i will pay you a visit one day

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Which one is correct? "will pay you a visit very soon" or "will give a visit at your place very soon"?

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will pay you a visit very soon

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express the idea of visiting someone in the near future.

• I will pay you a visit very soon to discuss the project.
• She promised to pay me a visit very soon.
• They said they would pay us a visit very soon.
• He always pays his grandparents a visit very soon after returning home.
• We are planning to pay them a visit very soon.

Alternatives:

• will visit you soon
• will come to see you soon
• will drop by soon
• will stop by soon
• will pop in soon

will give a visit at your place very soon

This phrase is not a standard or natural way to express the idea of visiting someone. It is not commonly used in English.

Last Updated: March 06, 2024

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Understanding the Idiom: "pay a visit" - Meaning, Origins, and Usage

The meaning of “pay a visit”.

“Pay a visit” means to go and see someone for a short period of time. It could be to check on their well-being or simply to catch up with them. The phrase is often used when referring to visiting friends or family members, but it can also be used in professional settings such as visiting clients or colleagues.

Usage Examples

Here are some examples of how “pay a visit” can be used:

• I’m planning to pay a visit to my grandparents next weekend.
• The doctor advised me to pay a visit if my symptoms persist.
• We should pay a visit to our new neighbors and welcome them.

Origins and Historical Context of the Idiom “pay a visit”

The phrase “pay a visit” is an idiom that has been used for centuries to describe the act of visiting someone. This expression has its roots in Old English, where it was commonly used to refer to the act of paying tribute or homage to someone.

Over time, the meaning of this phrase evolved, and it began to be used more broadly to describe any type of social call or visit. Today, we use this idiom in many different contexts, from visiting friends and family members to making professional visits for business purposes.

Throughout history, paying visits has been an important part of human interaction. In ancient times, people would often travel long distances just to pay their respects or seek advice from respected leaders or scholars. As societies became more complex and interconnected over time, the practice of paying visits became even more common.

Today, we continue to value the importance of face-to-face interactions with others. Whether we are catching up with old friends or meeting new acquaintances for the first time, paying a visit remains an essential way for us to connect with one another on a personal level.

Usage and Variations of the Idiom “pay a visit”

When we want to see someone or something, we often use the idiom “pay a visit” . This phrase has many variations that can be used in different contexts. Let’s explore some of these variations and how they are commonly used.

One common variation is “make a visit” , which has the same meaning as “pay a visit”. Another variation is “drop by” or “drop in”, which implies a casual or unexpected visit. We can also say “call on” when referring to visiting someone at their home, office, or other location.

The idiom “pay a visit” is often used to describe visiting friends, family members, colleagues, or acquaintances. For example: “I’m going to pay a visit to my grandmother this weekend.” It can also be used in more formal situations such as business meetings: “The CEO paid a surprise visit to our office yesterday.”

“Drop by” and its variations are commonly used when referring to informal visits with friends or acquaintances: “I’m going to drop by Sarah’s house after work today.” Similarly, we might say: “I just wanted to drop in and say hello.”

“Call on” is typically reserved for more formal occasions such as job interviews or professional meetings: “I need to call on Mr. Smith at his office tomorrow.” However, it can also be used in everyday conversation when referring to visiting someone’s home: “We’re planning on calling on our neighbors this weekend.”

Synonyms, Antonyms, and Cultural Insights for the Idiom “pay a visit”

Instead of saying “pay a visit” , you could use phrases like “drop by”, “stop in”, or “pop in”. These expressions convey the same meaning but with different nuances. For example, if you say you’re going to “drop by” someone’s house, it implies that your visit will be brief and casual. On the other hand, if you say you’re going to “stop in”, it suggests that your visit might be longer or more formal.

Antonyms for “pay a visit” include phrases like “avoid”, “ignore”, or simply not visiting at all. Of course, these expressions have negative connotations and are not appropriate when talking about friendly visits.

Culturally speaking, paying visits is an important social custom in many countries around the world. In some cultures, such as Japan and Korea, it is customary to remove one’s shoes before entering someone’s home as a sign of respect. In other cultures, such as Italy and Spain, it is common to bring small gifts or treats when visiting friends or family members.

Practical Exercises for the Idiom “pay a visit”

Exercise 1: fill in the blanks.

In this exercise, you will need to fill in the blanks with appropriate words from the given options:

• It’s been a while since I last _______ my grandparents.
• We decided to _______ our friends who live across town.
• I’m planning to _______ my old school teacher next week.

Exercise 2: Create sentences

In this exercise, you will need to create sentences using “pay a visit” in different contexts:

• Create a sentence using “pay a visit” when talking about visiting someone at their workplace.
• Create a sentence using “pay a visit” when talking about visiting someone who is sick or unwell.
• Create a sentence using “pay a visit” when talking about visiting an unfamiliar place for sightseeing purposes.

