Money Box

Many people are having to claim benefits for the first time due to coronavirus. Paul Lewis and guests find out how some people have found this experience. Was it clear how to claim? Did you find the rules easy to understand? Have you got your money yet? Is it enough? What other help is out there?Guests: Victoria Todd from Low Income Tax Reform Group and Will Hadwen, a welfare rights advisor with Working Families.Email: [email protected]: Alex Lewis and Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

650,000 people work as contractors in a wide range of jobs across the UK – supply teachers, IT engineers, health care workers. But some of them have told Money Box they’ve been left in limbo by umbrella companies who say they need more clarity from the government before they can decide to furlough them or not. Issues about how much the contractors would get, how much holiday pay they’d be owed and what the industry will do if they don’t get any more guidance from the government means huge financial stress and worry for all those involved. Guest: Julia Kermode, Chief Executive, The Freelancer & Contractor Services Association.There's a glimmer of hope for cash savers as NS&I abandons plans for major interest rate cuts to its variable rate savings products which were due to happen on May 1. Anna Bowes Co-Founder of Savings Champion also rounds up what’s happening elsewhere in the cash savings market.We look at ways to safely access cash for people who are self-isolating and relying on relatives or volunteers to do their shopping for them. Guest: Helen Saxon, Banking Editor MoneySavingExpertPresenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Emma Rippon

On our programme last Saturday we looked at the new Financial Conduct Authority guidance for people with car finance who are struggling to pay it due to coronavirus. 80% of all private new car buyers take out finance at the dealership and there’s £110bn worth of debt outstanding. We get lots of questions from listeners about how car finance actually works so for this special podcast extra we’ve got Stuart Masson, editor of thecarexpert.co.uk to explain. He’ll also talk about the FCA guidance in more detail.Reporter and Producer: Ben Carter

Adam Shaw and guests talk to people struggling with bills and finding it hard to access credit. They offer practical advice about how to stay on top of your finances.Guests: Richard Lane from StepChange and Sara Williams from Debt Camel.Email: [email protected]: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

Action to protect workers who would otherwise face redundancy due to the coronavirus outbreak was brought in by the government last month. Known as the Job Retention Scheme it pays 80 per cent of wages for people kept on by their employer up to a maximum of £2,500 a month. At the time there was disappointment from those who missed out because they didn’t start their job before the scheme’s cut-off date of February 28th. This week that date was extended to the 19th of March. The Treasury says the date change is “expected to benefit over 200,000 employees” - but will it? Guest: Heather Self, Tax Partner, Blick Rothenberg.Plans to refund the victims of fraud isn’t "working as well as hoped" according to financial watchdog the Payment Systems Regulator. Data gathered by the PSR shows that two high street banks who promised to refund victims refused to do so in 96% of cases. Money Box hears from the PSR Managing Director Chris Hemsley to find out what his organisation is doing about it, what action it wants to see from the banks… and why it isn’t taking tougher action already. Money Box also hears from the son of one victim whose bank initially refused to refund him after criminals used his bank details to steal his life savings of £90k. The FCA announced more plans to support households struggling to pay bills due to the impact of coronavirus on incomes. They include a three month payment freeze for car loans and a one month interest-free halt on high-cost short-term credit payments like payday loans. The FCA hopes to finalise the proposals by Friday 24 April and expect them to happen shortly afterwards. A three month credit card payment holiday for people with cash problems caused by coronavirus came into force this week.Guests: Sara Williams debt campaigner and founder of the Debt Camel blog and Stuart Masson Editor for thecarexpert.co.ukPresenter: Paul Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon Producer: Charmaine Cozier

How are student finances being affected by coronavirus? Louise Cooper is joined by Tom Allingham from Save The Student and Hayley Borrett from The National Association of Student Money Advisers. They'll hear from students with concerns about paying fees, meeting rent obligations, making student loan payments and much more.Email [email protected] with questions and experiences or tweet @MoneyboxProducer: Ben Carter Researcher: Kafui Okpattah Editor: Emma Rippon

