Whitehall Minute
When is Black Friday 2026? Friday 27 November
GOV.UK says sale items carry the same refund rights as full-price ones, and the CMA lists 32 practices that are unfair in all circumstances.
Police Scotland: ‘active inquiries’ after Epstein Balmoral reports
The force said the inquiries were at “a very early stage” and did not say who is being investigated.
Royal Mail last posting dates for Christmas 2026
Royal Mail is adding extra deliveries until 8pm and more Sunday processing as demand grows ahead of Christmas.
£100 Household Energy Payment: who gets it and when
The Treasury says the £2.6 billion scheme will reach up to 20 million households in England, with local authorities delivering it from January 2027.
UK Budget 2026: what was announced for benefits, the State Pension and tax
The Office for Budget Responsibility has confirmed the government is meeting its stability and investment rules, with a £15 billion buffer against the stability rule…
Free NHS flu vaccine 2026 in England: who can get it and how to book
Eligible people can book online, in the NHS App, at a pharmacy or through a GP surgery, and the NHS says the vaccine can be given with the COVID-19 and shingles vaccines.
Stamp prices 2026: how much a first and second class stamp costs
Royal Mail says first class costs £1.80 and second class 91p, and it aims to launch a stamp discount for low-income customers from April 2027, subject to Ofcom’s…
Storm names 2026-27: the full list and which comes next
The list is compiled jointly with Met Éireann and KNMI, and a new one is issued each September.
How much is a TV licence in 2026?
The colour licence costs £180 a year after a £5.50 rise in April 2026, and the fee is due to rise with inflation again in April 2027.
Everything changing in November 2026
Two of the four dated changes fall on the last day of the month, 30 November.
Cold weather can make the heart work harder
The British Heart Foundation says cold narrows blood vessels in the skin, and the extra strain can be harder for people who already have a heart condition.
A very large meal or too much alcohol can trigger a gout attack
NICE says there is not enough evidence that any specific diet prevents flares, while the NHS suggests some alcohol-free days each week.
Why wind makes it feel colder than the air temperature
The Met Office says there is no official definition of wind chill, and the US National Weather Service left humidity out of its formula.
Macron: One killed in ‘racist terrorist attack’ in France
A 12-year-old girl was among the five other victims and was fighting in hospital, Macron said.
Storm Boelo: Scottish garden curator named as man killed by falling tree
SSEN said 8,636 customers were still without power on the evening of 26 October, with more strong winds forecast across the north of Scotland on 27 October.
NASA’s Swift observatory ends its science mission
Over its career the observatory studied more than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts and left an archive of about 12 terabytes, NASA says.
State Pension payment dates November 2026: your payday
GOV.UK’s guides do not say whether St Andrew’s Day, a bank holiday only in Scotland, changes a State Pension payment due on Monday 30 November.
PSA test: the limits, and who can ask for one
The NHS page, last reviewed in September 2024, says routine PSA testing is not offered, though people can ask a GP about one; a screening committee backs a targeted…
Do joints really ache more in cold weather?
The Manchester study linked the worst pain days to low pressure and high humidity, while a review of osteoarthritis research found a link with temperature.
Bronchiolitis in babies: what the signs look like
The NHS lists four signs that mean calling 999 and eight that mean an urgent GP appointment or a call to 111.
A rainbow is sunlight bent and reflected inside raindrops
NOAA’s satellite agency says the outer bow of a double rainbow sends light out of the raindrop at 50° instead of the 42° of the red primary bow, which places it above…
UK households encouraged to keep three days of supplies
The Be Ready checklist covers water, food, light, cash and medical supplies, and says nobody has to do it all at once.
Magnitude 7.0 earthquake kills 16 in Tibet
Nagqu’s mayor said 12,489 people had been relocated and 18 temporary shelters set up.
Arctic ice cap suggests warming halted the next ice age
Models of its future have the Barnes Ice Cap melting completely within the next few centuries, the release says.
State Pension age is rising to 67: when you reach it
A further rise from 67 to 68 is scheduled between 2044 and 2046 under current law, the timetable says.
