Whitehall Minute
Heartburn: why extra pillows can make it worse
The NHS suggests raising the head of the bed instead, but the authors of a 2021 review of trials say the research is too limited for definitive recommendations.
Roman telescope’s main instrument nearly 30% better than predicted
Engineers adjusted the telescope’s secondary mirror by a distance smaller than the width of a human hair.
UK warns against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia
Travel insurance could be invalidated for anyone who travels against the advice, the government page says.
NHS trust sacks 15 staff over Nottingham attack victims’ records
NUH has told the Information Commissioner’s Office and Nottinghamshire Police, and aims to bring in a system to flag suspicious access in early 2027.
How much is the UK State Pension? Full new rate is £241.30 a week
The full new rate rose by 4.8% in April, DWP said, and a GOV.UK search on 18 October 2026 found no 2027-28 rates table.
Honeybees chase wild pollinators off flowers around Cambridge
Other pollinators actively avoided honeybees in up to 36% of interactions, and only the ivy bee contested them, ARU said.
Colds and cold air can set off asthma symptoms
Asthma usually starts in children but can happen at any age, and adults with asthma needing a steroid inhaler or tablets can get a free flu vaccine, the NHS says.
Taking migraine painkillers too often can mean more headaches
NICE counts painkiller days by the month and sets different thresholds for triptans and for paracetamol, aspirin and similar drugs.
Post Office Horizon redress payments top £1.7bn
The Horizon Shortfall Scheme accounts for £1,080 million of the total, with 827 of its claims still under assessment.
UK government accepts vaccine damage payment scheme needs reform
The government also agrees the medicines regulator should get linked health records, but gives no cost for it.
White dwarf is first known green star, astronomers say
No white dwarf is close enough to be seen directly, so the team calculated the colour of each star from its spectrum.
Car tax: £200 a year for cars registered since April 2017
Rates for cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 depend on fuel type and CO2 emissions, and run from £20 to £790 a year.
UK threatens to block all visas for Eritreans
Eritreans were the most common nationality arriving by small boat in the year ending June 2026, the Home Office said.
NASA’s Moon battery survives minus 170C but needs a heater
Drills in shadowed craters, rovers and astronauts’ emergency power packs are among the possible uses, NASA says.
Fibre and constipation: two reviews, two different results
A 2025 review of seven trials in older adults found no significant gain in stool frequency, but significantly less use of laxatives or enemas.
UK economy grows 0.1% in August as services stall
The annual rate of 2.1% was last higher in August 2022, the ONS said.
When are the Premium Bonds results? Next on Tuesday 3 November
Results are due Tuesday 3 November; NS&I lists a 4.35% prize fund rate and odds of 21,000 to 1 per £1 Bond.
Antidepressant leaflets to get boxed warning on suicidal thoughts
The aim is “not to discourage use”, says the MHRA’s Dr Alison Cave, with a new patient card also planned.
Eczema can flare as the weather turns cold
Atopic eczema cannot be cured, the NHS says, but treatment can help manage the symptoms.
Neanderthal shoulder blade may show earliest known wooden-spear violence
The same remains show signs of a facial injury the Neanderthal survived for at least a year, which Dr Emma Pomeroy says would have required care from others.
Severe drought declared in parts of six counties in England
Water companies in parts of England have been told to step up drought planning as the government takes measures to protect customer supplies, Defra said.
Winter vomiting bug: why hand gel is not enough
UKHSA figures show hospital outbreaks of norovirus in England 25.4% below the five-season average for the 2026/2027 season so far, though laboratory reports are above it.
UK regulator fines Wayfair £4.8m over one-day offers that did not end
Appliances Direct was also fined over automatic opt-ins to paid extras, and Gold’s Gym over a joining fee missing from the total price shown.
Itchy fingers and toes after the cold? It may be chilblains
NHS advice says not to warm cold hands or feet on a radiator or under hot water, and lists diabetes as one reason to see a GP.
Milky Way’s multi-planet systems identified so far split into two ‘families’
Simulations that best fit the wide, massive systems have them unstable from birth, said INAF researcher Danae Polychroni.