Exercise 3: Role-play activity

In this exercise, you will need to role-play different scenarios where you would use the idiom “pay a visit” . This could include situations such as visiting family members during holidays or dropping by someone’s house unexpectedly. You can practice with friends or family members and try out different variations of the idiom based on context and tone of conversation.

By practicing these exercises regularly, you’ll soon become more confident in using the idiom “pay a visit” in your everyday conversations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using the Idiom “pay a visit”

When using idiomatic expressions, it’s important to understand their meaning and usage in context. The idiom “pay a visit” is commonly used to describe visiting someone or somewhere, but there are some common mistakes that people make when using this expression.

Using the Wrong Preposition

One of the most common mistakes when using “pay a visit” is using the wrong preposition. The correct preposition to use with this idiom is “to”. For example, you can say “I’m going to pay a visit to my grandmother.” Using other prepositions like “at” or “in” would be incorrect and sound unnatural.

Misusing the Word Order

Another mistake people make with this idiom is misusing the word order. The correct order should be subject + verb + object. For example, you can say “I’m going to pay a visit to my friend.” Incorrectly saying something like “To my friend I’m going to pay a visit” would be grammatically incorrect and confusing.

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Idiom:  pay a visit

Meaning .

Idiom:  pay a visit to someone/something (pay someone/something a visit)

• to go see someone or something

Example sentences

• I haven’t heard from my father in two weeks so I’m going to pay him a visit and make sure he’s okay.
• There are very few doctors who will pay a visit to patients' homes these days.
• It's been a few months since we've seen my mother-in-law so we need to pay a visit this weekend.
• My best friend was in town and decided to pay a visit but we were at the shopping mall so I missed her.
• Let's pay a visit to the cemetery on Veterans Day and lay down some flowers at my grandfather's grave.
• You'll be paying the dentist a visit  soon if you don't stop drinking so many sodas and eating those sugary candies.
• If you have a chance to pay a visit to Mount Rushmore National Memorial while you're in the Dakotas you will not regret it.
• A couple of police officers paid our office a visit this afternoon and I'm dying to know what they questioned my boss about.
• Every Memorial Day we pay a visit to my uncle's grave to pay our respects.
• come around

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pay a visit to

Definition of pay a visit to

Examples of pay a visit to in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pay a visit to.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near pay a visit to

pay attention to

Cite this Entry

“Pay a visit to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pay%20a%20visit%20to. Accessed 29 Jun. 2024.

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June 27, 2024

Written by Amazon Staff

Amazon Clinic is now Amazon One Medical’s Pay-per-visit telehealth service—here’s what it means for our customers

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Amazon One Medical

One medical membership, one medical pay-per-visit, video visits with amazon one medical pay-per-visit, message-only visits with amazon one medical pay-per-visit, quality of care, pricing, payments & insurance.

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Amazon health announces $49 telehealth service, consolidating clinic into one medical.

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Amazon Clinic will be consolidated and rebranded to Amazon One Medical’s Pay-per-visit telehealth service, the company announced this morning. Specifically, this effort marks the company’s desire to focus on straightforward pricing and transparency across its clinical service lines. The cost structure is simple for the pay-per-visit service: messaging visits will cost $29, and video visits will cost $49, per the press release. At less than $50 per visit, this is one of the most competitive telehealth services on the market currently.

Amazon Clinic was introduced nearly a year and a half ago for customers to have quick and easy access to healthcare services. Simultaneously, the company also rapidly ramped up One Medical , the primary care service which provides customers with telehealth or in-person visits. Now, Amazon seems to be slowly consolidating its various offerings to provide customers with a streamlined platform to receive on-demand clinical care under the flagship One Medical umbrella.

Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, explains that the goal behind Amazon’s healthcare ecosystem is to provide affordable and personal care to patients. “It’s simply too hard to get the medical care you need, when you need it, and affordably—long waits, high costs, and impersonal care make it unnecessarily difficult for many patients today… Amazon One Medical’s Pay-per-visit telehealth service makes it simpler for customers looking for care to see a provider, with fewer clicks and even lower per-visit pricing.”

The new service can be used a few ways. Customers can elect to leverage the service on an as-needed basis for one-off or common conditions such as acne or erectile dysfunction, per the $29 and $49 pricing structure listed above. Alternatively, customers can subscribe to a membership with One Medical to manage their chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and heart disease, and get access to preventive screenings. This can occur via virtual or in-person visits at any one of the numerous One Medical offices nationwide and will be offered to Amazon Prime customers at a discounted rate of $99 per year and to all other customers for $199 per year.

“With Amazon One Medical, customers can choose the medical care service that best meets their needs—a single visit for occasional, common conditions, or a membership that supports access to ongoing care with an app that makes things like getting on-demand virtual care, appointments and managing prescriptions fast and simple," Lindsay says.

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Amazon acquired One Medical in 2022 for nearly $3.9 billion and has since invested significant time and resources in growing and streamlining its healthcare business. The company has also expended effort in growing its pharmacy business, which offers customers a variety of services such as quick refills and rapid delivery options—even including drone delivery in certain areas.