Millions of people are still facing huge financial pressure despite government measures to help them deal with the fallout from coronavirus.Some estimates show that up to half of the 5m people who are self employed won’t be helped by the support package that the government has announced. Many thousands more, who are employees, are not eligible for the job retention furlough arrangements.Unsurprisingly the benefits system has seen an unprecedented number of new applications for Universal credit. We’re hearing of a back log of many weeks as the Department for Work and Pensions tries to work through more than a million new cases.So if you are one of the millions of people affected by a huge and sudden loss in income, what can you do to survive?Paul Lewis and guests discuss their top tips for surviving financial shock. Joining Paul are:- Nick Hill - money expert, Money And Pensions Service - Laura Peters - from Mental Health and Money Advice - Anna Stevenson - welfare benefit expert at charity Turn2usProducer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Louise Cooper and guests discuss how government rules help tenants and landlords affected by coronavirus.Guests: Henry Pryor - Buying agent and property expert Anny Cullum - National organiser for Acorn, a community and tenants union John Stewart - Policy manager at the National Residential Landlords AssociationEmail questions to [email protected]: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

People who have recently begun new jobs say that the government’s plan to help businesses hit by coronavirus may treat them unfairly. Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, a business can choose to furlough workers – that is, keep them on the books but not working and at home. The government will pay 80 per cent of their wages up to £2,500 per month. Companies may choose to top up furloughed employee wages to 100 per cent. However, to be eligible for furloughing, workers have to have been in employment with the company on February 28th, 2020. New starters say that unfairly leaves out people who happened to be between jobs on that date. It also means that people who have changed jobs since then cannot ask to be furloughed by their new employer. We hear the experiences and concerns of new starters and employers, alongside Edwin Morgan, director of policy at the Institute of Directors, and employment lawyer Amy Wren of Farrer and Co. Then we put your points to Harriet Baldwin, MP - a Conservative member of the Treasury Select Committee and former economic secretary to the Treasury. There's an update on the Financial Conduct Authority's proposals for new rules on lending. And on the podcast, happy news from a Money Box-inspired wedding. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Paul Waters Editor: Hugh Levinson

In recent weeks the Money Box inbox has been inundated with your queries and questions about travel and holiday issues. So we invited Simon Calder, travel editor at The Independent, to shed some light on some of the most common problems people are facing.

Wedding plans in ruins, holidays cancelled, business on hold and landlords unable to rent out their properties.This is exactly the kind of unexpected scenario we buy insurance policies for, but are they written to cover once in a century events like the coronavirus outbreak?Our panel of experts answer your questions on insurance policies and claims.

This week the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the Government’s much anticipated help package for the self employed. Only about two thirds of an estimated 6m workforce will gain anything, leaving over a million people without help. We look at the package in more detail, including the changes to benefits and hear top tips for getting paid in a timely manner.And the banks were quick to promise support for customers in need but are they actually delivering? Money Box listeners tell us their experiences.Presenter Felicity Hannah Reporter: Ben Carter Researcher: Darin Graham Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Announcements from the Government are coming thick and fast about the help available for small business in these difficult times.An expert panel joins Adam Shaw to discuss and answer your questions on what assistance might be on offer.We also look at issues facing the self-employed and discuss what support is currently out there for them. Get in touch by email: [email protected] or tweet: @moneybox.Joining Adam: Will Hadwen - rights adviser from Working Families Sonali Parekh - Head of Policy at the Federation for Small Businesses Alasdair Hutchison - Policy Development Manager from the Association of Independent Professionals and Self EmployedProducer: Darin Graham Editor: Emma Rippon

Money Box unpicks the Chancellor's announcement on support for wages and rents.Investments have taken a massive hit over the last few weeks as the stock market has dived. We speak to one Money Box listener who thought his fund, which was nearing maturity, had been moved to a 'safer' account - only to discover it hadn't.And the latest fraud statistics show that in 2019 fraud increased by 45%. We speak to Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance, the collective voice of the banking industry.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Darin Graham Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

The UK government has urged Britons to avoid non-essential travel to anywhere in the world for 30 days to tackle the spread of coronavirus. Where does that leave people and their holiday plans? And what about future holidays?Joining presenter Louise Cooper to share their views:Simon Calder, Travel Editor at The Independent. Charlie Campbell, Senior Policy Adviser at the Association of British Insurers. Gary Rycroft, solicitor at Joseph A Jones & Co LLP.Email questions to [email protected]: Darin Graham Editor: Richard Vadon

