one of football's great rivalries will be renewed on sunday. but everything's pointing towards 3 liverpool win against struggling manchester united. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. weather warnings have been issued for almost everywhere in the uk over the weekend. with more severe amber warnings issued across large parts of england and wales — meaning snow and ice could bring "hazardous" travel conditions. the warnings cover northern england, the midlands and much of wales from 6pm tomorrow until midnight on sunday. up to 40cm of snowfall is expected in some places and temperatures could fall as low as minus 10 degrees. here's danny savage. at england's highest pub, they know a thing or two about preparing for winter weather.

people love, like, as soon as they know there's a weather warning at tan hill, like, they want to come up, they want to be snowed in because they heard about when it happened last time. this is what tan hill looked like four years ago when dozens of people were snowed in. the story reached far and wide — so now they stock up. well, this morning when you came in, you would have seen a new log delivery. we've had loads of kindling delivered. we have also got a month's worth of stock in the fridge—freezers, cellar... we are fully stocked and prepared. in 2021, we had over 80 people snowed in for four days. we kept everyone replenished and we dug everybody out as soon as we could. how special would it be to be snowed in here? uh, yeah, i suppose it'd be special, like, as long as they... as long as they're still serving beer, then that'd be... that'd do for me. there are now amber weather warnings for snow in force across a large part of central and northern england and most of wales. up to 40cm could fall on high ground. winter operations are well under way on the roads. we do tailor what the actual gritters are putting on the roads

depending on the conditions and temperatures, so it may well be that those that are at the higher altitudes are putting out more salt than those at lower altitudes, so we do have to take that into account. in orkney, a bus left the road in icy conditions with all services cancelled for the rest of the day. yeah, one sugar and your milk. an amber cold weather health alert is also in place. there are particular concerns for the elderly and those vulnerable to the cold. seems like a lot of people think that when it's cold, theyjust have to keep warm and more warm and more heating. they tend to forget that the heating causes dehydration to their bodies, and the elderly do not need to be dehydrated whatsoever. back on the hills of the north, the campervans have started arriving. the brave and the optimistic are present. if you were snowed in, could you survive for a while? we could survive for a week, easy. we've got a fridge full of food, gas, the pub! there is, of course,

a serious message to all these weather warnings. that's to keep an eye on travel conditions, to wrap up and stay warm. if the forecast is correct, it will soon be looking like this again. as we have got closer to this event, the forecasters have become more certain about what the impacts are going to be and as they have done so, they have upgraded those weather warnings today so up until this morning, yellow weather warnings for much of wales and england. they have now been upgraded to amber warnings, they come in force from about 6pm tomorrow evening in wales and the midlands and from 9pm tomorrow evening for much of northern england through until midnight on sunday. cold weather benefit payments, those £25 payments for people who are eligible, have also been triggered in many postcodes across the north of england, it is worth checking if you are eligible for those with the department for work and pensions.

the worst of this weather is really going to be from what the forecast says, overnight saturday into sunday and all day sunday. that is obviously not a normal working day so it perhaps may lessen the impact thanif so it perhaps may lessen the impact than if it was a normal weekday but i think perhaps going into the early part of next week, we will be feeling the effects of the snow over the weekend and what has happened if we get the amount the forecasters think we may get, sophie. studio: danny savage in north yorkshire, thank you. nhs bosses are warning that the number of people being hospitalised with flu in england is rising at a very concerning rate. there were 5,000 people being treated in hospital with flu at the end of last week — more than four times the level it was a month ago. public health scotland say the amount of influenza this winter is "extraordinary". the nhs in wales and northern ireland is also under smilar pressure. our health editor hugh pym reports. phone rings hello. treating patients, trying to find beds — the daily stresses in a&e.

but right now, it's looking even harder for staff. how are you feeling? slightly improved. stephen, who's a consultant, is seeing eileen. she's come in and will be admitted for treatment. huge amount of pressure. there are many, many folk coming into hospital. a lot of people are very unwell this time of year, particularly because of respiratory illnesses — so chest problems — and we're seeing an awful lot of flu in particular. this one's going to go. home in the afternoon. at this hospital trust in newcastle, there are double the number of flu patients as at the same time last year. and the flu surge started a lot earlier than usual. it's always really busy in hospitals just after the new year, but this time you've got high levels of flu and other viruses and now predictions of very cold weather. and that could add even more pressure in the days ahead. next week especially, the boss of the trust told me, with flu still a major concern and more people going back to work

and school after the holiday. usually that first full working day is really quite difficult for nhs colleagues to deal with. the key is it's not over yet. you know, i think people can think it's over when you've hit christmas. you don't need to be vaccinated, you don't need to worry about these things and it can run through right into march. so if you haven't been vaccinated, please do so. if you have got symptoms, keep yourself to yourself. try not to spread it around because you can make other people very unwell. the flu vaccine doesn't give 100% cover, it varies depending on the virus strain but the nhs says it is essential for those who are vulnerable. many hospital leaders have reported extreme pressures, one saying while patient care is still safe, it's the worst winter in a0 years. both ipswich and colchester hospitals are full and we are having to care for some patients in areas that are not designed for inpatient care, so having additional patients on the wards and sadly, some patients being cared for in corridors. and there's always the challenge

of freeing up beds by moving those patients who are medically fit out of hospitals. that can be held up by problems with social care. hugh pym, bbc news, newcastle. so, thousands of people in hospitals in england can't be discharged because of inadequate social care. today, the health secretary wes streeting said that proposals for the long—term funding of adult social care in england are unlikely to be ready until 2028. but councils and care providers say it's too long to wait, with vital services already on their knees. here's alison holt. craig can spend hours each week driving the 100 miles between his home and his parents to help look after them. home and his parents to help look afterthem. his home and his parents to help look after them. his mother has dementia and needs constant care, his father is also struggling. we visited the family one year ago, then they were getting nhs help. now the family is

paying the £1500 per week bill for her care. the new independent commission aims to draw up a blueprint for an affordable care system for the future. but the pressures of staff sought to and underfunding are there now —— staff shortages. underfunding are there now -- staff shortaaes. ~ 3 underfunding are there now -- staff shortaaes. ~ �*, , shortages. mum's savings will run out at some _ shortages. mum's savings will run out at some point _ shortages. mum's savings will run out at some point so _ shortages. mum's savings will run out at some point so that - shortages. mum's savings will run out at some point so that is - shortages. mum's savings will run out at some point so that is a - out at some point so that is a worry, she's not going to get better and if anything, worry, she's not going to get better and ifanything, dad is worry, she's not going to get better and if anything, dad is going to deteriorate as well. in england, an one deteriorate as well. in england, anyone with _ deteriorate as well. in england, anyone with savings _ deteriorate as well. in england, anyone with savings or- deteriorate as well. in england, anyone with savings or assets i deteriorate as well. in england, | anyone with savings or assets of more than £23,250 pays for all of their care. on bbc five live today, caller after caller described how frightening costs could be. i don't think peeple _ frightening costs could be. i don't think people realise _ frightening costs could be. i don't think people realise how- frightening costs could be. i don't think people realise how much . frightening costs could be. i don't think people realise how much it| think people realise how much it costs. why would it cost £3000 per week to keep my mum at home? £3000 per week to keep my mum at home with 24—hour care. my per week to keep my mum at home with 24-hour care-— 24-hour care. my wife had a stroke in 2012, i 24-hour care. my wife had a stroke in 2012, i am — 24-hour care. my wife had a stroke in 2012, | am a 20 _ 24-hour care. my wife had a stroke in 2012, | am a 20 47 _ 24-hour care. my wife had a stroke in 2012, | am a 20 47 carer, - in 2012, i am a 20 47 carer, actually, _ in 2012, i am a 20 47 carer, actually, it— in 2012, i am a 20 47 carer, actually, it is absolutely horrible what _ actually, it is absolutely horrible what i _ actually, it is absolutely horrible what i have to do. sometimes it is

