament to your perseverance and the application you have shown throughout your studies.”

At Joseph Rowntree School in New Earswick, head teacher Mike Hewitt praised the cohort for their contributions both academically and within the school community.

Results Day at Joseph Rowntree (Image: Provided)

He said: “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with this group of students throughout their time in our Sixth Form. As well as achieving great results, they have contributed to our wider school community and have been positive role models to our younger students.”

Huntington School also congratulated their students with head teacher Matt Smith saying: “We could not be prouder of this year group and we wish them every success and happiness for the future.”

Schools across the county also saw more students than ever moving abroad with Ripon student Lottie Whyte set to move to Paris and All Saints student Isaac Morris – who represented Great Britain in rowing – off to Princeton – among several others.

Ripon students celebrate a fantastic year (Image: Provided)

Also in York, nearly 40 per cent of students at The Mount achieved top A-level grades in this year’s results.

Seventy per cent of students earned grades A* to B, with 100 per cent of students achieving A* to B in nine subjects, including languages, English, geography, and art and design.

Anna Wilby, head of The Mount School, said: “We are all incredibly proud of each pupil’s commitment, resilience, and determination, approaching their studies and exams with a positive mindset to get these excellent, well-deserved results.”

A-level students at St Peters (Image: Provided)

St Peter’s School has also celebrated record A-level success this year. A record number of pupils achieved outstanding grades, with 20 per cent of all marks at A*, 51 per cent at A* and A, and more than 80 per cent at A* to B.

Further afield, more than two-thirds of A-level results were graded A*-B at Pocklington School.

The East Yorkshire school is celebrating A-level and BTEC results, with 67 per cent of A-level grades at A*-B and 66.7 per cent of students achieving at least one A or A*.

Selby College twins Molly Broadhead, left, and Nancie Broadhead who have secured places at their dream universities following their A-Level results (Image: Supplied)

Selby College class of 2026 achieved an overall pass rate of 98 per cent across all programmes, with more than a third of students (35.3 per cent) scoring top grades of A*, A or B.

Among them, twins Nancie Broadhead and Molly Broadhead are celebrating after securing places at their dream universities following their A-level results at Selby College.

Cllr Bob Webb, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “Congratulations to all the young people receiving their A-level, T-level and vocational qualification results today. Your results are proof that young people have the drive to achieve great things and will do this city proud.

“These results reflect years of hard work, determination and commitment, and I would also like to thank parents, carers, teachers, support staff and families who have helped students reach this important milestone.”

Nigel Farage says he has won the Clacton by-election ‘fairly convincingly’, saying: ‘This is an overwhelming endorsement of me.’

The Reform UK leader is waiting to see if he has beaten his rivals – including Count Binface – to regain the seaside seat he won at the 2024 general election.

Speaking to GB News at a party-organised event in Essex, Mr Farage was asked whether he had won, and, in what is thought to be a nod to Count Binface, said: ‘Yeah, very convincingly, I’ve managed to beat the establishment candidate.’

He added: ‘Look, this is an overwhelming endorsement of me. I have had enough of being judged by mainstream media, being called a criminal.

‘Do you know, if I made one sin, if I haven’t filled in a piece of paper, I’ve broken no law, I’ve broken no tax law, I’ve taken no public money, I don’t even own a motorhome.

‘Maybe I haven’t filled in a piece of paper. I’m confident that I’m right, we’ll see where we go. I put this to the people of Clacton, said “you decide my future”, and tonight they will.’

The verdict on whether Mr Farage’s political gamble has paid off is not expected until near sunrise on Friday, due to the record 34 candidates in the contest.

The first ballot boxes began arriving at the Essex counting centre in the minutes after polls closed at 10pm. 

Ian Davidson, acting returning officer, said turnout was around 43 per cent – compared to a 58.7 per cent turnout when Farage was first elected in 2024.

It is the largest number ever for a Westminster by-election and has caused logistical problems for the vote count – not least because the ballot papers are almost a metre long.

Mr Farage quit as Clacton MP last month to trigger the by-election – at an estimated cost to taxpayers of £250,000 – in protest at scrutiny over his donations from wealthy backers.

The 62-year-old declared he was forcing a ‘people versus the Establishment’ contest, but the other political parties boycotted the race as they dismissed it as a ‘stunt’.

It left Count Binface, a perennial comedy candidate at Westminster contests, as the Reform leader’s most notable rival.

Actor-turned-politician Laurence Fox, three contenders from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party and an array of independents also stood in the constituency.

