Money Box

New arrangements for childcare payments come into force in April in England. How will the new arrangements affect parents? Are they going to be better or worse off?The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced extended support for parents of pre-school children in 2023. But many parents say the payments are still too low or that there aren’t enough places available. Felicity Hannah is joined by Ellen Broome of the children's charity Coram, and Jonathan Broadbery, Director of Policy at the National Day Nurseries Association.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Will Harris and Neil Morrow Editor: Beatrice Pickup

The Chancellor has delivered his Spring Budget for 2024 announcing a 2p National Insurance cut for millions of working people under the age of 66. Jeremy Hunt says this will save the average worker £450 a year.But, analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility says maintaining a freeze on the personal tax allowance - the amount earned before tax is paid - will mean 3.7 million extra people paying income tax by 2028, when the freeze comes to an end. So will you be better or worse off? We'll be looking at the numbers.What would you do if you got a letter through your door asking for almost £2000 owed by a complete stranger? That's what happened to one of our listeners who spent weeks trying to sort it out with a debt recovery company. We hear from a senior MP calling for tougher regulation.And an investigation into car finance agreements taken out before February 2021 could eventually lead to compensation for millions of motorists. Discretionary commission agreements meant some lenders allowed car dealers to adjust interest rates on finance deals. The Finance and Leasing Association told us: "In practice, having discretion to move the interest rate often meant that dealers lowered it to be more competitive."Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Sarah Rogers (First broadcast 12pm Saturday 9th March 2024)

As Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presents his Spring Budget, Money Box Live sifts through the details - and the impact on all our finances.Expectations included a 2p cut in National Insurance contributions but will that look like on your payslip? Money Box reporter Dan Whitworth answers those key questions.Felicity Hannah is joined by Sarah Coles, Head of Personal Finance at Hargreaves Lansdown; Simon Gammon, Managing Partner at the mortgage broker Knight Frank Finance, and Dawn Register, Tax Partner at the accountancy firm BDO.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Craig Henderson, and Kath Paddison Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Sarah Rogers(This episode was first aired on Wednesday the 6th of March at 3pm on Radio 4)

Money Box gets a special look at a new exhibition at the Bank of England Museum about the future of money. Paul Lewis picks up a gold bar, sees the new King Charles money, and finds out more about the consultation for a new digital pound. The pensioners getting in touch to ask why they’re soon to start paying tax on their pensions. We'll discuss that with the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group.And, there are calls this week for the government to slow down the speed at which its moving existing benefits claimants onto Universal Credit. The Child Poverty Action Group says it is seeing cases of people struggling to claim, or missing the deadline as they are unsure what’s required of them. The Department for Work and Pensions told us the vast majority of Tax Credit claimants have successfully moved to Universal Credit, and that there is a range of support available to help people move. Presenter:: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 2nd March 2024)

How do schools teach children and teenagers about money?Learning about money is part of the curriculum but more than three-quarters of teachers say young people are leaving school without the money skills they need for adulthood. We’re going back to school to hear from pupils at Trinity Academy Cathedral School in Wakefield who are learning about money in special classes. We’ll listen in to find out how the experts teach children about credit cards, pensions, budgeting and more.The government says its reformed the curriculum and invested substantially over £100 million in its Maths Hubs programme.Felicity Hannah presents alongside the broadcaster, maths teacher and University Challenge alumni Bobby Seagull. They’ll be finding out how it all works from the school’s headteacher Anna Gillinder and Stephanie Fitzgerald, Head of Young People Programmes at The Money Charity.Presenters: Felicity Hannah and Bobby Seagull Producers: Kath Paddison and Sarah Rogers Reporters: Tamzin Kraftman Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday 28th February 2024)

As many as two million of the poorest households have seen the amount they owe their energy suppliers double over the past year. This new analysis of debt figures has been given to Money Box by the consultancy firm Baringa. It says people who've fallen behind on their payments are now £1,100 in the red, an amount that has doubled in a year. Energy UK, which represents suppliers, say they're doing all they can - and we'll hear more about Ofgem's plans to help tackle debt in the industry.Twenty financial advice firms have been told that they must provide the regulator with details of the services they provide customers when they charge them for what is called “ongoing advice”. The Financial Conduct Authority has written to the companies as part of its enforcement of the new Consumer Duty. What will this mean for consumers?And, an annuity is a contract with an insurance provider which converts your savings or pension pot into a guaranteed income for your retirement. As annuity sales rise, we'll discuss what they are and how they work.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Sarah Rogers Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 24th Feb 2024)