Nevertheless, the market for clinical services is challenging. Most studies indicate that hospitals and clinical service providers are facing razor-thin margins due to inflationary burdens, meaning that the incentives to continue in this line of business are often sparse. Furthermore, although the Covid-19 pandemic propagated an incredible demand for telehealth services, the industry has since faced a major pullback .

Nevertheless, Amazon Health Services’ work is nothing short of revolutionary, as it has efficiently created an ecosystem for health services—spanning primary care, pharmacy services and telehealth. Undoubtedly, its work to redefine healthcare access is just getting started.

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come over, come by, drop in, drop by, stop by

• Thread starter MartinCz
• Start date Feb 24, 2009
• Feb 24, 2009

Hello. I know the following phrasal verbs all mean "pay a visit" but I have great difficulties to differentiate between them. come over - come by - drop in - drop by - stop by Could you describe the differences and possibly give some examples? Are there any other verbs or phrasal verbs with a similar meaning? Thank you! Martin.  

Senior Member

"Come by" wouldn't sit right with me in this context. 1 Why don't you come over next week and bring the family? 2 Do drop in/by when you're passing next time. 3 I'll stop by next time I'm in the area. There's hardly any difference between 2 & 3.  

• Jan 3, 2013

Hello. I've got a question about these verbs. So, is come by (same as drop/stop by ) meant to be used for shorter visits? When would it be used then? Just one example: Come over/by for a drink/coffee , etc. some time. I suppose that both are correct in this case and come by would be more commonly used? Thank you very much.  

The intuition that "by" indicates shortness of visit fascinates me. Cenzontle and I are both native English speakers. I wouldn't have taken the geographical language variant to be significant in this context. I have never considered the word "by" in any intuitive sense. It has always seemed to me to close off a sentence that might also have said "Why don't you drop by here soon". Indeed, the OED ascribes motion, position and proximity to the phrase "come by" or "drop by". This might be reinforced by the expression "pass by" as in "The bus passes by my house". I probably don't need to say more. Happy New Year to everyone.  

George French

I see no difference: except that different words are being used.. GF..  

• Jan 4, 2013

Thank you very much, Suspishio and George French. Suspishio, I think you are saying that you see no difference in terms of the length of the visit; is this correct, please? Sorry, I don't understand what you exactly mean. So, for you both, by and over would be fully interchangeable in, for example: Come over for the weekend . He came by and dropped off some letters .  

3 in order to visit somebody for a short time I'll come by this evening and pick up the books. http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/by_2 Click to expand...

But what about "I'll come by this evening and we'll sort things out". This would be perfectly normal without implying duration of stay. In US English as well? That said, the OAAD applies to American English and maybe idiom evolution has occurred.  

Suspishio said: But what about "I'll come by this evening and we'll sort things out". This would be perfectly normal without implying duration of stay. In US English as well? That said, the OAAD applies to American English and maybe idiom evolution has occurred. Click to expand...

blasita said: What does OAAD stand for, please? Okay, my point is that if you use come over in your example, it could mean that they may stay longer (let's say more than an hour). Can someone comment on my examples and explain it a bit more, please? Thanks. Click to expand...

Suspishio said: OOAD = Oxford Advanced American Dictionary Thank you. Isn't "come over" an abbreviation for "Come over to you" with no implication as to duration. I have no idea. This is part of my question. In regard to "come by", it seems to me that there is divergence of meaning between UK and American English. Thanks for that. Click to expand...

2 in order to visit someone for a short time I'll come by this evening and pick up the books. http://oaadonline.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/by_2 Click to expand...

Suspishio said: Isn't "come over" an abbreviation for "Come over to you" with no implication as to duration? Click to expand...

3 across a street, an open space, etc [...] He rowed us over to the other side of the lake. They have gone over to France. This is my aunt who's over from Canada. I went over (= across the room) and asked her name. Source: OALD, http://oald8.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/over Click to expand...

3 across a street, an open space, etc. [...] They have gone over to France. This is my aunt who's over from Ireland. I went over (= across the room) and asked her name. Let's ask some friends over (= to our home). Source: OAAD, http://oaadonline.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/dictionary/over Click to expand...

blasita said: Thank you very much, Suspishio and George French. Suspishio, I think you are saying that you see no difference in terms of the length of the visit; is this correct, please? Sorry, I don't understand what you exactly mean. So, for you both, by and over would be fully interchangeable in, for example: Come over for the weekend . He came by and dropped off some letters . Click to expand...

Thank you, Suspishio. I really appreciate it. And thanks for the info, Thomas.  

• Apr 27, 2013

Are these sentences right ? He dropped by my home/my house yesterday and we drank coffee. He came by my home/my house yesterday and we drank coffee. He dropped in my home/my house yesterday and we drank coffee. If they are wrong, could you please correct them ? Thanks a lot.  

The first two are correct from UK English perspective. The third would need to read "He dropped in at my home/my house yesterday and we drank coffee".  