unbearable — what i have to do. sometimes it is unbearable-— what i have to do. sometimes it is unbearable. hopefully we'll be able to make a real— unbearable. hopefully we'll be able to make a real difference. - unbearable. hopefully we'll be able to make a real difference. the - to make a real difference. the health and _ to make a real difference. the health and care _ to make a real difference. tin; health and care secretary to make a real difference.- health and care secretary visiting a home in carlisle today says the commission will provide its first changes by 2026 and a final report into the funding and organisation of the care into 2028. he wants to build political and public consensus.— build political and public consensus. ~ ., ., ., consensus. we have got a plan not 'ust for consensus. we have got a plan not just for the next _ consensus. we have got a plan not just for the next few years - consensus. we have got a plan not just for the next few years which i just for the next few years which this government will deliver on but a plan for the next three decades that all parties can sign up to. that is the level of ambition we have and that is how we are going to break out of the short term sticking plaster politics. over the past 25 years, there have been many inquiries, reports and commissions into reforming adult social care in england — most plans have failed to get far. the exception is the 2011 dilnot commission proposal that the care costs any individual faces should be capped or limited. legislation was put in place in 2014, but plans to introduce it were delayed several times, because councils said they would need more money to implement the changes.

in 2021, the conservative government increased national insurance by 1.25% to help pay for an £85,000 care cap. a year later, that increase was cut. and when labour won the 2024 election, it said no money had been set aside for the reform, so scrapped the plans. and the cost of social care is the really knotty issue here. at the moment, councils fund most support for older and disabled people. as this chart shows, on average 39p in every pound of their spending is on adult social care. in some areas, that figure is much higher. the government says an ageing population means the cost of care is going to double in the next 20 years and care experts say change is needed as soon as possible. the worry is if we are waiting until 2028 for a commission to read out,

we get caught up in the next election, it is an opportunity for more delay and quite frankly, we can't wait. more delay and quite frankly, we can't wait-— more delay and quite frankly, we can't wait. ,., , , , can't wait. the government insists it is already _ can't wait. the government insists it is already changing _ can't wait. the government insists it is already changing social- can't wait. the government insists it is already changing social care . it is already changing social care with announcements today on training for care workers to do health checks and more money to adapt homes for people with disabilities. alison holt, bbc news. our deputy political editor vicki young is in westminster — vicki, some concern about how long these reforms will take? yeah, that's right. there has definitely been the biggest reaction today to the timescale and that is because the final bit of this report could be as late as 2028. of course, the government has a massive majority so the question is why don't they just majority so the question is why don't theyjust go ahead much sooner than that and make the changes? their answer to that is they want to get a political consensus. they say they picked louise casey to run this investigation because she is someone

who gets things done so they think it could actually be quicker than that. they also say that with huge changes, they need to take time, they need to do it properly and so those first recommendations could come in 2026. the tories have said the government needs to be bold and ambitious, the lib dems who have done a lot of campaigning on the issue of care say it could all be donein issue of care say it could all be done in one year. but there is, as we have been hearing, an awful lot of political cynicism around this issue and it isn't really surprising and that is because it has been littered with failure, as we were hearing, over the years. littered with failure, as we were hearing, overthe years. if littered with failure, as we were hearing, over the years. if you look back to 2010, there were cross—party talks, exactly what will happen here next month, but they broke down in acrimony. theresa may almost lost an election over the issue and boris johnson told us back in 2019 he had a clear plan ready to go on social care and in the end, someone, a politician, it'sjust going care and in the end, someone, a politician, it's just going to have to make a decision on all of this. particularly on the most contentious part of it, the funding. who is going to pay for it? in the end,

those kind of decisions can really upset some people and politicians don't like doing that. tz�*icki upset some people and politicians don't like doing that. vicki young, thank yon — a seven—month—old baby boy has died after a car lost control on the a1 in lincolnshire and hit a tree. police are investigating whether the crash on the southbound carriageway near grantham late last night was linked to icy conditions. a woman also travelling in the car suffered serious injuries. more than a quarter of the 524 firefighters who attended the blaze at grenfell tower in 2017 are now suffering from long—term health problems including cancer and respiratory diseases, according to new research. the university of central lancaster said most ran out of air at some point and went unprotected from poisonous smoke. the fire brigades union has demanded the introduction of health monitoring. apple has agreed to pay nearly £80 million to settle a case in america alleging some of its devices were listening to people without their permission.

the tech giant was accused of using the virtual assistant siri to eavesdrop on customers — with the recordings shared with advertisers. apple didn't admit any wrongdoing. a cyber hacker has pleaded guilty to stealing unreleased music from artists including coldplay, and canadian singer shawn mendes. skylar dalziel from luton made about £42,000 by selling the tracks online, according to city of london police. joe inwood is here. this all started in 2021 when the music giant sony realised that the storage of one of the artist had been compromised and on released tracks have been taken. they told the industry body in the us who told city of london police and they were led to the property of skylar

dalziel in luton. they found hard drives with about 300,000 tracks, some of them unreleased, by artists including coldplay and shaw mendez. also there were spreadsheets there and they documented how she had been selling those tracks online using paypal and crypto currencies like bitcoin and had made about £42,000. today she pleaded guilty to 11 copyright offences. she was given 21 months in prison but that has been suspended for two years. she will have to be 180 hours of unpaid work and her hard drives have been destroyed. the time is 6.16. our top story this evening... severe weather warnings have been issued for parts of england and wales over the weekend with amber warnings for snow and ice which could bring "hazardous" travel conditions. caravan owners begin legal action over soaring pitch—fees and a sharp drop in the value of their holiday homes. and coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news, friction on the first day of the final test in sydney, but australia are on top

against india as they look to seal the series. luke littler — the teenage darts sensation who first burst onto the scene last year at the age of 16. now he is just one win away from becoming the youngest ever darts world champion. from becoming the youngest ever now 17, he is taking on the three—times world champion michael van gerwen in the final tonight at alexandra palace. our sports correspondent natalie pirks is there. last night, luke the nuke's game face was on as he breezed to a second consecutive world final. it means tonight he will once again attempt to become the youngest winner in the sport's history. try and sum up for us what it would mean to you and your family? it would mean everything but i don't know what

the winning feeling is like. obviously, michael, he has done it three times and i know he's hungry for that fourth. i'm hungry for my first, so may the best man win. the bbc�*s recently crowned young sports personality has earned more than £1 million in prize money alone. at his first darts club where hejoined at nine alone. at his first darts club where he joined at nine years old they can't restock his £100 a pop darts at quick enough. they knew he was a precocious talent.— at quick enough. they knew he was a precocious talent. when he was 13 he was 'ust precocious talent. when he was 13 he was just too — precocious talent. when he was 13 he was just too good _ precocious talent. when he was 13 he was just too good for _ precocious talent. when he was 13 he was just too good for the _ precocious talent. when he was 13 he was just too good for the under - precocious talent. when he was 13 he was just too good for the under 21s. i was just too good for the under 21s. he was never going to achieve anything there so we said go and beat all the men in the world and thatis beat all the men in the world and that is what he is doing hopefully tonight. he that is what he is doing hopefully toniaht. , , tonight. he is in the first 17-year-old _ tonight. he is in the first 17-year-old to _ tonight. he is in the first 17-year-old to take - tonight. he is in the first 17-year-old to take the i tonight. he is in the first - 17-year-old to take the sporting 17—year—old to take the sporting world by storm. in 1958, pele guided brazil to world cup glory. 35 years later, ronnie o'sullivan won the uk championshipjust a week later, ronnie o'sullivan won the uk championship just a week before his

18th birthday. and on centre court at wimbledon both boris becker and maria sharapova shocked the tennis world as teenagers. with ten titles already this year, littler has undoubtedly 1430 00: