DWP starts paying out Christmas bonus to thousands of people on Universal Credit, PIP and other benefits

Covid-19 restrictions to see family, friends or for their own mental health, research has revealed.

direct to your inboxNearly half of people surveyed think there should now be a national lockdown over Christmas.Some 47% of 5,734 people who answered the question in an Manchester Evening News survey over the Christmas bubble changes thought that we should move to one set of strict rules across the country. It comes as Boris Johnson is facing increasing pressure to take tougher measures after the new fast-spreading variant was identified.

AJ Pritchard has paid tribute to his late grandmother Angela Gratton after laying her to rest with his family. The dancer was competing in I'm A Celebrity when she died following a battle with dementia in November and while he knew she was ill before heading into the Welsh castle, he agreed with his family that he wouldn't be informed until he left the contest.

When new magazine chat to Celebs Go Dating and Ex On The Beach star Charlotte Dawson, she’s every bit as funny as you’d expect. Down-to-earth and self-deprecating, our Char is a breath of fresh air.The 28-year-old, who is expecting a baby boy with her fiancé Matthew Sarsfield in February, is super-excited about the Christmas period and new were lucky enough to get a peek inside her amazingly decorated pad for our exclusive shoot.

Neil Diamond has shared a new ‘global singalong’ video for his hit ‘Sweet Caroline’ – watch it below.The video is made from footage of thousands of fans who submitted videos of themselves singing along to the karaoke classic.Diamond’s new video comes hot on the heels of his new album with the London Symphony Orchestra, ‘Classic Diamonds’, which is in the running for Christmas number one album.Watch the ‘global singalong’ for ‘Sweet Caroline’ below.The new video is not the first time this year that ‘Sweet Caroline’ has been used to unite people through difficult times.Back in March, as the world began locking down due to the coronavirus pandemic, Diamond shared a comedic public service announcement, using the lyrics for ‘Sweet Caroline’ to

It was almost a very different Christmas for Brian O’Driscoll and Amy Huberman after the former rugby player narrowly escaped the UK’s Tier 4 restrictions on Sunday which would’ve seen him stranded in London for Christmas.

Hollywood screenwriter and producer David Giler, best known for theAlien movie franchise, has died. He was 77.

LadBaby could be on track to land his third Christmas No1 in a row, matching an achievement that only The Beatles and the Spice Girls have attained before.

Sam Twiston-Davies is hoping "stronger" Clan Des Obeaux can land the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase hat-trick.

Three Man Utd stars made a young fans Christmas with a surprise video message following a particularly difficult year for the 11-year-old.

KATE Garraway has voiced her desperation after her internet crashed during lockdown before Christmas. Good Morning Britain star Kate, 53, pleaded for her internet to be turned back on after three days without wifi in a message on Twitter, saying it felt like the "final straw" following a tragic year without her husband Derek Draper at home.

TOWIE'S Jess Wright was close to tears as she revealed her "dream got taken away" due to Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions - which put a stop to her surprise pre-wedding Dubai trip. The reality star - who often heads to the holiday hotspot with her famous family - took to her Instagram Stories to admit she was still in "shock" and "couldn't speak" after the major rule change.

HOME Alone 2 star Brenda Fricker, who played New York's 'pigeon lady' has revealed she finds Christmas "very dark and lonely." Brenda, an Oscar-winning actress for her role in My Left Foot, found cult status as the homeless woman from Central Park who befriended Kevin McAllister and later helped him escape Marv and Harry. But speaking on Radio 1, the Dublin-based actress, now 75, revealed she would be "lying" if she said she had a "nice and happy Christmas" planned.

straight to your inboxManchester City fans want Pep Guardiola to make seven changes for their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal.City have won the competition in each of the previous three seasons and have reached the last eight once again this time around.

direct to your inboxIt is a three-bed, modest, detached house.But parked on the driveway at various times were a Range Rover, a Land Rover, a sleek, black Mercedes GLS worth £150,000,  a BMW and a £70,000 imported Corvette.How does the boss of a haulage company assemble such an array of wheels?Inside the home, on a modern estate in a suburb, were pieces of art - including a map of the world made from bullets.The occupant also owned around £600,000 worth of watches. He splashed out on holidays, spending £70,000 on breaks in around three years.He would fly to Dubai, Mexico and New York - business class or first class.

direct to your inbox When Prime Minister Boris Johnson first introduced Christmas bubbles they would allow at least three households to meet for five days - from Wednesday until December 27. But these plans have had to be scrapped now after a surge in cases of a new variant strain of coronavirus in the South East of England and London which led to a new Tier 4 being introduced.

direct to your inboxFamilies across the UK have had to dramatically scale back their Christmas plans after the government introduced changes to restrictions.Plans to allow a five-day period of relaxations have been scrapped amid a rising number of infections in the south of England, which is believed to have been caused by a new highly transmissible strain of coronavirus.Health secretary Matt Hancock said the country was facing an “enormous challenge” in bringing the latest outbreak under control and that tough new restrictions may be needed for months to come.Millions of people in England have been put under new Tier 4 restrictions, which ban them from forming a Christmas bubble, while Scotland has introduced a travel ban and Wales has

This may not have been the year for lengthy make-up routines and experimenting with elaborate looks, but if your make-up bag hasn’t been touched since the beginning of the year, its contents are probably in need of a refresh. Fortunately celebrity make-up artist Hannah Martin is here to help.The expert behind Princess Eugenie’s make-up for her wedding day in 2018, Hannah also “provided make-up artistry assistance to members of the bridal party for the royal wedding” and is one of the experts on Channel 5’s 10 Years Younger in 10 Days.

direct to your inboxMidnight Mass and Christmas Day services are an annual tradition for many.Christmas is a time of reflection as well as of celebration as it marks the birth of Jesus.But this year, celebrations will be somewhat toned down for many as a challenging year continues to bring new changes to restrictions.From 2 December, you can attend places of worship in all tiers.

direct to your inboxFor people who had been shielding during the pandemic as a result of their clinical vulnerability, there has been confusion over whether or not they still need to continue to keep their distance over Christmas. The government website has been updated to reflect the new coronavirus four-tier system that came into effect on December 20.

Strictly Come Dancing stars pay tribute to Caroline Flack in the show’s Christmas special, the Daily Star can reveal. The presenter, who died earlier this year, won the BBC contest in 2014.In footage that will air on Christmas Day, pro dancer Janette Manrara said: “Caroline was a part of the Strictly family then and still is a part of the Strictly Come Dancing family today.