Lancashire Times

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YouGov/Cebr Consumer Confidence Index Records Biggest Drop In Household Financial Outlook Since April

YouGov/Cebr consumer confidence index records biggest drop in household financial outlook since April. Overall index decreased by 0.2. Retrospective (-2.2) and forward-looking (-5.7) perceptions of household finances drop significantly Business activity measures improve over September (+1,5), and for the next twelve months (+2.7)

P.ublished 12th October 2026

'Cut 6p Off Pump Prices' AA Tells Chancellor

Image by andreas160578 from Pixabay

Further cut would save around 6p a litre at the pumps. AA says lower fuel costs could help drivers, businesses and inflation

P.ublished 12th October 2026

Kendal Architects Named Finalists For National Church Conservation Award

Crosby Granger St John the Baptist

Crosby Granger Architects has been named a finalist in the King of Prussia Gold Medal category at the Church Architecture Awards 2026, recognising their ongoing conservation work at a Grade II* listed church in Rochdale. The awards are run by the National Churches Trust in partnership with the Ecclesiastical Architects & Surveyors Association (EASA).

P.ublished 12th October 2026

Christa Pike’s Failed Execution - Capital Punishment, Right Or Wrong? And What Went Wrong?

Ruby Boyd
Politics Correspondent

The unfortunate events of Christa Pike’s failed execution by the State of Tennessee has swept across the globe in the past week, raising controversy left and right, leading to the state’s prisons chief to resign. Tennessee is known for its extreme secrecy when administering executions, so what really happened and what happens next?

P.ublished 9th October 2026

Devolution Must Not Fragment UK Innovation, Business And University Leaders Warn

Business and university leaders have warned that devolution must strengthen the contribution of places to the UK's innovation economy without fragmenting the national capabilities needed to compete globally.

P.ublished 9th October 2026

Tripling Of Prostate Cancer Cases In Under 50s Shows National Screening Committee Needs To “Look Again” At Nationwide Programme, Says Expert

A prostate cancer expert has said statistics showing cancer rates in men under 50 have more than tripled between 2001 and 2023 “should be a wake up call for the UK’s National Screening Committee.” Prof Chris Booth, founder of men’s health charity CHAPS and a former consultant urologist with more than 40 years’ experience said the statistics from The World Cancer Research Fund “endorse the trend CH…

P.ublished 9th October 2026

Annual Air Passenger Survey: Satisfaction Remains High As More Use Public Transport To Get To Airport

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has published its annual passenger survey for 2025.  The survey found that passenger satisfaction with airports remains high despite a growth in air travel.  Travellers are increasingly choosing to travel to the airport by public transport, while leisure remains the key reason for flying.  The Civil Aviation Authority has released its 2025 passenger survey, which…

P.ublished 8th October 2026

Lifting the curtain on Greystoke Castle

Tom Nash thought he would have Greystoke Castle finished by now. We hear how the Liverpool engineer turned a dilapidated private seat into one of the county's busiest new venues, and why the hardest part is still to come. For most of the world, Greystoke is a name borrowed by Tarzan.

P.ublished 7th October 2026

More Than Half Of People In Northern England Fear They Won’t Have Enough To Live Well In Future Retirement.

Age-friendly workplace Photo courtesy of Independent Age

New polling from Independent Age, the only national charity solely focused on supporting older people facing financial hardship, shows that 59% of adults under the age of 65 in Northern England are not confident they will have enough money to live comfortably in retirement.

P.ublished 6th October 2026

The Sun Rose From The West

Fazl Mosque

On Sunday, 3 October 1926, the sun rose over London from the East, as it had done countless mornings before. Yet those gathered in Southfields that day believed they were witnessing the fulfilment of a prophecy uttered centuries earlier: “The sun will rise from the West.” Something remarkable was taking place on Melrose Road SW18.

P.ublished 5th October 2026

Tallest Building In Yorkshire Officially Opens In Leeds Standing At 440ft Tall And With 45 Storeys

Fusion Students, the new 633 bed student accommodation building on Merrion Way

It boasts some of the best views across the city, arguably one of the most desirable city centre locations, just down the road from Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre and amenities you’d expect from a 5* hotel, but this isn’t a new luxury hotel, it’s the city’s latest purpose-built student accommodation tower.

P.ublished 2nd October 2026

CrossCountry Customers Encouraged To Plan Ahead For Christmas Travel

Snow at Birmingham New Street

CrossCountry customers encouraged to plan ahead for Christmas travel: Snow at Birmingham New Street Rail passengers travelling this Christmas are being encouraged to plan ahead, as major engineering work will mean no trains can operate to or from Birmingham New Street between Thursday 24 and Monday 28 December 2026.

