Nevermind the mincepies and selection boxes, Dr Niamh Lynch shared what parents really need to be adding to their Christmas shopping lists. Revealing her ‘red hot tip’ as a paediatrician and mother, the Cork based doctor revealed the not-so-glamorous items that families won’t be ready for Christmas without. RELATED: Dr Niamh Lynch helps parents be […]
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AN interactive map reveals Britain’s pothole hell – with seven million dangerous craters nationwide.
PM Keir Starmer has promised a £1.6billion to fix pothole-ridden roads across the UK.
Writing in The Sun, Sir Keir said: “I know how much this matters to people.
“Potholes aren’t just annoying. They put lives at risk and hit working people in their wallets.”
The past year has seen a massive jump in claims for damage related to potholes, each costing drivers hundreds to repair.
New data compiled from 18 local authorities by the RAC show some regions experiencing spikes in claims by up to 366%.
The Club also compiled a list of worst offenders based on the number of claims per mile of road under the council’s jurisdiction.
By that metric, Surrey came out worst with 3,418 claims made for just 3,410 miles of road – a rate of one claim every mile.
Behind that, Hampshire, Essex and Hertfordshire were all tied on two in a poor outing for the Home Counties.
They were followed by Kent and Lincolnshire on four, with Gloucestershire rounding out the top five on five.
Perhaps even more shocking, though, was the fact that many of the lowest-ranked regions also approved the lowest proportion of claims.
Gloucestershire County Council, for instance, rejected a staggering 98% of the 829 claims lodged in 2023.
Likewise, Essex County Council refused 95% of its 2,560 claims while Kent Council turned down 92% of its 1,884.
Surrey County Council’s rejection rate was down to 86% but, by virtue of receiving the most claims, they rejected the most in raw figures.
Almost 3,000 applications for compensation were turned down in the county last year.
Even when councils did pay out, the average amount was just £260, around 43% less than the £460 average repair bill, according to the RAC.
Meanwhile, data from nine of the councils the Club contacted showed that 74% of the claims they rejected were denied on Section 58 grounds.
This means that the claim was refused because officials were not aware of the pothole or potholes that allegedly caused the damage.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “These findings are a stark reminder.
“The ongoing poor condition of many of the UK’s local roads is burning holes in the budgets of both local authorities and drivers.
“Even if a driver successfully pursued compensation, the average sum paid out of £260 is often well below the cost to fix a pothole-damaged car, for anything more serious than a punctured tyre.
“When it comes to the true extent of the problem, we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg.
“Almost the same number of councils refused to tell us why they threw out pothole claims compared to those that did.
“We have long argued that local authorities need greater certainty of funding so they can tackle to the root cause of the UK’s pothole plague.
“For this reason, we’re pleased they’ll receive £500m soon to start the process of improving their road networks.
“It’s vital that this money is used by councils not to merely fill potholes, but to carry out preventative maintenance.
“Surface dressing roads at regular intervals stops roads falling apart in the first place.
“Roads that are beyond reasonable repair should be resurfaced.”
A TOP doctor has described how she watched her son die from sepsis at the hospital where she works.
William Hewes died aged 22 at Homerton Hospital in January last year within 24 hours of being admitted after his meningitis, caused by a meningococcal infection, developed into sepsis.
The sporty 6ft 6in young man, who was studying history and politics at university, was said to have been fit and healthy before the infection.
An inquest into his death was due to get under way at Poplar Coroners Court on Thursday but it was adjourned to February 13.
Deborah Burns, Mr Hewes’ mother, is a consultant paediatrician at the east London hospital where her son died and has been a doctor there for more than 20 years.
In a statement provided by her lawyers, she said: “I was present throughout his admission. I witnessed him receiving inadequate care despite my raising concerns. I was not listened to at the time and I watched him die.
“Since then, I have met with almost two years of resistance and lack of engagement. This has taken a terrible toll on me and my family and added another layer of pain to our grief.
“All I was asking was for an open, honest and thorough investigation to take place so that vital lessons could be learnt from William’s death. I have a personal moral duty and professional obligation to act on what I witnessed.
“The added dimension is that it is my workplace.
“I wanted to help prevent what happened to William happening to other young people, to give them the best chances of survival to be able to continue to live their lives, to contribute to society, to love and be loved, as William very much was.”
She wants the inquest to look into whether there were any delays in her son’s care which affected the outcome in his case.
She also wants to know whether any lessons can be learnt, according to an independent expert witness for the family, Dr Ron Daniels.
Kate Rohde, a lawyer at Fieldfisher representing the family, said: “It is difficult to understand how an organisation to which Deborah dedicated her life as a paediatrician could so profoundly let her and her son down.
“If Deborah, an experienced paediatrician, was not listened to, what hope do other parents have of getting doctors to hear their concerns?
“We cannot keep giving stories to the press about mismanagement of sepsis and see no change in how medical staff react. We now call on the trust to listen, to learn and to improve – otherwise, what else can we do?”
