King's Speech did not address pensioner poverty says Independent Age Independent Age Chief Executive Joanna Elson, CBE said: “The King’s Speech did not go far enough in addressing pensioner poverty.

The Church of England in Lancashire is playing a key role in this year’s Christian Aid Week, with the Bishop of Blackburn and a county priest appearing in separate videos during the campaign on the charity’s social channels, to encourage donations. There will be campaign content on Christian Aid’s channels every day from May 10-16, for what is Britain’s longest-running fundraising week.

This week (4-10 May) marks Deaf Awareness Week, which aims to raise awareness of deafness while celebrating the UK’s deaf community. This year, the National Deaf Children’s Society is highlighting the early signs of deafness in children and reassuring families that support is available from the very start. Deafness isn’t always obvious.

TransPennine Express (TPE) is helping customers start their journeys with greater confidence by introducing new Passenger Assistance meeting points at stations across its network. The new meeting points provided by the train operator are clear, easy-to-find spaces where customers can meet a member of staff ready to help.

Demand has surged at a residential lettings agency in the north east as private landlords seek expert help to navigate the forthcoming Renters’ Rights Act. Xenia Lettings, based in Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, has seen a tenfold rise in instructions from property owners since the start of 2026 and has expanded its footprint to include Tyneside and County Durham, as well as Wearside.

Voters without ID have just one day left to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to use at the upcoming May local elections in England. To vote at a polling station, voters must present an accepted form of photo ID. A Voter Authority Certificate is a free form of ID available to anyone who does not have another accepted form of ID or prefers not to use it.

UK unemployment rate dips to 4.9%, defying expectations that it would remain at 5.2%. Wage growth cools, but not by as much as expected in the three months to February. The emerging energy crisis could knock hiring plans off course. Hopes are kept alive for a peace deal as talks are set to start in Islamabad between Iran and the US. FTSE 100 flat in early trade as a wait-and-see mood swirls.

New survey asks 2,085 business decision makers about their confidence, their major concerns, and technological adoption The survey finds a negative view of the economic outlook, with those working in SMEs more pessimistic.However, when asked about their own prospects for the next 12 months, business decision makers are broadly positive. More than half (56%) say they are concerned about business costs and interest rates. UK businesses are more likely to expect a rise in revenue rather than a decline over the next 12 months