Lifestyle

The average couple spends a whopping £44,000 on their separation, but many could spend more if they're not aware of how to mitigate costs. New analysis of the true cost of divorce has found that on top of essential costs, such as legal fees and housing, separating couples regularly spend up to £13,000 on the hidden extras they feel they need to launch their new single lives. That means Brits are collectively spending tens of millions of pounds a year on the less...

Finishing other people's sentences, cracking your knuckles and biting your toenails all feature in a chart of Brits' worst habits. More than 90 per cent admit to having at least one bad habit, with one in ten admitting to ten or more weaknesses. Swearing was the most common trait, followed by nose-picking, not listening when others are speaking and biting your nails. Over-using social media, hoarding and not washing your hands after going to the toilet also feature in the...

A gift voucher swap shop has been launched in Westfield Stratford which allows members of the public to exchange their unwanted gift cards for cash or a charity donation. Brits are parting with a massive £300 million a year in unused gift card and voucher credit, new research has found, with 47 per cent admitting to have been on the receiving end of unwanted gift credit this Christmas. Former EastEnders star Rita Simons swapped her market stall in Albert Square to launch the pop-up...

The reason why cold weather can cause a flu epidemic has finally been revealed. Each year, a national flu epidemic always follows a chilly dry week with average temperatures below 0C. Now, new research suggests that cold dry weather makes for the perfect conditions as it helps the virus stay airborne for longer. Scientists studied 20,000 virus samples taken from nasal swabs. They then compared the incidence of respiratory viruses with weather data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute...

By Mark Herbert, Head of Schools Programmes at the British Council Mandarin Chinese, the world’s most popular first language, is the top non-European language that UK parents would like their children to study, a new survey has revealed. Amongst more than 1,000 UK adults with children aged under 18, over half said they believed that learning Mandarin Chinese would boost their children’s career prospects and open their minds to an ‘exciting and dynamic’ culture. And while Mandarin Chinese was still...

Heavy workloads and job insecurity are just two of the stress triggers which could increase your risk of heart disease and strokes. Scientists who analysed a series of high tech brain scans found heightened activity in the amygdala, a region of the brain involved in stress, is associated with a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. The study, published in The Lancet, provides new insights into the possible mechanism by which stress can lead to cardiovascular disease in humans. While...

Britain's shattered kids are ‘working’ for over 46 hours a week, according to a new survey. The shock research shows that parents are over-timetabling their children with extra-curricular activities in addition to their school commitments. This means exhausted children are actually working harder than the average parent who only completes a 37.5 hour week at work. The average child already completes 30 hours and 50 minutes a week at school Monday to Friday, as well as seven hours and 51...

The poor have got fatter and it is passed on from one generation to the next, a new British study found. The lower a person is on the social ladder, the higher their body mass index was likely to be. A new study which looked at class and weight since the Second World War found the rich and educated have been able to shield themselves against the obesity epidemic. And efforts to close this health inequality gap between the rich...

This year people in the UK will suffer more than 300,000 fractures because of the bone disease osteoporosis. That’s one fracture every two minutes. The good news is, there’s plenty you can do to keep your bones strong. Here’s some tips from the National Osteoporosis Society to help you stay fracture free in 2017. It’s easy to assume that osteoporosis only affects older people and is an inevitable part of the ageing process, but – according to the National Osteoporosis...