There are approximately four million children in Great Britain whose parents are separated.When couples break up they cut their finances apart, but for parents there's that ongoing relationship that comes with supporting those children - emotionally but also financially. So how do you manage that?Sometimes, of course, it breaks down and a parent has to ask the state to step in and make their ex pay support. We'll discuss some changes coming to how that's enforced.And we hear from parents who are sharing care and finding ways to make the finances and the new circumstances work. Joining Felicity Hannah is Leah Caldwell who is the Director of Mediation First and treasurer on the board of the Family Mediators Association and also Gemma Hope who is a solicitor at Family Law Partners.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Kath Paddison and Izzy Greenfield Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday 21st February 2024)

When someone dies and leaves a property in their own name, or has significant savings or investments, the executors must apply for probate - a legal document which gives them the right to deal with the dead person's estate and distribute their assets. The Ministry of Justice says probate should be granted within 16 weeks, but some bereaved families have been facing delays of nearly a year. Why is that?A new report shared exclusively with Money Box suggests many of us know very little about the charges being taken out of our pensions. People's Partnership carried out a survey which found that out of a thousand people who'd transferred their pension in the past two years without getting advice beforehand - 72% didn’t know exactly what the fees for their old pensions were, or what they were being charged for their new one. What should you look out for?And for the first time the percentage people in England who're married or in a civil partnership has fallen below 50 percent. If you live with someone and share your money - what do you need to know?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Sandra Hardial Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 17th February 2024)

When do you think you'll be able to retire?Perhaps you can't wait to pick up your last pay check or maybe you love your job so much you want to work for the rest of your life.For those who do hope to retire, the latest research suggests we'll all need an an extra £8,000 a year for a so-called moderate retirement according to the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association. Meanwhile, the International Longevity Centre reckons we'll need to raise the state pension age to 71 by 2050.On this Money Box Live we're getting to the bottom of how realistic that is and what it all means.We'll hear from someone working well into their 70s as well as a super saver hoping to retire in her 40s! Felicity Hannah is joined by Helen Morrisey, Head of Retirement at financial services company Hargreaves Lansdown and Dr Emily Andrews, Deputy Director for Work at the Centre for Ageing Better charity to answer your questions and comments.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Eimear Devlin Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on the 14th of February 2023).

Dozens of Citizens Advice centres are at risk of closing because local councils which support them are running out of money. That warning came this week by the senior Labour MP Clive Betts in an exclusive interview with Money Box. He is also the Chair of Parliament's select committee on Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. Dan Whitworth visits one of those citizens advice services at risk in Mansfield. The government says up to £64 billion has been made available to local authorities in England, an increase of 7.5% on the previous year which will allow local authorities to support communities and reform services to help them prepare for the future.The cost of a comfortable retirement in Britain has jumped by nearly £6,000 to just over £43,000 a year for a single person and £59,000 for a couple. Every year the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association publishes figures worked out by Loughborough University for the amount of money you'd need to afford certain lifestyles in retirement. How is it calculated and how can you prepare for your retirement?And, investment platforms and providers of personal pensions, have just a few weeks left to make sure the way they treat customers' cash balances fits in with new rules called their Consumer Duty. In December the Financial Conduct Authority wrote to 42 firms after concerns that some of them were keeping some or all of the interest they earn on customers’ cash balances. And with rates of 4% or more that's meant big returns. If you invest, what might that mean for you?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 10th February 2024)

Are savers getting a good return on their cash?Although times are tight, we are actually saving slightly more according to the Bank of England. In December, we collectively saved £6bn.But, more than a trillion pounds is sitting in accounts earning around 2% interest - even though the base rate is still at 5.25% - according to analysis by Lightyear of the Bank of England's data.And £250bn is in accounts that are paying no interest at all.So are banks doing enough? UK finance which speaks on their behalf, says many of its members have been contacting their customers to let them know about different savings accounts that are available.As always we've got the experts to answer your savings questions - including where to start as well as some of the many emails you've sent us about when and how to pay tax on your money.Joining Felicity Hannah is Anna Bowes founder of savingschampion.co.uk, banking analyst Frances Coppola and Chris Gray, independent financial advisor with Forester Boyd Wealth management.(This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 7th of February 2024).

Around twelve thousand unmarried parents with dependent children whose partner has died have just a few days to claim their share of an estimated £175 million in bereavement benefits. The figures came from Freedom of Information Requests to the Department for Work and Pensions. People must claim that money before Thursday 8th February. If you think you, or someone you know, may be eligible check by searching for "bereavement support payment" on the gov.uk website.New figures show £253 billion is sitting in bank accounts which pay no interest at all. Should banks be telling us to move it? The government is sending out the final cost of living payment for low income households this month. It's £299 straight into bank accounts. We've got all the details. And some people who got £150 off their electricity bill last year are discovering they are not entitled this year, because their home isn't hard enough to heat. We'll discuss changes to the Warm Home Discount Scheme.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth, Tamzin Kraftman, Eimear Devlin Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 3rd February 2024)