The financial fallout from the Corona Virus pandemic. Making sense of the help available.And the Chief Financial Ombudsman, Caroline Wayman, tells us that the banks warnings are not good enough and that they need to do much to stop people becoming victims of so-called "push payment fraud". We report on a "never seen before" fraud that lead to a ninety-one year old losing his life's savings. The criminals used the victim's driving licence to set up an account in his name, but under their control. They stole £90,000 over five months. When he became suspicious he contacted his bank but they refused to refund him. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Darin Graham Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Whether you're young or old, rich or poor, how will the Budget affect your personal finances?Paul Lewis and a panel of experts give their opinions on how it will affect your wallet and take your calls.Our panel this week; Anita Monteith – Institute of Chartered Accountants Heather Self- Blick Rothenberg Accountants Tina Riches – Tax AidCall 03700 100 444. Lines are open from 1pm on Wednesday 11 March. You can also email [email protected] or tweet @moneybox

TikTok has been downloaded over 1.6 billion times and most of its users are young. They share videos and stream their activities live. The site allows people who have over 1000 followers to be given presents by other users in exchange for giving their account a 'shout out'. To give money you should be over eighteen. So how did a 9 year old girl gift thousands of pounds from her dad's bank account?It will be at least another two years before estate agents and the property business will be regulated - that estimate from the man the government asked to propose reforms.And why do student loan repayments take more from people who work and earn irregularly than if they had a steady salaried job?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Daniel Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

The traditional model of giving is in decline, no longer do people have a charity for life. Now the sector is coping with huge changes in the way people give from card payments, crowdfunding to adventure fundraising. Is sponsored skydiving becoming the raffle of the 21st Century?Technology offers huge opportunities as well as challenges, with new software making fundraising easier as well as connecting charities to donors across the world. But how can smaller charities tap into this potential?Louise Cooper and her panel of guests ask whether charities are ready for these changes and what they mean for donors.Joining Louise are- Kelly Southcott from charity consultancy Kivo Joe Saxton from charity research firm NPF SynergyEmail: moneybox:bbc.co.uk with questions and experiences for the panel.

People who bought leasehold homes from developers were "misled". That is the damning verdict of a report by the Competition and Markets Authority. They say its findings support calls for a change in the law in this area and that they are ready to take this fight to the courts to force developers to change their ways bringing new hope to leaseholders. Young savers in the government-backed pension scheme called NEST see their money grow more slowly than older people because their contributions are automatically put into a low risk, lower return fund.And after years where hundreds of thousands of students have overpaid their student loans by hundreds of millions of pounds, the Student Loans Company is starting to trial a system to automatically refund customers who have over-paid on their student loan repayments.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Landlords and letting agencies who advertise property with a ban on renting benefits claimants - so-called "No DSS" clauses - risk legal action under anti-discrimination laws. So why do such restrictions persist? What can prospective tenants on benefits do about it? And what legal and financial risks are being run by landlords who display "No DSS" restrictions?Money Box Live takes your calls and hears from Polly Neate, the chief executive of the homelessness and housing advice charity, Shelter. And from John Stewart, policy manager of the Residential Landlords Association.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producers Paul Waters & Jordan DunbarEmail- [email protected] Twitter - @moneybox

A Money Box investigation has found that two of the biggest broadband providers are charging people up to £90 a year to keep their email address if they switch to another supplier. The regulator Ofcom has told Money Box that it has written to the firms and may take further action. Nearly two million savers will miss out on more than £100 million a year income following the announcement this week of cuts to National Savings and Investments interest rates. Is this the end of savings? From April the liability for any underpaid tax shifts from the contractor - IT expert, business consultant or indeed a care worker - to the firm that wants the work done. The result is that many big firms including banks are refusing to take on contractors unless they become employees for the short period they work there. The contractors say that cuts the fees they are paid, increases their costs, and removes their flexibility. Campaigners say contractors are leaving the UK and want the changes to be delayed.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Vadon

Unexpected bills from video games and apps? The online world of video games and apps can be financially treacherous, filled with loot boxes and micro-transactions. They can mean large, unexpected bills through the relatively new phenomenon of in-game purchases. Louise Cooper and guests discuss what your consumer rights are if things go wrong. Guests:Dr Jo Twist, CEO at The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE) Alex Neill, CEO at Resolver David McClelland, technology journalistProducer: Ben Carter Editor: Hugh Levinson

Should the unwed lose out on a benefit paid to married people? Bereavement Support Payment is available to the widows, widowers or surviving civil partners of people who died on or after 6 April 2017. There's additional money if they have children. A recent High Court judgement held that the Pensions Act, by excluding bereaved unmarried partners from claiming Bereavement Support Payment, contravened the human rights of any children they might have. This week, Prime Minister Boris Johnson told parliament that he would look into what he described as an "injustice". Guest: Alison Penny, director of the Childhood Bereavement Network.Richard is 20 and earns £18,000 a year. He applied online for a credit card. When this was approved he was shocked to find he had an £8,000 credit limit. Guest: Peter Tutton, head of policy, StepChange debt charity. If you missed the January self-assessment tax deadline, picked up a £100 penalty and still haven't filed, there's another deadline. It's March 1st and if you have tax to pay the penalties for missing it could cost you a great deal more. How can you track down old pensions from past jobs? When you find them, will you be able to you lump them together? Guest: Claire Trott, head of pension strategy for Technical Connections.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Emma Rippon

This week Louise Cooper asks how you can negotiate the best broadband deal. How do you know if you’re paying too much? What’s the best way of securing a better deal? What are your rights if you’ve been overpaying? What are the best deals available at the moment?Guests:Selina Chadha: Director of Consumer Policy at Ofcom Adam French: Consumer Rights Editor at Which? Guy Anker: Deputy Editor at Money Saving ExpertEmail questions for the panel or top tips to [email protected]: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

Money Box has found that there has been a big increase in the number of young adults being taken to court for unpaid debts. Court records show that last year around 160,000 people in their twenties were given County Court Judgments in England and Wales - a rise of 30 per cent from the year before.How a £3 month long trial for a dating website ended up costing one user £300.And Jon Douglas visits a bank that’s swimming against the tide by opening branches in rural locations. Presenter: Louise Cooper Researcher: Darin Graham Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Wedding planning can be stressful and expensive. Venue, catering, flowers...the list goes on. Charmaine Cozier and guests talk through the best ways to budget and negotiate on price.Guests:Lisa Garwood-Cross, Living Thrifty Eve Obasuyi, Money Medics Ruby Norris, Wedding Ideas Magazine Gary Rycroft, Joseph A Jones SolicitorsEmail questions and experiences to [email protected]: Ben Carter Editor Emma Rippon

One of the most important rights that Europe gave us was the freedom to live and work in EU countries and retire there. About a quarter of a million UK pensioners live in the EU and draw their UK pensions and, in most countries, still get the winter fuel payment. But will that continue post - Brexit?A Money Box investigation by Dan Whitworth has found more than 1000 people making the most serious complaints about maladministration at the Department for Work and Pensions face waiting 18 months before their case is even opened.And the campaigner trying to get Google to take action on adverts for unregulated investments.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

What are your rights when that dream holiday you've saved up for gets cancelled or you experience problems during the holiday itself? Paul Lewis and guests answer your calls and emails.Guests: the travel journalist Simon Calder and consumer champion Helen Dewdney.Email: [email protected]: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

Home owners are at risk of losing large amounts of money when selling their properties by using so called quick sale estate agents. That’s a warning from Trading Standards. It’s told Money Box it’s seen dozens of examples of people losing tens of thousands of pounds from the market value of their homes when agents exploit people who are desperate to sell quickly. In the first half of last year private parking firms requested 4.32m driver details from the DVLA so they could issue fines to motorists. This number of demands is 25% up on 2018 which was itself a fifth higher than 2017. We get many emails to [email protected] from listeners asking what they should do when they think they have been sent a demand which they believe is unfair. We speak to parking expert John Wilkie to find out.A Money Box investigation has found that councils around the country are charging students Council Tax over the summer holidays when they should be exempt. Last week we heard from a student at Durham University who'd been sent a bill for hundreds of pounds. After the programme we were contacted by students from Oxford, Norwich, Salford, and Chester who had a similar story. Student bodies are now calling on the government to address the issue with local authorities to ensure that students aren’t forced to pay Council Tax.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Darin Graham Producer: Dan Whitworth/Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