Watch Live as the ballots are counted: 

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Count Binface speaks to Sky News as he makes appearance at the Clacton by-election polling station 

The first ballot boxes arrived shortly after 10pm. Turnout is around 43 per cent, according to the acting returning officer for the count

Mr Farage arrived at a polling station in the Essex constituency on Thursday morning after more than a month of campaigning.

‘Three guesses who I voted for!’, he posted on social media shortly after he filled in his ballot paper.

The success of the Reform leader’s campaign is likely to be judged in comparison with the 46.2 per cent of the vote – and a majority of 8,405 over his Conservative rival – that he won in Clacton in 2024.

He will be expected to comfortably beat that result in the by-election, due to the absence of any other main political parties. 

The 90cm-long ballot paper of all 34 by-election candidates has caused logistical problems for Tendring District Council and returning officer Ian Davidson.

The size of the ballot paper means larger tables than usual are being required at the count and the result will be announced on the floor of Clacton Leisure Centre rather than on a stage due to the number of candidates who would have to fit on it.

Photographers and TV cameras covering the count were advised by officials they will need a wide-angle lens to fit all the candidates into a single shot.

Before quitting the House of Commons, Mr Farage was being investigated by a parliamentary watchdog over a £5million gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne, which he received before he won his Clacton seat in 2024.

Under Commons rules, new MPs are required to register any gifts worth more than £300 they received in the previous 12 months, except where the gift ‘could not be reasonably thought by others’ to relate to their political activities.

That investigation was paused when Mr Farage resigned his seat but will resume if he wins the by-election – as is widely expected by bookmakers who have made him the firm favourite to win the contest.

The Reform leader could also face an investigation over support provided by George Cottrell, a convicted criminal and long-term ally.

Mr Cottrell reportedly recruited and paid three staff to work on Mr Farage’s social media before the general election, and has continued to allow him to use a five-storey Georgian property he rented near Buckingham Palace.

Count Binface being interviewed on Sky News inside Clacton Leisure Centre

Independent candidate Daniel Pocock arrives at the polling station in Clacton

Forward Party candidate Adham Alkhatip, an engineering student at Queen Mary University, at Clacton Leisure Centre

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Kai Stevens of the British democratic party arriving at Clacton Leisure Centre

Members of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party arrive at Clacton Leisure Centre as election workers review ballots after voting closed in the Clacton by-election

The Clacton by-election is the largest number ever for a Westminster by-election and has caused logistical problems for the vote count. Pictured: Members of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party arrive at Clacton Leisure Centre

Ballot boxes are carried into the counting venue in Clacton-on-Sea in the minutes after polls closed

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A replica model of Count Binface was erected in the Essex constituency in support of the comedy candidate 

Election workers begin the arduous task of sorting ballot papers, a task that will continue late into the night

Mr Farage arrived at a polling station in the Essex constituency on Thursday morning after more than a month of campaigning 

A boycott by Britain’s main political parties left Count Binface, a perennial comedy candidate at Westminster contests, as Mr Farage’s most notable rival in Clacton

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Ahead of polling day on Thursday, Mr Farage said the by-election was a chance to ‘stick two fingers up to the establishment’.

He continued: ‘At the beginning of summer we called this by-election to give the people of Clacton the chance to have their say on the endless political attacks on me, my family and those around me.

‘It’s given us the opportunity to knock on tens of thousands of doors, making the affirmative case for what I’ve done for the area, and what Reform will do for Britain.’

He added ‘it’s not just about me, it’s about the people versus the establishment’.

The 34 candidates standing in Clacton marks a new high for the most candidates standing in a single seat.

The previous record was 26, set at the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in July 2008, which was triggered by Tory David Davis in his own seat and was similarly ignored by the main Westminster parties.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) says there is no clear link between the amount of housing support available and rent increases, challenging concerns that increasing benefits could simply push rents higher.

The analysis comes as the Government considers the future of Local Housing Allowance (LHA), which determines how much housing support some private renters can receive.

Successive governments have frozen LHA rates as part of efforts to control welfare spending.

But the freeze has left many households struggling to find properties within the level of support available.

Homelessness charity Crisis has estimated that fewer than 2% of private rented properties are affordable for people receiving housing benefit.

Rents rose faster during the housing benefit freeze

The NRLA’s analysis compares rent increases during periods when LHA rates were linked to local rents with the years when they were largely frozen.

LHA was introduced in 2008 with the aim of helping claimants cover the cost of the cheapest 50% of rents in their local area.

That was reduced in 2011, with the allowance instead intended to cover the cheapest 30% of rents.

Between 2008/09 and 2015/16, when LHA rates increased in line with rents each year, average weekly rents rose by around 2.5% a year.

By comparison, average weekly rents increased by around 3.4% a year between 2016/17 and 2024/25, when LHA rates were frozen for all but two years.

