10 February

This article was published on 30 January 2026. 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.

Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.

Safer Internet Day 2026 is on 10^th February and this year will be celebrated with the theme, ‘Smart tech, safe choices – exploring the safe and responsible use of AI’.  For more details of the day click here.

Looking after your children online

Our children have grown up using the internet from a young age, they probably use it every day to play games, watch videos, learn, and do research, and connect with friends.

It’s important to help them to use the online world in a way that’s safe and positive for their mental health and to start to have conversations about being online from a young age and continue to do so as part of your regular conversations.

Show your child how to use the internet in a positive way, to research things, to do homework, to talk to family, and to find out about the world. Talk to them about your own experiences online, including your own less positive experiences.  This may be concerning how you feel about showing the ‘perfect’ life for others to see on social media. Talking openly like this should help them understand that ‘perfect’ lives and photos that others share on social media don’t always show reality. Encourage them to talk to you if they have similar experiences.

Ask your child to share with you their favourite Apps, games, or websites. This will help you understand how they work so that you can assess if you have any concerns. A quick online search may also help.

You are your child’s role model, so, if you check your phone constantly at mealtimes, or play violent games in front of your children, then it’s likely your child might do the same.

Set boundaries for your children but be realistic as they need to be age appropriate.   Whatever their age, it’s a good idea to sit down together with your child to talk about it and agree some rules about how much time they spend online. For example, using a device just before bed.

If you think anything your child is accessing is not appropriate for their age, talk to them and explain why you think this. Where possible, make it a joint decision with your child, so they understand the reasons and are more likely to stick to it.

Many children play games online, so it’s worth checking the ratings on the games your child is playing. There may be peer pressure for your child to play/buy a game that looks like it’s extremely violent or too old for them. It’s worth checking PGI ratings, which have more detailed information than ratings for films.

You can set up parental controls to stop your child from accessing harmful content online. However, be mindful that your child may know how to get round these and that’s why it’s more important to make sure your child is able to make good decisions for themselves.

It is a good idea to reassure your child that they can always talk to you

You may want to regularly check with them if they’ve seen anything online that they are not comfortable with. Explaining that you won’t overreact, that you’d much rather that they told you about it. If they are upset or worried about something they’ve seen, talk to them about how they feel, and how they can avoid seeing the things again in the future. If necessary, help them to report or block content they find disturbing.

Help your child to understand what is meant by personal information, so they can develop an awareness of why it’s significant and why they should be cautious about sharing this type of information or pictures of themselves online. For more details, read our bullying guide here.

Although most social media platforms are officially 13+, most children sign up to at least one when they’re much younger. It’s better that you encourage them to be open with you about this, rather than them keeping it a secret from you. Be aware that if they accept your friend request or follow you on social media, it’s possible they may have another account that they’re not sharing with you.

Bullying is awful, whether it happens face to face or online. Your child may be receiving nasty messages, people may be posting unwanted things about them, or they may feel harassed. To help them:

• Encourage them to talk to you, it will really help them to talk things though with you and discuss what actions to take.
• Make sure they understand how to block and report the people involved, and to use the privacy settings to limit what people can see on their profiles.
• Help them understand that they are responsible for what they post and how posts may affect how others feel. They shouldn’t say anything online that they wouldn’t say in person.

Some things for you to explain to your child

What you put online stays online. Even things you delete can be saved or screenshot, including Snapchats meant for just one friend.

• Forums and group chats can be a great way to connect, but don’t feel pressured to share more than you feel comfortable with. Remember, online strangers are still strangers.
• It’s easy to over-share on social media, especially if you forget who can see your profile.
• Help your child to change their privacy settings on each platform they are using, to make their account so it can only be seen by those you know and trust.
• Make sure your child understands how to report or block things that aren’t appropriate or someone that makes you feel uncomfortable. Also, to talk to someone they trust about it if this happens.
• Help your child to understand that they shouldn’t feel the need to be available all the time on social media. It’s okay to take a break, and you don’t need to take part in every conversation.

