The DWP has the power to deduct money from Universal Credit payments for a number of reasons, including to pay for rent arrears or benefits overpaymentsClaimants can be sanctioned for a number of reasons (Image: Oleg Breslavtsev via Getty Images)The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has published the complete list of 27 grounds for imposing Universal Credit benefit sanctions.Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit that was initially launched in the UK to supersede the previous benefits system in 2013. By 2018, all new claimants were obliged to apply for UC, while those already receiving legacy benefits continued to receive their existing awards.The DWP holds the authority to reduce Universal Credit payments for various reasons, including to recover rent arrears or benefits overpayments. According to the DWP website, money can be deducted from your Universal Credit payments to cover things such as:Child maintenanceCourt finesRent arrearsOverpayments or arrears from tax credits, Council Tax, Housing Benefit, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)Utility debts, like electricity, gas and waterHowever, deductions cannot be made from elements such as your child allowance, childcare and housing costs, reports the Manchester Evening News.The Government department outlines 27 grounds for reducing Universal Credit payments specifically through benefit sanctions.This occurs when the DWP believes you have not fulfilled everything you committed to do as part of your ‘claimant commitments’ – resulting in a reduction to your payment.Examples of why a claimant might face sanctions include missing an interview, voluntarily leaving employment and not applying for jobs.On the GOV.UK website, it confirms that claimants must ensure they fully understand all the requirements they must meet to receive Universal Credit, and the consequences if they fail to complete one or more of their work-related activities. It also states that ensuring your claimant commitment remains current by reporting any changes to your circumstances is essential.Below is the complete list of 27 reasons for Universal Credit benefit sanctions from May 2016 to the present day, along with the number of sanctions issued for each reason.Full list of 27 reasons for Universal Credit benefit sanctionsFailure to Attend or Participate in a Mandatory Interview: 578,758Failed to comply with an interview requirement: 567,776Availability for Work: 32,264Employment Programmes: 22,053Failed to participate in an employment programme: 21,917Failed to undertake all work search action: 21,639Reason for leaving previous employment: 9,538Failed to comply with a work focused interview requirement: 8,738Left work voluntarily: 5,968Failed to undertake particular specific work preparation action: 5,436Lost work because of misconduct: 3,563Failed to apply for a job: 3,519Failed to comply with an interview requirement self employed: 2,243Other: 1,429Failed to undertake particular specific work search action: 1,099Lost pay voluntarily: 726Loss of pay through misconduct: 437Failed to accept an offer of paid work: 300Failed to maintain a CV: 238Failed to be available to take up work: 182Failed to attend skills assessment: 90Failed to participate in training: 81Failed to participate in work experience or work placement: 52Failed to comply with requirement to provide evidence or confirm compliance: 21Failed to comply with requirement to report specified change in circumstances relevant to work related requirements: 8Failed to improve personal presentation: 7Unknown: 5
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Full list of 27 reasons for DWP Universal Credit sanctions
Live: Crash shuts North Staffordshire road
A crash has shut one of North Staffordshire’s most accident-plagued roads. Police, firefighters and paramedics are at the scene of the crash near the junction of Draycott Cross Road, The Green, Delphouse Road, and Brookhouse Road, on the outskirts of Cheadle.The collision was reported this evening.The Huntsman – on The Green, in Cheadle – has shared a picture of the road closure.StokeonTrentLive has approached Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, and West Midlands Ambulance Service for statements following the collision. Any witnesses can call the police on 101.This is a live blog. For the very latest traffic and travel updates follow our live blog below.
Eurovision 2026 updates and results as votes announced – live
Eurovision is always eventful and it was another memorable evening for the 70th edition of the international song contest, which was staged in Austria’s capital city, Vienna. From technical blunders to Australian pop princess to a surprise package win, Eurovision 2026 will live long in the memory for anyone who was there or followed it. We have just rounded up our list of the full leaderboard, which you can view hereThanks again for following. Let’s do the same again next year for Bulgaria!
Steelbacks Women Match Preview: Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire Women – Northamptonshire CCC
Northamptonshire Steelbacks Women return to T20 action tomorrow as they face Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire Women at Desborough Town CC.
In the previous round, the Steelbacks cruised to a nine-wicket victory over Herefordshire Women at the cinch County Ground as Amelia Kemp struck an unbeaten half century.
Tier 3 Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire will go into the game as underdogs but the competition has already shown that any result is possible. They beat Lincolnshire Women by four runs in a thriller at Dunstable Town CC.
Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire posted 130/7 from their 20 overs and they held their nerve in the field to secure their spot in the next round.
For the Steelbacks Gemma Marriott is back on captain duties, while Emma Gibbs will take the gloves from Chloe Hill. Seamer Liz Russell returns to the fold after missing the Steelbacks One Day Cup defeat to Sussex last week.
Play starts at 2pm at Desborough Town CC on Sunday and entry is free to all spectators. A limited livestream will also be available on the Steelbacks TV YouTube channel.
Steelbacks squad to face Bedfordshire & Huntingdonshire:
Gemma Marriott (c), Beth Ascott, Ava Clive, May Drinkell, Emma Gibbs (wk), Chloe Hill, Amelia Kemp, Anisha Patel, Elina Patel, Ella Philips, Liz Russell, Lenny Sims
Leeds United vs Brighton & Hove Albion: Premier League preview, team news, stats & head-to-head
Leeds are winless in all seven of their Premier League meetings with Brighton (D3 L4), both the most they’ve faced a side without ever winning and the most the Seagulls have faced a side without ever losing in the competition.Brighton have lost just one of their last 14 league games against Leeds (W10 D3), keeping 10 clean sheets and conceding just six goals in that run.As a top-flight side, Leeds have only lost their last home league game twice in their last 20 seasons (W10 D8), though one of these was a 4-1 loss against Spurs in their last Premier League campaign of 2022-23.Brighton won 4-1 at Spurs in their final away league match last season – not since 2012-13/2013-14 have they won their final match on the road in consecutive campaigns, with one of those victories back then coming at Leeds.Leeds have won 3-0 against Wolves and 3-1 against Burnley in their last two Premier League home games. They last won more consecutively at Elland Road between April and August 2001 (5), while they last did so while scoring 3+ goals each time between September and November 2000.Between December and February, only Burnley (1) won fewer Premier League games than Brighton (2). Since the start of March, no side has won more games in the top-flight than the Seagulls (6, level with Arsenal).Leeds are unbeaten in their last seven Premier League games (W3 D4), last having a longer run between May and November 2001 (13). They also had a seven-game unbeaten run in December/January, with this the first campaign they’ve had two such runs since 1998-99.Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored 13 Premier League goals this season, only netting more in 2020-21 (16). The last player to score more league goals in their first season with Leeds United was Luciano Becchio in 2008-09 (15).Brighton’s Maxim de Cuyper has been involved in three goals in his last three Premier League games (3 assists), more than in his first 25 appearances in the competition (2 goals).Jack Hinshelwood has scored in each of his last three Premier League games – no Brighton player has ever scored in four in a row before.
Next generation aerospace engineering firm joins Space Park Leicester – Love Business East Midlands
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 16 May 2026
Award-winning aerospace engineering company Barrett Aerospace, whose technology helped shape one of the world’s first all-electric passenger aircraft, has joined the innovation community at Space Park Leicester.
The Singapore-based SME, founded by British aerospace engineer and composites specialist Laurence Barrett, is internationally recognised for its advanced work in composite aircraft design, autonomous systems and next generation aerospace technologies. Built around a team of predominantly British professionals living and working across Asia, the company is focused on creating a collaborative bridge between the UK and Singapore, connecting expertise across aerospace, space and advanced engineering.
Its decision to join Space Park Leicester will help to strengthen collaboration between the UK and Singapore aerospace and space sectors, while supporting smaller companies navigating the technical, regulatory and commercial challenges of advanced engineering. Through its involvement with the University of Leicester’s £100 million space research and innovation hub, the company hopes to help international partners engage more closely with the UK space ecosystem while opening new opportunities for collaborative research and supply chain development.
Laurence Barrett said:
“Joining Space Park Leicester gives us an exciting opportunity to build new partnerships between the UK and Singapore, while contributing our expertise in advanced composites, simulation, autonomous systems and aerospace development. We are particularly passionate about helping innovative SMEs bridge the gap between concept development and real-world deployment.
“There is enormous potential for stronger collaboration between Singapore and the UK across aerospace, space and advanced manufacturing. Space Park Leicester provides an ideal environment to explore those opportunities while supporting companies developing the next generation of aerospace technologies.”
In 2020, Barrett Aerospace received a Global Business Award for “Leading Specialists in Cutting-Edge Aircraft Design”, recognising its growing reputation for solving some of the aerospace sector’s most complex engineering challenges.
Among the company’s most notable achievements was its involvement in the groundbreaking Alice programme — the world’s first all-electric nine-seat commuter aircraft developed by aerospace company Eviation. Designed to transform regional air travel through zero-emission aviation, Alice became one of the most talked about projects in the global aerospace industry, combining lightweight composite structures with electric propulsion to dramatically reduce operating costs and environmental impact.
Barrett Aerospace played a central role in the programme, designing, building and delivering the aircraft’s entire empennage tail assembly as part of a global supply chain involving partners across 21 countries. Working to exceptionally tight deadlines ahead of the aircraft’s public unveiling at the Paris Air Show in 2019, the company developed multiple design concepts within months while simultaneously refining manufacturing processes to ensure the aircraft could be produced efficiently and at scale.
The project showcased Barrett Aerospace’s expertise in advanced composite engineering and its ability to combine high-performance design with practical manufacturing solutions. The company’s specialist understanding of material science and load carrying composite structures has since become a defining feature of its wider work across aerospace, autonomous systems and space technologies.
Vinay Patel, Head of Commercial and Innovation, at Space Park Leicester said:
“Barrett Aerospace is an exciting addition to the Space Park Leicester community. Their involvement in pioneering programmes such as the Alice electric aircraft project demonstrates the calibre of engineering expertise they bring.
“The company’s international outlook, advanced technical capability and commitment to innovation align strongly with Space Park Leicester’s mission to support collaboration across space, aerospace and advanced manufacturing. We look forward to working together on future opportunities that connect industry, research and emerging technologies.”
Barrett Aerospace operates across a broad range of advanced engineering sectors, including recyclable aerospace materials, satellite communications integration, autonomous vehicle deployment systems and space launch technologies. The company supports the development and qualification of new aerospace materials and works closely with UK-based composites manufacturers and is particularly experienced in helping technologies progress through the critical engineering stages between Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 3–6.
Its engineering activities include UAVs, unmanned ground and marine vehicle deployment systems, prototyping, modelling, full mechanical testing and aircraft manufacturing support. The company also delivers high-level nonlinear simulation and fatigue analysis for aerospace structures, modelling how materials and components behave under real-world operational stress over time.
Singaporean company Equatorial Space Systems (ESS) is another of Barrett Aerospace’s customers. ESS aim to become Singapore’s first commercially designed vehicle to launch into Low Earth Orbit. Having already achieved lift-off of a Low Altitude Demonstrator over Perak, Malaysia in 2020.
Alongside its engineering capabilities, Barrett Aerospace combines technical, legal and commercial expertise, including in-house legal support for contracts and project delivery phases. The company also has access to trusted flight-testing capability in Queensland, Australia.
Barrett Aerospace is also supporting aerospace supply chain resilience through new cyber security initiatives aimed at helping SMEs strengthen compliance, operational security and certification readiness within increasingly demanding global aerospace markets. Working with specialist cyber security partners, the company is developing practical monitoring and compliance approaches aligned with industry standards such as NADCAP and Cyber Essentials, while also exploring opportunities to support Space Park Leicester companies through future cyber security awareness and resilience initiatives.
For further information about Barrett Aerospace, visit https://www.barrettaerospace.com
To explore Space Park Leicester partnerships, missions, residents, facilities, training programmes and innovation products, visit https://www.space-park.co.uk or to learn more about holding events at the venue, visit space-park.co.uk/venuehire. To learn more about the University of Leicester, visit https://le.ac.uk/.
Image: Laurence Barrett (pictured left)
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Two Cambridgeshire curry restaurants named as some of the best in the UK
These two restaurants in Cambridgeshire are serving some of the best curries in the UKLalbagh is one of the two restaurants that made it into the top 100 list(Image: Google Maps)Two restaurants in Cambridgeshire have been named among the best in the UK for a curry. The list of the UK’s Top 100 Curry Restaurants have been announced by the Asian Catering Federation and two popular restaurants were mentioned out of hundreds of spots.The list was voted for by the public and recommended by the Asian Catering Federation’s expert panel with the aim of helping “spice lovers discover outstanding curry houses in their local area”. There are nearly 10,000 Indian restaurants in the UK so making it to the top 100 is not an easy task.Chairman of the Asian Catering Federation Yawar Khan, said: “The Asian food industry strives to create the very best experience for its customers, and everyone listed in this guide is there because they have worked tirelessly to earn their place.”Year-on-year the Asian catering industry is challenged by global shortages, online delivery platforms charging exorbitant fees, and now, the new immigration rules that will make it extremely difficult for new overseas applicants to obtain a skilled worker visa in the UK. However, despite all this, we still continue to thrive, innovate, and dedicate all our energy to creating the very best cuisine. Congratulations to everyone who is included this year in our Guide.”If you are looking for somewhere to go for an incredible curry, you might want to test out these two spots in Cambridgeshire which made it into the top 100.LalbaghLocation: 49 Alms Hill, Bourn, Cambridge, CB23 2SHLalbagh is no stranger to awards having won things like the restaurant of the year in the East of England at the English Curry Awards and Best Asian Restaurant at the Asian Curry Awards. The restaurant’s menu features a huge range of starters, curries, and the chef’s own signature dishes.If you’re struggling to decide what to try, you might want to opt for the seven course taster menu so you can enjoy a few different dishes. Lalbagh is also available for takeaways so you can enjoy the high quality food without having to leave the comfort of your home.NavadhanyaLocation: 70 Newmarket Rd, Cambridge CB5 8DZNavadhanya is a very popular food spot in the city of Cambridge that believes “food should not only please the palate but also the eyes” and uses traditional methods of cooking and presentation. The restaurant has regularly featured in the Michelin Guide.The restaurant has an a la carte menu as well as a seven course tasting menu that can be made to be either vegan or vegetarian to suit all tastes. The a la carte menu features lots of different small plates that have been “inspired by the street food markets of India” as well as curries.
Hanley Brewers Fayre team ‘devastated’ as venue set to shut
End of an eraBrewers Fayre, Etruria Road, HanleyStaff have been left ‘devastated’ by the proposed closure of a Stoke-on-Trent restaurant. Hospitality giant Premier Inn is proposing to remove Brewers Fayre restaurants from its hotels.It means Hanley Brewers Fayre – on Etruria Road – is set to shut. The restaurant has been open for 12 years.It is possible that the venue could shut as early as this summer.In a social media plea to customers, Hanley Brewers Fayre stated: “Myself and the team are devastated but at the moment this is just a proposal. I can’t express how important it is that you and our community keep on supporting us like you have done for the last 12 years. We are currently open for trade as normal. As a sales-driven business I want everyone to know we are open. As always thank you for your support and a huge thank you to my team who have been great throughout such a worrying time.”Premier Inn is also planning to shut The Redwood – on Talke Road, in Newcastle-under-Lyme – as well as Brewers Fayre Orbital, on Eastern Way, Cannock.Premier Inn’s Beefeater restaurants are also facing closure. The Ladybridge, in Tamworth, and Longford House, in Cannock, are earmarked for closure as well as The Farmhouse, on Coppenhall Lane, in Crewe.Get even more North Staffordshire exclusives – and it is free
Premier League predictions: Arsenal vs Burnley, Aston Villa vs Liverpool and the rest of matchday 37
The Athletic has live coverage of Chelsea vs. Manchester City in the 2026 FA Cup Final.Welcome to The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge, where Savinho has lifted young Wilfred back to within striking distance of the summit.At 9.41pm UK time on Wednesday, Manchester City were cruising to a 2-0 home win against Crystal Palace — just as our guest subscriber Jack predicted, which would have taken the readers 10 points clear at the top of our predictions league with two rounds to play.However, that 84th-minute goal from Savinho, securing a 3-0 victory, meant a precious spot-on prediction for six-year-old Wilfred instead, taking our boy-wonder to within three. And, not for the first time this season, it left me wondering just what I have been up against in this game. Wilfred is a Palace fan, for goodness’ sake. What kind of six-year-old successfully predicts a 3-0 defeat for their own team?!Each week since the season began in August, four of us — an algorithm, a guest subscriber on rotation, Wilfred and I — have been predicting the Premier League results with varying degrees of success.We are awarding three points for a correct scoreline and one point for a correct result. We are also awarding a bonus point for any “unique” prediction, so Wilfred earned four after getting a bullseye with City 3-0 Palace.It leaves the subscribers with a slender lead over him going into the final two rounds.My brief hopes of a resurgence are over; the best I can hope for now is to avoid the further humiliation of being dumped to the bottom of the table by the algorithm.This week’s guest subscriber is, by the luck of the draw, another Aston Villa fan: Joe, 22, from Birmingham.Good luck, Joe.Our subscriber’s match of the weekBournemouth vs Manchester City, Tuesday, 7.30pm UK/2:30pm ETJoe says: “Manchester City will likely come into this match knowing that anything but a win will hand the title to Arsenal. Bournemouth are still fighting for a Champions League spot for next season and will be no pushovers. There will be nerves for both teams but City have a great record against Bournemouth and I expect them to continue that with a 3-1 win.”Bournemouth 1-3 Manchester CityOli says: As Joe mentions, City have won 16 of their 17 Premier League meetings with Bournemouth. Of all the match-ups that have taken place at least 10 times in the Premier League era, this is the most one-sided. But Tuesday’s edition looks like such a difficult game for Pep Guardiola’s team as they try to take the title race to the final set of fixtures the following Sunday — Bournemouth are unbeaten in 16 matches in the league since Arsenal won 3-2 at their Vitality Stadium on January 3. If I predict a City victory, it’s with no sense of certainty. It’s a real test, just three days after the play in the FA Cup final against Chelsea, too. It will be very tight.Bournemouth 1-2 Manchester City
Manchester City lost 2-1 at Bournemouth last season – the only time they have failed to defeat them in the clubs’ 17 Premier League meetings (Dan Istitene/Getty Images)Oli’s other predictionsAston Villa vs LiverpoolIf I knew what kind of line-up Unai Emery was going to pick tonight (Friday), I would have a clearer view on this. If his Villa team had held on to win at Burnley last Sunday, which would have all but guaranteed Champions League qualification, I suspect he would have rested his entire starting XI here ahead of Wednesday’s Europa League final against Freiburg. But the race for the Champions League qualification is tight enough to make me think he will go full-strength — or close to it. And if he does, it might be Liverpool who are left clinging nervously onto fifth place.Aston Villa 2-1 LiverpoolManchester United vs Nottingham ForestUnited have taken just one point from their past four Premier League meetings with Forest, dating back to December 2023. It’s the type of miserable record United have often gently cast aside in the four months since Michael Carrick was named interim head coach. This should be another of those victories that sum up their undoubted progress under Carrick, even as certain questions linger about the way forward for them beyond this season.Manchester United 2-1 Nottingham ForestBrentford vs Crystal PalaceCredit to Pep Guardiola for recognising Oliver Glasner’s right to prioritise Palace’s upcoming UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano. Glasner’s wrap-them-in-cotton-wool approach worked in Manchester City’s favour on Wednesday but might well work against them when Palace host Arsenal on the last matchday of the Premier League season, just three days before that final against Rayo Vallecano. The challenge for Glasner is to keep his players ticking over rather than risk losing rhythm altogether. Brentford, pushing to qualify for Europe next season, will want to capitalise on that.Brentford 2-0 Crystal Palace
Palace’s priority for the remainder of this season is the UEFA Conference League final they play in on May 27 (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)Leeds United vs Brighton and Hove AlbionLeeds have never beaten Brighton in the Premier League. Admittedly, that is only a seven-game sample size, but it’s still quite striking. They are, however, unbeaten in the league since March 4 — also only a run of seven matches, but again quite striking. In these situations, people sometimes say, “So something has to give”. But it doesn’t. This could be a draw. It really might be a draw.Leeds 1-1 BrightonWolverhampton Wanderers vs FulhamThe risk when Rob Edwards took over at Wolves last November was that, with relegation already looking inevitable, the positive energy he hoped to bring — and did bring for the first few months — might fade over the remainder of the campaign. That is how it is turning out; Wolves going down is not his fault by any means, but relations with an unhappy fanbase have already become strained. That is a concern. In that difficult atmosphere, against a team who have all but given up, this should be an away win to keep Fulham’s faint hopes of European qualification alive.Wolves 0-2 FulhamEverton vs SunderlandFrom the buoyant mood of a month ago, heading into a home Merseyside derby with genuine hopes of beating Liverpool to Champions League qualification, Everton are now five games without a win. Every one of the five has been tight, but precious points have slipped through their fingers. They too could yet get into Europe, but they’ll need to beat Sunderland. And nobody — with the exception of Nottingham Forest the other week — finds that easy.Everton 2-1 SunderlandNewcastle United vs West Ham UnitedAs much as I’m intrigued by the dynamic between Eddie Howe, his Newcastle team and the St James’ Park crowd after such a disappointing season, this one is all about West Ham. They desperately need a result on Sunday — ideally, a win — to heap the pressure back onto Tottenham, who don’t play until Tuesday, in the relegation battle. I can see West Ham scrapping for a point. I’m just not sure I see enough match-winning quality from them at the moment.Newcastle 1-1 West HamArsenal vs BurnleyFrom the very start of this season, Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title since 2004 has been a slog. How often have their supporters been able to sit back and enjoy the ride? Very rarely. But this looks like the kind of game where everything falls into place for them and a state of something approaching nirvana takes hold. Arsenal will score early on Monday night, then they’ll score again, and it will get to the point where their play is flowing more freely and irresistibly than it has all season. I’m going for a 4-0 win and, with goal difference and even goals scored potentially still a factor in this title race, I was tempted to go higher than that.Arsenal 4-0 BurnleyChelsea vs Tottenham HotspurI was at the “Battle of the Bridge” in 2016, when Chelsea, at the end of a miserable season for them as outgoing champions, found the motivation to inflict a terminal blow to Tottenham’s title hopes. It was a wild night, and it’s tempting to imagine something similarly anarchic here. These two teams have the worst disciplinary records in the Premier League — neither of them aggressive in any positive sense, but both lacking composure and prone to immaturity and recklessness when the pressure is on. The last thing Spurs, desperate for points in their attempts to avoid relegation, will want on Tuesday is for Chelsea to come out ready for a street fight.Chelsea 2-1 TottenhamNeale-Wade Academy’s trust warned it must improve or be ousted
The main concern raised by Ofsted after its inspection in January, external was about poor pupil performance “over a sustained period of time”.Inspectors found “historical weaknesses” in the curriculum and said: “Many pupils do not achieve well.”However, it was noted new leaders had started to drive change and there was a good safeguarding culture.The school confirmed it had received the letter and said it was writing to parents to update them.A spokesman for the Active Learning Trust said it was confident its “robust and thoughtful” plan would pay dividends.”We are committed to providing an excellent education and learning experience across all our schools and Neale-Wade’s recent Ofsted report clearly pointed to the improvements and progress that have already been made,” they added.”We know that there is more work to be done and we have continued to make meaningful progress and improvements since our inspection in January.”
