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From left, MP Alicia Kearns presents certificates to last year's winners Gates Garden Centre, Melton Sports and Foxy Lots

Opinion: Showing my support for our local independents

Jeremy Hunt will announce the Autumn Statement today. Credit: Getty/Adobe/Mark Hall

Watch the Chancellor's autumn statement speech here

Leicestershire County Council's quit smoking programme has received a funding boost

Funding to be doubled for county's quit smoking programme

A newborn baby in the maternity ward at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey on May 22, 2020 in Frimley, United Kingdom. (Stock Image. Credit: Steve Parsons - Pool/Getty Images)

Bereaved families call for inquiry into NHS maternity services

Heat pumps grant rises to £7.5k as UK Government warned it won’t meet 2050 net zero target

UK government increases heat pumps grant in effort to achieve net zero

A general view of scaffolding at Balbardie Primary School on September 04, 2023 in Bathgate, Scotland, after its buildings were found to contain RAAC. Credit: Getty Images

43 more schools found to have crumbly RAAC concrete

Greta Thunberg was among those speaking at the protest in central London. Credit: XR/Henry Nicholls/AFP via Getty Images.

'Oily Money Out': Greta Thunberg joins protesters in central London

Four British nationals who were being held in Taliban custody in Afghanistan have been released and are set to return to the UK on a flight

Four British men freed by Taliban after being detained in Afghanistan

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer pledges to tackle NHS wait times with £1.5bn plan

Dale Vince joins Just Stop Oil activists during a protest by the environmental campaigners in central London. Picture Date: Thursday June 8, 2023. Credit: Aaron Chown/PA Wire

Just Stop Oil donor pulls funding over ‘pointless’ further protests

Rishi Sunak has refused to say whether he's axing the HS2 route from Birmingham to Manchester. Credit: Mark Hall/Getty

Northern leader hits out at PM’s ‘lies’ over rail projects and HS2

Rishi Sunak has come under fire over HS2 during the first day of the Tory party conference

Rishi Sunak's government will preside over the highest tax rises on record, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies. (Credit: Getty Images)

Sunak's government will oversee highest tax rises on record

The UK's first drug consumption room in Glasgow has been given approval. (Credit: Getty Images)

UK's first drug consumption room gets approval to open in Glasgow

According to a leaked photograph, the government is said to be possibly planning on scrapping the Birmingham to Manchester HS2 phase in order to cut down on costs. (Credit: PA)

Labour mayors join forces to urge Sunak not to scrap HS2 Northern link

Millions of people are receiving payments to help with high bills amid the cost of living crisis - what further support is coming in 2023?

Cost of living payment: What other support is coming in 2023?

The DWP will pay more than seven million households and HMRC will follow with around 830,000 more, taking the total number of households eligible for the cost of living payment to around eight million.

Cost of living payment: Exact date £300 boost will be paid this autumn

39% of children can't see a dentist - and it's worse for adults

Insulators on an electricity sub station are seen near homes in Manchester.

Homes to save £100s on energy as new scheme begins - are you eligible?

Doreen Thompson adjusts her thermostat at her home as she limits her use of heating to keep up with her increasing energy bills, at her home in south London.

Ofgem chief’s warning energy bills could be ‘even higher’ this winter

An open cash register containing pound coins and notes is pictured in a convenience store in London

DWP confirms £300 cost of living payment in update on £94bn support

Survey reveals the booziest UK cities - is your area on the list?

Colm Gildernew MLA has called on Allied Irish Bank to improve services and saving rates for customers following the extortionate profits it has made so far this year. Credit: marcin jucha - stock.adobe.com

Parents urged to claim benefit worth thousands as criteria extended

MPs are warning the Government to do more to tackle the increase in smart devices being used in domestic abuse cases

MPs warn of baby monitors and smart speakers enabling domestic abuse

How much wine, beer & spirits will cost after government tax increase

Schools across England will face major disruption today as teachers strike over pay (Photo: Getty Images)

Back to school - teachers strikes finally over

A host of Vevor DIY and electrical appliances have been recalled after putting users at risk of electric shock

Warning as 34 branded DIY items recalled due to risk of fire

UK Weather: Flood alerts issued for parts of the UK

The 1975's set in Malaysia was cancelled after Matty Healy and Ross McDonald kissed on stage - Credit: Getty

The 1975 set stopped after Matty Healy kisses bandmate in Malaysia

The 1975 were performing at the Kuala Lumpur festival Good Vibes on Friday

Asian hornets have been spotted in the Dover area in Kent

Public warned as Asian hornets spotted in Dover

Councils have called for a total ban on disposable vapes by 2024

Local councils call for total ban on disposable vapes by 2024

Tens of thousands of children are being taken on holiday during term time as parents look to save money

More parents opt to take children out of school for holidays

Raising the value of benefits would have been preferable to sending out a string of lump sum cost of living payments to households, according to a leading UK economics thinktank which has dubbed the sporadic cash boosts an “ineffective sticking plaster”.

Cost of living payments are ‘ineffective sticking plaster’, warns IFS

Empire Cinema group enters administration - full list of closures

Striking teachers from the National Education Union (NEU) hold a rally in Parliament Square on 5 July 2023 in London, United Kingdom. NEU members are striking to win a fully-funded, above-inflation pay rise for all educators. (photo by Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images)

Teachers walk out for second day this week over pay

Sir Keir Starmer heckled on stage by green protesters who demand ‘no more U-turns’ from Labour leader

Watch: Sir Keir Starmer heckled on stage by green protesters

A Just Stop Oil protester runs onto Court 18 and releases confetti

Just Stop Oil disrupt Wimbledon with ‘orange confetti & jigsaw pieces’

Secondary school children will now get to have their flu vaccinations to reduce the risk of transmission to more vulnerable groups. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

Flu vaccines to be offered to secondary pupils from September

NEU members are set to go on strike for two days this week over an ongoing dispute over pay with the government. (Photo by Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Teachers to walk out for 2 days this week

Health conditions that could see you collect an extra £400 a month

Teachers promised £2,400 bonus by Labour to cap ‘mass resignations’

Labour plan to offer teachers £2,400 bonus to cap mass resignations

France travel warning: Foreign Office issues alert to Brits as riots over police shooting see 1,300 arrests

France travel warning to Brits as riots over police shooting continue

Millions of Britons are invited to work in Australia for up to three years with changes made to its working holiday visa.

Millions of Britons invited to work in Australia under new changes

Three judges have overturned a ruling, which previously said Rwanda could be considered a ‘safe third country’.

Government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda ruled ‘unlawful’

700,000 children in England attending schools that need major repairs

Government ‘preparing for Thames Water collapse - contingency plans’

The government is reportedly preparing for the collapse of the UK’s biggest water supplier, Thames Water, due to large amounts of debt.

Royal College of Nursing said just over 43% took part in the ballot, below the 50% threshold to call for a strike action. (Guy Smallman/Getty Images)

Nurses to call off strike action after low turnout

Enjoy the seaside

Going Green: ​Make little changes before visiting the seaside

Gang who used ‘Thank you NHS van’ to transport 100kg drugs during pandemic jailed for almost 100 years

Gang who used ‘Thank you NHS van’ to transport cocaine & heroin jailed

Secretary-General of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) Mick Lynch said 20,000 rail workers have voted to strike for three days in July. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

RMT announces 3 days of rail strike action in July

DVLA manages everything from driving licences to car tax

DVLA warns of driving licence delays as 100 workers strike for 15 days

A three year old British girl is thought to be among those stabbed in the knife attack

British girl, 3 among those stabbed in knife attack in Annecy, France

Tesco have cut the price of everyday items

Tesco slash prices of several everyday items - full list

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrives to give evidence at the Mirror Group Phone hacking trial at the Rolls Building at the High Court on June 6, 2023. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Prince Harry could face removal from US over visa issues

The Government says around £130million worth of energy vouchers are still available to help with energy costs - you could be due a payment of up to £400, but there isn’t long left.

Households urged to cash in unused energy vouchers before deadline

An aerial view of what Leicester Royal Infirmary will look like after the planned revamp

Fears allayed over major county hospitals revamp