7 days ago
Around 6.5 million patients in England on hospital waiting lists
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves seems to have mistaken the number of treatments waiting to begin with the number of individuals awaiting treatment.
18 days ago
Smoking causes about one in four deaths from cancer
Steve Barclay confused smoking’s share of cancer deaths with its share of cancer cases, in comments on the BBC and Sky.
18 days ago
Prime Minister wrong to say UK’s debt ‘is falling’
The latest data for both of the main measures of the UK’s national debt shows it has increased over the last year.
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24 days ago
‘Get Covid and live longer’? Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp at Covid Inquiry fact checked
Most people dying of Covid in 2020 were over 80—but they also generally had years of life left.
1 month ago
Video of Rishi Sunak’s first year achievements fact checked
We’ve taken a look at some of the highlights listed in a video marking Rishi Sunak’s first year as Prime Minister.
1 month ago
Government data doesn’t show 125,000 children ‘never going’ to school
The figure, which appeared in a column published in The Times, seems to be based on government data showing the number of children who missed at least half their school sessions last autumn term.
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2 months ago
UK tap water among safest in the world
A social media post with over 100,000 shares claims tap water is “the most underrated cause of disease”—but tap water in the UK is strictly regulated to keep it safe.
2 months ago
The number of prison escapes has been falling since the 1990s
We looked into the figures after the PM claimed prison escapes were 10 times higher under the last Labour government.
2 months ago
NHS in England not paying out £8 billion a year in maternity negligence compensation
A Times column claimed the NHS in England paid more than double its £3 billion maternity budget in maternity clinical negligence payments. But last year these payments totalled just £1.1 billion.
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3 months ago
Missing children, lost dogs and escaped snakes: how hoax posts are swamping local Facebook groups
Our investigation reveals over 100 communities across the UK have been the victim of hoaxes, and uncovers why they’re happening.
3 months ago
The EG.5 variant of Covid-19 has nothing to do with 5G
Videos from a popular Instagram influencer wrongly suggest that the 5G network is somehow causing disease associated with the new Covid variant.
3 months ago
People in the UK illegally cannot apply for council housing
A Facebook post has suggested that council houses are readily available for people who are in the UK illegally, but this is not true. People in the UK illegally can't apply for council housing.
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3 months ago
How many people have been intercepted while attempting to cross the Channel in small boats?
Oliver Dowden’s claim that there had been a 40% increase in interceptions in the Channel refers to the number of people prevented from crossing in small boats in 2022, compared to 2021.
3 months ago
Paying TV licence fee isn’t based on ‘consent’
A post claiming there is no law that requires a person to pay a TV licence has been shared more than 11,000 times.
3 months ago
A very small share of malnutrition cases in hospital are in children
Articles in the Sun said that about a third of 11,000 malnutrition cases in England involved children. The actual share is about 3%.
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3 months ago
3 months ago
Minister wrong to claim UK is only European country not using scientific age assessments for asylum ...
Most European countries do use scientific methods to determine the ages of asylum seekers. But the UK and at least two others—Ireland and Serbia—do not.
3 months ago
Picture of Rishi Sunak’s bad pint has been Photoshopped
The image has been edited to change the drink he’s holding and the eyes of the person standing behind him.
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3 months ago
Appeal for missing ‘Justin Smith’ is a hoax
The child in the picture was actually reported missing in New York state last month, and has since been located.
3 months ago
Experts advise pouring cool water on an overheating dog
Facebook posts shared by thousands of people incorrectly claim you should never throw cold water on an overheating dog.
3 months ago
Most international students enrolling in UK universities have to prove they’re proficient in English...
Reform UK politician Alex Phillips claimed international students don’t have to pass an English proficiency test, but many are required to take one.
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4 months ago
NHS consultants are not demanding a 35% pay rise
There’s been widespread confusion in the media about the demands made by striking senior doctors. Their union has confirmed that they are campaigning for an above inflation uplift, but not necessarily
4 months ago
The UK government is not building a multimillion pound railway line in Turkey
A tweet shared by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham fails to make clear that this figure refers to a loan being underwritten by the UK government.
4 months ago
The UK’s tax revenue isn’t £40 billion less than it used to be “because of Brexit”.
A now-corrected article in The Guardian fails to make clear that a figure estimating the impact of Brexit on UK tax revenues is based on a counterfactual analysis.
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4 months ago
Most renters do not live in buy-to-let properties
When the total number of renters is considered, only one third of rental properties have been purchased with this type of mortgage.
4 months ago
No clear evidence of a significant fall in average waiting times
The health minister Maria Caulfield said that NHS England waiting times were falling “drastically”. The latest data does not support this.
4 months ago
Are community diagnostic centres ‘cutting’ NHS waiting lists?
Diagnostic and treatment waiting lists have both grown, but the government says they’d be even longer without the additional checks and scans delivered by CDCs.
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5 months ago
Sugar-free alkaline diets won’t ‘starve’ cancer
A video on social media claims that avoiding refined sugar and eating an ‘alkaline’ diet will have an anti-cancer effect. This isn’t supported by the evidence.
5 months ago
The overall NHS waiting list continues to rise
Rishi Sunak says the government’s “cutting waiting lists”. That’s true in the case of some specific NHS waiting lists, but not for the main list overall.
5 months ago
England has fewer teachers relative to the number of school pupils than in 2010
The government’s announcement that there are a record number of teachers is missing important context.
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5 months ago
NHS dentist statistics don’t support PM’s claim that there are over 500 more ‘this year’
Rishi Sunak claimed NHS dentist numbers have increased by more than 500 “this year” compared with “last year”—but he appears to have been quoting figures for 2021/22.
5 months ago
You cannot be sent to prison just for failing to pay your TV licence
The only punishment available is a fine. Failure to pay the fine is a separate offence that can ultimately result in a prison sentence.
6 months ago
Can pharmacists prescribe medicines?
The Pharmacy First service will mean people in England can get NHS prescription medicines for some conditions from a community pharmacy without seeing a GP. But some pharmacists can prescribe already.
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6 months ago
Would a 35% pay uplift for junior doctors cost £1 billion or £2 billion?
A Labour MP quoted BMA figures claiming junior doctor “pay restoration” would cost £1 billion, but the health secretary said it would cost £2 billion.
6 months ago
Man pictured with caravan has not gone missing in Grimsby
The picture used to show the man has previously been shared online in the US with claims the caravan in it has been stolen.
7 months ago
How to spot AI-generated images
Full Fact’s guide on how to spot images created using Artificial Intelligence.
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9 months ago
Vaping harms overstated in viral video
A widely shared video on TikTok and Instagram exaggerates and misrepresents the risks of vaping.
10 months ago
Argos £3 AirPod Max deal is fake
A Facebook post claims the deal is related to Argos being fined for not paying tax, which is also not true.