You and Yours

Original version

BBC Radio 4 FM

BBC Radio 4 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced BBC Home Service.

BBC Radio 4

Radio 4

Radio 4 (FM)

Magazines & Reviews

Factual: Consumer

BBC Radio 4 LW

You and Yours: Slow Broadband; Baby Bust; Happy Design

01/02/2021

Slow Broadband; Baby Bust; Happy Design

BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours, Slow Broadband; Baby Bust; Happy Design

The families struggling with slow broadband, opting for faster speeds.

How we're turning to cheerful decor at home to try and beat the pandemic gloom.

Fast broadband has never been more important - for studying, working from home and streaming films and gaming.  The comparison website USwitch says there's been a rise of more than a third in people deciding to pay more to get faster broadband speeds.  According to Ofcom, 96% of households in the UK could get super-fast broadband, but a significant proportion don't - for all kinds of reasons.   We'll speak to one family who're struggling and find out what's been going on in the broadband market during the pandemic.

Last year when we went into lockdown there were predictions that there would be a baby boom, with couples spending more time at home.  But as it's dragged on with jobs at risk, weddings and house moves postponed, that talk of a baby boom has changed to talk of a baby bust.   PwC - the big accountancy firm -  is predicting that the annual birth rate for this year could dip to the lowest level since records began.  We'll discuss that.

And, there's been a lot of grey days lately.  Stuck inside during lockdown, many people are looking again at DIY and home improvement to try and not only keep busy, but also to cheer themselves up.   Happy Design is the new buzz word, and new collections are full of cheerful artwork, bright colours, and patterns designed to boost the mood.  We'll speak to Karen Haller the author of 'the Little Book of Colour, How to Use the Psychology of Colour to Transform your Life' and also Laurence Llewelyn Bowen.

Presenter: Winifred Robinson
Producer: Jess Quayle

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

You and Yours

Slow Broadband; Baby Bust; Happy Design

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 FM

About BBC Radio 4