Jet stream: the winds that shape UK weather
NOAA says jet streams can reach speeds of more than 275 mph, and the Met Office says one can act like a vacuum cleaner on an area of low pressure.
Sinusitis: how long it usually lasts
The NHS lists salt-water nose cleaning among home treatments, but a Cochrane review said the trials of rinses for colds and similar infections were generally small.
Marsquake beneath Valles Marineris suggests canyon is still active
Models of alternative causes, including a meteoroid impact and a landslide, could not reproduce the waves InSight recorded.
When is the next Bank Rate decision? Thursday 5 November 2026
Due Thursday 5 November; Bank Rate is 3.75% after holds in June, July and September, with CPI inflation at 3.5%.
Offenders who refuse sentencing face cell confinement, lost visits
Judges will also be able to remove prison privileges for almost three months, with visits from prisoners’ children exempt.
Amber wind warning for Cornwall as Storm Austen nears
Gusts could potentially reach 60-70 mph for a time, the Met Office’s deputy chief forecaster Chris Bulmer said.
Some websites go offline over critical PHP flaws found using AI
Wiz says the flaws sat in PHP for more than a decade before AI tools helped expose them.
Bus fare cap outside London: £3 to end of 2026, then £2
Companies choose whether to join the scheme, so a route can be outside the cap.
The Moon averages 238,855 miles away and is slowly moving further
If Earth were a basketball, the Moon would be a tennis ball 23 feet 9 inches away, according to a NASA scale model.
Central heating can make dry eyes worse
The NHS lists eight things that make dry eyes more likely, from contact lenses to windy weather, and says a pharmacist may be able to help.
Defence Committee: Royal Navy short of anti-submarine frigates for Arctic
The Defence Committee’s report on the High North also says the UK has let its under-ice submarine capability lapse.
Pope Leo needs no further treatment after lung cancer surgery
Leo was discharged from hospital on 17 October and held the weekly General Audience in St Peter’s Square on the day of the statement.
Is 18°C warm enough indoors in winter?
Age UK called 21°C and above ideal for living rooms in a 2013 release, while the NHS and the World Health Organization name 18°C.
Blue skies and red sunsets have the same cause
Violet light is scattered even more than blue, the Met Office says, but human eyes are more sensitive to blue and sunlight contains less violet to begin with.
Next energy price cap due by Wednesday 25 November
Two more dates follow, 23 February and 26 May 2027, and Ofgem says it may publish earlier if external reasons require.
Sore throats normally clear up within a week without antibiotics
A Cochrane review found antibiotics bring a modest symptom reduction, and the NHS lists the signs that call for a GP, 111 or 999.
Japan launches probe to bring back samples from Mars moon Phobos
JAXA says its spacecraft is in good health after launch, with a sample capsule due to separate for re-entry in 2031.
Vitamin D in winter: the NHS advice and the studies
The NHS says some groups, including all children aged 1 to 4, should take a daily supplement all year round, not just in the colder months.
Covid inquiry: Hancock’s care home ‘protective ring’ claim ‘unfounded’
The inquiry’s report on the care sector said action to protect care workers and residents came too late, and counted more than 43,000 care home deaths involving Covid-19.
Storm Austen named as wind warning issued for southern England
Rain adds a further hazard, with 20-30mm in many places and higher totals possible over higher ground in the west and further north on 23 October.
UK government asks why people defer State Pension
The DWP said the call is an evidence-gathering exercise and does not propose specific policy changes.
Ear infections often clear up on their own within three days
A Cochrane review found antibiotics did not reduce children’s ear pain at 24 hours, though NICE names groups who may benefit more.
UK unemployment falls to 4.7% as job vacancies drop
Growth in total pay in Great Britain, including bonuses, is the lowest in nearly six years, the ONS said, while regular pay growth has been relatively stable.
NHS prescription charge in England: £9.90 an item
In England, a 12-month prepayment certificate costs £114.50 and covers all NHS prescriptions for the year.
Private parking: Great Britain drivers to get 10 minutes to leave
Under the code, charges would be scrapped on appeal for honest mistakes, with a £20 maximum on appeal for smaller slips and the overall maximum frozen at £100.