Across England, average weekly rents rose from £153 to £184 between 2008/09 and 2015/16.

That was an increase of £31, or around 20.3%, over the eight-year period.

Between 2016/17 and 2024/25, average weekly rents increased from £192 to £250, a rise of £58 or 30.2%.

The figures do not establish that freezing or increasing housing benefit causes rents to rise or fall, but the NRLA argues they show there is no evidence of an automatic surge in rents when LHA rates are increased.

Your Top 12 Cost of Living Concerns

Earlier this week I asked which cost-of-living areas you most want @andyburnham and @JohnHealey_MP to focus on. Many thousands replied across various of my social platforms. As well as looking at individual suggestions – we’ve now tallied the…

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— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) July 24, 2026

What is Local Housing Allowance?

Local Housing Allowance is used to calculate housing support for eligible private renters.

When it was introduced in 2008, it was designed to help cover rents up to the 50th percentile of local rents.

The system was changed in 2011 to cover the 30th percentile instead.

LHA rates were brought back into line with the bottom 30% of local rents in 2024/25.

However, the previous Government then decided to freeze housing support from April 2025, breaking the link between the amount available and current rent levels once again.

Around 24% of private renters receive housing support to help with their rent, according to the English Housing Survey.

£1.5bn cost of restoring housing benefit link

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has estimated that restoring and maintaining LHA rates at a level covering the cheapest 30% of rents would cost around £1.5 billion a year.

That is just over half the £2.8 billion spent by councils on temporary accommodation in 2024/25.

Supporters of increasing LHA rates argue that better aligning housing benefit with actual rents could reduce the pressure on councils caused by homelessness and temporary accommodation.

The Resolution Foundation has also estimated that restoring LHA to cover at least the cheapest 30% of rents could lift 75,000 children and 125,000 adults out of poverty.

Increasing support to cover the cheapest 50% of rents could lift an estimated 130,000 children and 215,000 adults out of poverty.

Government faces decision on housing benefit

The debate comes as ministers consider whether housing benefit rates should remain frozen from April next year.

Andy Burnham, during his Labour leadership campaign, previously criticised the current system.

He said: “We are forced to chase rents in the private-rented sector through the benefits system.”

He argued that freezing Local Housing Allowance could leave families facing homelessness while putting additional pressure on councils to provide temporary accommodation.

The issue also presents a difficult balance for policymakers, with the Government facing pressure to control welfare spending while councils continue to deal with the cost of homelessness and temporary housing.

Stark stats from @genrentuk today, which illustrate Burnham’s biggest cost-of-living problem:

At £1442, the average monthly rent in England is thirteen times higher now than it was in 1988, when it was £111.

A 500g pack of cheddar cheese would cost £19.50 compared to £4.31 if…

— Vicky Spratt (@Victoria_Spratt) July 23, 2026

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Landlords’ group calls for benefits to be unfrozen

Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA, said the organisation’s analysis challenged the idea that increasing housing benefit would automatically drive up rents.

“Our analysis clearly shows that unfreezing housing benefit rates does not lead to an explosion in private sector rents,” he said.

He added that rents are influenced by a range of factors, including tax and mortgage rates, tenant demand and the costs of complying with regulations.

Mr Beadle said freezing LHA rates could instead prevent some people from accessing private rented accommodation.

“Freezing housing benefit rates merely locks many of those financially squeezed out of rental housing altogether and undermines all efforts to tackle the scourge of homelessness,” he said.

Recommended reading

He called on ministers to increase housing support to reflect current rental costs.

“It is time for the Government to act and unfreeze housing benefits to reflect housing costs as they actually are, not as they were in the past,” he said.

The IFS has separately warned against repeatedly freezing LHA rates, saying a tight fiscal position should not prevent the Government from considering other approaches.

The think tank said: “A tight fiscal situation is no excuse for a system that creates uncertainty for renters and unfairness between local areas.”

The Friday letters page is relieved to hear that Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is a good game, as a reader thinks Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has been a flop.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Unofficial mascot
Interesting to see Sony realise that is hasn’t got much in the way of major characters that ordinary people can get into. I agree that they should’ve been aware of this problem much earlier than this and I never understood why they passed on the chance to own both Lara Croft and Crash Bandicoot.

For me, those two are the unofficial mascots of the PlayStation 1, which was probably the last time that sort of thing was important. But for me that means they’re still the mascots, since nothing else has replaced them.

If you were going strictly by PlayStation 5 games I guess you’d say it was probably Kratos and Aloy, but I don’t feel they’re particularly interesting or iconic. Maybe Kratos but he’s not exactly something you’d see six-year-olds wearing on their T-shirt, is he?