The gig economy is booming in the UK. More than a million people are using online platforms to secure jobs. Some people say that Uber drivers and couriers are the poster boys and girls for an exploited part of the workforce. Others argue the flexibility of working when and where you want works perfectly for those who don't want a 9-5 job. Adam Shaw hears the good, the bad and the ugly tales from those working within the industry and he finds out how people can make the gig economy work for them.Email [email protected] with your experiences or questions for the panel.Guests: Nye Cominetti, economic analyst at the Resolution Foundation Max Dewhurst, courier and IWGB unionist Andy Chamberlain, Deputy Director of Policy and External Affairs at the IPSE.Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

Four students studying at Durham University received a surprise bill for Council Tax. They were billed hundreds of pounds for a period when no-one was living in the property over the summer. After Money Box got in touch, the council looked again at it and concluded that the request for payment was made in error. The charge has now been cancelled. It also reviewed their council tax records for 2019/20 and found no other cases of students being asked to pay. We speak to the editor of the Council Tax Handbook.Police forces across the UK have seen a recent spike in cases of what is called courier fraud. Criminals persuade older people to take cash out of the bank and then give it to a courier to keep it safe. What can potential victims do to avoid being scammed?Earlier this year we looked at the history of financial mistakes. We asked listeners to get in touch with their biggest financial mistakes. A number of people told us theirs was buying a flat with Grenfell-style cladding and then being billed tens of thousands of pounds for its removal. We hear from people in this position.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

For many young people buying a home can seem like an impossible dream. High property prices, no way of saving for a big deposit and worries about paying for a hefty mortgage. But it's not all doom and gloom. Plenty of people are buying their first homes and the programme will hear from some of them. There are some cautionary tales though and we'll hear about those too.Felicity Hannah is joined by - Kate Faulkner, property market analyst and commentator, Ella Cheney, shared ownership programme manager at the National Housing Federation and BBC journalist Thea de Gallier who focuses on housing issues.Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

Council tenants on Universal Credit are much more likely to be in rent arrears than those who don’t get the benefit. That’s according to research carried out by Money Box. We surveyed local authorities for 12 of the largest cities across Britain and found tens of thousands of people having to manage this debt. The numbers also suggest not only are people on the benefit more likely to be in arrears, but they’re likely to owe much more too. We find out why.Proposals about how to reform leasehold laws in England and Wales have been described as 'nothing more than tinkering' by campaigners. We speak to Professor Nick Hopkins the member of the Law Commission responsible for this report.And foreign exchange company Travelex is still closed for business after a ransom attack eleven days ago. We find out what this means for its customers.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Howard Mustoe Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

The world of the influencer is a lucrative one. Online stars made $8bn in 2019 and it's not just household names that are earning money. Louise Cooper and her guests explain how you can make money from your social media presence.Louise talks to -Beckii Cruel who posted videos of herself dancing to Japanese pop music in the late 2000's and ended up 120,000 subscribers to her Youtube channel. Sara McCorquodale who has written a book (Influence) about the rise of the social media influencer and runs her own influencer marketing agency Corq.Kate McCabe who turned to social media when she lost her job a couple of years ago and now posts videos of her spotting bargains at car boot sales and antique Mike Parkes from Go Simple Tax who explains how influencers - whose remuneration comes in the shape of income, gifts and experiences - should complete their tax returns. Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

History is littered with tales of financial error – many instantly familiar even though they may have taken place several centuries apart. Why do we keep on making the same mistakes with our money and what can we do to stop making them?Paul Lewis discusses with Russell Napier, the Keeper of Edinburgh's Library of Mistakes, Prof Nicky Marsh who is writing a book on the history of financial advice and Dr Joe Gladstone from UCL's School of Management who helps people make better behavioural choices with their money.Picture: General Gregor Macgregor - Scottish soldier, adventurer and confidence trickster. Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Money is one of the top three strains on relationships and it’s a common cause of rift between family and friends.You might be cautious and risk averse and hate to see your partner frittering their money away on new clothes and nights out; while they might think you should stop being so miserly with your cash and splash out once in a while.Earlier this year Ruth Alexander introduced ‘The Money Clinic’. In this special Money Box series we eavesdropped on the conversations of three couples and a mother and son talking honestly about their finances with a relationship counsellor. We learnt about their relationship with each other and how money impacted on their relationships, as well as hearing how they managed the emotional side of money. We learnt that individual attitudes to money are formed in early life, and how arguments about it are often about much more than just money. In this programme we catch up with two households and hear what impact the Money Clinic had on their relationship with money.If you have a money and relationship issue you would like to share, email [email protected]: Ruth Alexander Producer Smita Patel Editor Emma Rippon

The Government has accepted all but one of the recommendations made by Sir Amyas Morse in his review of the controversial 'loan charge'. This means that 11,000 people will be let off paying money to HMRC. They had signed up to schemes that paid part of their salary as a loan. Promoters of the scheme had told them that meant they were not liable to income tax but had ended up receiving bills for thousands of pounds retrospectively.Financial advisers are not happy with changes the regulator has made to how you check if a financial adviser is registered.And the best way to gift money to children at Christmas.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworh Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

From a housing cooperative near the city, to an organic farm in the sticks, communal living can vary enormously. So what are the financial pros and cons of a shared lifestyle? Adam Shaw visits a co-housing scheme in Leeds where residents enjoy the privacy of their own home, whilst sharing meals, cars and mortgage costs. How much can they save on their monthly bills and what are the downsides of living together with your neighbours? If you have experience of communal living - whether a hippy commune, a co-housing scheme or even a student housing cooperative - do get in touch and share your stories. You can email [email protected] any time, or tweet @moneybox. Or call 03700 100 444. Lines open from 1pm on Wednesday 18 December.Guests: Chris Coates, an editor at Diggers and Dreamers, a website offering information about communal living Angela Vincent, from the UK Cohousing Network

It's been described as a "David and Goliath" contest. Hundreds of leasehold home owners have joined together - for the first time - to begin a legal fight to take control of the freehold on their properties. They want investment companies, which bought the freeholds, to sell them for a fair price.Renovare is a new 'banking solution' for ex-offenders, charging £7.99 a month for its services. We speak to Chief Executive David Bright about their funding model.And now we know Brexit will happen, what do we know it will mean for your consumer rights and personal finances?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Over 90% of all new car purchases are made using some form of finance. And yet research suggests the vast majority of buyers don't understand the contracts they're signing. If you're the proud driver of a shiny new motor, how much of the small print did you read before leaving the showroom? Do you know what are your obligations if you become ill soon after getting your car? And how important is the amount of mileage you expect to do in a year? Whether it’s a hire purchase agreement, a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or a straight leasing contract, what are your rights and what can you do if things go wrong? Join Louise Cooper and her panel of experts as they look under the bonnet of car finance deals. Guests: Stuart Masson, Editor, The Car Expert Adrian Dally, Head of Motor Finance at Finance and Leasing Association If you'd like to share your stories or experiences, contact the Money Box team. The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday 11 December. Or email [email protected] or tweet @moneybox

For many households, Christmas is the most expensive time of year. Food, drink, presents - the list of things to spend money on can be endless. Many of us will be using debt as a way to make that spending happen. Figures this week show that there is so much unmanageable and unsustainable debt in the UK that just the fees and charges on it all work out at nearly £1000 for every single adult in the UK.People who are second cardholders on a Nationwide credit card account are being prevented from making online purchases because of new customer identity checks. These checks are being phased in under new European regulations which insist on a second line of identification when we buy things online. It's called 'Strong Customer Authentication'. Usually that means a six digit code is sent by text to your mobile to enter online but for certain accounts with more than one card holder, these texts are only going to the primary account holder.Investors in one of the UK's biggest commercial property funds run by M&G have been temporarily prevented from taking out their money. The fund owns offices, and shopping centres and whole High Streets of retail units. They have been having a difficult time with many going bust or demanding rent cuts to stay in business. But what does this mean for investors - those invested directly and indirectly via a pension fund?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

How much financial support is available for foster carers looking after children in need? Around 65,000 children live with foster families across the UK. Foster carers provide a safe and stable place for them to live when they can't live with their families. It may be for a few days or even for their entire childhood. But as a foster carer, what help is there if your finances don’t cover the bills and the extras needed? Paul Lewis and a panel of experts will be taking your calls and hearing your experiences of fostering. Guests: Jackie Sanders, Fostering Network Harvey Gallagher, Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers Paul Kind, Professor of Health Outcome Measurement, Leeds UniversityIf you'd like to share your stories, contact the Money Box team. The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday 4 December. Or email [email protected] or tweet @moneybox

With fewer than two weeks to go until the 2019 General Election, Money Box takes a personal finance look at the manifesto pledges of the four main parties. Among the subjects covered are issues like workers’ rights, benefits and taxes. Hear the Chancellor, the shadow Chancellor, as well as Liberal Democrat and SNP spokesmen on finance, talk through their promises and how they’d bring about the changes they want to see.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producers: Eleanor Briggs, Dan Whitworth and Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