Are you thinking of turning your 'side hustle' into a full time job?Perhaps you want to take the plunge but don't know your sole trader from your limited company.This Money Box Live is a toolkit for anyone planning to start a new business - or those who've started one but might need a helping hand.And we have Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden on the show to talk about what makes a good idea, the positives of running your own business as well as the pitfalls to look out for.Following the pandemic there was a huge drop in the number of self-employed people but last year more than 100,000 people decided to go it alone and work for themselves compare to the year before - and it's the over 50's taking the lead according to the freelancer organisation IPSE.It's also deadline day to fill out your self assessment tax return - so we'll be answering all your tax questions too.Felicity Hannah is joined by Vicks Rodwell from the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed and Richard Jones from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday January 31st 2024)

Campaigners for victims of pension and investment fraud met with the Treasury this week. We'll hear from the Conservative MP who is the co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Investment Fraud, Caroline Nokes, who was at that meeting.What's the latest for working parents of two year olds planning to take advantage of the free 15 hours of childcare in term time which begins in April?Thieves are stealing the identities of bereaved families to try and steal money from friends and relatives of the person who has died. The National Association of Funeral Directors says it has seen a spike of such frauds in the past few weeks in Northern Ireland. What do you need to look out for?And, some new rules started this month for platforms which allow people to sell goods online. We'll clear up some confusion after listeners contacted the programme.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sarah Rogers Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 27th Jan, 2024)

How are you dealing with energy costs this winter?Money Box Live has heard some people are skipping meals whilst others in full time employment are turning to warm banks and food hubs to cut costs.The energy price cap, which is now what most of us pay, jumped 5% at the start of the year to £1928 for typical use - but what exactly does that mean and are you a typical user?Meanwhile, the charity Citizens Advice has estimated two million people on prepayment meters could have their gas and electricity cut off because they cannot afford to top up. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says its spending an average of £3,700 per household to support families with the cost-of-living. And there is some relief on the way as prices are predicted to fall in the spring.Answering all your questions and comments with Felicity Hannah is Peter Smith, Director of Policy at the charity National Energy Action and Deputy Policy Director Daniel Portis from Energy UK which speaks for the industry.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast oat 3pm Wednesday the 24th of January 2024)

Some people who have been defrauded out of some or all of their pension fund are now being chased by HM Revenue & Customs for tax on money they no longer have. They were persuaded by advisers to cash in their pension and invest it in schemes that promised big returns. In fact they were often fake and some or all of their money disappeared. But HMRC is demanding tax on this missing money because they cashed in their pension too early. A campaign group based in Parliament is calling for a change in the law to protect them from what it calls the largest tax scandal in British history. In response, HMRC told Money Box “We do not tax pension savings lost to fraud. What we do tax are amounts that people release, or attempt to release, from their pensions where not authorised in law. It is our responsibility to collect the tax people legally owe and maintain a fair tax system for all. We sympathise with people who may have lost money by entering such arrangements and handle these situations on a case by case basis. We take the wellbeing of all taxpayers seriously and do everything we can for those who engage with us to get their tax affairs in order, including by offering affordable payment plans.”As temperatures hit a new low this week one charity is nearly doubling the size of the vouchers it gives to those who can't keep warm. We'll speak to the Fuel Bank Foundation which helps people on prepayment meters manage their bills.A record number of people will need to re-mortgage this year - are the choices getting any better?And all you need to know about filing your self assessment form.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Tamzin Kraftman Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 20th January 2024)

Flooding damages property, lives and can be incredibly financially damaging as well.There was £352 million pounds in insurance claims for damaged homes following storms Babet, Ciaran and Debi at the end of last year according to the Association of British Insurers. We don't yet know the financial fall out of January's storm Henk - the eighth named storm of the season - but as the climate changes, insurers expect even more of this kind of weather.So what is flooding costing homeowners and businesses and what is the best advice if you've been affected?Felicity Hannah visits a flat owner in Worcestershire and we hear from the man who spent £80,000 taking matters into his own hands.This week we're joined by Heather Shepherd from the charity the National Flood Forum as well as Laura Hughes, Manager of General Insurance at the Association of British Insurers, which represents the industry.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Sara Wadeson(This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 17th of January on Radio 4 at 3pm)

New figures given to Money Box show there has been a big increase in the amount of money being stolen through fake text messages offering people jobs. These recruitment scams are usually sent via text or WhatsApp and offer high pay, easy hours and the chance to work from home. Last year 126 people contacted Action Fraud saying they'd been victims of this type of scam with £977,000 stolen from them. That is 50 times as much as was reported the year before. What do you need to look out for?Storm Henk was the 8th storm of this season and more could well be on the way. As the flooding costs for insurers rise, home insurance premiums move up with them. According to the Consumer Intelligence Home Insurance Price Index they had already risen 36% by last October. We'll explain all you need to know about flood insurance.When you pay into a pension you expect it to be there for you when you retire. We investigate one listener's case who discovered her pension company had taken all her money in charges.And Paul Lewis asks listeners how they buy their music? Email [email protected]: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 13th January, 2024)

The price of nursery can be more than a mortgage. In fact, to send a two-year-old to nursery for 50 hours a week, allowing you to work full time, can set you back more than £14,000 a year according to Coram the children's charity.But, from April this year, working parents in England can claim 15 government funded hours for two year olds, instead of waiting for them to turn three to get help. Applications for that support are now open - but there are concerns that not all parents will be be able to get their applications processed in time to use them. We've been investigating that, and what else is available to cut childcare costs for mums and dads.We'll also hear from a nursery owner on the financial pressures of caring for children and talk about the costs of having school age kids.Felicity Hannah is joined by Paul Rhodes from the Money and Pensions Service and Meghan Meek-O'Connor, senior policy adviser on child poverty at Save the Children UK.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast on the 10th of January at 3pm on Radio 4).

National Insurance will be cut for millions workers from today. It'll be cut from 12% to 10% - the lowest main rate for more than twenty years. The government says this cut will save an employee on average earnings around £450 a year. However, some experts including the Office for Budget Responsibility say that gain is far less than the cost of freezing personal tax allowances from 2021 while wages rose. What will it mean for you?A new set of regulations designed to help victims of fraud should see up to 90% of them get the money stolen from them refunded by their banks. That's according to Chris Hemsley, who runs the Payment Systems Regulator. He says he hopes the change will encourage the industry to do even more to stop fraud from happening in the first place. HM Revenue and Customs says it will only take what it calls 'priority calls' on its Self Assessment helpline ahead of the 31st January tax deadline - sending everyone else to its online services. How will that work in practice?And what parents of small children need to do to apply for the new 15 hours of free childcare.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth, Sandra Hardial and Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle (First broadcast 12pm Saturday 6th January 2024)

It can feel like new year, new you, with so much potential for change and improvement, but then reality can kick in. Around 1 in 3 of us will have made a financial resolution this year, but according to Hargreaves Lansdown, almost 20% of us won't even make it to the end of this week.So how do you make them stick? Felicity Hannah is joined by behavioural & data scientist Professor Pragya Agarwal, Laura Suter, Head of Personal Finance at AJ Bell and consumer rights expert Martyn James. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Andrew Strachan Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast on Radio 4, Wednesday the 3rd of January 2024 at 3pm)

Are you putting down the mince pies and opening your bank statements? Well, you're in the right place as we're dedicating some time to the kinds of money topics that come up between Christmas and New Year. Perhaps you want to know your consumer rights before hitting the sales, what to do with unwanted gifts or maybe you've spent more than you can afford this festive season? If so, then you've come to the right place.We'll hear why for hundreds of thousands of people, their tax return has become a festive tradition. And we'll also look ahead to Summer 2024 and how to get some holiday bargains.Felicity Hannah is joined by, etiquette coach William Hanson, Emma Munbodh, the money news editor at The Telegraph, Anna Hall the head of money and debt operations at the Money and Pensions Service and Rob Staines an independent travel expert.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Luke Smithurst Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This is a slightly shorter version of an episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 27th of December 2023 at 3pm on Radio 4)

Higher earners in Scotland are to pay more income tax from April. That was one of the headlines from the Scottish government in its budget on Tuesday. We'll discuss that change and more with Professor Mairi Spowage, director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde.Tens of thousands of teenagers could benefit from studying the subject of core maths once they turn 16. That's according to the charity Maths in Education and Industry. The course was launched in 2014 and currently has around 12,000 teenagers studying it in around 30 per cent of schools across England. However, the MEI says it's vital to get as many students as possible signed up. We have our top three Christmas crackers – tips to save you money in 2024. We also revisit some of the people we've helped this year.Plus, festive music from the City of Lincoln Band.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 23rd December 2023)

A typical rental property gets 25 enquires from people who want to view it, according to the property listings site Rightmove. That high demand also comes alongside high prices. The estate agents Hamptons says tenants have been hit with the biggest rise in rental costs in at least a decade. And it's not just tenants feeling the pinch. We look at the impact rising interest rates have had on those owning the homes people are renting.With Felicity Hannah today to go through your questions and comments we have Richard Blanco from the National Residential Landlords Association, Jasmine Basran - Head of Policy and Campaigns and CRISIS, and Richard Donnell - Head of Research and Insight at Zoopla.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 20th December, 2023)

The Office for National Statistics has published the first of a new quarterly set of figures designed to reflect how inflation is experienced by households. They are called the Household Costs Indices and include things like mortgage costs, interest and insurance. It showed that overall UK household costs rose by 8.2% in the 12 months to September. How does it compare to other measures and what impact could it have? Are you thinking of buying a gift card as a present for Christmas? There's a warning that people looking to use gift cards this Christmas need to be on the look out for scams and fraud. And from 1st January the cost of heating and lighting your home and cooking your food will rise in England, Scotland, and Wales. The average increase in energy bills will be just over 5% adding £94 a year to the typical bill. As some suppliers begin offering deals to fix your costs we'll ask what should you do?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 16th December 2023)

This week we're tackling the cost of the festive season and looking at how to avoid scams. The cost of Christmas is up almost a quarter over the last three years according to the The Centre for Economics and Business Research. What can you do to keep costs down?And as figures from UK Finance, the trade body for banks, suggest nearly £100m will be stolen from around 200,000 people through fraud and scams over the Christmas period we'll discuss what you can do to avoid them.With Felicity Hannah today to go through your questions and comments we have Sarah Pennells, consumer finance specialist at Royal London and Professor Sharon Collard, Research Director at the University of Bristol's Personal Finance Research Centre.We'll also be hearing from Paul Askew a chef and the owner of the Art School restaurant in Liverpool and he'll be giving us some tips on how to cut the cost of Christmas Dinner.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Kath Paddison Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 13th December, 2023)

Teenagers are being bombarded on social media with promotions for financial products they might not understand and that are usually too risky or dangerous for them to invest in. The MP Robin Walker, who chairs the Commons Education Select Committee, wants to see financial education for 16-18 year olds strengthened. The Department for Education told us "Financial literacy within citizenship is compulsory for 11-16-year-olds in the national curriculum, so young people are taught about the importance of personal budgeting, savings, money management and calculating interest.”Figures indicate an increasing number of homeowners are making overpayments on their mortgages, to take the sting out of new interest rates. More than £21.3 billion was overpaid in the first ten months of this year - up more than 14% from the same period last year. But how much do you need to overpay, to make a difference?The new project where people can get loans at zero interest to help with the cost of electricity, gas, and heating oil. We visit Ballyhackamore Credit Union in East Belfast to see how it works.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth, Sandra Hardial and Eimear Devlin Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 9th Dec 2023)

This is a transformative time for banking. The last decade has seen an incredibly fast-paced increase in the use of technology and also a rapid decrease in the use of cash. High Street banks, where most of us have our money, have adapted. From branch closures to online accounts, we'll discuss how banking is changing.We look back at the history of banking with Cambridge University Economic Historian Dr Victoria Batemen. We’ll also speak to Dave Fishwick whose life story became a movie after he set up his own bank in his community. And Felicity Hannah is joined by independent banking analyst Frances Coppola and Cat Farrow, Chief Operating Officer at Cash Access UKPresenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Sarah Rogers and Kath Paddison Reporter: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle (This programme was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday the 6th of December at 3pm)

Property buyers have said their home completions are being left in limbo after a company providing IT services to law firms was hit by a cyber incident. Money Box has found some of the UK's largest lenders have begun extending mortgage offers for those affected. A national debt charity is calling on lenders to improve the way they identify customers who're getting into problem debt. StepChange says its recent research shows almost half of people with credit debt are experiencing difficulty with household bills and 1 in 6 adults are using credit to make ends meet. UK Finance which represents banks and credit card companies says lenders are committed to lending responsibly.Charities are facing weeks or even months unable to access their own money thanks to the unexpected closures of their bank accounts. We've been getting emails about accounts being closed without people being given any reason or warning. UK Finance says banks will only take a decision to close an account after an extensive review and analysis. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 2nd December 2023)

This week on Money Box Live we're talking about Power of Attorney. What it means, who needs one and some of the pros and pitfalls.Presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star, Angela Rippon shares her experiences with the programme and Felicity Hannah is joined by a panel of experts to answer your comments and questions.Solicitor Gary Rycroft helps clients set up and manage the legal side of Power of Attorneys and Sandra McDonald is former Public Guardian for Scotland and author of 'Power of Attorney: All you need to know: granting, it, using it or relying on it.'Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Luke Smithurst Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This programme was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday the 29th of November at 3pm).

We'll take a closer look at what the Autumn Statement means for your personal finances. On Wednesday the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, made announcements about tax, pensions and benefits. With his top takeaways, Paul Lewis talks tax cuts and the unfreezing of the local housing allowance.A listener went into a filling station to put just enough petrol in her car to leave her enough money to buy food for the family dinner. Then, the petrol station ringfenced the cost of a full tank and although she spent a fraction of that, the rest was not released for two days. Why did that happen and what can she do?And the new global report from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners which says reports of financial abuse of vulnerable clients is increasing. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast, 12noon Saturday 25th November 2023)

The Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt has opened the red briefcase once again to deliver the Autumn Statement in the Commons.But what does it mean for you and your money? Felicity Hannah will be looking at how today's announcements impact your personal finances - from pensions, to taxes and benefits.Joining her to answer your questions and comments are, Alice Haine, Personal Finance Analyst at BestInvest, Dawn Register, Partner at the accountancy firm BDO and Sangita Chawla, Managing Director for Standard Life.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Paul Ruddick Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm, Wednesday the 22nd November, 2023).

The number of reported scams involving QR codes has nearly quadrupled in less than three years according to figures seen by Money Box. The data was revealed by City of London Police and gathered from reports made to Action Fraud. The Charted Institute of Trading Standards is warning those reports are likely to be just the tip of the iceberg. We'll hear the story of one woman who was scammed after using a QR code in a car park.The government's cost of living support payments to help people on low incomes cope with rising bills have not been enough to meet the scale of the problem. That's the warning from Parliament's Work and Pensions Committee which this week called on the government to consider widening the eligibility for future payments. The Department for Work and Pensions says the payments have provided a significant financial boost to millions of households and are just one part of the record £94 billion support package - which includes a 10.1% rise to benefits earlier this year and a more than £2 billion Household Support Fund to help with the cost of household essentials.A young disabled man was denied access to a high interest savings account - after his parents, who have a court order to deal with his finances, tried to open the account. How common is this and what can you do? And what can you expect from the Autumn Statement?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Joanna Morris and Jo Krasner Producer: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Sandra Hardial Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 18th November 2023)

Most people would like to save for their children but it's not always straightforward. There are questions about the best accounts, about how much you can afford - and about what those children might decide to spend the money on once they hit 18!According to Standard Life 7 out of 10 parents are worried they're not saving enough for their youngsters' futures.Felicity Hannah is joined by Kirsty Stone, a Chartered Financial Planner at the financial adviser The Private Office and Stephanie Fitzgerald, Head of Young People Programmes at The Money Charity to answer your comments and questions.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Reporter: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle(This programme was first broadcast on Wednesday the 15th of November at 3pm).

As the number of homeowners behind on their mortgage jumps we look at a scheme in Wales trying to help people stay in their homes.Also on the programme we speak to experts who weigh up the pros and cons of deferring your state pension and hear about the complications one woman had in getting the money she was owed.We'll tell you if you're eligible for the winter fuel payment and, as the cost of living continues to bite, we visit a baby bank in Perth and Kinross to meet the volunteers who run it to speak to them about the increasing demand for help in providing everything from nappies to milk powder to wipes and toys.

This week we are talking all things love and money and what co-habiting, marriage and divorce mean for your finances.Do you split the bills evenly or have a complicated spreadsheet to work out who pays what? It comes as recent research published by the University of Bristol revealed 100,000 couples divorce in England and Wales every year - but only a third of them use the legal system to sort out their finances - the majority negotiate their own arrangements or in the worst cases, reach no settlement at all.So, Felicity Hannah will cover everything from how to have those tricky money conversations with each other to how couples split their finances. This week to answer your questions and comments, we're joined by Laura Suter, Head of Personal Finance at AJ Bell and Nigel Shepherd, specialist family lawyer and consultant with Mills & Reeve.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Sarah Rogers Editor: Dan Whitworth (This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 8th of November).

For the first time we know the record of individual banks on reimbursing victims of fraud. The Payment Systems Regulator published figures this week which show, bank by bank, what proportion of the victims were reimbursed and what proportion of their money they got back. Millions of people, some with quite modest savings, now face the prospect of paying tax on the interest those savings earn. Who does it affect and what do you need to do about it?We'll discuss a new report from the University of Bristol about finances and divorce.And as recent research suggests two out of three British adults have told a 'financial fib' by lying about their earnings or what something cost, we want to know your financial fibs - email [email protected]: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 4th November, 2023)

This week the team is live at a community centre in Lancaster to look at all things housing.It's one of the biggest financial stories of the year. Rising interest rates led to hundreds of mortgage deals being pulled earlier this year before being replaced by costlier versions. This week the Bank of England will decide where they'll go next.Exclusive figures for Money Box have revealed a third of people with a mortgages are overdrawn or have to borrow at the end of the month, meanwhile monthly rents average £1,304 a month.To answer your comments and questions, Felicity Hannah will be joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London, Dr Hilary Ingham, Professor of Economics at Lancaster University and Kim Howarth, Branch Manager of Entwistle Green estate agents in Lancaster.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Produced by: Sarah Rogers & Kath Paddison Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast 3pm Wednesday the 1st of November, 2023)

The official body which tackles loan sharks tells Money Box that for the first time in its almost 20 year history it is seeing people turn to loan sharks to pay for essentials like food and fuel. The England Illegal Money Lending Team investigates and prosecutes loan sharks and supports those threatened by them. We report from Blackpool and visit a credit union - CLEVR Money - where people can borrow money legally and at reasonable cost.Why some pensioners may have to pay tax next year on their state pension even if they have no other income.A cost of living payment of £300 will drop into the bank accounts of people on means-tested benefits from Tuesday - find out who's eligible.And what's driving a rise in the cost of car insurance?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Sarah Rogers Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 28th October, 2023)

More than £500m was stolen by fraudsters in the first half of 2023, according to figures from UK Finance. This is less than the same period in 2022, but Authorised Push Payment (APP) scams, where people are tricked into transferring money to thieves, are on the rise.We ask what can be done to fight back against the fraudsters, both on a personal and industry-wide level?Joining Felicity Hannah are Ben Donaldson, Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance, TSB’s Manager of Fraud Operations, Paul Davis and Kathryn Westmore, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Financial Crime and Security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) think tank.Plus Dan Whitworth goes behind the scenes at TSB’s Fraud Prevention Centre in Sunderland. And we hear from case studies who’ve lost money, managed to get it back – but been left devastated by being scammed.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producers: Sam Clack and Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 25th October, 2023)

We investigate the case of Kent Brushes, a hairbrush company founded in 1777, which has had £1.6m stolen by thieves. The money was transferred in 40 separate transactions, all to new payees, in less than 20 minutes. Dan Whitworth reports.And - the difficulties facing people in England who used the government’s Help To Buy loan scheme to get on the property ladder. What advice is there for those affected?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Jo Krasner and Sandra Hardial Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 21st October, 2023)

Just how much does technology impact your finances? Do you search for the best deals on your laptop or phone? Perhaps you keep track of your money through online banking.As many as 40% of people in the UK feel they cannot keep up with newer technology according to the charity the Good Things Foundation.And not being online can cost you money, over £1,000 a year, according to Hargreaves Lansdown.This week we've been out to meet people learning how to take on tech for the first time and Felicity Hannah is joined by Helen Milner, CEO of Good Things Foundation and Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown to answer your calls and questions. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast 3pm on Wednesday the 18th of October, 2023)

This week, the energy watchdog Ofgem released data showing energy debts reached £2.6 billion between April and June. It says the rise in debt was due to both the increase in wholesale energy prices and wider cost of living pressures. We'll get reaction to that figure from Octopus Energy, one of the UK's biggest suppliers.More and more people are taking money out of their private pensions. Between April and June, 4 billion pounds was withdrawn from pensions by more than 500,000 people - 15% more than a year ago. What should you consider before you take money out of your pension? And, two weeks before the deadline to get your paper tax return in, HMRC says it will take three weeks to post the form to you. What are your options if you still need to send one?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast, 12pm Saturday 14th October, 2023)

A lot of us like to save up for special occasions - a holiday, some home improvements - but, as we grow older, more of us think about saving for the costs that come after we die.In fact, 69% of people make some sort of provision to help with the cost of their funeral, according to the financial services firm Sunlife.And it's a big bill - more than £9,000 if you want a funeral and a wake or even a party afterwards. Today on Money Box Live, we'll be talking about what kind of send off you might want from, woodland burials to tradition services as well as how to pay for it.This week Felicity Hannah is joined by solicitor Gary Rycroft and Julian Ferguson from the Association of Green Funeral Directors.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 11th October, 2023)

A funeral plan company with more than 13,000 customers has gone bust leaving thousands of people without the plan they paid for. One Life Funeral Planning Limited was just 1 of around 40 firms which were not approved by the Financial Conduct Authority in July 2022 when it took over regulation of funeral planners. Attempts to find a regulated firm to take over its customers failed and last November its directors put it into administration. What can its customers do?Christine Farnish, a former non-executive director at the energy regulator Ofgem, has told Money Box the amount of credit held by energy companies is a "real problem" that needs looking at. It comes after we revealed last week that suppliers held more than £8bn of customers' money in the form of credit on their accounts in the first three months of this year. Ofgem said protecting customers is its top priority and that it encourages suppliers to help customers spread the cost of winter over a full year to help them manage their bills. Previously Energy UK have told us told us at the time this £8.1bn was being held as credit prices were extremely volatile and the level of government help was unknown.Nearly half a million new 18 year olds have not claimed hundreds even thousands of pounds waiting for them in child trust funds the govt and parents set aside for them. Check here: findctf.sharefound.org And is there a way to tell if you really are investing ethically? A new database may be a step towards that. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast, 12pm Saturday 7th October, 2023)

Money Box Live is looking at how to prepare for the cold nights ahead this winter following a year of high energy costs.The Ofgem energy price cap has fallen by 7% to just over £1900. The price cap is the maximum amount your provider can charge per unit of gas and electricity. It is the amount a typical home in England, Scotland and Wales will pay a year, but if you use more, you will pay more.Last year, there was government support to the tune of £400 to help households with rising costs. That isn't coming this year, and standing charges have gone up. It means people may end up paying more this Winter.So, this week on Money Box Live, we're looking at how what you're doing to keep costs down as well as tips from our experts ranging from how thick your insulation should be to exactly how much it costs to put the oven on.Matthew Cole, head of the Fuel Bank Foundation, and Madeleine Gabriel, Director of Sustainability at charity Nesta, join Felicity Hannah for this week's programme.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle

Energy companies are holding on to too much of their customers' money in the form of credit on their accounts. That's according to Angus MacNeil, Chair of the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero committee. Money Box has uncovered the total amount of credit being held in the first three months of this year was £8.1 billion. Those figures are from the regulator, Ofgem. Energy UK, which represents energy companies says suppliers are obligated to set direct debits that are, over a 12 month period, estimated to result in a balanced account. It also told us at the time this £8.1bn was being held as credit prices were extremely volatile and the level of government help was unknown. It also said it's not meaningful to compare credit and debt.Charities say new figures obtained by Money Box show that less than 1 in 4 bereaved parents who were not married have claimed a support payment they became entitled to in February. That was when the government changed the law to give cohabiting parents equal rights with parents who were married or in a civil partnership. The Department for Work and Pensions say it's telling bereaved parents about the backdated benefit via stakeholders, charities and a targeted media and social media campaign. More information on who can claim is available at: www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/cohabitingWhat you need to know about the self-assessment tax deadline on 5th October.And, we'll also run through the changes to energy bills coming in on 1st October.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Luke Smithurst Editor: Jess QuayleEnergy Credit 00:00 Bereavement Support 08:43 Tax Deadline 14:49 Energy Bills 16:32(First broadcast, 12pm Saturday 30th September, 2023)

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 5.25%, ending a run of 14 consecutive increases. What does that mean for mortgages? We'll also look back one year on from the mini-budget. Hear from Clare Beardmore the Director of the Mortgage Club at Legal and General and Nimesh Shah the CEO of Blick Rothenberg.Nearly half of our universities are now encouraging students to work part time by promoting it on their websites. The Higher Education Policy Institute, which carried out the research, has described it as a major change in the attitude of universities. Dan Whitworth reports from St. Andrews.And what does the rates freeze mean for savers - we'll speak to Anna Bowes the founder of SavingsChampion.co.uk.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sam Clack Researchers: Luke Smithurst and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess QuayleMortgages 00:00 Students and Part-time Work 10:26 Energy Report 18:35 Savings and Best Rates 19:29(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 23rd September, 2023)

Inflation has dropped to 6.7% but that doesn't mean our bills will be coming down anytime soon.The news offers a small amount of welcome relief as the dip means prices are rising slower than they have been. But inflation is still way off the Bank of England's target of 2%.This week on Money Box Live we're looking at how to try and lower your personal rate of inflation and cut costs.Felicity Hannah is joined by Christopher Jenkins a Senior Inflation Statistician from the Office For National Statistics as well as personal finance journalist Martyn James and Lisa Webb from consumer group Which?Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Researcher: Luke Smithurst Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast, 3pm Wednesday September 20th, 2023)

Exclusive data for Money Box suggest that 1 in 5 UK adults have had to ration things like heating or electricity to keep up with their debt repayments. 1 in 8 have changed the food they eat for less healthy options. The survey, carried out by debt charity StepChange, found a third of adults say they are in financial difficulties, but half would be reluctant to contact their lenders to try to sort things out. We'll speak to the CEO of StepChange Vikki Brownridge.Listeners who run community groups battle their banks over unexplained account closures. What are your rights?Millions of pounds of Pension Credit has been claimed by thousands of people in London who didn't know they were eligible. A recent campaign saw 8,200 older households in 17 London boroughs receive targeted letters to make them aware that they might be able to get the benefit. As a result there were more than 2,000 successful claims, worth just under £8.4 million. Plus, Money Box journalism leads to questions being asked in parliament over an energy scheme that thousands of people missed out on.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Sandra Hardial Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 16th Sept, 2023)00:00 Rationing to pay debts 08:40 Bank Account Closures 14:44 Energy Bills 16:59 Pension Credit