Neither is Ratchet & Clank or Astro Bot, if we’re being honest, so for me if I think PlayStation I still think Lara Croft. I hope the remake next year is a hit.
Kaliban

GC: We don’t think there was any easy way for them to ever get hold of Crash Bandicoot. It came in a job lot with Blizzard and then went straight to Microsoft when they bought Activision.

Time jump
Happy to see Hogwarts Legacy 2 confirmed and hopefully we’ll actually see it soon, maybe at The Game Awards in December. Personally, I would like to see the game set in the modern day, but I guess that wouldn’t make much sense when Harry is around and doing all the important stuff.

Maybe the answer would be to set it just a few years before Harry gets there. So it can be basically modern day and then once the game is over, he turns up for his first year. I think that would be pretty neat but thinking about it they may want to save that for a third or later game.

Although, I don’t think they’ll want to get into all of the World War stuff from Fantastic Beasts, so I’m not sure where you go from the 1890s, other than to skip ahead to the 1950s at a bare minimum. Maybe the 1990s to make it a round hundred years?
Scuz

Inventing problems
Everyone is saying they’re happy with the price of GTA 6; I’m one of them that has bought the higher price. I mean, nearly 14 years in the making. The one thing that will make me flip is a price on the online play. I know there is no news on the online bit and I might be jumping in with both feet but if they think I’m paying £90 for the game and then charging me for the online bit they can whistle.

If they do that and everyone pays for it every single developer will be doing it, starting with Call Of Duty, with them saying why charge once when we can charge twice – and for something they got for free b4efore. I know there isn’t any news on it but I’ve got a feeling they’re going to be charging for the online bit, as the saying goes: more money, more money, more money.
David

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Time extension
It’s funny how the Lego games are probably the best example of how long it takes to make a game nowadays. From at least one a year to one every four years. And that change has come in the space of just a decade. What used to be throwaway games, where you didn’t even care they were so buggy, have turned into big event triple-A games.

A decade ago you could pick one up for next to nothing after a year or so, but I don’t think I’ve seen the new Lego Batman get any major price cut yet. So I’m not surprised to find out they’re being more picky if we’re not going to get a new one until 2030.

I mean, if you play your first game at five you only get one more as a kid and then with the third you’re a teenager already! It’s crazy and obviously it’s not just Lego, it’s everything now. I don’t know what to even suggest to solve the problem.
Wotan

Money can’t buy you love
There’s something kind of disturbing about a big company like Sony ponying up several million dollars and just telling its workers to make something beloved. It got me interested in how Hello Kitty started and, as you’d expect, Wikipedia says it was all completely unexpected and started off extremely small scale. I don’t think £47 million in R&D counts as small scale.

If they want to spend some time making new family friendly games then I think that would be a very good idea but that doesn’t seem to be how they’re doing it at all. Microsoft never attracted that audience, but Sony used to in the PS1 and 2 era. Why they gave up I don’t know but even if the games are good I’d definitely agree that Ratchet & Clank and Astro Bot aren’t very good characters.

They look designed by committee and just aren’t interesting or distinctive enough. I always thought the same about Sack Boy.
Fisto

Understanding Nintendo
Very interesting Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave preview that was a lot more positive than I expected, especially as I know GC didn’t like Three Houses that much. All the other previews I’ve seen are positive too, so it seems this is going to be a winner, which I feel Nintendo needs at the moment given the mixed response to Splatoon Riders and the two N64 remakes.

I don’t think anyone can argue that Nintendo’s choices of games hasn’t been odd and I find it fascinating trying to imagine why. I think the majority problem is how long games take to make and that Nintendo isn’t used to making games for a console that’s almost as powerful as an Xbox Series S.

They’ve done well I think, overall, but I bet there were a lot of delays and changes in the schedules behind the scenes and that a lot of these games, like Fire Emblem, are just what was ready to go. I can’t imagine it or Splatoon Raiders were that expensive or time-consuming to make, as they both look like Switch 1 games and I bet reuse a lot of assets.

However, that doesn’t explain the absence of Animal Crossing, which everyone knows reuses assets and nobody minds, or why anyone at Nintendo would greenlight Kirby Air Riders. Maybe they were trying to get on Masahiro Sakurai’s good side or maybe… I just don’t know.

Who knows what goes on in Nintendo’s boardrooms, but I think the point here is that as weird as some decisions are they often don’t go the way you think. Some people actually like Kirby Air Riders and Fortune’s Weave seems to be a lot better than anyone imagined.
Karl

GC: Fortune’s Weave’s graphics may not be anything special but there’s a lot of content; it must’ve taken a lot longer to make than Splatoon Raiders.

Sales Marvel
So it looks like Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is going to be a bomb, or at least underperform, ensuring that the Marvel curse continues. Basically, every Marvel game that isn’t heavily Spider-Man focused flops, which isn’t far off for how it is in the movies too.

That makes me wonder how well exactly Wolverine is going to do. I doubt it’ll be a flop but it’s 18-rated, it’s linear, and while Wolverine’s character is popular his abilities aren’t particularly interesting when you turn them into a video game. Sony may end up wishing they’d make a Spider-Gwen game instead.
Jono

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1 out of 4
Hogwarts Legacy 2 has got to be the most obvious thing ever, especially as they already hinted at it, but I do hope Warner Bros. can get its act together in general. I mean, let’s look at how things are going with their ‘four pillars’…

Harry Potter is fine. They tried to make games other than Hogwarts Legacy, and they didn’t sell, but the sequel is a guaranteed hit, so that’s a big green tick.

Next is Mortal Kombat, where the last game was a flop and they didn’t mention it in their latest financials, so that’s a big red mark.

Then there’s DC Comics, which they’ve done nothing with in a decade or more. The only thing in all that time has been a Lego Batman game, with no attempt whatsoever to tie into the either the last cinematic universe or the new one. So that’s a big fat no too.

Finally, there’s Game Of Thrones, which is so important to them they’ve never made a console game about it. There’s some kind of PC strategy game coming out but I don’t think they’ve really shown it or explained what it is.

So that’s three major failures in a row. Not only have they not made any successful games with these three ‘pillars’ they’ve barely made anything at all. People asking why CEOs aren’t replaced by AI and it’s easy to say why.

I mean, they’ve got the talented developers. How hard is it to say: ‘Make some games for us.’
Winston

GC: We think you’re forgetting Suicide Squad but… that’s probably for the best.

Inbox also-rans
I would be totally fine with a Lego Superman: Legends of the Man of Tomorrow game. I’m not sure they’d actually risk that if it’s not going to be out until 2030 though. We’ll probably be on our third DC cinematic universe by that point.
Stein

I totally missed that Warhorse are making a Lord of the Rings game. That’s… made my day. Can’t wait to see it, but seems like that might be a long wait.
GungHo99

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MORE: Games Inbox: When will The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel be released?

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Water will be abstracted from a Cambridgeshire river to help firefighters tackle the on-going wildfire

Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene of a nature reserve fire for “days to come”. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to a fire at the Holme Fen Nature Reserve on Saturday (August 8) at around 10.24am. Firefighters have continued to tackle the fire since, with crews remaining at the scene to fight the fire.

A navigational closure notice has been issued by the Environment Agency to users of the River Nene between Dog in a Doublet Lock and Orton Lock near Peterborough. This is because Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue needs to abstract water from the river to tackle the on-going wildfire at the nature reserve.

In an update, a fire spokesperson said: “Firefighters have been at the scene overnight continuing to tackle the fire. Crews will remain on the scene throughout the day, and for days to come.”

This is the second fire within two weeks that firefighters have dealt with at Holme Fen. The cause of the first fire was deliberate. The cause of the second fire hasn’t yet been determined.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “Due to extremely low water levels, we have issued a navigational closure notice to users of the River Nene between Dog in a Doublet Lock and Orton Lock near Peterborough.

“This action follows the very dry weather and the need for Cambridgeshire Fire Service to abstract water from the Nene, because of the on-going wildfire at Holme Fen Nature Reserve. Our officers continue to work with the Fire Service, Natural England and partners to bring this incident to a close.”

Payments due on Monday, August 31, will instead be made on Friday, August 28, ensuring recipients receive their money before the long weekend.

The change will apply to a range of major benefits, including Universal Credit, State Pension, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, and Disability Living Allowance.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Cabinet (Image: Eddie Mulholland/Daily Telegraph)

The Government said the move is designed to provide financial certainty for families, pensioners, and carers, particularly as many households prepare for the start of the new school year

Ministers said bringing payments forward would help people manage their finances with confidence and avoid disruption caused by the bank holiday.

Social Security and Disability Minister Sir Stephen Timms said: “We’re pleased to confirm that benefit payments due on the August bank holiday will be paid earlier.

“This will help ensure families and older people receive their money without disruption over the bank holiday period.

“This Government is determined to ensure people up and down the country have the support and breathing room they need, which is why we’ve acted to take money off energy bills, increase the National Minimum Wage and lift half a million children out of poverty, as well as supporting people into good, secure jobs.”

The announcement comes as the Government continues to highlight measures aimed at tackling the cost of living.