UK government targets bogus self-employment loopholes
Genuinely self-employed people would also gain a right to a written statement about their contracts, under the proposals.
High cholesterol: why only a blood test can find it
The NHS guide puts a healthy total cholesterol level for adults at below 5mmol/L.
Thwaites Glacier sea-level forecast doubles in new model
The projection holds even without additional climate warming, the university said, while co-author Eric Rignot says the results point to greater coastal flooding risk.
World’s oldest shipwreck found off Turkey, archaeologists say
With no wood left for radiocarbon testing, the Early Bronze Age date rests on the shape and decoration of the pottery.
Suspicious text message? Forward it to 7726 for free
GOV.UK’s guidance says that anyone unsure whether a text is genuine should not reply to it or give out private details such as bank details or passwords.
UK ETA costs £20 and lasts up to two years
GOV.UK says an ETA does not guarantee entry, and warns that other websites may charge more or imitate the official service.
Woman, 23, sentenced to death in Iran over ‘blasphemy’ post, rights groups say
Oslo-based Iran Human Rights says more than 600 executions have already been carried out in Iran in 2026.
Is 28 December a bank holiday in 2026? Christmas and New Year dates
Christmas Day is Friday 25 December 2026 and New Year’s Day is Friday 1 January 2027; Scotland has one more bank holiday, Monday 4 January.
MI5 chief: Brexit result ‘not in dispute’ after Burnham’s Russia comments
The MI5 chief also backed the prime minister on a separate point, saying there was a hack and leak in the 2019 election campaign.
Lung cancer: the signs and when to see a GP
Symptoms range from a lingering cough to feeling tired all the time, and some people notice none at first, the NHS says.
Vatican: Pope Leo has lung cancer, surgery ‘successful’
Dr Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said the Pope woke up normally and went back to a room on the tenth floor after a brief period of observation.
UK car finance compensation not due until legal process ends
The Financial Conduct Authority expects payments under the scheme to begin in 2027 if it is upheld and the judgment is not appealed.
Food recalls: the products on the FSA’s alert list since September
Salmonella lies behind three alerts and Listeria behind two; four more are allergy warnings, one concerns cans that may rupture and one an oat drink.
About 650 more prisoners due for release in England and Wales
The second of ten release dates covers sentences of 575 to 882 days; the next is 10 November.
How much is Child Benefit? £27.05 a week for the eldest child
Partners who live together cannot both claim the higher rate, but each parent can get it for a child after a split, GOV.UK says.
IMF raises UK growth forecast but expects 3.3% inflation
The UK government has confirmed that the Budget will be held on 28 October 2026.
How often should you test your smoke alarm?
All three services say to replace an alarm after 10 years, and the London Fire Brigade says a kitchen needs a heat alarm instead of a smoke alarm.
Females with autoimmune disease report more psychiatric misdiagnosis
The researchers want doctors to consider autoimmune disease before giving a psychiatric or psychosomatic diagnosis.
Cold, flu or COVID-19? Symptoms alone can’t settle it
The NHS says flu tends to be more severe than a cold and comes on within hours, while a cold appears gradually.
Mould at home can affect more than your lungs
Social landlords in England must investigate significant damp and mould within 10 working days of a report, and Awaab’s Law will extend to more hazards from 30 November…
UK summons Iran’s ambassador, sanctions IRGC counterespionage head
Ruhollah Bazghandi and Shahram Ali Reza Tamarzadeh Jakki face an asset freeze, a travel ban and director disqualification.
When was the Budget 2026? Delivered on Wednesday 28 October
Chancellor John Healey presented the Budget to Parliament on 28 October 2026, and the next public sector finances figures are due from the Office for National Statistics…
UK heating oil households have fewer protections than gas customers
A typical 500-litre order cost about £520 in March, up from about £320 in February, the CMA found in its July report.
Cyber attack hits fridges in French supermarkets
Danfoss said most of the affected units were older products that no longer receive software or security updates.
Police support expanded to former MPs, peers and spokespeople
Former national security adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove will review protection for people in public life, including locally elected representatives.
