The UK housing market is heading for a year of steady improvement rather than dramatic change in 2026. Falling interest rates, easing affordability pressures and new mortgage products are expected to support buyers. I warn against expecting a return to ultra-cheap borrowing or runaway house price growth. 2026 should be a great year to buy a property.

With the cost of living still biting many households, and projections of declining disposable incomes for the rest of the decade, many people are looking at ways of making extra cash. And around half of UK adults now have a second job, or a ‘side hustle’. Whilst average earnings are often modest, at around £200 a week, others can do well enough that it becomes their main form of income.

Despite the wintery weather hitting the UK hard in the New Year followed closely by Storm Goretti, bringing more snow to the already struggling communities, I consider myself to be extremely lucky ….. so far.

With hazy summer days a distant memory, autumn brings a season of transformation with crisp, vibrant leaves, harvests of colourful fruit and vegetables and crackling log fires.

The summer solstice is a formative day in the calendar year, heralding the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Whether you celebrated with wreaths and feasts or simply savoured the longest day of 2025, the milestone kicked off the summer which evokes sunshine-soaked days and balmy nights.

The Spring equinox - when night and day are in equal balance across the globe - is a defining period for transformation and growth. As endless dark nights fade to a distant memory, Spring symbolises regeneration and renewal when flowers burst forth with optimism and badgers, bats and hedgehogs emerge from hibernation. Sharon Cain, Our Time for Life Correspondent, urges our readers to stop their procrastinations and delays - and live for today.

Connecting with nature and its wondrous wildlife and birdlife is therapeutic for our health, bringing a wealth of rewards and an enormous wellbeing boost. With almost 630 species of birdlife in the UK alone, the opportunities and magnificent backdrops to enjoy this leisurely pursuit are plentiful – whether it be the golden eagles in Scotland or ravens on the cliffs at Land’s End. Our Time for Life Correspondent, Sharon Cain, and photographer, Steve Hare, have been exploring in Northumberland – an acclaimed bird watchers utopia.

The countdown to Northumberland Day on Sunday, May 26, is a great opportunity to fly the county’s distinctive red and yellow flag and celebrate its rich heritage. Shaking off its winter grey landscape, spring transforms the most northerly county into a blaze of colour with a wealth of attractions to enjoy and explore.

Hanging around for trains will never be the same after being transported to the former waiting room of Wensley Station - just a stone’s throw from Yorkshire’s magnificent Yorkshire Dales. Transformed into a high-end country cottage, The Old Waiting Room near Leyburn, was the perfect location to wind down after a four week, full on, South American adventure.

Spring - when blankets of daffodils and crocus burst into colour and stretch towards the sun - is a symbolic period and the perfect time to revisit your bucket list. Aptly named because it sets out what you want to achieve, see, and do, during our precious lifetime, a bucket list can be life transforming in many ways.

Once the frenetic dash to prepare everything for the festive season has calmed down, taking time to unwind and enjoy this magical period is among life’s many pleasures. Among the delights to be relished is the anticipation of indulging in our favourite wines and sampling new ones. In the countdown to 2024, our Time for Life Correspondent Sharon Cain and photographer Steve Hare have been exploring the famous La Rioja region whose wines are recognised and enjoyed the world over.

Making time for a little pampering can have an enormous positive impact on our physical, emotional and mental health. So why don’t we do more of it? Luxuriating in the bath with candles and diffusers can feel deliciously decadent and provide a much-needed boost.

Blessed with an abundance of coastline and countryside, the Northeast boasts stunning sunsets along with fascinating folklore. It also makes a splash when it comes to its beautiful beaches – with four stunning beaches featuring in the Sunday Times 50 Best Beaches in the UK for 2023.