Comedian Jason Manford has lifted the lid on his early years growing up, recalling his parents’ struggles to heat their home and put food on the table. Family holidays and even school uniforms were an impossibility without help from charities. And before his big break in 2007 with a small role in sitcom ‘Ideal’, the aspiring comedian picked up odd …

A study of 2,597 adults on the property ladder found despite many returning to offices, 16 per cent still intend to turn an existing shed or outbuilding into a home study. While 16 per cent have plans to install a new garden room to use at their leisure, whatever the weather and 14 per cent want to put up a …

A study of 2,000 people found 56 per cent have bought appliances such as air fryers, kettles and washing machines in an effort to keep down energy costs. With the average household spending £645.30 on new gadgets in the last 12 months, 28 per cent say home energy management is at the ‘top of their agenda’. And 81 per cent …

A study of 1,000 adults, who have ever rented and owned a pet at the same time, found 10 per cent are living with a furry friend despite it being banned as part of their rental agreement A further 25 per cent have done so in the past, resulting in tenants feeling anxious (52 per cent), worried (45 per cent) …

The typical family spends just six hours-a-week together as long working hours and digital devices keep them apart. A study of 2,000 mums and dads, with children at home, found their work shifts are the top cause of hindering family time (56 per cent), as well as homework (29 per cent) and social media use (20 per cent). Almost a …

Everyone loves a snack, but what kind of snacker are you? Are you a Super Snacker? Working through the cupboards each day on the hunt for goodies – snacking is your life. Or could you be a Resourceful Snack Snaffler? Picking through the kids’ lunchboxes after school, an uneaten fishfinger at tea-time or an ancient sweet found in a handbag …

Take this quiz to find out how lucky you really are – you may be surprised…. Does bird poo often land on you – supposedly a symbol of good luck – or do you avoid walking under ladders at all costs? The questions take all these important factors into consideration. It comes after a study of 2,000 UK adults and …

Brits are fast becoming a nation of trackers, examining at least seven different areas of their lives. A study of 2,000 adults found monitoring their step count comes in at number one, closely followed by tracking exercise levels and energy use. Others keep an eye on their heart rate, weight and how much they’re sleeping. Meanwhile the most popular tracking …

Are you green-fingered or do you stay well away from house plants, seeds and gardens? Take this quiz to find out just how your growing skills fare. How excited do you get about a trip to the garden centre? Do you know how courgettes are grown? How confident would you feel about growing a plant from a seed? It comes …

Kids rule the roost when it comes to what families are having for dinner, where they go on holiday – and even how to decorate the house. A poll of 2,000 parents with children from 5-16 found 49 per cent claim their little ones usually have an input in the big household decisions – as 31 per cent think it …