Brits spend the same amount on hen and stag parties as their annual summer holiday

1 in 10 Brits admit they spend the same on a hen/stag do then they would on their annual summer holiday, according to new research. When it comes to the national average spend on a stag or hen party, the nation would splash out £147 on the celebratory occasion with almost 1 in 10 admitting to spending £300, according to the study conducted by fashion brand I Saw It 1st to celebrate the launch of its latest hen do collection. And it seems the splurging doesn't stop there, as 40% of wedding guests spend over £100 on a new wedding outfit for the big day, but people might need to plan carefully, as almost ½. of the UK (44%) would be upset if they turned up to a wedding in the same outfit as another guest. It comes as no surprise that upstaging the bride and groom is frowned upon, as a staggering 86% of the nation make sure they don't look better than either 1 of the loved up couple on their special day.

When it comes to the big day, the reveal of the bride's dress as they walk down the aisle has been voted the most iconic moment of a wedding (34%) with the reception dinner (20%) coming in 2nd and a free bar coming in 3rd (20%). However, when it comes to the stag and hen do celebrations, it seems that England is still a hot destination, as 1 in 10 participants claim it's their dream destination, with the party capital of the world Las Vegas coming out on top (15%), and Amsterdam rounding off the top 3 (9%).

Bryony Frith, Marketing Manager from I Saw It 1st, said:- "Britain loves a hen and stag do and a great wedding. Over a quarter of women (27%) claim they'd prefer a luxury spa day to celebrate a hen do with men voting for a pub crawl (27%), but a weekend away comes out on top as the nation's overall favourite way to celebrate impending nuptials (29%). And when it comes to splashing the cash, women are more likely to spend more, with 1 in 10 saying they're happy to spend over £199 on a hen do getaway."

The Welsh spend more than any other Region on the celebratory weekend. In particular, Aberystwyth partygoers spend significantly more, with the average spend on hen or stag nights among those from the Welsh Town hitting £262. Compared with second-placed Swansea (£196) or 3rd placed Leeds (£183).

Although the hen and stag parties and the wedding itself may seem to cost Brits a fortune, the outfit doesn't have to break the bank.

The 5 favourite things about weddings...

1. 34% = The bride's reveal as she walks down the aisle.

2. 20% = The reception dinner.

3. 20% = The free bar.

4. 16% = Groom's reaction.

5. 16% = DJ and dancing.

Top 5 Regions WHO SPLASH THE CASH (average spend)

1. Wales = £189.

2. London = £186.

3. North East = £179.

4. West Midlands = £171.

5. North West = £170.

Most popular ways to celebrate a Hen Do and/or Stag Do...

► 26% = Weekend Away.

► 17% = Luxury Spa Day.

► 18% = Pub Crawl.

► 14% = Afternoon Tea.

► 13% = Dinner and Dancing.

► 10% = Beauty Treatments.

► 10% = Cocktail Making.

► 8% = Drink tasting experience.

► 8% = Sporting activity.

► 7% = Go to a ticketed event.

Government continues to listen to children and young people about their mental health

CHILDREN and young people's mental health will be better supported in the Government's new 10 Year Mental Health Plan following constructive discussions.

Minister for Mental Health Gillian Keegan and the Government's 1st UK Youth Mental Health Ambassador Dr Alex George met with the Youth Policy Development Group today to better understand their priorities for improving young peoples' mental health and wellbeing, in order to ensure these are reflected in policies which affect children and young people.

The meeting discussed the mental health and wellbeing support that would improve the quality of life for young people. They also discussed how the Government can prevent mental ill health for children and young people, with the group providing ideas for ways to better support mental health in the places where children spend most of their time, such as in Schools, universities and the workplace, and how to create a better understanding of who they would turn to if they were struggling with their mental health.

So far, 13% of respondents to the call for evidence are aged 16 to 24, 5% are aged 13 to 15 and less than 2% of respondents are under 13.

Around 50% of mental health conditions are established by the time a child reaches the age of 14, and 75% by age 24; that is why we are urging young people to come forward and share their experiences to ensure the support and services available work for them.

It's crucial the new plan is representative of everyone's views and experiences to help ensure everyone, no matter their background, has the opportunity to grow up in, and stay in, good mental health.

Minister for Mental Health, Gillian Keegan, said:- "Today was such a valuable conversation with children and young people. Listening to their ideas 1st hand will help us better understand the specific barriers they're facing and how we can better support them to live long, full lives in good mental health. Our call for evidence is open to people of all ages and I encourage children and young people to share their views and experiences on the support and services currently available to make sure our new 10 year plan works for you."

Dr Alex George, Youth Mental Health Ambassador, said:- "Children and young people are incredibly resilient and we have made great progress in reducing the stigma associated with mental ill health, but there is still work to do. It has been hugely valuable to listen to young people's ideas today and hear first-hand the support they feel would be valuable to improving their own, and their peers,' wellbeing. Let's continue to tackle the stigma that surrounds mental health; I encourage young people to respond to this call for evidence so that in 10 years from now, we can better support your mental health."

The Pandemic placed considerable strain on the NHS, meaning many patients are now waiting longer for treatment than they were before the Pandemic began. The Government is investing £39 billion via the health and social care levy over the next 3 years so the NHS has the funding it needs to clear the backlogs. As well as this, the Government is increasing investment in children and young people's mental health services faster than the overall budget for mental health to ensure they can access support as early as possible to prevent any problems deteriorating.

The 12 week call for evidence will seek views on what can be improved within the current service and build understanding of the causes of mental ill health. This will inform a new 10-Year Mental Health Plan to level up mental health across the country and put mental and physical health on an equal footing. The plan will build on current progress, assessing how local services can work together to prevent mental ill health.

Significant progress is also being made in children and young people's mental health services; more than 2.4 million children and young people now have access to mental health support in Schools and colleges thanks to the Mental Health Support Teams and the £10 million investment from the Department for Education to extend senior mental health lead training to more Schools and colleges.

More widely, the Government is investing at least £2.3 billion of extra funding a year to expand and transform mental health services by 2023/24 as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. On top of this, £500 million has also been provided in 2021/22 specifically to support those most impacted by the Pandemic to address waiting times and expand the mental health workforce. This included £79 million for children's mental health services last year, enabling around 22,500 more children and young people to access support in their communities, and across Schools and colleges. The NHS children and young people's mental health workforce has also grown 40% since 2019.

Government to provide update on progress in tackling the Covid backlog

HEALTH will be top of the Government's agenda this week with a number of announcements expected that will provide an update on how Government is delivering on its promise to tackle the Covid backlogs.

The Pandemic placed considerable strain on the NHS, meaning that many patients are now waiting longer for treatment than they were before the Pandemic began. The Government is investing £39 billion via the health and social care levy over the next 3 years so the NHS has the funding it needs to clear the backlogs.

Diagnostic tests are a key part of tackling the waiting lists, and our ambition is that 95% of patients needing a diagnostic test will receive it within 6 weeks by March 2025.

Launched in July 2021, community diagnostic centres (CDCs) enable people to access vital checks closer to home, helping to speed up diagnoses. With around 90 now open, NHS England is expected to provide an update on the number of scans, tests and checks that CDCs have carried out so far, helping to treat patients faster.

According to latest figures from NHS England, the number of people waiting 2 years for treatment has more than halved since February, from:- 23,778 to 9,146, as of May 2022.

There are also record numbers of Doctors and nurses working in the NHS; with almost 4,300 more Doctors than last year, and over 11,800 more nurses than this time last year.

Understanding the enormous pressure that health and care staff have faced during the Pandemic, it is vital that the best possible leadership is in place to support them in tackling the Covid backlog and addressing disparities across the country.

This week will see the publication of the anticipated review of leadership in health and care, conducted by General Sir Gordon Messenger with the support of Dame Linda Pollard. His team has spoken to over 1,000 front line staff to inform his review and will provide recommendations to ensure the right leadership is in place at all levels.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:- "The Pandemic has seen us face unprecedented health challenges, but I am determined to do everything I can to ensure patients get the treatment they need when they need it. We are putting more money into health and social care than any Government has done before, and we are making sure every penny of this funding is spent in the right way for patients. There is no quick fix, but between community diagnostic centres, new cancer screening, and expanding mental health provision, we are supporting the NHS to tackle the Covid backlog and ensure everyone rightly receives this world class care."

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said:- "The Pandemic put unparalleled pressure on our NHS, but we are making excellent progress towards our goal of tackling the Covid backlogs. With record numbers of Doctors and nurses, and a system backed by unprecedented Government funding, we will continue to make sure patients receive world class care whenever they need it. This week we will update on how we are driving down waiting lists and delivering more scans, checks and tests than ever before as we support the NHS in its biggest ever catch up programme."

Also, this week, the Department of Health and Social Care will provide an update on the Innovative Medicines Fund. Announced in July 2021, the Innovative Medicines Fund builds on the success of the Cancer Drugs Fund and will support patients with any condition, including those with rare and genetic diseases, to get early access to the most clinically promising treatments. By fast-tracking promising medicines to NHS patients, they will have access to potentially lifesaving or life-prolonging medicines more quickly.

The Government has tackled the greatest public health emergency in a generation, delivering the fastest vaccine roll-out in Europe to ensure the public live safely with Covid. This week provides further update on the work underway to clear the backlog caused by this Pandemic.