What can and can't bailiffs do when they knock on your door to collect a debt? What happens if it's not your debt, or you've paid it off already? And can you refuse them entry? Louise Cooper is joined by Matt Hartley from Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline; by Russell Hamblin-Boone, CEO, Civil Enforcement Association, the trade association representing civil enforcement agencies (bailiffs) and by Mike Holmyard from Citizens Advice Scotland.If you'd like to share your stories, contact the Money Box team. The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Or email [email protected] or tweet @moneybox

Money Box has learned that an increasing number of families who bought new build freehold homes are finding a few years later find they cannot sell them. It's down to the annual charges made to pay for things like maintenance of roads, streetlights, and parks. In many cases the local council will not take on these costs so, through a management company, developers impose a so-called rentcharge on the houses to cover these expenses. Legally this means that the management company can take possession of a property if the homeowner gets 40 days behind with their payments - something mortgage lenders don't like.Every year more than 4000 people reach state pension age - but do not qualify for a state pension. Many of them are self-employed and may have paid thousands of pounds a year in National Insurance contributions - but not the right sort of contributions to qualify for a pension. We speak to someone in that situation.When you buy a meal do you leave a tip? Around one in eight of us never does. Perhaps because we carry less cash or because we're not quite sure what happens to the tip we leave. Do the waiters really get the money? Or is it taken by the managers to meet their costs? Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Andrew Smith

From comic books to Dinky Toys, costume jewellery to milk bottles, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to collecting. But where should you buy and how to be sure you’re getting a good price, whether you're buying or selling? Paul Lewis is joined by Roo Irvine from Kilcreggan Antiques shop in Argyle and Bute. She's also an expert on BBC's Antiques Roadtrip and Bargain Hunt. Also on the panel is vintage toy collector, Lawrence Lambert, valuer on BBC TV’s Cash in the Attic.If you'd like to share your stories, contact the Money Box team. The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Or email [email protected] or tweet @moneybox

The UK's banks haven't been able to agree who should pay compensation to customers who have had money fraudulently stolen from their bank accounts. Until last May the banks routinely refused to refund these customers. A new Code promised that all innocent customers would be reimbursed from 28 May but that runs out at the end of next month. We speak to Tom Blomfield boss of Monzo, one of the biggest online-only banks.Can technology be used to make it easier and cheaper for people to borrow money - especially those who use expensive short term credit or have poor credit ratings? That was the starting point for the Affordable Credit Challenge which was launched in July to make loans not only more affordable but also more available to low income households. We find out about the solutions that have made it onto the shortlist.A few weeks ago we were contacted by a listener who had suggested to his daughter and son aged 19 and 18 that they start a pension. But they told him "it was a bonkers idea". But could they be persuaded it was in fact something worth considering?And the joke bank notes that made their way into circulation: who bears the cost when they’re discovered not to be legal tender?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

What are the career options available for 16 year-olds today and what are the financial implications? Whether it's college, some paid work or getting an apprenticeship, how will your money issues change if you leave school and pursue other choices?Presenter: Adam Shaw Guests: Billy Sexton, All About School Leavers Erin Bartley, Careers adviser with Skills Development Scotland Tom Stenner-Evans, Partner, Michelmores

People who put money into a UK-wide hotel room investment scheme have been told they’re likely to have lost their money. Northern Powerhouse Developments tempted more than a thousand people to buy hotel rooms in tourist hotspots across England and Wales. Investors were told their money would earn them 10% a year and also be used to refurbish the hotels that had been bought. But, four years since it began to attract investors, the company behind the scheme is bust and the hotels are up for sale. BBC Wales reporter Kayley Thomas has been investigating.Three small energy suppliers owe the regulator more than £2 million between them because they have not obtained enough energy from renewable sources. This so-called renewable obligation is run by the regulator Ofgem to make sure that energy suppliers source enough of their energy as 'green'. We discuss the significance of this.Rising housing costs and inflexible tenancies are forcing young couples to live together long after their relationship has ended, sometimes sharing a room or even a bed. One survey of 2000 people found that one in six of us have lived with an ex-partner at some time. But is there anything you can do to ease the financial pain?Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon