Would you share your home with a stranger?

One in five older people in the UK admits to feelings of loneliness – and this only intensifies at Christmas. What is causing this crisis and how can we combat the sense of isolation?

LET COUNSELLOR KEREN LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

The lives of Clara and Nancy are worlds apart – but is it time for them to finally live out their dream?

Going hunting without your own hunter is an increasingly popular choice for a range of reasons, finds Lucy Higginson

Our round-up of the funny, fascinating and unusual stories this fortnight

Budget fiasco: That the whole of Wednesday’s Budget was erroneously published by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) an hour before chancellor Rachel Reeves (pictured) stood up to give her spee