Act on warning signs if you think something is wrong

It’s important to act if you are concerned:

• Talk to your child openly
• Listen to what they have to say
• Don’t judge
• Make sure they know that you’ll always be there for them

Whatever our age it’s important to think about staying safe online and avoiding cyber crime.   

9 – 15 February

This article was published on 29 January 2026. 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.

Children’s mental health week is run through Place2Be, a children’s mental health charity that provides counselling, support, and training in UK schools.

The first Children’s mental health week was held in 2015 and was set up to highlight the importance of children and young people’s mental health.

This year’s theme is ‘This is my place’. This week has the aim to support the systems around children and young people to help them feel they belong. For more details click here.

According to Place2Be around one in five children and young people have a probable mental health problem, which may continue into adulthood. 50% of adults with lifetime mental health problems first experienced symptoms by the age of 14.

Like adults, the emotional wellbeing of children and young people is just as important as their physical health.  Good mental health will allow them to develop the resilience to cope with life’s ups and downs and to grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.

Growing up is not easy, and sometimes it’s hard for children to cope with what is going on in their life.

Most children grow up mentally healthy, but surveys suggest that more children and young people have problems with their mental health today than 30 years ago. It’s suspected that this is probably because of changes in the way we live now and how that affects the experience of growing up.

Some of the mental health problems that can affect children and young people are:

• Depression is more common in teenagers than younger children but affects more young people today than it did a few decades ago.

• Self-harm is where somebody intentionally damages or injures themselves. It is a common problem amongst young people.

• Anxiety can be triggered when changes happen in children’s lives, for example, changing schools. If anxious thoughts affect a child’s everyday thoughts and behaviour, they may need professional help.

• Eating disorders is when you have an unhealthy attitude to food, types include anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. The condition is most common in young women aged between 13 and 17.

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects your behaviour and those with it tend to be restless and struggle to concentrate.

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder caused by an extremely frightening or stressful event or situation, for example, physical abuse, witnessing or being the victim of violence or extreme bullying.

Things that can help keep children and young people to stay mentally well include:

• being in good physical health, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise
• having time and the freedom to play, both indoors and outdoors
• being part of a family that gets along well most of the time
• going to a school that looks after the wellbeing of all its pupils
• taking part in local activities for young people
• feeling loved, trusted, understood, valued and safe
• being able to enjoy themselves
• being able to learn and having opportunities to succeed
• accepting who they are and recognising what they are good at
• having a sense of belonging in their family, school, and community
• feeling they have some control over their own life
• having the strength to cope when something goes wrong and the ability to solve problems

How to help your child

As a parent you can help your child by having an open relationship, which encourages your child to talk to you if they are troubled.  Listening and taking their feelings seriously is the most important way you can help. They may just want you to listen or to have a hug, or they may want more practical help.

If you child’s negative feelings don’t pass over time, you may want to consider obtaining some professional help, initially talk to you GP and see what they suggest.

It’s also a good idea to talk to your child’s teacher at school, to establish if how they are feeling is affecting their schoolwork or friendships. They may have a school counsellor that your child can talk to. Different professionals often work together in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) run through the NHS.

Like adults, children will respond to situations differently.  Depending on what is bothering them, they may be more clingy, anxious, withdrawn, angry or agitated. Remember to listen to your children and re-assure them.  Keep routines where possible or create new ones, building in time for learning, play and relaxation. The best way to communicate with your children is by talking about worrying news with open, confident, clear, and truthful facts.

Here are some helpful tips:

• News – the important thing about seeing or hearing the news is balance. Don’t force children to watch or hear news or shield them from it. Discourage overexposure, small doses of real-life news are helpful, whereas large doses may have a negative impact on children.

• Questions – answer you children’s questions truthfully and let them know the facts about any situation. It is common for children to have misunderstandings about events so encourage them to ask questions, so you can correct any confusion. If you don’t know the answer to a question they ask you, explain you don’t know and then find out the answer and let them know.

• Support – make sure you are there to support your children and let them know they are safe and loved.

• Worry – let them know that it is normal to worry and that bad things happen, but not very often, so they do not need to be scared.

• Time – ensure you find the right time to talk about what is worrying your child. If your child starts asking questions at an inconvenient time explain to them that you would like to talk to them about it later and invite them to remind you, so they know you really are interested.

• Repetition – remember that children tend to repeat themselves when they are feeling uncertain or worried. They may need to ask the same question a number of times until they are feeling more reassured.

• Truthful – be as truthful as possible. It can be tempting, when children ask a direct or tricky question, to avoid it by bending the truth. This can be unhelpful when they are talking to others about what happened. It is often more helpful to be as honest as possible.

• Age appropriate – tailor the conversation to their age. All children have different temperaments and sensitivities. Their ability to understand the world, take in and react to bad news will depend on their age.

If you have more than one child, you might want to talk about the news with them individually and tailor what you say to their needs and level.

At the end of each day talk about the things in the day that you have been grateful for, it will very quickly become a habit and help children to find the positive, no matter how small, in even the worst of days.

5 February

This article was published on 28 January 2026. 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.

Time to Talk Day is on 5th February. It’s run by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, in partnership with the Co-op. For more details click here.

The day is about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health. We all have mental health. By talking about it, we can support ourselves and others.

The more conversations we have about mental health the more barriers we can break down and the closer we’ll come to ending mental health stigma and discrimination.

Mental health problems affect one in four of us, yet it can lead to many people feeling isolated, ashamed, and worthless. 

Time to Talk Day encourages everyone to be more open about mental health, to talk, to listen, to improve lives. Every conversation brings us a step closer to ending the feelings that too many of us experience.  Poor mental health can affect anyone, of any age, gender, or background.

Starting a conversation with someone around their or your own mental health can feel uncomfortable. You may be worried that you will say the wrong thing but remember saying nothing is far worse.

Here are some tips on helping others

• Ask someone twice how they are feeling, this will give them the opportunity to be honest and to realise that you genuinely want to know.
• Listen and don’t judge, it’s great that people are happy to talk to you about how they are feeling, so ensure you really listen to them.
• Ask how long they have felt this way.
• Ask if there is anything you can do to help.
• Ask what support they need. Provide them with details of professional organisations, who may be able to help.
• Treat them in the same way, don’t change the way you act towards someone once you are aware of their poor mental health.
• Little gestures can have a big impact, this maybe just going for a walk, watching a film, or just having a cuppa together.

The emotional wellbeing of children and young people is just as important as their physical health, just as it is for adults. Good mental health will allow them to develop the resilience to cope with life’s ups and downs and to grow into well-rounded, healthy adults.

Like adults, children will respond to situations in different ways, such as being more clingy, anxious, withdrawn, or angry. Try to respond to your child’s reactions in a supportive way, listen to their concerns and give them extra care and attention. Remember to listen to your children and re-assure them.

For more details on supporting your children’s mental health click here.

Time to Talk Day isn’t just about helping others, it’s also about thinking about your own wellbeing.

According to the Police Federation, research has shown that emergency services workers are twice as likely as the public to identify problems at work as the main cause of their mental health problems, but they are also significantly less likely to seek help. So, it’s even more important to look after your own mental health when working on the frontline.

Here are some tips

• Think about your purpose: be clear about why you are doing this job.
• Be clear on expectations: make sure you know what is expected of you and whether it is realistic.
• Keep your boundaries: establish clear boundaries between work and personal life, don’t take work home with you.
• Talk to colleagues: make time to talk to your colleagues about your experiences and share fears and concerns.
• Value your own family and relationships: while work is important, your family and relationships need to be valued.
• Keep active: regular exercise can boost your self-esteem, can help you concentrate, relax, and increase your overall wellbeing. This can be as simple as a regular walk, being outside in nature can also help improve your mental health.
• Get plenty of sleep: sleep helps regulate the chemicals in our brain that transmit information. These chemicals are important in managing our moods and emotions and an imbalance in those chemicals can result in us becoming depressed or anxious. Read our sleep guide here.
• Eat well: A balanced diet that is good for your physical wellbeing is also good for your mental wellbeing. Your brain needs a mix of nutrients to stay healthy and function well. Read our healthy eating guide here.
• Avoid alcohol: The numbing effects of drinking are only temporary and can often lead to mental health issues. Alcohol can also damage the immune system. Try to adopt positive coping strategies such as talking, going for a walk, or listening to music instead. If you do drink, try to stay within the recommended unit guidelines.
• Keep in touch: it’s good for you to catch up with friends and family.
• Take a break: a change of scenery or pace is good for you. Make sure you take time to relax and re-charge.
• Do something you’re good at: doing something you enjoy, and you are good at can give you the ‘feel good’ boost that everyone needs. Enjoying yourself can help beat stress.
• Care for others: supporting others uplifts you as well as them.
• Ask for help: sometimes you need help from others, so don’t be afraid to ask for help, from a family member or friend, your GP, or a professional organisation, see the list at the end of this guide for more details.

Mental health conversations have the power to make a big difference, but sometimes these conversations can bring up some difficult things that people may not have spoken about before. This might mean that they need some support.

It’s important to seek professional advice as soon as possible and not wait until it’s more difficult to find a solution.

If you feel a loved one, colleague or you need additional support, contact a GP, a counselling professional or one of the organisations below:

• Samaritans
• Mind
• NHS
• AnxietyUK
• Mental Health Org

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

4 February

This article was published on 27 January 2026. 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 Cancer Day on 4th February, is a day that unites people, communities, and entire countries to raise awareness and take action.

World Cancer Day is led by the UICC, the Union for International Cancer Control. It is one singular initiative under which the entire world can unite together in the fight against the global cancer epidemic.  For more details click here.

Being diagnosed with cancer is likely to cause lots of worries and fears not just for yourself but also, for your loved ones. It’s scary, and you may be having all sorts of thoughts, including which treatment will I need, will I die, how will I look after my family, will I be able to work, how will I pay the bills, or you may just feel numb and not be able to think of anything.  Everyone is different. You may feel out of control and experiencing high levels of pain.

When going through cancer treatment, it’s not just your body which is affected; it will also put a strain on your mental health. Having lengthy and intensive treatment can dominate your own and your families lives.

Worrying about the future, having to attend many hospital appointments, and maybe undergoing operations, not knowing how you’re going to feel each day, and even telling people that you’re going through treatment, can make some people very anxious.

Feeling anxious is an understandable response to the trauma you’re going through. The symptoms of which vary and may include an accelerated heart rate, trembling, nausea, muscle tension, inability to relax and insomnia.

When it comes to recovery, thinking about your mental health is as important as getting well physically.  So, don’t ignore your worries and make time to talk them through. Ensure you have a good support network of loved ones around you, as this is beneficial to your overall mood and progress. It’s also important to seek support from your GP or healthcare professional if you need it. Some cancer survivors develop PTSD, which will require specialist treatment.

Having cancer can be very hard to cope with. When you are trying to cope with an illness there is no right or wrong way to feel. Everyone is different and you will deal with things in your own way. Cancer Research UK have produced information here on how to cope emotionally with your illness.

Self-care

Your recovery is about you, so you should make yourself the priority. Keeping up a good, but gentle health regime will help. Making sure you’re getting the right nutrition, getting a good night’s sleep, and doing the things you enjoy in between treatment sessions is vital and can really make a difference.

You may struggle to do exercise but getting outside in nature and going for a short walk each day, can help reduce your anxiety levels and boost your mood. 

Feeling sick and tired after treatments is very common, so it can be hard to maintain a varied diet.  Foods like soups, or easy to eat and digest foods like bananas are a good option. It’s vital to keep your body hydrated with water, which may help combat any feelings of nausea or fatigue.

Where you can it’s important to live as normal life as you can whilst going through treatment.

Of course, cancer recovery is not necessarily straightforward. There will be dark, painful, and sad days, but worst of all, there will be scary days. The main thing to remember is to use the support available to help get you through, and to make yourself the priority.

For more information on managing cancer symptoms and possible side effects from treatment, including pain, sickness, and diet problems. Cancer Research UK have produced a ‘Coping Physically with Cancer’ guide, click here to read.

Supporting a loved one with cancer

When someone close to you is diagnosed with cancer it may feel overwhelming and you may struggle to know how you can help and support them. Explain this to them and ask them what you can do to support them.

Regularly reach out to them, send them text messages, give them a call, meet them for a coffee or dinner. Remember even though they are going through treatment, they are still the same person. 

If you are a close family member and can be physically present to support them, offer lifts to appointments or even to attend appointments together. Offer to sit in on telephone appointments or help them to organise their treatment schedule.

If you have the time to offer practical support, offer to do the food shopping, the ironing or walk the dog.

While someone suffering from a long-term illness may not want to be overcome with bunches of flowers, there are lots of other gifts you can send that may help to brighten their day or give them the boost they need. These could be items to help them sleep like pillow sprays, body creams or nutritious food items or a nice treat, like chocolate.

If you are part of a wider family or group of friends, it may be worth arranging who will do what, so as not to overload your loved one but to ensure they receive regular contact from you all.

19 January 2026

This article was published on 05 January 2026. 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

Blue Monday is the name given to the third Monday of January every year. It is claimed to be the most depressing day of the year. The reasons for this include factors like the cold, wet weather, short daylight days, Christmas debt, the time elapsed since your last pay day, Christmas seems like a distant memory, you’ve already failed with your New Year’s resolutions, and it feels like a long time until the summer. For most of us this means our motivational levels are low.  In more recent years, the day has been re-named as Brew Monday, in order to encourage people to spend some time talking to each other whilst having a cuppa.

January is usually the month when you understand just how much Christmas has cost you. Every year, thousands of us dread the credit card bills arriving and this is when the financial hangover from Christmas become reality. This is to be expected, as Christmas is the most expensive time of the year, with many people using their credit cards and overdrafts to pay for the festivities. If this has affected you this year, read our Winter Wellbeing guide here.

Many people don’t believe Blue Monday is real and that it’s just a marketing plan to help sell more summer holidays, but we do know that during the winter months, with shorter, darker days we generally spend more time indoors, which can have a negative impact on our   mental health. Some people suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which can increase depression and anxiety. With January coming straight after the highlight of Christmas and also for many a month where the Christmas spending credit card bill has arrived, it’s not surprising that January tends to be the least favourite month of the year for many people. It is therefore vital that you make an effort to protect your wellbeing.

Stress and anxiety can be caused by many things, not just financial worries, including, work deadlines, relationship problems and home life.

Stress isn’t a mental health condition, but it may lead to one, 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.

For more information on managing worries and stress read our guide here.

Some ways you can combat Blue Monday

Sunlight

Natural light helps stabilise serotonin and triggers endorphins, both mood-boosting hormones. Try to get outside as much as you can during the day to give your wellbeing a positive boost.

Be sociable

You can achieve this without spending lots of money. You could host game and movie nights for your friends, this could be virtual, regularly talk to your loved ones or go for a walk with a friend.

Set achievable targets

If you’re struggling to keep your New Year’s resolutions, re-set them now or set a new goal to achieve around Blue Monday.

Be realistic

Understand that you may feel low during January, the reasons why this is the case and that’s its ok to not be ok and it should pass. If it doesn’t or how you are feeling is more than just the January blues, then talk to someone and get some help.

Exercise

Walking, swimming and cycling will boost endorphins and will leave you feeling calmer and happier.

Money & Stress

With money worries being one of the largest wellbeing challenges facing us during January, it’s important to start talking about money worries before your situation gets worse.

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.

The stress of dealing with financial pressures does not just affect your personal life. It can affect your work, family life, health, and relationships. It’s therefore important to talk about money worries.

• For more tips on how to spend less read our guide here.
• For more details on debt, read our debt awareness guide here.

Where to get help

• NHS

• Samaritans

• Mind

• AnxietyUK

• Mental health org

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.

To read more of our wellbeing guides take a look at our Wellbeing Hub here.

*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.

This article was published on 22 December 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

As the New Year arrives, many of us start to think about New Year’s resolutions, the most popular resolutions are usually concerning health and diet, to do more exercise or lose weight. Financial orientated ones are also popular, with many of us wanting to send less or save more money.

One of the most popular campaigns is Dry January and if you achieve it, it should help improve your overall wellbeing by improving your physical and mental health and by reducing the amount you spend.

Dry January is the annual movement where millions of people give up alcohol for the month of January. It is run by the charity alcohol change UK, a leading UK alcohol charity. The campaign was first introduced in 2013 and grows larger and larger each year. In 2022, around 8 million people took part in the wellbeing event.

By agreeing to Dry January, you are committing to not drink alcohol from when you wake up on New Year’s Day until 1 February.  However, it doesn’t have to end there. Dry January is about behaviour change. It helps people to break habits they’ve fallen into and make long-term changes for the better. It helps us remember that we don’t need alcohol to have fun, relax, celebrate, unwind or anything else. It puts you back in control of your drinking. According to Alcohol Change UK, research shows that 70% of people who take part in Dry January have significantly improved wellbeing and lower alcohol health risks six months later.   

Alcohol plays a significant role in our lives and culture, with many of us drinking to celebrate, socialise and relax. However, there is a significant proportion of the UK population who have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Alcohol is linked to more than 60 health conditions, including liver disease, high blood pressure, depression, and cancer.

There are many health benefits of not drinking alcohol or reducing the amount you drink, and these include:

Sleeping – alcohol can intensify certain sleep conditions like snoring. If you have improved quality of sleep, you will have more energy.

• Financial savings – put aside the amount you would have spent on alcohol each week and see how much you save during the month. If you continue to not drink or reduce the amount you are drinking over the rest of the year, this saving you make could buy you a treat or help to pay off any debts you have.
• Weight loss – a pint of a 5% strength beer contains 239 calories, with a standard glass of wine consisting of around 133 calories. So, giving up alcohol for 4 weeks or longer can make a noticeable impact on your weight.
• Mental health – regular alcohol consumption decreases the levels of the brain chemical serotonin – a key chemical in depression. By avoiding alcohol, your serotonin levels will increase and help regulate your mood.
• Improve your skin – alcohol can cause puffiness and acne. By cutting out alcohol your skin will improve over time. A month alcohol free has a lot of benefits, research published in 2018 in the British medical journal found that a month off lowers blood pressure, reduces diabetes risk, lowers cholesterol, and reduces levels of certain cancer related proteins in the blood.

A month alcohol free has a lot of benefits, research published in 2018 in the British medical journal found that a month off lowers blood pressure, reduces diabetes risk, lowers cholesterol, and reduces levels of certain cancer related proteins in the blood.

In order to track Dry January, use the alcohol change UK App

Know your units – how much alcohol is too much?

To keep health risks of alcohol at a low level, the recommended safety limits for alcohol consumption is for men and women not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis.

It’s also advised that at least 2 days a week should be alcohol free.

Regularly drinking above recommended daily limits risks damaging your health.

Your weekly units should not be saved up for the weekend and then binge drinking.

Top tips for alcohol reduction:

• Alternate an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one.
• Have at least two alcohol free days a week.
• Find alternative ways to relax when you are stressed.
• Avoid drinking on an empty stomach.
• Sip your drink slowly so it lasts longer.
• Don’t top up your glass before you have finished a drink so you can keep an eye on exactly how much you are drinking.

To check how many units you have drunk, use the alcohol change UK’s unit calculator here.

After the month you may consider giving up alcohol for longer or reducing the amount you drink to improve your wellbeing.

If you do start drinking again remember that your tolerance to the effects of alcohol will likely be much lower, so be careful not to overdo it the first time you choose to drink again.

Your New Year’s resolutions may include other lifestyle improvements instead of or as well as stopping or reducing drinking alcohol. These may include to eat healthier, increase the amount of exercise you do or to stop smoking.

Read our various wellbeing guides to help

• To read our healthy eating guide click here.
• To look after your mental wellbeing read our guide here.
• If you want to stop smoking read our guide here.

To read more of our wellbeing guides take a look at our Wellbeing Hub here.

5 December 2025

This article was published on 01 Dec 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 Volunteers Day takes place 5 December every year and is a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and to say thank you.

Volunteers play a key role in making a difference to our communities.

Today is a great time for us to thank all volunteers for their invaluable contribution and also consider volunteering ourselves.

Volunteering doesn’t just help others and the community but is has also shown to improve volunteers’ wellbeing too.

It’s human nature to feel good after helping someone out. But volunteering can also help you gain valuable new skills and experiences, boost your confidence and be your chance to make a difference.

People choose to volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them. For others it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience and knowledge. Regardless of the motivation, by volunteering they are making a difference to the community.

Volunteering is a hugely valuable and rewarding experience for the volunteers and the communities they support.

There are many reasons to volunteer, including:

Community – volunteering helps us giveback to those around us, particularly in the community we live or work in. When you volunteer you strengthen your community, improve the environment you live in, give something back to an organisation, make a difference to the lives of others and help others less fortunate or without a voice.

Volunteering enables people to play an active role in society and contribute to positive social change. Volunteers support vulnerable people in society and enable them to live a healthy and rewarding life.

This could mean support with things we take for granted, such as practical help at home for disabled or older people, mentoring a care leaver and helping them to find their feet as an adult, or taking part in a litter pick or at a local scouting group.

Your mental health and self-esteem – volunteering also makes you feel good. In fact, a study has shown that not only is volunteering associated with increased happiness and lower depression, but it also reduces the risk of premature death.

This is especially true if you enjoy volunteering and feel valued and part of a team. You will spend quality time away from work or your busy lifestyle and be in the moment. It may help you gain confidence and improve your self-esteem. Volunteering can also help to improve your mental health.

Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. One of which is to give to others, research suggests that acts of giving and kindness and being part of community life can improve your mental wellbeing. For more details on the 5 steps to mental wellbeing click here.

Action for Happiness list ten key ingredients for a happy and fulfilling life: giving, relating, exercising, awareness, trying out, direction, resilience, emotions, acceptance and meaning. Volunteering ticks most if not all of these boxes. For more details click here.

Your Physical health – there are lots of different ways you can volunteer, but many of them involve physical tasks, like litter picking, dog walking for a local shelter, wildlife conservation and sports coaching, all of which will help keep you fit whilst you are also enjoying nature and the outdoors.

There is lots of anecdotal evidence that volunteering has a positive impact on both your physical and mental health.

Social – volunteering is a way to get a better understanding of people, cultures, places, and organisations which can also lead to more social connections.

Researchers believe that volunteering can extend a person’s life because humans thrive on social connections. Eye contact and smiling for example release the hormone oxytocin, which helps us handle stress better. Social interaction improves mental and physical health. When you volunteer you strengthen your social network, you make connections with the people you are helping, and you cultivate friendships with other volunteers. Volunteering creates stronger bonds between friends, family, and co-workers. People build closer relationships, better connections, and more powerful attachments to people when they work together.

Personal Development – volunteering is an opportunity to learn new skills and can boost employment prospects. For some people, volunteering can be a route to employment, or a chance to try something new which may lead to a career change. Volunteering can also be a way of enhancing a CV, improving employment prospects, gaining an accreditation, or using your existing professional skills and knowledge to benefit others.

By volunteering in a specific profession, you can gain valuable experience for a future career, for example, becoming a Police Special before joining the force.

Values – volunteering can satisfy personal values or humanitarian concerns. For some people this can have a religious component. For instance, helping those less fortunate is a large part of Christianity and the concept of karma in Hinduism means those good deeds come back to you.

People who volunteer, report a greater sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.

Volunteering within the Police Service

There are many volunteering roles within and connected to the Police Service, including the Special Constabulary, Police Chaplains, Police Service Volunteers and our own volunteer network.

Police volunteering roles provide an opportunity to do something worthwhile in your spare time, making a real difference to your local Police Force and to your community.

It allows you to become involved with Policing and to be part of the Policing family and to make a positive contribution to your area.

Police Mutual Volunteer Network

At Police Mutual we have a volunteer network who represent Police Mutual customers within their own forces.

Our volunteers are a vital part of the team and assist us hugely in promoting the financial wellbeing support we offer. Their assistance and advocacy are greatly appreciated.

We would like to thank all of our volunteers for their continued support.

Do you want to give something back and make a difference with your spare time? Many serving and retired Police Service employees volunteer.

If you’re interested in volunteering, here are some websites where you can find out more information:

• Volunteering Matters
• NCVO
• Police UK Volunteering

3 December 2025

This article was published on 28 Nov 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 Day of Disabled Persons is the 3 December. First launched in 1992, the day is hosted by the United Nations (UN) and encourages business leaders across the globe to value the unique contributions of disabled people. For more information click here.  The theme for this year is ‘Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress’.

The day is about promoting the rights of people with disabilities in all areas of society. It aims to increase the awareness and wellbeing of disabled people in all aspects of their life.  It acts as a reminder for us all to combat the discrimination many disabled people still face.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) joins the UN in observing this day each year, highlighting the importance of securing the rights of people with disabilities, in order for them to participate fully, equally and effectively in society, and face no barriers in all aspects of their lives.

WHY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IS IMPORTANT

• Celebration – to recognise and value the diversity of our global community, and to celebrate the role we all play, regardless of our abilities.
• Learning – to understand and learn from the experiences of people living with a disability.
• Optimism – to look forward to a world where a person is characterised by their abilities not their disabilities.
• Awareness – to build awareness of people with disabilities, as people with disabilities sometimes feel invisible in our society. To reduce any stigma and discrimination those with disabilities may feel.
• Legal – Under the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits discrimination against people with the protected characteristics that are specified in the Act. Disability is one of the specified protected characteristics.

Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean that it is not there

Some disabilities, like mental health disorders, chronic pain and fatigue, are invisible, but that does not make them any less devastating to someone’s quality of life.  

Non-visible disabilities, also known as invisible or hidden disabilities are not immediately obvious. They can be physical, mental, or neurological and include, autism and Asperger syndrome, cognitive impairments such as learning disabilities and dementia, mental health conditions and speech, visual impairments or hearing loss, as well as many other conditions. They also include respiratory and chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, chronic pain and sleep disorders when these significantly impact day-to-day life.  Some physical disabilities are not always visible until in their later stages, this include conditions like Multiple Sclerosis.

And often, many people experience a combination of both visible and non-visible impairments and conditions.

Globally 1 in 6 of us live with a disability. And of those, 80% are invisible. That is over 1 billion people or roughly 1 in 8 people are living with a non-visible disability.

The more we all understand about both visible and non-visible disabilities, the more we can help to improve the lives of people experiencing them. Some people with a non-visible disability choose to wear a Sunflower lanyard with details of their condition.  For more details click here.

Overall, the day is to help everyone become more compassionate and understanding of the challenges faced by people with disabilities. To ensure that all people in the world have equal opportunities for work, play, health, and success. To appreciate that people with disabilities are valued members of society.

Getting information, help and support

• Disability Rights UK
• Scope
• Disability Union
• WHO
• United Nations
• NHS
• GOV.UK