UK

The epicentre of the current COVID outbreak has moved from London to the North West of England and more older people are being admitted to hospital, new data reveals. The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) latest surveillance report also shows that the uptake of booster jabs is slowing in every age group. Rates in the

Plans to tackle the record waiting list for NHS treatment could be derailed by emergency care demands and a lack of staff, MPs have warned. The backlog of patients waiting for planned care in England has soared to nearly six million as the number of 999 calls and A&E waiting times have both hit record

Four protesters have been found not guilty of causing criminal damage after toppling of the statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol during a Black Lives Matter protest. A jury at Bristol Crown Court cleared Rhian Graham, 30, Jake Skuse, 33, Sage Willoughby, 22 and Milo Ponsford, 26, of charges, following a trial that

MPs are returning to Westminster after their Christmas break and plunging straight into a potentially fiery Prime Minister’s Questions and a Commons showdown over COVID-19. Besides the latest crisis over Omicron, Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer are poised to clash over soaring energy bills, investigations into Downing Street parties, and the PM’s flat makeover.

Key workers across several industries that keep the country running will be required to take COVID tests daily, the prime minister has announced. Boris Johnson said 100,000 workers “from food processing to transport to Border Force” will have to test every day they are in work from 10 January. The government will send lateral flow

Multiple hospitals have declared critical incidents amid warnings the NHS is “in a state of crisis” in the face of staff shortages caused by coronavirus and rising pressures. In a letter to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the NHS can “ill afford” the current level of absences as it

Boris Johnson has warned it would be “absolute folly” to say the pandemic is over – but said Omicron “is plainly milder” than other variants. Despite a huge increase in coronavirus cases in recent weeks, the prime minister said the UK is in a better position than most other countries due to the “very, very

Schools have been advised by ministers to start preparing for COVID staff shortages by merging classes into larger groups and considering “flexible” teaching options. The latest advice sent to schools in an email from the Department of Education and published in an open letter by Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi comes as many pupils prepare to

Thunderstorms are expected to hit the south of England today, bringing the possibility of road closures, power cuts and damage to trees and buildings. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for a band of stormy weather from Exeter in the West across to Norwich in the East. “A band of thunderstorms will

Contingency plans are being drawn up over fears a quarter of public sector workers could be absent due to the Omicron wave of COVID infections. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told ministers to test preparations for a possible worst-case scenario as daily coronavirus numbers continue to hit record levels. All government departments are also renewing

England has reported a record high of 162,572 new COVID cases along with a further 154 coronavirus-related deaths in the latest 24-hour period, according to official data. The latest figures compare with 160,276 cases and 178 fatalities recorded in England yesterday. The government usually releases daily figures for the whole of the UK, but Scotland,

A spectacular display in London has helped the UK usher in 2022, with people turning out to watch despite being encouraged to stay at home and enjoy the show on television. Details of the location of the spectacle, which involved a light show, drones and fireworks, were not revealed in advance amid the continuing spread

The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 is increasing significantly, it has been warned, with one hospital suspending visitors “due to health and safety concerns”. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the council at the British Medical Association, told Sky News: “What’s concerning is that we are seeing significant increases in people in hospital. “In

Boris Johnson has used his New Year’s message to claim that the UK finds itself in an “incomparably better” position than this time last year when it comes to coronavirus. In a message that will be posted on social media on Friday, the prime minister will say the country has met its target of offering

Leading scientists have warned that ongoing shortages of COVID tests across the UK are a “great concern” ahead of New Year’s Eve celebrations. In recent days there have been widespread shortages of lateral flow and PCR tests for delivery on the government’s portal, with no PCRs available across the UK this morning. Health Secretary Sajid

A number of new Nightingale “surge hubs” are to be set up around England as the NHS goes on a “war footing” in preparation for a wave of Omicron hospital admissions. Eight locations with capacity for 100 patients will be set up, with work beginning this week, NHS England has said. More sites have also