Thanks a lot, Suspishio  

• Apr 26, 2014

<< This question has been added to a previous thread on the same verbs. Please scroll up and read from the top. >> Hello! Can you please tell me if the following sentences are grammatically correct and also tell me If I have got the meaning right: 1. Do you mind if I come over to your place? (go to your house/ pay you a visit) 2. Do you mind if I come by your office today? (go to your office today/ pay you a visit) 3. She came by looking for you (She came here looking for you) 4. I'll drop by your office some day next week (I will pay you a visit some day next week) 5. She dropped in yesterday to drop off a package ( She came here yesterday to deliver a package) I think they all very much mean the same, am I mistaken? Thanks in advance for your help!  

• Jul 14, 2020

Hello !! I would like to know other examples of similar kind of words ( drop by - stop by ) which give different meaning. Thanks,  

Watch CBS News

CDK cyberattack shuts down auto dealerships across the U.S. Here's what to know.

By Megan Cerullo

Edited By Aimee Picchi

Updated on: June 21, 2024 / 5:15 PM EDT / CBS News

CDK Global, a company that provides auto dealerships across the U.S. with software for managing sales and other services, was shut down for a third straight day Friday after cyberattacks crippled the platform. 

The outage is disrupting roughly 15,000 car sellers that depend on CDK's dealer management software to run their businesses, including vehicle sales. Some dealership employees have resorted to pen and paper to handle transactions, but said most deals had ground to a halt. CDK has not indicated when its systems will be back up and running, but suggested the outage could last several days. 

"We are actively investigating a cyber incident," a CDK spokesperson told CBS News. "Out of an abundance of caution and concern for our customers, we have shut down most of our systems and are working diligently to get everything up and running as quickly as possible." 

CDK, which said it had restored some services on Wednesday, told CBS MoneyWatch on Thursday afternoon that its systems were again offline after it suffered another cyberattack. 

"Late in the evening of June 19, we experienced an additional cyber incident and proactively shut down most of our systems," a CDK spokesperson said. "In partnership with third-party experts, we are assessing the impact and providing regular updates to our customers. We remain vigilant in our efforts to reinstate our services and get our dealers back to business as usual as quickly as possible."

Calls to a CDK customer support hotline produced a continuous busy signal. But the company's automated recording said the outage could affect dealerships for days, according to  PC Mag . The message told callers, "At this time, we do not have an estimated time frame for resolution and therefore our dealers' systems will not be available likely for several days," the publication reported.

The message also warned callers that "bad actors" posing as CDK support staff were trying to obtain customers' credentials in what are known as phishing attacks, according to The Associated Press . 

The number of cyberattacks has been on the rise in the last year, with more than 3,200 data breaches in 2023, a 78% jump from the prior year, according to a new study from data firm  SOAX . Those breaches impacted more than 65 million victims last year, it added.

What is CDK? 

CDK's dealer management system, or DMS, lets car vendors operate their business, including handling payroll, inventory, customer relations and office operations. The technology also enables dealers to line car buyers line up with financing and insurance.

On its website, it also touts its cybersecurity capabilities. "CDK Cybersecurity Solutions provide a three-tiered cybersecurity strategy to prevent, protect and respond to cyberattacks so you can defend your dealership," it says. 

Brookfield Business Partners, a Toronto-based private equity firm, acquired the company in 2022 in a  deal  valued at more than $8 billion.

When did the cyberattack begin?

The cyberattack on CDK Global began Tuesday evening, Bleeping Computer , a cybersecurity news site, reported Wednesday, taking the 15,000 car dealerships it serves offline.  

As mentioned above, CDK said it suffered another cyberattack on Wednesday evening. It is not currently known who, or what group, is behind the cyberattacks. 

Mike Stanton, CEO of the National Automobile Dealers Association, said in a statement on Friday that "dealers are very committed to protecting their customer information and are actively seeking information from CDK to determine the nature and scope of the cyber incident so they can respond appropriately."

How are dealerships responding?

Some dealerships appeared to get creative to continue doing business during the outage. Dealership employees posted about the outage on  Reddit  Wednesday, sharing that they were relying on spreadsheets and sticky notes to sell customers small parts and make repairs, but that they weren't making any large transactions. 

One employee asked other dealership employees, "How many of you are standing around because your whole shop runs on CDK?" under the heading "CDK down," with users in Wisconsin and Colorado confirming their dealership transaction systems were offline. 

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.

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Meaning of pay a visit in English

Pay a visit, pay someone a visit | intermediate english, pay someone a visit.

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side hustle

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a piece of work or a job that you get paid for doing in addition to doing your main job

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Election latest: Campaign focuses on veterans on Armed Forces Day - as PM hails 'dedication' of servicepeople

Party leaders will be on the election campaign trail on Armed Forces Day discussing defence and support for veterans. But the fallout is expected to continue from comments made by campaigners for Reform UK, as party leader Nigel Farage declined to apologise for their actions.