P.ublished 2nd October 2026

Matchroom Charitable Foundation Invests £50,000 In Youth Provision Across Salford And Manchester

Vital funding will help EMPOWER Youth Zones expand its work and create more opportunities for children and young people throughout Greater Manchester. The Matchroom Charitable Foundation has announced a £50,000 donation to EMPOWER Youth Zones, supporting the charity’s work with thousands of young people across Salford and Manchester.

P.ublished 1st October 2026

Why The North’s Over 50s Are Building The Social Enterprises Their Communities Need

Dr Zeineb Djebal, Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at the University of Liverpool Management School and Academic Programme Director for the Help to Grow: Management Course. On International Day of Older People, I’m taking a moment to recognise a group that deserves more attention in conversations about entrepreneurship: the over 50s who are building businesses…

P.ublished 1st October 2026

Architectural Heritage Fund Names 25 Standout Projects Across UK For 50th Anniversary Celebrations

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) has today announced 25 standout projects as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations. This diverse selection of projects stretches across the UK and illustrates what half a century of heritage-led regeneration looks like in practice.

P.ublished 1st October 2026

Collecting repeat prescriptions costs the economy £11.5bn a year – more than the NHS spends on the medicines

The NHS spends around £9 billion a year on repeat prescriptions – yet the cost to the economy of patients going to collect them is even higher, at an estimated £11.5 billion, according to a new report.

P.ublished 30th September 2026

Yorkshire Entrepreneur To Wear One Dress For 90 Days In Rebuttal Of Fast Fashion

Little Beau Sheep Photo: Kathryn Widdowson

A Yorkshire entrepreneur is launching an unusual fashion challenge to promote the importance of sustainable fashion and wearing natural fibres like wool. Sarah Turner, the founder of Ilkley-based Little Beau Sheep, which produces 100% British wool laundry balls, will launch ‘The 90 Day Wool Habit’, which will see Turner wear the same navy wool dress every day for 90 days.

P.ublished 30th September 2026

Northern News 28 September 2026 More Women Looking For Rewarding Careers On The Railway As Northern Sees A Sharp Rise In Job Applications

More women looking for rewarding careers on the railway as Northern sees a sharp rise in job applications More women looking for rewarding careers on the railway as Northern sees a sharp rise in job applications The number of women applying for jobs with Northern has risen significantly, following the launch of a successful recruitment campaign.

P.ublished 29th September 2026

New Research: Britons Are Planning For Retirement – But Almost Half Are Unprepared For Life’s Financial Shocks

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

New research undertaken by YouGov for UK wealth management and employee benefits firm, Mattioli Woods, reveals that while Britons recognise the importance of planning for their long-term financial future, many do not feel prepared for the major financial shocks and life events that could arise before retirement.

P.ublished 29th September 2026

From Heartbreak To Hope

Matthew Rhodes and Joanne Nicholson

A mother and son from York have announced the official launch of adaptable fashion brand EmAble in a bid to help transform the experiences of people battling life-changing health conditions and enduring treatment for chronic illness.

P.ublished 28th September 2026

Half Of Teen Girls Avoid School Sport Out Of Fear Of Failure

Teenage girls are spending fewer evenings with friends, feeling isolated in their communities and dodging school sport at higher rates than boys, according to a report into England’s “bedroom generation”.  Polling of 15-year-olds for the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) finds that more than one in five girls (21 per cent) now spends no evenings out with friends during a typical week, compared wi…

P.ublished 28th September 2026

Supporters Of Waspi Compensation Outnumber Opponents Almost Four To One, Major Study Finds

Supporters of compensation for WASPI women outnumber opponents by almost four to one, according to a landmark new analysis of more than 10,000 voters. The research, carried out by Stack Data Strategy among 10,052 adults in Great Britain, found that almost half of voters (47 per cent) believe women affected by State Pension age changes should receive full or partial redress.

P.ublished 28th September 2026

Students Urged To Make Lifesaving Checks

Northern Gas Networks is encouraging university students kick-starting their new term and student life in rented homes to carry out two potentially lifesaving checks.

P.ublished 26th September 2026

Blackpool's Lightpool Festival Celebrates 10 Glorious Years

Blackpool’s renowned public light-art festival, Lightpool Festival returns this October half term (Wednesday 21st - Saturday 31st October 2026) - and celebrates its ten-year anniversary. Staged across the town at a diverse range of indoor and outdoor venues, the magic of light becomes accessible to all.