Homerton Hospital said in a statement that the trust has taken “appropriate steps” since Mr Hewes’ death to continue to reinforce awareness of suspected sepsis in patients attending A&E.
“Losing a child is an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts go out to Dr Burns and her family during this devastating time,” the trust said.
“We extend our deepest condolences and want to acknowledge the profound impact this loss has had on Dr Burns and her family.
“As a member of our consultant paediatric medical team, Dr Burns has always been a much admired and respected member of our staff at Homerton.
“We have reached out to Dr Burns on a number of occasions over the past 22 months and will continue to do so.”
Meningitis, an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, is extremely serious.
The symptoms of meningitis include a high temperature, being sick, headache, a stiff neck, drowsiness and a dislike of bright lights.
It also causes a rash which does not fade when a glass is rolled over it, but this does not always develop.
If not treated, meningitis can turn into sepsis, which is when the body overreacts to infection.
Sepsis has a mortality rate of around 20 per cent, the Sepsis Trust reports.
There are around 48,000 deaths from sepsis in the UK every year – more than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.
Each year, almost 80,000 people end up with life-changing after-effects, ranging from lethargy and muscle weakness to PTSD and repeated infections.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, yet it remains poorly managed in many cases.
The main reason is often delayed diagnosis, as its symptoms, like fever, confusion, and rapid heart rate, can mimic less severe illnesses.
A lack of awareness among both the public and healthcare professionals also contributes to missed or late treatment.
Early recognition and rapid treatment with antibiotics are critical to saving lives, but systemic issues continue to hinder progress.
HUNDREDS of thousands of pensioner have just one day left to apply for a key benefit that will allow to receive the winter fuel payment this year.
If pensioners apply for Pension Credit today they could still be eligible to receive they key payment, which is worth up to £300.
The winter fuel payment was available to everyone aged 66 and over.
However, cuts introduced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves now restrict the payment to retirees receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits.
But, it is estimated that more than 760,000 eligible individuals have not claimed Pension Credit payments, which would allow them to claim this year’s winter fuel payment.
To be eligible for this year’s payment, you must have had an active claim for any of these benefits during the “qualifying week,” which ran from September 16-22.
However, due to a little-known loophole, there is still time for pensioners to apply for pension credit and qualify for the winter fuel payment.
This is because new claims for pension credit can be backdated by up to three months.
This means that the absolute deadline to claim the benefit and qualify for this year’s winter fuel payment is Saturday, December 21.
Of course, if you fail to apply for the benefit before this date, you won’t qualify for this year’s £300.
Pension credit tops up your weekly income to £218.15 if you are single or to £332.95 if you have a partner.
This is known as “guarantee credit”.
If your income is lower than this, you’re very likely to be eligible for the benefit.
However, if your income is slightly higher, you might still be eligible for pension credit if you have a disability, you care for someone, you have savings or you have housing costs.
You could get an extra £81.50 a week if you have a disability or claim any of the following:
You could get the “savings credit” part of pension credit if both of the following apply:
This part of pension credit is worth £17.01 for single people or £19.04 for couples.
Claims for pension credit also open doors to a number of freebies and discounts.
For example, pension credit claimants over 75 qualify for a free TV licence worth up to £169.50 a year.
Claims for the benefit also provide eligibility to £25 a week cold weather payments and the £150 warm home discount.
The deadline to apply for pension credit and qualify for this year’s winter fuel payment is December 21.
YOU can start your application up to four months before you reach state pension age.
Applications for pension credit can be made on the government website or by ringing the pension credit claim line on 0800 99 1234.
You can get a friend or family member to ring for you, but you’ll need to be with them when they do.
You’ll need the following information about you and your partner if you have one:
You can also check your eligibility online by visiting www.gov.uk/pension-credit first.
If you claim after you reach pension age, you can backdate your claim for up to three months.
Payments last year were worth between £300 and £600, depending on your specific circumstances.
This is because the amount included a “Pensioner Cost of Living Payment” – between £150 and £300.
This year, it will be worth £200 for eligible households or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.
That means you could receive up to £300 in free cash depending on your circumstances.
Most payments are made automatically in November or December.
You’ll get a letter telling you:
If you do not get a letter or the money has not been paid into your account by January 29, 2025, you must contact the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories
LUKE LITTLER has rapidly become the face of darts since arriving on the scene last year – and he has his sights set on the World Darts Championship once again!
The teenage sensation added a staggering TEN titles to his ever-bulging cabinet in 2024.
This includes overcoming rival Luke Humphries with the aid of a nine-darter to win the Premier League title.
And then taking glory in November’s thrilling Grand Slam of Darts with a dominant win against Martin Lukeman.
As a result, Littler has risen to fourth on the PDC Order of Merit and won BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
But next on the hit list is a shot at the 2024/25 World Darts Championship – as he looks to go one better than his debut year.
The teenage sensation will be in World Darts Championship action against Ryan Meikle at Alexandra Palace on Saturday, December 21.
Littler’s second-round match will be in the evening session, which starts from 7pm GMT.
He will be the penultimate match of the evening and is expected to play between 9-10pm.
READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza...
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