Saturday 29 June 2024 07:32, UK

• General Election 2024

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• Campaign to focus on support for veterans on Armed Forces Day
• Reform canvasser in PM racism row says he was 'a total fool'
• Politics at Jack and Sam's : The last weekend
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Election essentials

• Manifesto pledges: Conservatives | Greens | Labour | Lib Dems | Plaid | Reform | SNP
• Trackers:  Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
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Tom Tugendhat, the security minister, has criticised those "in Nigel Farage's company" who have "rather extraordinary and unpleasant views".

It comes as a Reform UK canvasser who used a racial slur against Rishi Sunak has called himself a "total fool" and said he has learned his lesson.

Footage from an undercover Channel 4 reporter showed Reform campaigner Andrew Parker using a discriminatory term about the prime minister, as well as saying the army should "just shoot" migrants crossing the Channel.

Police are now assessing the comments to establish if an offence has been committed, while Mr Sunak  said the insult directed at him "hurts and it makes me angry".

Asked about this, Mr Tugendhat said: "While there are many people who are voting for Reform UK in order to protest, this isn't simply a party of protest.

"And what he's drawing attention to is the reality that sadly too many people in Nigel Farage's company are people who have rather extraordinary and unpleasant views."

The minister went on to condemn this "hateful language".

He said: "The prime minister quite rightly spoke not just as prime minister about this hateful language, but as a father of two young girls who frankly should not have to put up with this horrific language being used against their father."

Mr Tugendhat added that, additionally, there is a "pattern" of antisemitism and misogyny.

Was this the day the wheels began to come off for Nigel Farage's Reform UK bandwagon? Quite possibly.

It was a day that began with terrible newspaper headlines and ended with a clash about racism in his party with a hostile TV audience.

It may be, of course, that this ugly racism row has come too late to slam the brakes on the Farage juggernaut threatening to crush the Tories.

That's because, firstly, it's estimated that one in four of us will cast a postal vote in this election and many voters will have returned theirs already.

Secondly, Mr Farage relishes controversy and revels in the role of the insurgent battling against the establishment and political convention.

But even by his standards of notoriety the day got off to a bad start, when The Daily Telegraph's front-page headline declared: "Farage is a Putin appeaser, says Sunak".

TV presenter Rylan Clark has said he would "love" to become a politician - and replace the party system with a "Power Rangers of government" model.

The TV personality, 35, joined political editor Beth Rigby and former Scottish Conservative leader Baroness Ruth Davidson for this week's Sky News Electoral Dysfunction podcast.

Asked if he would ever consider the career change, he said: "If I wasn't in the job that I was in, I would love nothing more."

Rylan, who won Celebrity Big Brother and also appeared on the X Factor, appeared on the podcast in place of Labour candidate Jess Phillips after tweeting his praise for Rigby on the day Rishi Sunak announced the general election.

Sharing a clip of her and Sky presenter Sophy Ridge outside a rainy Downing Street waiting for Mr Sunak to appear at the lectern, he said: "Obsessed with the Rigby."

Speaking to her and Davidson, he said his "obsession" with politics began with Brexit - "as we've seen so many promises which weren't fulfilled" since then.

He added: "I lie there at night sometimes, and I think about [Volodymyr] Zelenskyy. He hosted one of the same shows I've hosted in Ukraine."

The TV presenter also shared his idea of abandoning political parties altogether.

Read the full story here: 

Our live poll tracker collates the results of opinion surveys carried out by all the main polling organisations - and allows you to see how the political parties are performing in the run-up to the general election.

With under a week to go, the Tories and Labour have taken a drop, while support for Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats is on the rise.

Read more about the tracker  here .

By Faye Brown , political reporter

A Reform UK canvasser who used a racial slur against Rishi Sunak has called himself a "total fool" and said he has learned his lesson.

Police are now assessing the comments to establish if an offence has been committed, while Mr Sunak said the insult directed at him "hurts and it makes me angry".

Mr Parker, who was canvassing in Clacton, where Reform leader Nigel Farage is standing, told Sky News the sting operation had "proper taught me a lesson".

Party leaders will be on the election campaign trail on Armed Forces Day discussing defence and support for veterans.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will hail the "duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice" of servicemen and women and claim his is the only party to meet the Help for Heroes Veterans' Pledge.

The pledge requires parties to commit to keeping the Office for Veterans' Affairs, commissioning an independent review of the medical discharge process and ensuring veterans get the benefits and compensations they deserve.

Mr Sunak said: "It should be the first responsibility of any government to support those who defend us.

"It's why it's so important that we get defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030, and also why we must continue our mission to make the UK the best country in the world to be a veteran."

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to introduce a new armed forces commissioner and lead a "government of service" if Labour is elected.

The commissioner role will aim to champion those who serve by investigating issues such as substandard housing, faulty kit and poor discharge support, the party said.

Sir Keir said: "Labour is deeply proud of our armed forces personnel, veterans, and their families for the contribution they make to our country.

"Theirs is the ultimate public service - and their professionalism and bravery is rightly respected across the world."

And Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has reiterated their manifesto pledge to reverse cuts to numbers in the armed forces and their "ambition" to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

Good morning!

Welcome back to the Politics Hub for the last Saturday of the general election campaign.

There is less than a week to go until polls open across the country for voters to select the next government on 4 July.

There's still plenty that could happen between now and next Thursday, however.

Here's what you need to know today:

Party leaders will be on the election campaign trail on Armed Forces Day discussing defence and support for veterans; 

Rishi Sunak will hail the "duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice" of servicemen and women and claim his is the only party to meet the Help for Heroes Veterans' Pledge;

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to introduce a new armed forces commissioner and lead a "government of service" if Labour is elected;

And  Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has reiterated their manifesto pledge to reverse cuts to numbers in the armed forces and their "ambition" to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP;

And fallout is expected to continue from comments made by campaigners for Reform UK , as party leader Nigel Farage declined to apologise for their actions;

Despite this, a Reform UK canvasser who used a racial slur against Mr Sunak has called himself a "total fool" and said he has learned his lesson.

We'll be discussing all of that and more with:

• Security minister Tom Tugendhat at 7.15am;
• John Healey , shadow defence secretary, at 8.15am.

Follow along for the very latest in the general election campaign.

Thank you for joining us in the Politics Hub for live coverage of today's events in the general election campaign.

Polls open in 5 days and 8 hours - and the politicians will be spending every last moment fighting for your vote.

Scroll down for all of today's developments - and join us from 6am for live coverage of the last weekend of the campaign.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has joked about needing a new job next week as she faces being one of the Tories' most high-profile election casualties.

The cabinet minister is projected to lose her Chichester seat in West Sussex to the Lib Dems, who are aiming to smash the so-called "blue wall" in southern England.

During a visit to a school in her constituency, Ms Keegan was asked by pupils what job she would do if she was not an MP.

"I might have to answer that question next Friday", she said.

Ms Keegan later told the PA news agency that the polls were "all over the place" and "I have never taken anything in my whole life for granted".

But her initial answer reflects the defeatist mood of some Tories as multiple polls suggest Britain's political landscape is about to be fundamentally re-drawn, with Labour  on course for a historic majority.

Ms Keegan is one of more than a dozen senior figures at risk of having a so-called "Portillo moment" - a reference to Michael Portillo, the Conservative minister who was famously unseated as Tony Blair swept to power in 1997.

Read more here:

We've got six days to go until the election - and today has been slightly quieter than some of the other days on the campaign trail.

Here's everything you need to know this evening:

• Rishi Sunak has said the reported use of the slur "P***" by a Reform UK campaigner to describe him "hurts" and makes him "angry";
• Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer described the comments as "racist" - but did not apply that label to Nigel Farage ;
• Although the Reform UK leader described the comments as "very prejudiced, very wrong", he claimed that the undercover reporting by Channel 4 was a "stitch up" - something the broadcaster completely rejects;
• The campaigner who made the comment, Andrew Parker, called himself a "total fool" and said he has learned his lesson;
• However, Essex Police said they are "urgently assessing" whether any offences were committed by Mr Parker and another canvasser who made homophobic comments.
• A new MRP poll  predicted the Tories will crash to just 85 seats - with Labour winning a whopping 470 seats and becoming the largest party in Scotland for the first time in over a decade;
• Data from the Electoral Commission  showed that the unions finally opened their chequebooks to Labour, giving nearly £2m in week three of the campaign (£3.3m in total) - while the Tories raised just £275,000;
• Junior doctors in Wales  have accepted a pay offer from the Welsh administration there;
• Rylan Clark revealed the changes he would make to the political system;
• Education Secretary Gillian Keegan admitted no poll was showing a good outcome for the Conservatives;
• And Conservative candidate and former defence secretary Sir Liam Fox  refused to rule out putting himself forward as caretaker Tory leader after the election if the Tories lose and Rishi Sunak resigns.

Follow along for the very latest from the campaign trail with less than a week until polling day.

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16 states have back-to-school sales tax holidays: Is yours one of them?

Ba ck-to-school season is right around the corner for many parents, which means it's time for sales tax holidays.

Whether you need new shoes, a backpack or a new laptop, check out this list. Some states give parents a break with seasonal tax holidays, during which there’s no state sales tax on certain items like clothing, school supplies and even computers.

The list is out now — check out these deals below (see the  Federation of Tax Administrators’ site  for more information) to learn which back-to-school state sales tax holidays apply to you.

Every little bit helps! If you prefer to shop online, Amazon will honor individual state sales tax holidays.

Alabama, July 19 — 21

Clothing valued up to $100, computers valued at $750 or less, school supplies valued at $50, books valued at $30 or less per item.

Arkansas, August 3 — 4

Clothing and footwear less than $100; school supplies.

Connecticut, August 18 — 24

Clothing and footwear less than $100.

Iowa, August 2 — 3

Clothing valued at $100.

Maryland, August 11 — 17

Clothing and footwear valued at $100.

Mississippi, July 26 — 27

Missouri, august 2 — 4.

