14 November 2025

This article was published on 31 Oct 2025. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

World Diabetes Day was created in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organisation in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat posed by diabetes. It is marked every year on 14 November, the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who co-discovered insulin along with Charles Best in 1922.  The theme of this years World Diabetes Day is Diabetes and the workplace.  For more details click here.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.

It is a lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.  There are 2 main types of diabetes:

Type 1 diabetes – where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, around 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2. Men are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women.

1 in 10 adults are now living with diabetes

Preventing type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition. There are over 13 million people in the UK at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

There’s currently nothing we can do to prevent type 1 diabetes. However, research has shown that for many people, combined lifestyle changes, including an improved diet, increased physical activity, and sustained weight loss, can be effective in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes risk factors

About 90% of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. It can come on slowly, usually over the age of 40. The signs may not be obvious, or there may be no signs at all, therefore it might be up to 10 years before you find out you have it. That’s why it’s very important to understand the diabetes risk factors.

Your risk increases with age. You’re more at risk if you’re over 25 if you’re African-Caribbean, Black African, or South Asian or white and over 40.

You’re also more at risk if you’ve ever had high blood pressure or if you’re overweight, especially if this extra weight is around your middle.

Type 2 diabetes is serious. If you don’t get diabetes treated, it can lead to life changing complications. Including losing your sight, kidney failure or lead to a heart attack or a stroke.

Know Your Risk – you can find out your risk of type 2 diabetes by using the Diabetes UK tool here.  Which only takes a few minutes.

Before you use this tool, you’ll need to take a few measurements: your waist size, your height, and your weight. 

You result

The result will give you four possible levels of risk:

• High
• Moderate
• Increased
• Low

The higher the risk level, the more likely it is that you’ll develop type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

High risk

One out of four people with high risk will get type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years. 

Your high-risk result could be due to your ethnic background.  Type 2 diabetes is two to four times more likely in people of South Asian, African-Caribbean, or Black African descent.

If you find out you’re at a high risk of developing the condition, then it is important to act now. You may have it without knowing, so it’s essential that you make an appointment at your GP surgery to have a simple blood test.

Moderate risk

One out of 10 people with moderate risk will get type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

If you have a moderate risk, you need to visit your GP as soon as possible, as you may need a blood test to check for diabetes. Making some healthier lifestyle choices could help to reduce this risk level. 

Increased risk

One in 35 people with increased risk will get type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

If you’re at increased risk, look at where you’re scoring points. Could you reduce your weight or waist size?

Low risk

One in 100 people with low risk will get type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

Your risk of type 2 diabetes increases as you get older, so it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to make sure your risk stays low.

It’s important to regularly check your risk level, either by using the tool or by speaking to your GP, especially if anything changes, like if you’ve put on weight or feel unwell.

Other risks

Smoking is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, and also increases the risk of other health conditions such as heart disease and cancer.  Read our Stop smoking guide here.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that affects pregnant women, usually during the second or third trimester. Read more here.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCOS is a condition that affects your ovaries.  Women who have PCOS are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. PCOS is associated with insulin resistance and therefore higher levels of insulin circulating in the blood.  For more details here.

Certain mental health conditions are also a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, these include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.

If you are receiving treatment with antipsychotic medication this can also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes, but the risk is quite low. Talk to your GP if you are concerned about potential side effects.

Sedentary lifestyle – Being sedentary is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Being ‘sedentary’ means sitting or lying down for long periods, which could be due to, working at a desk for long periods without standing up or sitting while driving a vehicle. 

You should try to break periods of sitting as often as possible, by doing some light activity such as walking or some chair based exercises.

Being overweight also puts you at a higher risk.

Getting up and being active is key to preventing type 2 diabetes. Find out how to be more active here.

Diet – a healthy, balanced diet can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Click here to read tips for healthy eating.

Alcohol – drinking too much alcohol can also increase your risk of the condition. Current guidelines recommend not regularly drinking more than 14 units per week and that these units should be spread evenly over 3-4 days.

Sleep – not getting enough sleep or sleeping for too long have been associated with an increased risk. To improve your sleep read our guide here.

Get an NHS Health Check

Whether you have any other risk factors or not, if you’re aged 40 to 74 and living in England, you may be eligible for a free NHS Health Check. Find out more about the health checkhere, or speak to your GP for more information.

This service isn’t available in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. If you are worried about any aspect of your health speak to your GP.

If you have type 2 diabetes

It is good to know that you have diabetes, so that you can take steps to look after your health and prevent some of the devastating complications that can occur. 

If you feel stressed or worried and want to speak to someone after receiving a diagnosis you can speak to your GP or one of the organisations given below.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Common diabetes symptoms are:

• Going to the toilet a lot, especially at night.
• Being really thirsty.
• Feeling more tired than usual.
• Losing weight without trying to.
• Genital itching or thrush.
• Cuts and wounds take longer to heal.
• Blurred eyesight
• Increased hunger.

No individual is the same, however, the most common diabetes symptoms experienced are an increased thirst, increased urination, feeling tired and losing weight.  

Getting information, help and support

• Diabetes UK

• NHS

• International Diabetes Federation

10 – 14 November 2025

This article was published on 31 Oct 2025. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

Anti-Bullying Week 2025 is coordinated in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year it has the theme ‘Power for Good’ and will take place from Monday 10th to Friday 14th November. Odd Socks Day will take place on Monday 10th November, where adults and children wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.  For more details click here.

All bullying is unacceptable and should not be tolerated.  It can affect anyone at any point in their lives, as an adult or child, at school, at work, online, at home or in the community. 

Bullying and harassment can be described as unwanted behaviour to cause harm or distress to another person.  This behaviour may be offensive, intimidating, malicious, insulting, abusive, a misuse of power, humiliating, denigrating, or injure the recipient.  Bullying can be related to age, gender, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, or any personal characteristic of the individual.  It may be an isolated incident or persistent. Bullying regularly includes homophobic, racist, or offensive language.

Bullying falls under 4 main categories, psychological, verbal, physical and cyberbullying.  It can have a serious impact on someone’s physical and mental health. Sustained bullying can cause stress, emotional issues, physical disorders and in some cases self-harm or even suicide.

When we think of bullies, we usually remember the ones we encountered at school, however, bullying doesn’t stop as a child for everyone, it continues into adult life for some.  Many school bullies continue to bully into adulthood.  This may be at work, at home or in the community.

An adult bully can be boss or colleague, a partner, a neighbour, a family member, a social acquaintance, online, or in the community.

To determine if you’re being bullied, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I feel intimidated or threatened?
• Am I regularly humiliated or ridiculed?
• Have I been called names?
• Are my efforts consistently undervalued or disregarded?
• Do I feel unwell, apprehensive, or stressed when I have to spend time with a particular person?

If you answer yes to these questions, then there is a high possibility that you are being bullied.  Bullying can create stress and anxiety and can lead to stress related health problems, including anxiety, panic attacks and depression.

If you’re the victim of an adult bully, there are a few things you can do:

• Learn to recognise bullying – when you realise that you are being bullied, you will be less likely to blame yourself for something that isn’t your fault and can start to get help & support.
• Realise that you can change your response – although it is impossible to change someone who doesn’t want to change, you can change how you respond to them.
• Learn how to set boundaries – be upfront and direct with the bully about how you plan to address their behaviour. Learn to be firm, confident, and assertive.
• Keep a journal to document the offences – be specific about what you write down. Include the date, the time, the location, the incident that occurred or words that were said and any witnesses to the event. It also may be helpful to include how it made you feel or how it affected you. You also should record details about the complaints that you made and the responses you have received.  This information will help managers or outside organisations.
• Report incidents. Being silent about bullying gives the bully more power and control over you. When you feel ready, report the bullying to your manager or HR if your bully is in the workplace or the local police, if the incidents are not work based.  You could also speak to citizens advice.
• Remain calm – keep your emotions in check when sharing details about the bullying.
• Make eye contact – as bullies have less empathy when they can’t see your face or your eyes.  
• Talk to friends and family – tell them what you are experiencing and ask for their support.
• Seek professional help or counselling – being bullied can affect your mood, your self-esteem, and even your physical health. So, it’s important to talk to a professional if you are struggling.
• Remember that you are not alone – workplace bullying is a widespread issue.

How to help your child when they are being bullied

As parents and carers, we all want our children to be happy and safe, and it is natural to worry about bullying, particularly if we have experienced bullying ourselves or think our child may be more vulnerable to bullying. 

Children and young people may be reluctant to tell adults that they are being bullied. They might be because they are embarrassed, worried about burdening their parents or worried that telling someone might make the situation worse.  But there are a number of potential signs to look out for if you are concerned. They may:

• become withdrawn.
• have unexplained scratches and bruises.
• have trouble with schoolwork.
• they may not want to go to school or to the organisation where the bullying is taking place.
• change their route to school.
• not want to go out or play with their friends.
• change their use of online and/or mobile technology.
• complain of headaches, stomach aches and other pains.
• become easily upset, tearful, ill-tempered or display other out-of-character behaviour.

The presence of the symptoms does not necessarily indicate that the child is being bullied, however, as a parent or carer you may be in the best position to recognise an unexplained change in behaviour that needs to be explored.

As a parent or carer, you have a role to play in guiding and supporting your child through their school years and there are many positive steps you can take to help keep your child safe from bullying and harm.   If your child tells you they are being bullied, there are a number of things you can do to help:

• Listen – effective listening can help you understand how your child is being affected and what you can do to help. It’s also important to pay attention to their body language and facial expressions. If they are reluctant to talk straight away, remind them that you are always available to listen, and they can talk to you at any time.
• Pay attention to changing behaviour – your child may not talk to you about being bullied but they may display other behaviours, such as becoming withdrawn.
• Don’t panic – remaining calm supports good listening and is reassuring for your child.
• Give them your full attention – this shows your child that you are taking them seriously.
• Be clear in your response – clearly explain the reasons for your concern and feedback sensitively what you have noticed.
• Talk to them about online safety – establish a clear understanding of the platforms they use, how they access them and the safety precautions they can put in place to control their own online environment.
• Ask them what they want you to do – exploring this will make your child feel valued and will help you to understand what support they need. It can be tempting to take over the situation, but it is important that they are given the opportunity to be involved in how it is dealt with.
• Make an appointment to speak to the head teacher, or the senior person where the bullying is happening – calmly explain to them what has been happening, giving them the details of when the incidents have taken place.  Discuss what you would like to happen next and how you can proceed together. Agree a plan of action going forward and set a date to meet again to review the situation.   You can also ask for a copy of their anti-bullying policy, as all schools, local authorities and youth groups should have one.

Online Bullying

A lot of bullying takes place online. There are some things that you can do to help your child to stay safe when they are online. Explain to them:

• Be aware of what you post and share online and treat people with the same respect as you would if they were in the room – think about the impact your comments might have on them and how it might make them feel.
• Be careful about the information you share online – never give away personal details, such as your address, phone number and email address.  Don’t share anyone else’s private information either. Keep your passwords safe and don’t share them with others.
• Everything you send and post online or through text message can be traced – including deleted posts – everything that’s posted online can be viewed, copied, and shared, and you never know who could read your posts. This goes for future potential employers and staff in colleges or universities you might be interested in applying to in the future.
• Being bullied online – treat this in the same way as if it was happening face to face. You can also unfriend or block people from your page and block numbers from your phone. You can ‘report abuse’ on social networking sites.  Take screen shots of the bullying and create a log of any messages or texts you receive.

As a parent or carer we should also ensure all devices have parental controls on them and regularly check the phones, tablets or computers their children and teenagers are using.

Bullies and those attempting to groom children are on the increase and do use gaming and other apps to reach them.

For more details on ensuring your children are safe online read our guide here.

Support & Sources of Information:

• Anti-Bullying Alliance
• Childline
• National Bullying Helpline
• Kidscape

3 – 7 November 2025

This article was published on 28 Oct 2025. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

International Stress Awareness Week was created in 2018 to raise awareness about stress prevention. Stress Awareness Day is always held on the first Wednesday in November each year and has been since 1998.

We all know what it’s like to feel stressed – being under pressure is a normal part of life. But becoming overwhelmed by stress can lead to mental and physical health problems or make existing problems worse.

Many people are more stressed now than ever, for many this is due to the increased cost of goods and services.

Feeling stressed and worried is perfectly understandable. When we have little control about the circumstances it can raise concerns and challenges for many of us.

The long-time stress and worry of this situation may be making you feel overwhelmed and it’s important to put measures in place to reduce the stress you are feeling.

International Stress Awareness Week is a great opportunity to take a moment to think about your own wellbeing and find out more on how to manage stress.

Stress isn’t a mental health condition, but it can cause a mental health problem, like anxiety or depression or it can cause an existing one to get worse. Stress can also affect you physically, it can cause headaches, insomnia, tiredness, or stomach problems.

What you can do to help manage worries and stress

There are various steps you can take to cope with being under pressure, remember, different things work for different people.

• Write down your worries and concerns – this may help process your thoughts and emotions. You can then read the worries back and try to think of them from a different perspective.
• Keep a daily routine – our overall wellbeing relies on our daily routines, these also help with sleeping & eating patterns. This is why it’s important to ensure you and your family have structure in your day. The routine can be simple everyday things like, getting up, going to bed, and eating at the same times each day, listening to music, going for a daily walk. They can also include things to look forward to, like visiting a local attraction or café at the weekend.
• Identify your triggers and take control – working out what triggers your stress can help you anticipate when you may feel stressed and what you could do about it in advance.
• Organise your time – making some adjustments to the way you organise your time can help you feel more in control and able to handle the pressure you are feeling.
• Keep active – exercise can help clear your head and then let you deal with your problems more calmly. Go outside to exercise, as fresh air and spending time in nature can really help.
• Stay healthy – as well as exercise it’s important to maintain a healthy diet and ensure you are getting enough sleep.
• Talk to other people – friends, family & colleagues can help support you through the stress you are feeling, you may even have a laugh and start to relax. You may also want to consider talking to a professional counsellor.
• Do something you enjoy – spending time doing something you enjoy will take your mind of how you are feeling. Everyone needs to take time for themselves, it can be as simple as having a bath or reading a book.
• Avoid unhealthy ways to cope – many people use alcohol, smoking, chocolate, and gambling to try and relieve the stress they are feeling, none of these things will help in the long term, use healthy coping strategies like going for a run, listening to music, or walking the dog.
• Challenge yourself – learning new skills and setting yourself new goals will help build your confidence and make you feel good about yourself.
• Help others – think of others in your local community, who may need help with small tasks, like shopping or volunteer to help a worthwhile cause, like litter picking or the local food bank. People who help others tend to be more resilient.
• Keep informed – whilst it’s important to keep up to date with the latest news, it can be overwhelming, so in order to manage any feelings of stress and anxiety consider only checking the news and social media once a day. Ensure you stick to trustworthy sources for the latest information.
• Keep positive – it’s very easy to focus on the negatives of the current situation. But it’s important to stay positive, instead of thinking of all the things you can no longer do, think of the things you can still do. You could also think of all the things you are grateful for, write down or say out loud 3 things that went well each day. Use these positive statements to create a positivity jar with your family.
• Try Mindfulness – mindfulness can help reduce stress, it can also give you the space to respond calmly under pressure. For more details click here.
• Address some of the causes – where possible improve some of the issues that are putting pressure on you.
• Accept the things you can’t change – it’s not easy but accepting that there are some things happening to you that you can’t do anything about will help you focus your time and energy elsewhere.

Useful links

• NHS
• Mind
• World Health Organisation

Worrying about money can be extremely stressful and may lead to mental health conditions. Police Mutual are here to help. We want to break down the stigma surrounding debt and get people talking about money.

We’ve teamed up with PayPlan*, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan* on 0800 197 8433. *PayPlan is a trading name of Totemic Limited. Totemic Limited is a limited company registered in England, Company Number: 2789854. Registered Office: Kempton House, Dysart Road, PO Box 9562, Grantham, NG31 0EA. Totemic Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Conduct Authority Number: 68

3 – 7 November 2025

This article was published on 24 Oct 2025. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us.

Everyone has money worries and for many, the challenges of the current cost of living crisis have increased these. Money and debt are often seen as a taboo subject but during Talk Money week you can break the stigma, this year’s theme is to Start the Conversation that could help improve your financial wellbeing. Encouraging people to openly talk with confidence, it could be a quick chat with your partner about budgeting, a question with a professional or introducing savings to a child.

Just as you can take action to improve your physical and mental health, you can also take some simple steps to feel more in control of your financial wellbeing too.

Talking openly about money is beneficial to us all and important for our health, wealth and relationships.

For those who are going through financial troubles or have difficulty managing their own money, they will benefit from reaching out for help and advice. Even just talking about money issues could help them feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders. If people share their financial problems, they should find it a lot easier to deal with and manage their money.

Building money conversations into our everyday lives also helps us and others build financial confidence and resilience to face whatever the future throws at us.

If we’re prepared financially, we will be able to cope when an income shock or life event occurs. For more details read our Emergency Fund guide here.

Research shows that people who talk openly about money:

• make better and less risky financial decisions
• have stronger personal relationships
• help their children form good lifetime money habits
• feel less stressed or anxious and more in control.

Worrying about money can negatively affect your mental health and for those people experiencing mental health problems it makes it harder to manage their finances. Problem debt can also be linked to suicide.

It’s important to start talking about money worries before your situation gets worse. Talking about money will give you the confidence to get help and find out who can best advise you on any problems.

It can give you a great sense of relief to share your problems, so you’re not facing them alone. If you don’t feel ready to talk to someone, write down what you are going through and share it with somebody you can trust. It’s important to seek professional advice as soon as possible and not wait until it’s more difficult to find a solution.

According to the Police Federation’s annual Pay & Morale survey results published in 2025, 79% of respondents felt that they were ‘worse off’ financially than they were five years ago. Talk money week is an ideal time to review your finances and improve your financial wellbeing.

If you are worried about your finances, the following tips may help improve your financial wellbeing

• Work out your budget – what money do you have coming in, what do you need to pay for and what’s left for paying off debt. Use our budget calculator here to help you manage your money.  For more details read our budgeting guide here.

• Set yourself a daily spend limit based on how much disposable cash you have each month.

• Check your bank balance regularly so there are no nasty surprises.  Consider using an app so you can see all your accounts in one place.
• Set up a separate bill account and transfer an amount each month to cover the cost of all your household bills.
• If you’re looking to make savings? Check that you’re not overpaying for your utilities and other bills, where can you make savings, for more information use the link here.
• Look at your general insurance, switching could save you money.
• Set yourself saving goals, saving little and often.
• Review your mortgage – speak to your mortgage provider or adviser.
• Check your credit score, using one of the various companies available online including, Experian, Equifax or TransUnion.

For more tips on how to spend less read our guide here.

For more details on debt, read our debt awareness guide here.

As we are now in November most of us will be starting to think about the festive period and for many people the worry of how to fund this time will be a concern.

It may seem tempting to fund the festive period on your credit card, but before you do that think about the long-term effect of credit card debt. Instead of reviewing your budget in January, do it now. In that way, you will know exactly how much you have to spend this year.

For many people the struggle is after the festive period when January pay day seems a long way of and living on credit or going into debt might seem a tempting way to get through. So try to manage your finances now before the festive period starts to avoid the January blues.

Statistics published by the Bank of England estimates that a typical household spends an extra £800 in December, with many people buying gifts much earlier, in October and November, the total cost of the festive period for many families will be higher.

When writing your gift buying list, consider a couple of questions. Do the people you love really need an expensive gift and would they be happy knowing you may have gone into debt to get their present?

Talk to your loved ones about being on a budget and that you are thinking more creatively about their gift or even agree not to buy for each other this year. For most people this relieves the burden of having to reciprocate your expensive gift and can be a relief if they are struggling with their finances too.

Panic buying can be a problem for many of us as we get closer to the festive period, thinking we haven’t brought enough, so stay strong and try to stick to your list.

As well as gifts, the other expense during the festive is food and drink. But for most of us, a lot of this extra food isn’t wanted and when the diets start in January, it often ends up being thrown away. So, before doing your festive food shop, think seriously about the meals you will be making and what you realistically need and then stick to this list when you are in the supermarket. Think about food from 3 perspectives, your bank balance, your health, and the environment.

Worrying about money can be extremely stressful and may lead to mental health conditions. Police Mutual are here to help. We want to break down the stigma surrounding debt and get people talking about money.

We’ve teamed up with PayPlan*, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan* on 0800 197 8433.

*PayPlan is a trading name of Totemic Limited. Totemic Limited is a limited company registered in England, Company Number: 2789854. Registered Office: Kempton House, Dysart Road, PO Box 9562, Grantham, NG31 0EA. Totemic Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Financial Conduct Authority Number: 681263