P.ublished 26th September 2026

Hundreds Of Deaths Each Week Associated With A&E Overcrowding, New Research Suggests

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

New research is yet more evidence that A&E overcrowding kills, but governments remain too slow to act, says the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM).

P.ublished 25th September 2026

Time Is Back On Clotherholme Road

Ripon Grammar Schol

After some four decades of silence, "Clotherholme's Big Ben" is chiming again, thanks to a new caretaker who gave up his weekends to bring it back to life. For the better part of half a century, the clock above Ripon Grammar School has been right twice a day. Now it is right all the time.

P.ublished 25th September 2026

Passengers With Mobility Scooters Can Now Travel On All Types Of Northern Trains With Free Permit

Photo: Northern

Passengers with mobility scooters are now able to travel on all of the different types of trains in Northern’s fleet with a free permit. It comes after the train operator updated its rules to allow smaller mobility scooters on Class 158 trains.

P.ublished 25th September 2026

Local Organisations Invited To Apply For Second Round Of 2026 Miller Homes Community Funding

Photo: MIller HOmes

Miller Homes has opened applications for the second round of its 2026 Community Fund, inviting charities and community groups across the North West, including Coppull to apply for grants to support local projects and initiatives. The fund offers donations ranging from £250 to £2,000, helping organisations that make a positive difference within the communities where the homebuilder operates.

P.ublished 24th September 2026

Letter To The Editor: Public Transport Inaccessible

Dear Editor, Like most of us, I don’t think twice before hopping on a bus or train to go to work, meet friends or do a spot of shopping. However, for millions of people across the country who are deaf or have hearing loss, barriers on public transport can make even every day journeys feel impossible.

P.ublished 24th September 2026

Charities Warn Of Redundancies As Rising Costs Outpace Funding

Almost all charities surveyed say current funding levels are not keeping pace with costs. Half are considering redundancies, while three-quarters report falling income over the past year.

P.ublished 23rd September 2026

Housing Wealth: The Fortune The North Won't Touch

Millions of older homeowners are sitting on a retirement lifeline worth hundreds of thousands of pounds — but as Andrew Palmer reports the research shows those in the North are far less likely than southerners to ever consider using it It sounds like a story about poverty.

P.ublished 23rd September 2026

Y Cewri Launches To Improve Digital Access For The 1 In 4 People In The UK WHO Are Disabled

New Wales-based consultancy Y Cewri has launched as latest government figures show that one in four people in the UK are now disabled, highlighting the growing need for organisations to create products, services and digital experiences that work for everyone.

P.ublished 22nd September 2026

Business Crucial To Burnham’s Devolution Next Steps

Next month’s Budget should outline plans to put businesses at the heart of the next stage of devolution, to deliver growth, investment and higher living standards, according to a new report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

P.ublished 21st September 2026

CIEH Calls For Action To Tackle Noise Exposure In The North West To Reduce Health Inequalities

Noise pollution remains a significant but often overlooked threat to public health in the North West despite falling complaints figures, with new research suggesting many people are regularly disturbed by noise and that lower-income households are disproportionately affected.

P.ublished 18th September 2026

Expanded Jobs Guarantee Could Bring £4.6bn Long Run Boost To Public Finances As TUC Urges Ministers To Put “Turbo-Boosters” On Scheme

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

TUC calls for an expanded Jobs Guarantee at the heart of the government's plan to tackle the NEET crisis. A scaled-up Jobs Guarantee scheme with 225,000 places over three years would generate almost £4.6bn in long-term benefits, and support thousands of young people into sustained employment. Every £1 of government spending would generate around £2.69 in long-term returns to the Exchequer.

P.ublished 17th September 2026

Food Inflation Set To Almost Double As 2027 Storm Clouds Gather, Industry Forecaster Warns

Image: Marcus Winkler from Pixabay

Grocery bills that have crept up modestly this year are on course for a far sharper rise, with food inflation forecast to almost double by 2027 as extreme weather, energy costs and supply chain disruption converge on the food system.

P.ublished 16th September 2026

1,500 People Quit Work To Care For Older And Disabled Relatives Every Day, 150% Increase In Seven Years

New polling by Opinium for Carers UK reveals that 3.33 million people have given up work to care for a family member or friend who is older, disabled or seriously ill, with 1.1 million leaving their job in the last two years alone – more than 1,500 people a day.

P.ublished 16th September 2026

UK Labour Market Holds Steady As Redundancies Rise And Real Pay Stalls

Employment and unemployment rates unchanged in the three months to July, but vacancies fall for another quarter and youth joblessness remains stubbornly high

P.ublished 15th September 2026

UK Domestic Energy Production Faces Critical Challenge

The UK stands to lose a multi-billion-pound economic opportunity and risks letting investment, jobs and energy security slip away, say the authors of the 2026 Economic Report from Offshore Energies UK Energy security is national security in an increasingly volatile world where conflict in the Middle East is constricting global oil and gas supply.

P.ublished 15th September 2026

Retired People Are Gifting And Spending More As IHT Concerns Grow, New Survey Reveals

One in five expect to face an IHT bill but are unclear about tax planning. Nearly half gift what they want when they want, while one in three are not aware of the seven-year rule on gifts

P.ublished 14th September 2026

July Growth Beats Expectations As Britain Braces For A Harder Autumn

GDP rose 0.4% as ONS data show resilience — though analysts caution the calm may not survive a turbulent autumn of rising energy costs and bond-market turmoil. The UK economy grew by 0.4% in July, official figures from the Office for National Statistics showed, extending a pattern of steadier-than-expected performance through the first half of the year.

P.ublished 11th September 2026

New British-Built Trains To Transform Railways And Reindustrialise Britain

TPE TRU Trains

Passengers across the North will benefit from faster, more reliable journeys thanks to an around £1 billion investment in new trains, as the government puts passengers back at the heart of the railway.

P.ublished 11th September 2026

Rail Industry Advice for Customers Affected by Air Traffic Control Issues

To support customers affected by airline disruption due to the recent air traffic outage, National Rail has agreed some flexibility for ticket holders. Customers can use their rail tickets to travel at alternative times, or get a fee-free refund.

P.ublished 9th September 2026

Aviva And Chase Lead Surprise Comeback As Britain's Big Names Win Back Trust

Andrew Palmer
Group Editor

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

New index shows established brands recovering fastest from customer discontent, while debt charity StepChange records a near-perfect score at one of the hardest moments in people's financial lives, writes Andrew Palmer The challengers were supposed to be winning this fight. This month, the old guard hit back.

P.ublished 9th September 2026

Yorkshire Farmers Call For Homegrown Food Targets On Back British Farming Day

Yorkshire farmers calling for homegrown food targets on Back British Farming Day as new NFU research reveals Britain is producing less food than it did 30 years ago. The UK’s self-sufficiency in 10 out of 11 everyday foods, such as wheat, vegetables, beef, poultry meat and eggs have fallen in the last 30 years, the Ready to Grow report reveals.

P.ublished 9th September 2026

UK Housing Market Stagnates

The latest Lloyds House Price Index reports that average UK house prices fell by 0.2% in August and by 0.4% on an annual basis. This was the first year-on-year decrease since November 2023. According to Emeritus Professor Joe Nellis, Head of Economic Research at MHA, the accountancy and advisory firm, the housing market has come to a halt at a time of considerable economic uncertainty.

P.ublished 8th September 2026

Ballot For The 2027 AJ Bell Great North Run Is Now Open!

With the biggest ever Great North Run just days away organisers of the world’s greatest half marathon announce that the BALLOT FOR THE 2027 event is now OPEN. The Ballot runs from Monday, 7th September at 8am until midnight on Sunday 20th September, at which point ballot applications close. The draw takes place on Monday 21st September with applicants notified of their results soon after.

P.ublished 7th September 2026

Three Quarters Of A&E Staff Witness Violence And Aggression At Work At Least Once A Week, As 'Safe To Care' Campaign Launched

Around three in four UK Emergency Department staff have told the Royal College of Emergency Medicine that they experience or witness violence and aggression in their department on a daily or weekly basis.

P.ublished 7th September 2026

Blackpool Is All Lit Up

Liz Coggins
Features Editor

Blackpool's world-famous Illuminations were officially switched on by comedian and presenter Paddy McGuinness, marking the start of another dazzling season for one of the UK's most iconic attractions.

P.ublished 6th September 2026

Ruby’s Law MP Drop-In

Ruby’s Law, which is striving to protect pets in domestic abuse settings, has its second reading in Parliament in October. Ahead of that, campaigners are inviting MPs to a drop-in on 8th September so they can learn more about the proposed legislation and the positive impact it will have on victims of domestic abuse and their companion animals.

P.ublished 5th September 2026

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