Clothing valued at $100, computers valued at $1,500 and school supplies valued at $50.

New Jersey, August 24 — Sep. 2.

School and/or art supplies and instruction materials (no amount specified) and computers valued at $3,000.

New Mexico, August 2 — 4

Clothing valued at $100, computers valued at $1,000, computer equipment valued at $500 and school supplies valued at $30.

Ohio, August 2 — 4

Clothing valued at $75 and school supplies valued at $20.

Oklahoma, August 2 — 4

South carolina, august 2 — 4.

Clothing, school supplies and computers (no value specified).

Tennessee, July 26 — 28

Clothing valued at $100, school supplies valued at $100 and computers valued at $1,500.

Texas, August 9 — 11

Clothing, backpacks and school supplies valued at $100.

Virginia, August 2 — 4

Clothing valued at $100 and school supplies valued at $20.

West Virginia, August 2 — 5

Clothing valued at $125, school supplies valued at $20, sports equipment valued at $150 and computer-tablets valued at $500.

Elise Solé is a writer and editor who lives in Los Angeles and covers parenting for TODAY Parents. She was previously a news editor at Yahoo and has also worked at Marie Claire and Women's Health. Her bylines have appeared in Shondaland, SheKnows, Happify and more.

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Bill Of The Month

It’s called an urgent care emergency center — but which is it.

Renuka Rayasam

Emily Siner

In severe pain and uncertain of its cause, Tieqiao Zhang of Dallas says he didn’t want to wait for an appointment with his regular doctor, but he also wasn’t sure if he needed emergency care. He visited a clinic on the campus of Dallas’ largest public hospital — and was charged 10 times what he expected. Laura Buckman/KFF Health News hide caption

One evening last December, Tieqiao Zhang felt severe stomach pain.

After it subsided later that night, he thought it might be food poisoning. When the pain returned the next morning, Zhang realized the source of his pain might not be as “simple as bad food.”

He didn’t want to wait for an appointment with his regular doctor, but he also wasn’t sure if the pain warranted emergency care, he said.

Zhang, 50, opted to visit Parkland Health’s Urgent Care Emergency Center, a clinic near his home in Dallas where he’d been treated in the past. It’s on the campus of Parkland, the city’s largest public hospital, which has a separate emergency room.

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KFF Health News and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it !

He believed the clinic was an urgent care center, he said.

A CAT scan revealed that Zhang had a kidney stone. A physician told him it would pass naturally within a few days, and Zhang was sent home with a prescription for painkillers, he said.

Five days later, Zhang’s stomach pain worsened. Worried and unable to get an immediate appointment with a urologist, Zhang once again visited the Urgent Care Emergency Center and again was advised to wait and see, he said.

Two weeks later, Zhang passed the kidney stone.

Then the bills came.

The patient: Tieqiao Zhang, 50, who is insured by BlueCross and BlueShield of Texas through his employer.

Medical services: Two diagnostic visits, including lab tests and CAT scans.

Service provider: Parkland Health & Hospital System. The hospital is part of the Dallas County Hospital District.

Total bills: The in-network hospital charged $19,543 for the two visits. BlueCross and BlueShield of Texas paid $13,070.96. Zhang owed $1,000 to Parkland — a $500 emergency room copay for each of his two visits.

What gives: Parkland’s Urgent Care Emergency Center is what’s called a freestanding emergency department .

The number of freestanding emergency rooms in the United States grew tenfold from 2001 to 2016 , drawing attention for sending patients eye-popping bills. Most states allow them to operate, either by regulation or lack thereof . Some states, including Texas, have taken steps to regulate the centers, such as requiring posted notices identifying the facility as a freestanding emergency department.

Urgent care centers are a more familiar option for many patients. Research shows that, on average, urgent care visits can be about 10 times cheaper than a low-acuity — or less severe — visit to an ER.

But the difference between an urgent care clinic and a freestanding emergency room can be tough to discern.

Generally, to bill as an emergency department, facilities must meet specific requirements, such as maintaining certain staff, not refusing patients and remaining open around the clock.

The freestanding emergency department at Parkland is 40 yards away from its main emergency room and operates under the same license, according to Michael Malaise, the spokesperson for Parkland Health. It is closed nights and Sundays.

(Parkland’s president and chief executive officer, Frederick Cerise, is a member of KFF’s board of trustees. KFF Health News is an editorially independent program of KFF.)

The hospital is “very transparent” about the center’s status as an emergency room, Malaise told KFF Health News in a statement.

Malaise provided photographs of posted notices stating, “This facility is a freestanding emergency medical care facility,” and warning that patients would be charged emergency room fees and could also be charged a facility fee. He said the notices were posted in the exam rooms, lobby and halls at the time of Zhang’s visits.

Zhang’s health plan required a $500 emergency room copay for each of the two visits for his kidney stone.

When Zhang visited the center in 2021 for a different health issue, he was charged only $30, his plan’s copay for urgent care, he said. (A review of his insurance documents showed Parkland also used emergency department billing codes then. BCBS of Texas did not respond to questions about that visit.)