Among these policies are plans to provide free school meals to all children in households claiming Universal Credit, expanded childcare provision, and the rollout of free breakfast clubs.

The Government says the free school meals programme, backed by more than £1 billion in funding, will help lift around 100,000 children out of poverty.

Other measures include increases to the National Living Wage, support with household energy costs, and a £1 billion Crisis and Resilience Fund designed to help families facing financial hardship.

Ministers have also pledged further support to help disabled people and those with health conditions move into employment through programmes such as Connect to Work and the Government’s Pathways to Work scheme.

The Department for Work and Pensions has advised benefit claimants that while payments will arrive earlier than usual, the amount received will remain unchanged.

The public should only call 999 “where absolutely necessary” as emergency services are tackling fires across the West Midlands, a police chief has said.

West Midlands Police incident commander Chief Inspector Tom Clayton told a press conference on Thursday evening: “What I would ask the public is, where possible, if they can only ring 999 to speak to the police where absolutely necessary, and where possible, if they can use our other non-emergency means of contacting the police, our non-emergency 101 number, and our Single Online Home Service to contact us if that’s possible.

“And apart from that, just I’d like to thank the public again for their response, but also to keep up the common sense approach, not to come down to the scene, not to try and go back to homes, unless the all clear has been given, so we can keep everybody safe and resolve this as soon as we can.”

Millions of us were treated to a stunning spectacle on Wednesday during mainland Europe’s first total solar eclipse for more than 25 years.

And for some in the UK, it was a race against time to find a pair of eye-protecting eclipse glasses as shortages grew.

If you did manage to grab some, you might be asking – what do I do with them now?

“Eclipse glasses are a great example of our single-use culture,” says Dr Renee Tonkin, the founder of Science Owl, an environmental education organisation focused on waste.

“Particularly because they’re difficult to recycle due to their mixed materials.”

According to Recycle Now, which advises on appropriate places to recycle items, the glasses are not wholly recyclable in your household waste.

It says you can recycle the cardboard frames so long as you separate them from the lenses, which are harder to recycle.

So here are three things you can do with those retina-saving spectacles.

A child and three firefighters have been taken to hospital as fires tore through homes in the West Midlands, where a local councillor described the scene as “apocalyptic”.

On the hottest day of the year, with temperatures soaring to 38.1C in Kew Gardens, more than 100 firefighters were tackling huge fires in the Stourbridge and Stratford-upon-Avon areas.

At Stourbridge golf course, an “extensive grass fire” spread across roads in places with people urged to stay indoors.

West Midlands Fire Service said that multiple houses caught fire and people were evacuated from their homes. The organisation said a child and three firefighters were taken to hospital.

Councillor Andrew Tromans, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge Town on Dudley Borough Council, described the scene of the fire in Stourbridge as “apocalyptic”.

Meanwhile, in Stratford-upon-Avon a major incident was declared at the scene of a wildfire. Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service were called at 2.30pm to reports of a large plume of smoke on Tothall Lane, Salford Priors.

The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for much of England, covering parts of the south and east, as well as swathes of the Midlands.

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Burnham thanks emergency services over ‘awful’ fires

Andy Burnham said he was in touch with local leaders in the West Midlands as firefighters continue to bring several wildfires in the region under control.

He said in a statement: “Awful to see homes and communities hit by fires across the country tonight as the heatwave continues.

“My thoughts are with everyone affected, particularly those who have been injured or forced from their homes, and with the firefighters who have been taken to hospital.

“I’m in touch with local leaders (including West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker) and will be speaking to emergency services on the ground as they continue their response.

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“Our firefighters are working in incredibly difficult conditions and putting themselves at risk to keep others safe. A huge thank you to them and everyone supporting the effort tonight.

“Please stay safe and follow their advice.”

Alex Ross13 August 2026 23:45

Public told to only call 999 ‘where absolutely necessary’

The public should only call 999 “where absolutely necessary” as emergency services are tackling fires across the West Midlands, a police chief has said.

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West Midlands Police incident commander Chief Inspector Tom Clayton told a press conference on Thursday evening: “From a police perspective, we are going to do our best, I’d like to reassure the community of Stourbridge and the wider West Midlands.

“We’re going to do our absolute best to service their business-as-usual policing needs.

“However, as you can understand, we are experiencing very, very high demand assisting our colleagues in this multi-agency response”.

Alex Ross13 August 2026 23:09

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Burnham kept informed on wildfires in West Midlands

West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker said he had spoken to Andy Burnham, who had pledged the fire and rescue services in the region would get any additional support they requested.

Mr Parker told Sky News: “Our plan is to visit the area tomorrow to speak to some people on the ground there.

“I don’t want to get in the way of the important work going on this evening, but I want them to know they have my full support, and I’ll be working with the local authorities and others across the region to see what we can do to support them at this really difficult time.

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“I would also like to convey a message to them from the prime minister, who I spoke to earlier this evening, but has asked me if the fire service on the ground needs additional support, and I’ll be speaking to the chief officer a bit later, to ask him what we can do.

Alex Ross13 August 2026 22:27

Fire service in West Midlands takes ‘thousands of 999 calls’

West Midlands Fire Service has dealt with “thousands of 999 calls” as more than 100 firefighters battled blazes across the region, chief fire officer Simon Tuhill has said.

He told a press conference on Thursday evening: “This is a large and complex incident that has occurred on one of the hottest days of the year.

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“Our fire control team have been dealing with thousands of 999 calls, whilst coordinating attendance at other operational incidents across the West Midlands.

“The tinder-dry conditions that the country and the West Midlands are facing at the moment has meant that the fire has spread rapidly, despite the hundred-plus firefighters’ best efforts who are on scene and in attendance.

“Rest assured, they are doing everything they can to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.”

Alex Ross13 August 2026 22:11

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‘It’s shocking’ – Resident in Stourbridge reacts to fire

In Stourbridge a man, who declined to be named, said: “At about two o’clock I was working from home.

“I saw smoke come down and it was already at the corner of Racecourse Lane and Norton Road. It’s shocking.”

Several homes nearby had been damaged, including two which could still be seen smouldering near the brow of a nearby hill.

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Alex Ross13 August 2026 21:39

What we know so far about the fires across the West Midlands

Stourbridge

West Midlands Fire Service said six houses were affected by the large blaze in Stourbridge, which is estimated to cover 40 acres of land, including a wood.

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Wollaston and Stourbridge town councillor Andrew Southall said care home residents have been evacuated alongside others as a result of the fire near Stourbridge golf course.

About 60 firefighters attended the scene after being alerted to the blaze at about 1.30pm.

Stratford-upon-Avon

In nearby Warwickshire, the county’s fire and rescue service said it is responding to a “large fire” in Salford Priors, Stratford-Upon-Avon, which has been declared a major incident.

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Police, fire crews and ambulances are at the scene of the wildfire.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 2.30pm on Thursday to reports of smoke on Tothall Lane in Salford Priors.

Stoke-on-Trent

In Stoke-on-Trent, north of Birmingham, fire has hit “a small number of properties and gardens”.

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Crews from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue are on the scene of the blaze in the Goldenhill area.

Pershore

Residents have been evacuated after homes were damaged as a blaze hit Pershore, where around 200 properties are without power and a person has suffered smoke inhalation.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said emergency services were called out at around 4.30pm on Thursday to deal with “a large” fire on Lancelott Court, off Three Springs Road.

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Alex Ross13 August 2026 21:30

Scene of fire in Stourbridge ‘apocalyptic’ – local councillor says

Councillor Andrew Tromans, who represents Wollaston and Stourbridge Town on Dudley Borough Council, described the scene of the fire in Stourbridge as “apocalyptic”.

In a statement on Facebook, he said: “The apocalyptic scenes in Norton and across Stourbridge are sadly just a taste of what is to come if we don’t act.”

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He added: “It is my view, and it has been for a while, that Dudley councillors must have an emergency meeting about we protect our borough from the impacts of climate change.”

Alex Ross13 August 2026 21:20

200 homes without power in Pershore, Worcestershire

Residents have been evacuated after homes were damaged by fire in Pershore, Worcestershire, where around 200 properties are without power and a person has suffered smoke inhalation.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said emergency services were called out at around 4.30pm on Thursday to deal with “a large” fire on Lancelott Court, off Three Springs Road.

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A spokesman said: “One person has been treated for smoke inhalation. Thankfully no other injuries have been reported at this time.

“A number of homes have been damaged and 30 properties in the area have been evacuated.”

Residents in the wider area have been told to keep windows and doors closed as a precaution and surrounding roads have been temporarily shut.

The spokesman said “approximately 200 properties are currently without power”, adding: “We recognise this will be an upsetting time for the local community and would like to thank you for your patience and cooperation while we respond to the incident.”

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Alex Ross13 August 2026 21:02

Residents use watering cans and buckets of water to dampen down smouldering fields

Several homes in Stourbridge were severely damaged by fire, with a smouldering section of adjoining fields being damped down on Thursday night by worried homeowners carrying water in buckets and watering cans.

Fire crews could also be seen hosing down hedgerows and bushes near damaged homes close to the junction with Fairways Avenue.

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One local resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “The fire came within feet of the other side of the road.

“It has been terrible for those who have had their property destroyed but it was terrifying for everyone.

“It was all the way across the fields in no time at all. It was hard to believe it was happening.”

Alex Ross13 August 2026 21:00

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Comment: The next pandemic won’t come from a lab. It’ll come from the weather

The only way to manage the deadly – and immediate – results of flooding and heatwaves is to treat the climate emergency as we would an outbreak, not like a chronic illness, writes policy adviser Aliza Ayaz.

Nicole Wootton-Cane13 August 2026 21:00

Robbie Williams has revealed he’s been diagnosed with ‘a little bit of autism,’ and admitted he still struggles with ‘intrusive thoughts’.

The singer, 52, had previously shared he has ADHD, but revealed he also has the neurodevelopmental spectrum condition.

Speaking during a Q&A at the Autumn/Winter launch of his clothing brand Hopeium’s at Flannels, Robbie said he uses the diagnosis as a ‘get out of jail free card’.

The singer said he’s learned to ‘train his brain to be creative’ in a bid to block out things that could make him ‘panic or be scared’.

He said: ‘I have ADHD and I just found out I have a bit of autism as well, which I actually f*****g love because it explains so much.

‘It is my get-out-of-jail-free card now, and all the weird s**t that I do I just say ”sorry I’m autistic.”

The singer, 52, had previously shared he has ADHD, but revealed he also has the neurodevelopmental spectrum condition (pictured on stage last week)

‘With the ADHD you can completely and utterly concentrate on something 1000 per cent, but with absolutely everything else, you just cannot do it. Ask my kids.’

‘What I’m completely and utterly obsessed with is creating images and making funny things, if I’m creating images and funny things, I’m not thinking about me, because my brain is incredibly creative, and it can be creative about everything in the world that you panic or scared about.

‘For example, this is how crazy I am, recently, I was sitting on a plane, and I thought ”what if I can have telekinesis and my intrusive thoughts tell the plane to crash itself”.

‘So that’s the kind of level of insanity that I’m dealing with, it’s best to train my brain to do something better than worrying about having supernatural powers and crashing a plane.’

Autism was once defined as a serious developmental disorder characterised by intellectual disability and the struggle to learn or understand language.

But in recent years, experts have loosened the definition. Symptoms include repetitive words or behaviors, struggling to vary routine and difficulties in social situations. 

Robbie has previously shared he’s been diagnosed with ADHD three times, and in October he admitted he has been secretly living with Tourette’s syndrome.

Diagnosed with ADHD and having battled several addictions since rising to fame in the early 90s, the Angels singer has endured multiple spells in rehab, notably for alcohol and drugs.

Speaking during a Q&A at the Autumn/Winter launch of his clothing brand Hopeium’s at Flannels, Robbie said he uses the diagnosis as a ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’

Speaking on Paul Whitehouse and Dr Mine Conkbayir’s podcast I’m ADHD! No You’re Not, Robbie admitted he’s still terrified of touring despite playing in front of sold-out stadiums and arenas for decades as a solo singer, and before that, as part of boyband Take That.

On his latest health condition, Robbie said: ‘I’ve just realised that I have Tourettes, but they don’t come out.

‘They are intrusive thoughts that happen, I was just walking down the road the other day, and I realised that these intrusive thoughts are inside Tourettes. It just doesn’t come out.

‘Not only that, you would think that a stadium full of people professing their love to you would work as (a distraction), but whatever it is inside me cannot hear it. I cannot take it in.’

Tourette syndrome is an inherited, neurological condition which can be characterised by involuntary sounds and movements called tics.

The record 18-time BRIT winner says he’s been diagnosed with ADHD three times, the reason behind his numerous diagnoses being he ‘forgot’ each time he was told he had the condition.

He explained: ‘So the first one was around 2006, where I saw these things, ADHD, on the Internet. I’m like, “all of those things are me.” Wow.

‘And then I started to hear that you could get some medicine that behaved a bit like speed, right? Adderall.

‘So, I go see the guy and I’m like, “I already know I’m all of these things. I already know that.” So, I’ll go and say this, then you give me the thing. And he gave me the thing.

‘There was a relief that I’d got it officially diagnosed, but then also there was more a relief that I was getting 200 of these tablets and then I thought the tablets might fix me because you’re always looking for the cure.

‘You’re always looking for the cure for the ailment of the disease inside your head. So I quickly went from taking the pills to crushing them and snorting them.’ 

ADHD is a serious, complex neurobiological condition characterised by inattentiveness – such as having a short attention span, being easily distracted, appearing forgetful or losing things – and impulsivity, for instance, being unable to sit still and concentrate.