£2,000 in Government funding available to help with childcare costs in the North West

FAMILIES in the North West could save up to £2,000 a year towards their childcare costs to help pay for October half term holiday clubs and wraparound care during the School Terms, reminds HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). More than 51,250 families in the North West saved money on their childcare costs in June 2022 and HMRC is urging thousands of other families to not miss the chance to save up to £500 every 3 months, or £1,000 if their child is disabled. Overall, HMRC paid out £41.6 million in top up payments, which was shared between more than 391,000 families across the UK in June 2022.

Families can sign up to Tax Free Childcare to help pay for Holiday Clubs, before and After School Clubs, Childminders and Nurseries, and other approved childcare schemes. It is available to families with children up to the age of 11, or 17 if their child has a disability. The Government will pay 20% of childcare costs by topping up the money paid into a Tax Free Childcare account. This means for every £8 paid into the online account, families will automatically receive an additional £2 in Government top up. Families can find out more about Tax Free Childcare via the Childcare Choices on the .Gov.UK website.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC's Director General for Customer Services, said:- "Tax Free Childcare can make a big difference to families, helping with the bills for things like holiday clubs, Nurseries, childminders and after School clubs. It's easy to register, search for:- 'Tax Free Childcare' on:- https://GOV.UK."

For thousands of families who use Tax Free Childcare, the money they save each month on their childcare costs is money that goes back into their pockets. Accounts can be opened at any time of the year and can be used straight away, money can be deposited at any time and used when needed. Any unused money that is deposited can be simply withdrawn at any time. More than 1 million families in the UK are entitled to some form of Government childcare support and the Government is encouraging those eligible to not miss out on their entitlements. Families can find out what childcare support is best for them via Childcare Choices.

1 in 10 men think the menopause has no symptoms

FORGET about solving:- 'whodunnit' in the billiard room or playing at being a property tycoon. This year's must play; and possibly most important; board game is all about the menopause. That's right, for the 1st time, the more than 40 symptoms of menopause have become the basis of a unique and thought provoking board game. Menopause: The Board Game has been launch, and it coincided with World Menopause Day, on 18 October 2022, and was created by intimate wellness brand INTIMINA alongside gynaecology specialist GP Dr Susanna Unsworth to raise much-needed awareness of the menopause and tackle the taboo that surrounds it.

Appropriate for all ages, the board game will see players race from start to finish answering questions about the menopause along the way. Using uterus-shaped tokens, players will take it in turns to move across the game board - which resembles the changes in oestrogen levels during the menopause. Question cards will quiz players on the many and varied symptoms, with answers and explanations to help people learn as they play.

The board game comes as new research reveals 12% adults say they aren't confident they know what the menopause is. This figure jumps to 17% when looking specifically at men. What's more, 34% of people asked said they were unsure they knew what perimenopause is or what it entails.

INTIMINA's research also showed the number of symptoms associated with the menopause is vastly underestimated. On average, respondents said there were 11 symptoms of the menopause, but the reality is there are more than 40. Worryingly, 13% men polled didn't know the menopause had any symptoms at all.

The startling lack of knowledge about the menopause is, with 25% of those surveyed believing that people are actually given medication to dissolve unused eggs once menopausal. 14% also think you can't have sex whilst going through the menopause.

It is well documented that people experiencing menopause need more support in the workplace. 68% of those surveyed by INTIMINA agree that people should receive menopause sensitivity and awareness training at work. With this in mind, INTIMINA has partnered, on the launch of its board game, with Positive Pause who provide no-nonsense information on their free to access menopause platform and deliver dynamic, online workplace training sessions. PositivePause will be using Menopause: The Board Game in upcoming training sessions and events.

Justine Pescher, spokesperson for INTIMINA comments:- "The menopause is something that affects around half the population, yet there isn't enough education and open dialogue surrounding it which leads to misinformation and a lack of sensitivity for those going through it. Our research showed only 13% are taught about it at School and it's widely agreed that it should be a topic discussed as part of workplace training. That's why we've crated Menopause: The Board Game, a game that not only teaches players about the menopause but also encourages conversations in normal, everyday settings."

Gynaecology Specialist for INTIMINA, Dr Susanna Unsworth, adds:- "It's clear there is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to the menopause and its symptoms, amongst both men and women. I'm delighted that INTIMINA created Menopause: The Board Game as a tool to raise awareness and knowledge about a staggeringly overlooked and misunderstood process. I look forward to seeing it kick start conversations this World Menopause Day and beyond."

Ann Stephens, co-founder of PositivePause says:- "All women and some members of the trans and non-binary community are guaranteed to go through menopause yet most lack basic awareness of the signs and symptoms. Many fail to join the dots as they begin to experience the impact of fluctuating hormones in perimenopause. Opening up the conversation brings menopause out of the shadows. By normalising what is all too often perceived as a negative process, it can be turned into a positive. The better informed we all are, the better it is for everyone, benefiting women's health, relationships, and employment. As we like to say, 'menopause is not about the time of the month, it's about having the time of your life!. Menopause: The Board Game is a genius concept for getting the topic of menopause into the workplace, making it positive, interactive, educational and a lot less scary."