One reason, “I went to the urgent care instead of emergency room, although they are just next door, is the copayment,” he said.

The list of services that Parkland’s freestanding emergency room offers resembles that of urgent care centers — including, for some centers, diagnosing a kidney stone, said Ateev Mehrotra, a health care policy professor at Harvard Medical School.

Having choices leaves patients on their own to decipher not only the severity of their ailment, but also what type of facility they are visiting all while dealing with a health concern. Self-triage is “a very difficult thing,” Mehrotra said.

Zhang said he did not recall seeing posted notices identifying the center as a freestanding emergency department during his visits, nor did the front desk staff mention a $500 copay. Plus, he knew Parkland also had an emergency room, and that was not the building he visited, he said.

The name is “misleading,” Zhang said. “It’s like being tricked.”

Parkland opened the center in 2015 to reduce the number of patients in its main emergency room, which is the busiest in the country , Malaise said. He added that the Urgent Care Emergency Center, which is staffed with emergency room providers, is “an extension of our main emergency room and is clearly marked in multiple places as such.”

Malaise first told KFF Health News that the facility isn’t a freestanding ER, noting that it is located in a hospital building on the campus. Days later, he said the center is “held out to the public as a freestanding emergency medical care facility within the definition provided by Texas law.”

The Urgent Care Emergency Center name is intended to prevent first responders and others facing life-threatening emergencies from visiting the center rather than the main emergency room, Malaise said.

“If you have ideas for a better name, certainly you can send that along for us to consider,” he said.

Putting the term “urgent” in the clinic’s name while charging emergency room prices is “disingenuous,” said Benjamin Ukert, an assistant professor of health economics and policy at Texas A&M University.

When Ukert reviewed Zhang’s bills at the request of KFF Health News, he said his first reaction was, “Wow, I am glad that he only got charged $500; it could have been way worse” — for instance, if the facility had been out-of-network.

The resolution: Zhang said he paid $400 of the $1,000 he owes in total to avoid collections while he continues to dispute the amount.

Zhang said he first reached out to his insurer, thinking his bills were wrong, before he reached out to Parkland several times by phone and email. He said customer service representatives told him that, for billing purposes, Parkland doesn’t differentiate its Urgent Care Emergency Clinic from its emergency department.

BlueCross and BlueShield of Texas did not respond to KFF Health News when asked for comment.

Zhang said he also reached out to a county commissioner’s office in Dallas, which never responded, and to the Texas Department of Health, which said it doesn’t have jurisdiction over billing matters. He said staff for his state representative, Morgan Meyer, contacted the hospital on his behalf, but later told him the hospital would not change his bill.

As of mid-May, his balance stood at $600, or $300 for each visit.

The takeaway: Lawmakers in Texas and around the country have tried to increase price transparency at freestanding emergency rooms, including by requiring them to hand out disclosures about billing practices.

But experts said the burden still falls disproportionately on patients to navigate the growing menu of options for care.

It’s up to the patient to walk into the right building, said Mehrotra, the Harvard professor. It doesn’t help that most providers are opaque about their billing practices, he said.

Mehrotra said that some freestanding emergency departments in Texas use confusing names like “complete care,” which mask the facilities’ capabilities and billing structure.

Ukert said states could do more to untangle the confusion patients face at such centers, like banning the use of the term “urgent care” to describe facilities that bill like emergency departments.

KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — the independent source for health policy research, polling, and journalism.  

Emmarie Huetteman of KFF Health News edited the digital story, and Taunya English of KFF Health News edited the audio story. NPR's Will Stone edited the audio and digital story.

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Where can I watch the debate? USA TODAY to livestream CNN's presidential debate

USA TODAY is joining broadcast, streaming, and cable networks like Fox News and ABC to show the CNN Presidential Debate Simulcast next Thursday.

The first presidential debate of the 2024 cycle is breaking with tradition: Instead of being organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) and presented across different networks, the candidates decided to bypass the commission and instead participate in two network-produced debates.

Tune into the ‘ CNN Presidential Debate ’ on Thursday, June 27, at 9 p.m. ET on CNN, or watch it simulcast on USA TODAY via YouTube .

Fox News announced it would present “ extensive live coverage ” of the CNN presidential debate across all its platforms, including the “FOX News Democracy 2024: CNN Presidential Debate” from 9–11 p.m./Eastern Daylight Saving Time. ABC News announced it would be showing “‘Battle for the White House’ and ABC News’ Presentation of the CNN Presidential Debate” on ABC New Live and streamed on Hulu on Thursday from 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Other networks like  NewsNation  will also show the debate with pre- and post-debate analysis. 

While networks won’t be able to add their commentary during the debate, many plan to have programs before and after where they can provide their own color. Fox News, for example, has already taken a disapproving tone of the debate, with host Sean Hannity telling debate moderators and CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash to “get their network in check,” referring to it as “Fake CNN.”

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide