This is Money Podcast

It’s the best money show on the radio. Of that we are in no doubt. What is in doubt, though, is what’s behind our ‘economic recovery’ and the small matter of the future of Britain. Georgie and Simon are joined by ace This is Money investment and business reporter Ellie Lawrie to pore over the week’s strange events. To the soundtrack of the Prime Minister’s pro-Brexit speech at the Conservative Party conference, the FTSE 100 was hitting near record highs. Behind the headlines, the story was somewhat different. The FTSE 100 index of leading shares is mostly made up of foreign companies so when their earnings are converted into pounds, they’re suddenly worth a lot more. That’s why the market is rising. But some clever maths shows that in real-terms the market is in fact down. Confused? Listen now.Also in the show A flash crash smashed sterling, Are we being controlled by algorithms and should we be worried?Among the platitudes aimed at loyal voters, PM Theresa May’s speech also included a promise to end corporate greed and corrupt banks. That would be a good thing but how would she pull it off?Wills – two in three of us haven’t got one and that’s an unnecessary problem. What would you do with £50,000? With rates so low, the traditional ‘overpay your mortgage’ answer is outdated.Fivers – should we keep them as collectors’ items or spend them? It’s a cashless society. Could they become valuable. As Christmas toys hit the shops, we ask what was your favourite toy? Did you kill Tamagotchis or make things with Lego?Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here’s our latest joyous look at the week’s events. Join Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce for money mirth with a few nervous laughs on top. We’re possibly staring global financial Armageddon in the face again as Germany’s biggest bank owes more money in fines than it’s worth while it sits on TRILLIONS of pounds of complex debt that no one appears to understand. UK banks were bailed out to the tune of around £500bn after the 2008 crisis, paid for by cutting Government spending and disability allowances and the like.But Germany is refusing to consider any such aid and austerity. The second biggest bank in Germany is also now in deep trouble as it announced 10,000 job cuts. The knock on effects are starting to resonate around the world. What happens next is worth a ringside seat. Also on the show:Help to buy is to die – it was a policy dreamt up by our already forgotten former PM David Cameron and sidekick George Osborne to increase house pricesAldi takes on Waitrose – the supermarket (German) too popular for its own car parks is set to expand Unusual money-saving tips – avoiding amazon, hiding money and moreBHS is back - but with 99.5% fewer employeesLong-term investing – it works How to choose a mortgage – as a lifestyle choice not a panic purchase And finallyThis week’s two-minute rant – why 2-year fixed mortgages are so popular probably has more to do with bankers’ commission than decent dealsReading list: Other People's Money: Masters of the Universe or Servants of the People? By John KayWatch list: The Big Short movie is now on Netflix Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a really fun show this week and a fantastic antidote to the Bake Off and Brangelina hysteria. For the initiated, two well-known Hollywood actors announced their divorce this week and the makers of televised cake-making competition revealed they were moving it to Channel 4 from the BBC. And we don’t care. Not that making cakes doesn’t get a look in. It does but with the usual financial twist. How to save money baking is one of the more popular stories of the week. Have you any idea just how cheap it is to make a scone? Rachel Rickard Straus, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost also find time to be utterly horrified about the cost of a wedding. Tip: Get married abroad, says Lee. Also discussed are:Retweaked economic forecasts from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)The idiocy of the lifetime Isa – another ill-conceived, complicated tax change from the previous Chancellor House prices Fluffy surveys from banks Shrinking products – that get smaller and smaller to keep the price the same And are we losing control of our money? Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Now that cash machines hardly ever distribute five pound notes, the Bank of England decided it was time to issue a new, modern plastic one - to great fanfare.But the question on everyone's lips is why was it Winston Churchill and not Keith Richards on the note. This is just one of the conundrums in this week's round-up of the best of the week's money news.Also on the show...Banks under investigation for using interest rate cuts to punish customersPensions are just too confusing aren't they?Why do we spend so much extra while on holiday?All that data you've handed over may come back to haunt you in a big wayAnd more... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week the team from This is Money join Share Radio’s Georgie Frost for an entertaining look back at the week’s big stories from the disgusting tricks hidden in cancer insurance small print to the birth of a new money superhero, Scam Man.Also on the show:Why banks are refusing to grant overdrafts to youngsters. Are they overeducated and misunderstood or just living in the wrong part of town? Did baby boomers really steal all the money and run away?Did Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney cut interest rates too soon? Or was he misled by bankers who promised to pass on the cut to saving AND mortgage customers but didn’t.Editor Simon Lambert explains his new investing technique: Doing Nothing. Consumer Affairs Editor Lee Boyce lifts the mask to reveal himself as the face of a new Beat the scammers campaign. Everyone needs to know these terrifying tricks of the tricksters. Do you have too many legs to claim on your critical illness insurance?Banks insult their customers yet again – this time with another round of ‘We’ve cut your savings rate’ hate mail. ‘Just kill the account!’ says Simon. It’s a brilliant time to fix your mortgage – surely these rates won’t last for very long.Why are rare 2p coins so popular?Would you take a pay cut for an extra day off a week? And a bit more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We take a look back at some of the recent major financial events that have affected us all. It's been a bumpy ride and it's time to take stock. The team from This is Money with Georgie Frost of Share Radio explain the fallout of the EU referendum, the collapsing pound and interest rates, Santander 123, complicated Bank of England decisions, inheritance tax and loads more. As ever, they explain what it all means and what it means for the pounds, the euros and dollars in our pockets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, as the country was feeling good about its record medal haul in the Rio Olympics, suddenly consumer confidence appeared to be looking healthy too. But behind the rose-tinted sunglasses, a bubble of household debt was competing in a new kind of race with rival, the house price bubble, to see which will burst first.It’s neck and neck.Household debt is at terrifying levels. If consumer spending is on the rise, it’s likely that credit cards are a driving force. More than one in 10 households (1.6m) are in extreme debt, where 25% of monthly spending is servicing cards, loans and other debts - not including mortgages. Wages are stagnant yet house prices appear to keep on rising. That cannot last. We’re here to help. But the conclusion from This is Money’s consumer affairs gurus Rachel Rickard Straus and Lee Boyce is there’s not a lot individuals can do. Best thing, at the very least, is to try to avoid the increasingly clever scams and rip-offs. There’s some horrific tricks and it's almost impossible to tell a deal from a con. We offer some tips on what to look out for. Also, further proof emerges that George Osborne’s legacy as Chancellor is peppered with the wacky and unworkable, as his help-to-buy Isas are shown to be largely useless. Mobile phone companies, energy companies and travel companies are as sneaky as ever. First Utility charges one of its customers to STAY with First Utility. Strange times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week This is Money editor Simon Lambert and consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce explain the peculiarities of inheritance tax - and then ask why on earth it has to be so complicated. The team also discuss the watering down of the once quite fantastic 123 account from Santander - and whether it's still a good deal. Lee has a moan about train fares and they ask whether Essex really is the happiest place to live in the UK. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yes, it's just what we've all been waiting for - another report on the banks.This week, the CMA delivered its recommendations to shake up the current account market. Were they any good? And should we even bother trying?After all, the banks themselves already offer us free money, savings account-smashing interest rates and lots of other goodies.Simon Lambert and Rachel Rickard Straus, join Georgie Frost in the Share radio studio for the This is Money Show to talk banks and much more.Also on today's show, we ask if now is the time to buy a bargain property as Brexit worries deliver price cuts, whether Help to Buy needs to be axed and if a fixed rate mortgage still beats a tracker.Simon also has an idea for a new Office of Budget Simplicity designed to cut through daft ideas like the family home inheritance tax break.Listen to the show, leave us a comment or rate it and subscribe to the podcast.Thanks This is Money Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The whole financial system has failed us. Bankers not content with stealing £500bn in the financial crisis have just been handed billions more by their boss at the Bank of England in a desperate attempt to prop up the economy. We have the lowest level of home ownership for 30 years – to the point of ‘national emergency’.The economy is regressing.House prices are falling. The pound is collapsing. Foreign companies are queuing up to grab our cut-price industrial crown jewels.As well as printing more money to hand to bankers this week, the head of the BoE Mark Carney also announced a cut in interest rates from 0.5% to 0.25% - tantalisingly close to zero. People will borrow more and spend more, is the idea. This time the bankers won’t keep the money for themselves. This time it’ll be different. The economy will be saved!Listen to Simon Lambert and Rachel Rickard Straus pull this argument to pieces as they explain the corruption and the social and financial divides that now define Britain. Of course, there are other winners from the Bank Rate cut.A few borrowers with tracker mortgages will pay less.Also under the microscope: Banks’ complaints procedures are still useless – don’t they just fob you off to the ombudsman at the first opportunity? PPI refunds are still on the agenda – some people seem to have forgotten that banks just added it to loans without asking.And cars. Thank heavens for classics and even the duff ones. They’ll always be there for a little light relief. Unless you’re not interested. With Georgie Frost. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a well-known fact that everyone who works for a bank is a sociopath and thief who doesn’t sleep at night, not because they have a conscience, but because they’re vampires (ugly ones) feeding off the goodwill of the living. Ok, it’s not a fact. But the way some of them behave it’s not difficult to think bad things. This week, we expose Lloyds Bank as liars, look at just how sneaky NatWest has become with its charges and how Santander lured in millions of savers with a deal that’s suddenly proving that it was too good to be true after all. If you’ve had a letter from Lloyds bank apologising for having to drop its interest rates because of market pressures, this is not true. Simon Lambert has checked the company accounts. Lloyds has also this week announced the closure of branches and thousands of job losses. It blames Brexit. Really? Might it not be the rise of digital banking and the pointlessness of branches that are either shut when you need them or full of angry customers in long queues waiting to discuss the rubbish service, terrible accounts or the bank’s long history of mis-selling? NatWest charges business customers 66p for every £100 they deposit in their accounts IN CASH, (see paragraph one), along with other sneak-based atrocities. The bankers at this one might go down in history as being first to introduce negative interest rates to the UK. And the big one…Santander looks set to diddle its 123 account holders out of much-needed cash by slashing the interest rate on balances up to £20,000 – shortly after increasing the monthly fee by a blood curdling 150%. Is this true and if it is what’s the best way to deal with it if you’re a customer? Elsewhere, savings rates are now so low that an account offering an execrable 1.3% was closed after four days because it was so popular. This might be the end of banking as we know it. It’s certainly the end of saving. In other news, credit card debt is a massive problem. Around five million cardholders will need more than 10 years to clear their debts. More than a million will never clear it. This affects the whole economy.Also starring Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost, it’s actually a fun show. Listen now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

‘Exploited! Barmy Army!’ ‘Exploited! Barmy Army!’Come on? Who still remembers the early 80s war cry from post-punk nihilists, The Exploited?And who else thinks it could equally now apply to first of the big post-Brexit foreign business invasions – the Japanese takeover of British chip-making legend, Arm?With the pound down 20% against the yen since the referendum, heavily indebted Japenese company Softbank has made a massively overvalued offer to buy the crown jewels of mobile phone components. It’s apparently banking on Arm’s future role in the ‘internet of the things’.Barmy Arm-y! Is Britain about to be exploited by the suddenly wealthier rest of the world?What on earth is the internet of things? If none of this makes any sense, relax, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Rich Browning are on hand to explain it all in this week’s fun look at week’s events. Also on the turntable… What should our new Government ministers tackle first? Pensions, Housing, Transport? Simon has a plan. Who is the greediest of them all? The Post Office is paying NOTHING to savers and tops the latest League of Shame. Why’s the country now obsessed with the idea of becoming a millionaire? Be prepared for a shock when you work out how many lifetimes it might take to achieve it.And finally…What would be your first job if you were Prime Minister? An extra holiday anyone? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we meet Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones to talk about his guitar collection and... oh, sorry, that's not true.However we dress this up, the truth is that this week's show and probably next week and the week after features more Brexit.Not too much though. Saved by of all things, Milton Keynes and more specifically its car parks. To kick off, Simon Lambert, Rebecca Rutt and George Frost take a reflective look over the week's events and wonder in the wake of Brexit... What's the point of interest rates, and interest rates meetings and Bank of England musings on interest rates if they never change?What's the point of quantitative easing if all it does is stoke house prices?What was the point of George Osborne? Remember him? The Chancellor who gambled it all on house prices and fear... and lost.What's the point of estate agents now buyer demand for homes has fallen at the sharpest rate on record?What's the point of new Chancellor Phillip Hammond when we have no economic plan? At least this one's got a degree in economics and industry experience. What's the point of the new Cabinet? The government one, not a sideboard - or maybe there's not a lot of difference.What was the point of austerity when all it did was make the poorest pay for riches' mistakes. It's a great show. There's some stuff on pensions and when they're next going to be mucked about with and parking rage and portal juggling. And finally, the economy may be heading back to the dark ages but the future has arrived in Milton Keynes. It's been named the second best place to work in the country and it's going to get better with free parking for electric cars. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s started. You can’t decide to leave the world’s biggest trading block and not expect some serious financial consequences. Especially when the boys responsible for it ran away. The economics of Brexit are suddenly looking dark.We could be living under the cloud for many years.Already, just two weeks on from the referendum, we are beginning to see the prospect of falling investment, falling house prices and job insecurity. Householders, especially those in debt, need to prepare. Investors in commercial property funds are also suffering. It was always, says one commentator, a ‘disaster waiting to happen’. You invest in a shopping centre but when you want to take your money out you realise the secondhand market for shopping centres has collapsed. Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and Georgie Frost discuss the week’s events over a soundtrack of music and news clips from 1985, which is where, statistically, we’re back to. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the run up to the ‘greatest constitutional crisis of modern times’ it was said that no one knew what would happen if we voted ourselves out of the EU.But like so much of the twaddle peddled by both campaigns’ liars-in-chief, this was also not the case. We did kind of know if only we had listened. The cool head at the Bank of England, Mark Carney, laid out the prospects in pretty clear and certain terms. And it is coming to pass. The majority of people, it seems, only listened to the lies.You must listen to this week’s podcast though.You won’t get a more entertaining overview of the fallout from the EU-out until the dusty hysteria settles in about 2025. Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce take a look at…Whether an interest rate CUT is imminent – and just how badly savers will be affectedWhat we know for sure already about the economics of Brexit Airfares are definitely going upBanks are in trouble Annuity rates are trashedSavings rates look set to plummetTax credit and cash machines are safeAlso…What kinds of trading deals are on the table for little Britain outside the European Union?Tips for 20-somethings who’ll have to foot the bill for their debt-loving forefathersHow the flimsy looking pound is already affecting prices and jobsIs it all Richard III’s fault?And…How to spot a scams How to buy a second hand carAnd what was your first car – and, honestly, how rubbish was it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain has voted to leave the EU in a historic referendum but what will Brexit mean for your money?As the world digested the 52-48 Leave vote, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce, of This is Money, join Georgie Frost of Share Radio to discuss what next.The UK woke up a to a new era in its politics and markets have been see-sawing but beyond the short-term volatility, how will Brexit affect our finances? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Around the same time that once-loved High Street retailer BHS was tumbling into administration, the journalist Roberto Saviano, who spent more 10 years exposing the criminal workings of the Mafia, announced to the Hay Literary Festival that Britain was the most corrupt country on the planet.Our financial affairs, it seems are being eyed with interest and suspicion around the world.What better way to celebrate then, than to have another high-profile inquiry into the shenanigans behind the BHS collapse in front of Parliament and the world media?Last week we heard of death threats in the boardroom. This week was the turn of BHS’s previous owner Sir Philip Green to face the panel of MPs, who asked some pointed questions about the company’s demise.Why had he sold it for a quid?Had he taken millions of pounds out of the company knowing that the British Government would be liable for its multi-million pound pensions hole? Or did he really believe the company would be better off in the hands of a new, twice-bankrupt owner?Green wasn’t happy. He’s made some promises but they lacked detail and conviction. The saga is far from over. His wife, the beneficiary of much of the tax-free BHS millions, is likely to be next in the ‘dock’. Also this week, we have another look at the childlike lies peddled by EU referendum campaigners. It’s an important debate, this EU thing. Britain might be about to commit economic suicide but the campaigns have been, frankly, pathetic. Meanwhile… Inflation is flat lining – are we about to face a cut in interest rates? Investors are pulling money out of UK – but where are they finding opportunities? And finally…Nine years on from the financial crisis, around 100,000 people who bought off-plan properties that never got built in Spain have a chance of getting their money back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's not been a great week for big business? Sir Philip Green and the bosses at BHS have seen even greater criticism and Sports Direct's Mike Ashley was hauled in front of MPs.So is our modern of big business capitalism going badly wrong?Have we built an economy where it's low pay and bad conditions for the workers but huge rewards for the bosses?Do we need to worry about inequality?Simon Lambert and Rachel Rickard Straus, of This is Money, join Georgie Frost, of Share Radio, in the studio to tackle those thorny questions - and try to find some good news and put a smile on your face along the way.In that good news corner comes a victory for borrowers over a bank that ripped up the tracker mortgage rule book and a reader who wants to know if they've struck it lucky with a rare 50p.Listen to the show, leave us a comment and please rate it and share it if you like it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walk around town centres in Britain and what do you see?A few chain stores, a Poundland or two, betting shops, charity shops, lots of empty shops, Amazon delivery vans, tumbleweed?We don't shop in the High Street like we used to. Even Poundland has a website with free delivery for orders over £50 (OK, that's a lot of sweets). The High Street has just got a little bit deader with BHS and Austin Reed the latest casualties. What went so wrong?Is it sad, simply inevitable or perhaps good news that empty shops might be converted into homes?Join the mighty money triumvirate, broadcaster of the year Georgie Frost, This is Money editor Simon Lambert and consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce as they take us on an aural tour of the death of our towns. Also on the show The made-up claims of EU referendum campaigners. Is it time to offload your buy-to-let? What's going on in the property market? There's a couple of great questions about pensions...Were you 'contracted out' without realising and likely to lose a ton of cash as a result?Is it worth saving for a pension at all if you only earn £15,000 a year? In other words do you want to retire on an income of £8,000 a year - or do you fancy a bit more?And finallyThe question everyone is asking: How do you get two whales in an electric car?#tesla #eu #bhs #shopping #pensions #money #buytolet Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show you’ve all been waiting for, broadcasting legend Georgie Frost, This is Money editor Simon Lambert and personal finance editor Rachel Rickard-Straus take a peak under the coffin lid of inheritance. It can get nasty when grief and greed meet in the financial graveyard. So what can you do if you feel you’re being ripped off by siblings and long-lost lovers? And what’s the best way to make a clear will of your own intentions when you step off planet Earth for the last time?Also on the show…How to make loads more money by using Einstein’s theory. No not that one. Well, yes that Einsten but this time it’s his theory ‘the 8th wonder of the world’ – or compound interest.And…Trouble brewing for property sellersPaying off your mortgage quickly for dummies – is it for dummies?The latest ruse to get your kids on property ladderThe pitfalls of renting out your spare room to someone who burns it downAngry parking fees and fines When, where and how much to tip abroad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have banks been let off the hook again? That's been the reaction to the CMA report into retail banking. In this week's This is Money podcast with Share Radio, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost look at whether we should be doing more to break-up the big banks and why many years on from the rip-off bank charges battle, they've just been told to clean up their act.Also on this week's show we discuss the dark art of mortgage affordability calculators - and why some lenders seem to offer the same test couple £200,000 more than others.We also ask what next for the property market and buy-to-let? The landlord stamp duty stampede sent buy-to-let purchases rocketing - and many investors may have been involved in a bit of false economy - but will the market stall now?And Andy Haldane, of the Bank of England, listen up, we've explained how pensions work to help you understand them after you said you couldn't. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If Britain were to leave the EU, it MIGHT prove to be an economic disaster for us. The Bank of England governor Mark Carney, whose job it is to point things like this out, and other commentators, have said so. And the leavers don't like it. Interest rates, house prices and all the other things that make Britain's dinner parties great might be affected.Is this just politics dressed up as economics? Or should we be worried? Simon Lambert and Rachel Rickard-Straus of This is Money and newly crowned financial broadcaster of the year, Share Radio's Georgie Frost discuss this and...The fact that, Europe vote aside, UK growth is looking like a problem.Whether the middle class dream is over for young people who need to earn more than £100,000 a year to even hope of buying a property in London.Are these fancy new 'challenger banks' up to same sneaky old tricks as the established ones? Minor investor is back with a few new ideas. Why bother with 4 quid insurance for a theatre ticket and other possibly completely pointless things we're urged to insure?And finally... 'Mustang Sally... I bought you a brand new Mustang 'bout nineteen sixty five.' Well, 51 years later you can buy a right-hand drive one. What's it like? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re not building enough homes – about 100,000 too few every year. It makes housing unaffordable. To ‘help’, Barclays bank has decided to step in and offer 100% mortgages to first-time buyers. How quaintly 2007 is that?The other catch is that parents have to stump up some of their nest egg as part of the deal. Is this a good thing? Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce of This is Money and Share Radio’s Georgie Frost investigate. Also on the show:Just how big is the business of being a parent with children who can’t leave home without a bailout?Buy-to-let landlords are piling more financial misery on to tenants. Good news though for broadband customers – providers can’t lie about much it costs any moreWe take a look under the roof of the supermarket business and ask whether their loyalty cards are a spent entityOh and our take on Leicester City, the football team that came from nowhere to win the Premiership: why the hell did bookies offer odds of 5,000 to 1 against that happening when there are only 20 teams in the league? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The This is Money team along with Share Radio talk about BHS , and its future, what's happening in Brazil and 12 financial lessons you should teach an 18 year-old. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A buy-to-let boom in the run-up to the stamp duty hike for landlords and second homeowners triggered the biggest distortion of the market recorded, says the Council of Mortgage Lenders. So, with one tax hike now in and another on the way in the form of cuts to mortgage interest relief against income tax on rent, has buy-to-let peaked? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is dedicated to Prince. We were already planning a bit of a musical theme after a reader emailed This is Money to ask if she was entitled to a refund for an AC/DC concert.She no longer wanted to attend because the lead singer Brian Johnson has been replaced with the infamously unreliable Axl Rose. But Prince’s death was a shock. We’re all fans. Our website is purple! RIP. It’s also been, we think, a bad week for buy-to-let. Following a record splurge on buy-to-let mortgages we discuss whether investors have now spent all they can and what effect that will have on the property market. While we’re on the subject, property reporter Myra Butterworth has unearthed three dream homes for sale that featured in the popular TV show Grand Designs. New-build homes are in the spotlight after a poll found that nearly three-quarters of buyers would avoid them – and yet another story emerges of extreme shoddy workmanship on a new house. We even ask whether the European in-out referendum is affecting house prices? Also on the show we look at…Fraud and how to spot if a cash machine has been tampered with – it’s not easyThe latest sexed-up car emissions scandal Have we found the hottest hatch ever? Classic cars are fetching silly money again.And will our reader be able to get that rock n roll refund? What do you think?#prince #acdc #houseprices #buytolet Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

…everything to do with finance is beset with problems. From insurance companies that spew policy small print at terminally patients to avoid paying out, through mobile phone companies with the customer services skills of a three-minute-old turtle scuttling away from the first sign of a phone call, to the tax that few understand, even fewer pay but everyone seems to hate - inheritance tax.This week we’re looking at the problem of inheritance tax.We’re looking at some others as well but because of Prime Minister David Cameron’s relationship with his generous parents – IHT is in the news. His dad ran an offshore fund. His mum gave him a couple of hundred grand towards a new suit. He may not pay tax on this gift. Is that a problem? Is inheritance tax a problem?Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost investigate. It’s a proper fascinating slippers on, kettle on, headphones on episode that’s worth an hour of anyone’s time. Also on the show – other problems include:Bank fraud – as the crooks get better at it, the banks care even lessBrexit could be an almighty problem. It could destroy the world economy – but then plenty of other things could do that too House prices are even more ridiculous than they were last week – causing a wave of migrating out of London and beyondAre degrees all they’re cracked up to be?And finally…The range of free goodies it’s worth getting old for. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tax is suddenly exciting news. For normal people, it’s the start of a new tax year with another dump of - some ill-conceived - changes from Chancellor George Osborne to deal with. For the disgustingly rich and famous, thanks to a leaky law firm, details have been emerging of their attempts at avoiding paying into state coffers around the world. Even David Cameron is implicated. And after some blithering attempts to divert attention from his involvement there are calls for him to resign.Theoretically, the new tax year could see a new Prime Minister. But could it see a new you – maybe as an investor for the first time?Join This is Money’s Rachel Rickard Straus and Lee Boyce and Share Radio’s Georgie Frost for a leisurely audio stroll around this new world of rubbish cash Isas, complicated new other Isas and the lure of unknown returns from the stock market.Also in the spotlight…There’s a new bank only available on the iPhone. Should you trust it?The young people, property ladder Venn diagram is becoming more and more like two separate circlesDo you use the internet to spy on your friends’ house price?There’s the latest instalment of Under Fire Buy-to-let – a divisive love-hate story of money and housingA fascinating look into how easy it is to trick the gullible with a pretty obvious fraudPlus a few pensions mentions – because that mess will be going on for years to come. It’s a fun one. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the way that worried nuclear bunker owners are probably stock-piling food as the reality of a President Trump dawns on them, so the Bank of England is preparing for the financial equivalent.The bank that has its finger on the financial pulse of the nation is worried. Worried enough to create a ‘what if…’ model that incorporates total financial meltdown, a collapse in the value of housing and the end of banking as we know it. It maybe the stuff of nightmares but it’s also what This is Money editor Simon Lambert, personal finance editor Rachel Rickard Straus and Share Radio presenter George Frost tackle on in this week’s light entertainment look at the week’s money events. How will we cope if oil becomes so cheap there’s no point extracting it, if savings rates are so low they’re negative or if a lack of growth turns to depression?Are we really on the brink of another financial crisis?In other news…There’s tough new checks on buy-to-let – the clampdown continues (the Bank of England is worried about that too)Buy-to-let has caused a big fall in house prices – but only in BoltonPeople who trusted a unauthorised online bank that issued fake cheques may lose their homesYou’ll learn how to use your body to make money (no, not like that) And…What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had? Bog standard like Georgie or bog standards like Rachel? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week might go down as the one Chancellor George Osborne got found out. It’s not the first time one of his Budgets turned into a fiasco, but this time his U-turn – on slashing payments to disabled people - is going to cost £4bn. When Parliament convened to discuss how on earth this was going to be paid for, he didn’t show up. And we’re still without an explanation. We pay our taxes to enjoy a better life in a civilised society – not to allow politicians to play games of political manoeuvring. George forgot that. Taxes should be simple. George forgot that. There were other unfunded tax giveaways in the 2016 Budget all of which appear to rely on tax receipts from a booming economy.But our economy isn’t booming. The latest round of economic data shows that. Growth forecasts are down, Government borrowing is soaring, homes are unaffordable. Luckily This is Money editor Simon Lambert, product and knowledge editor Laura Whitcombe and Share Radio’s money wizard Georgie Frost are on hand to explain the economics in an entertaining way. Also on the show…Capital gains tax just got more complicated. The ‘living’ wage – more complicated And finally…Do not miss the craziest item on financial radio: the famous Easter taste test. Live on air we try to work out which own-brand supermarket hot cross buns and Easter eggs are worth a piece of your disposable income. Will Tesco triumph and Waitrose end up in the bin again? Not a lot of people do this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tax cuts and the Lifetime Isa were the giveways in George Osborne's Budget, but will they help you?Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce, of This is Money, join Georgie Frost, of Share Radio, to take the Chancellor's plans apart in this week’s This is Money Show and try to work out whether it was a good, bad or indifferent Budget.The outlook for the economy, the Budget winners and losers and the thorny question of whether a Lifetime Isa beats a pension are all up for debate. (Along with a look at some of the Chancellor's ulterior motives).Whether you are a saver, spender, young professional, pensioner, or buy-to-let landlord, the team explain what the Budget means for you. (A warning for buy-to-letters, it’s not that pretty).Also on today's show, we look at how to get more if you trade in at a car dealership, how social media-driven entrepreneurs are carving out new careers and businesses from their passions, and why Britain has been dubbed a nation of coffee-swigging, legging wearing, microwave rice-eaters, who don't like to dance.Listen to the show and please leave us a comment or review and subscribe if you like it.ThanksThis is Money team Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Chancellor, George Osborne, has earned a reputation for leaks, U-Turns and unworkable tweaks to our taxes. A captain of chaos, some might say. His recent achievement, killing the cash Isa and replacing it with a tax-free limit on ALL savings accounts, will be a particularly memorable mess if anyone ever works out how it’s going to work. He’s got another Budget speech planned for Wednesday 16 March. For once, we don’t know much about what’s going to be in it. This is a bad sign. There’s no general election any time soon so we can forget about bribes on that front. He’s given himself the seemingly impossible task of balancing the nation’s books by 2020.How on earth is he going to do that?This is Money editor Simon Lambert, consumer affairs editor Rachel Rickard Straus and Share Radio’s Ed Bowsher have a pretty good stab at coming up with a hit list. It’s not looking great. George is desperate to get his hands on the £21bn tax-free benefits of pensions. But we’re fairly sure, thanks to the one leak, his plans to rob us of that have been postponed. He’s already hit buy-to-let landlords – he could have another go at them without too much public anger. Fuel duty seems an easy target – and no one will mind if petrol suddenly shoots back over £1 a litre on Thursday morning. Will they? Maybe the disabled and other people on benefits could cope with further austerity measures? National Insurance is good one –it mainly affects the lower paid; possibly attractive to Osborne the political animal He’s already fiddled with stamp duty on house purchases – could he have another fiddle (on the roof) with that? A change to salary sacrifice could tackle the problem of people who get tax-free iPhones from their employers Whatever happens, we’re in for a fascinating ride and thankfully, HMRC is incredibly helpful and easy to deal with. The more complicated the tax reform the better.Also this week, and back in the real world, we’re not saving enough, some investments make money and the Ford Capri makes a surprising comeback. Georgie Frost is away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everything you thought you knew about life, the Isa and everything is wrong. Modern life is amazing; we’ve never had it so good. We have technology and prosperity above anything anyone a few decades ago could have possibly imagined. And we have a welfare state to look after those who inevitably fall off the merry-go-round of progress. These are the conclusions of the arguably the world’s greatest businessman, Warren Buffett.So why are our politicians, bankers and bonkers billionaires so hell-bent on spewing such negativity?And why has George Osborne just about destroyed the fabulously popular British savings tool, the Cash Isa? It’s been a way of life since the 1990s.This is Money editor Simon Lambert, consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce and Share Radio consumer commander in chief Georgie Frost are here to explain and entertain.You’ll learn… How technology has improved our lives – and whyIf there’s any point to saving cash in a tax-free Isa following the Chancellor’s meddlingWhether you’re sitting on a tax-free windfall as one of the winners of the £51m in unclaimed Premium BondsThat if f you’re listening to this in America because that’s where you’re from, Premium Bonds really IS a lottery where you kind of never lose your stake moneyWhat’s going on with house prices and the prospect of home ownership Which car manufacturer is shouting loudest this week about whether Britain should stay in Europe And Donald Trump, a future president or the voice of supermarket talking till machines? #isas #money #houseprices #trump #buffett #happiness #technology Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Britain still holds a stake in two of its biggest banks, Lloyds and RBS, but how bad are they?We take a look at whether the banks' results, whether they are cleaning up their act and whether they are worth investing in.Meanwhile,...It was the best of times… it is now the most uncertain of times. With four months to go to before the people of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the 2 million expats living in continental Europe vote whether to stay in or out of the European single market, the country’s finances are starting to react to the inevitable uncertainty.One thing is for sure, the pound in our pockets is worth less than it was a week ago. A weak pound is not the end of the world – or Europe – but it’s enough already to make people think twice about booking a summer holiday abroad. Could Spain really become a luxury holiday destination reserved for the rich?It’s been a rocky week too for banks, with profits, bonuses and bailouts colluding to make even less sense than usual. Luckily This is Money editor Simon Lambert, personal finance editor Rachel Rickard Straus and Share Radio money expert Georgie Frost take listeners on an enlightening ride around the rollercoaster of riches.Also on the agenda…Will Chancellor George Osborne steal what’s left of your pension in next month’s Budget?House prices – what the hell?Are you a voucher victim?And…Loads of ways (14) to get your hands on FREE MONEY. Plus loads more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would Brexit mean for the UK economy?It is said Great Britain used to rule the world. Today we’re just a small part - albeit an important one - of Europe, with a few remaining outposts - most notably a couple of bailiwicks in France, an island in Argentina and a rock in Spain.And now our role in Europe is under threat. Or is it?Do we accept what some vocal business leaders have said this week and remain a loyal insider of this massive single-market economy?Or do we vote with our old-fashioned angry hearts and try to recreate life in the 1970s? The debate has started and is getting raucous. Thankfully in this week’s brilliant podcast This is Money editor Simon Lambert, ace investing and pensions reporter Tanya Jefferies and Share Radio money supremo Georgie Frost manage to take a rational look at the issues in hand. On the subject of loyalty…Big business is not always our friend. Take insurers. Did you know our readers and listeners are saving up to £500 a year by refusing to pay ridiculous premium hikes on their home and car insurance? It doesn’t pay to be loyal.Loyalty credit cards, where you earn points for getting into debt, are on their way out and companies are rolling back the benefits of loyalty schemes. Also this week:Work until you diePensions nonsenseRobots at work Scam of the week And More. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Share prices around the world this week have been falling like dominoes in a record-breaking dominoes falling over attempt. London loses 2% in a day, New York opens and falls 2% then in Asia the sell-off continues, slashing 2% off its market value. London opens again and mirrors the previous losing sessions in Asia and the USA and so it goes on. And on. The FTSE 100 index of leading UK shares found itself at a three and a half year low. But why? Central bankers whose job is supposed to be to prevent this kind of mess know how to talk the talk but there is growing evidence that they don’t really know how to work the bank. Their policies of handing taxpayer money to bankers - rather than prison sentences - and of cutting interest rates to less than nothing have left them stuck in a hole without room to manoeuvre. Jobbing bankers lost any credibility in the last crisis. But without punishment or a conscience could they be to blame again this time?Or is it simply that traders aren’t human any more but mere automated algorithms that react to preprogramed instructions? Computer says sell.This is Money editor Simon Lambert, consumer affairs editor Rachel Rickard Straus and Share Radio money guru Georgie Frost try to work out where the blame lies.Also in the show.Apart from the free money and long-term benefits, what’s the point of a pension?Why do our privatised, apparently competitive energy companies raise and drop their prices by pretty much exactly the same amount?Why won’t idiot bankers lend to safe-as-houses people with secure incomes just because of their age?What’s so great about Hatton Garden – the jewellery capital in the capital? And what if…Crumbling share prices are nothing to worry about at all – just a great excuse to start investing? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a couple of years since Tesco got found out. The store that thought it could get away with whatever it wanted because customers, it said, ‘wanted its cheap prices’ was embroiled in an accounting scandal in 1994. And the problems continue. Were Tesco’s prices really cheaper? You can ask the customers it has lost to low-cost rivals Lidl and Aldi about that. It’s also losing customers to online rivals as the internet provides what the High Street can’t – 24 hour opening, among other things. Tesco is back in the news:For a report that showed it deliberately and systematically mis-treated suppliers by delaying payments and manipulating the terms of its deals. Perhaps bizarrely because it’s going to scrap 24 hour opening in more than 70 of its stores. It’s also about to slash the pay of staff who work unsociable hours. It’s not alone. Wilko (aka Wilkinson) is also cutting double time for unsociable hours – effectively a 25% pay cut. Shops face a tough time. Jobs are at risk across the retails sector. They are at banks too. Join This is Money Editor Simon Lambert, Consumer Affairs Editor Rachel Rickard Straus and Share Radio’s Georgie Frost for an enlightening look at the future of shopping and banking.Also on the show: Interest rates remain unchanged again – but because of a quirk of the calendar it’s ‘mildly thrilling’ this time even if the policy is ultimately counterproductive Hacking is now so easy a three-year-old can do it. Is your internet security toddler and mafia proof?The Royal Mint has royally ripped off customers by refusing to honour ‘legal tender’ – or money to use its common nameIt wouldn’t be a This is Money podcast without a controversial buy-to-let story. This one involves lawyer and former ‘first lady’ Cherie Blair and unhappy taxable landlordsIn happy news… Simon has a piece of the Berlin Wall. But lost it. #berlinwall Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This message was left on a householder's voice mail - is it a genuine message from the bank or a scammer? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a seven-year investigation into Google’s UK tax affairs, the company agreed to pay £130m to us. Chancellor George Osborne hailed it a huge success. No one else agreed. Especially not the Shadow Chancellor, anyone with a calculator, or even the French, who a few days later announced they were negotiating a much bigger windfall on a far smaller business than Google UK. It amounted to a tax rate of about 3% on its multi-billion-pound earnings in this country.And all this at the time average Jo and Joe Bloggs are filing their tax returns before the end of January deadline. People pay tax at 30% to 40 to nearly 50% on earnings of a few tens of thousands of pounds. You can see why these people are angry. Luckily, there’s no anger in the Share Radio studio as presenter Georgie Frost, This is Money Editor Simon Lambert and Consumer Affairs Editor tackle the big tax and pensions scandals of the week with a sharp insight and warm wit. It’s been a bad week for Osborne. Having announced a ban on raising taxes, the smart money’s on him stealing it from our pensions. Also on the agenda,Have you any idea how much VAT rich people pay when they buy a Rolls Royce car that costs more than a house?And what’s it’s like to drive and park one? Can it really be as tatty as it sounds or is it a must-have motor for the discerning Google executive?Buy-to-let is back in the news, so is gold, which provides another excuse to play Spandau Ballet songs, and finally it’s been a bumper year for British cinema.What’s your favourite film? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Banks, the City, Wall Street, call them what you will – they use jargon to steal your money.It’s what caused the walloping financial crash in 2008. And it’s possibly what’s going to cause another one eight years later – that’s right, in 2016; this year!We’re in a bear market. What even is a bear market? The opposite of bull, of course. See how easy it is?This week, This is Money editor Simon Lambert and personal finance editor Rachel Rickard Straus join Share Radio’s Georgie Frost to help listeners understand some of this nonsense.There’s even a Hollywood movie just out about financial jargon, The Big Short, the story of how collateralized debt obligations brought down the world economy because no one knew what they were. It’s nominated for five Oscars, including best picture. A bear market is a bad one. Bear = bad. It’s when share prices fall. Bull = good. That’s it really. Listen to Rachel and Simon for more detail. Also in the podcast:Davos – why the hell do our financial leaders go to Davos to discuss the global economy? It’s a ski resort in Switzerland - the most expensive place they could choose. What do they do when they get there? Do they even go skiing?Why does a low oil price affect everything else so much? It’s not what you think. It’s what oil producers do with all that income and what they can’t do with it now that’s the problem.Why are broadband companies allowed to mislead customers with their advertising? Surely it’s not because of a supine advertising regulator? In ‘good on the face of it’ news of the week E.on customers are going to have their energy bills CUT by 5%. But the wholesale price of oil and gas has fallen 20% since its peak. E.on gets points for being first but that’s not enough E.on! Will the others follow suit?If you’re worried about the markets this year - keep worrying. If you’re thinking of ever retiring or voting Tory – you probably ought to understand what Chancellor George Osborne is planning to do with your pension. If you’ve ever had a job or fancy a change you must listen to the bit at the end about CVs.If you thought you knew what to put in your CV, such as volunteering experience and keeping it to two pages. You’ve been doing it it all wrong. Listen and learn. And then you might get a new job. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The four horsemen of apocalypse trotted into the money markets last week each brandishing a tool of financial destruction.Plummeting oil pricesGlobal uncertaintyTrouble in the Middle EastCrisis in China Luckily, this week everything is ahhh… sorry it’s not looking good. According to a statement from RBS, the bank, this year is going to be cataclysmic. But hey. Financial apocalypse makes for entertaining listening thanks to Share Radio’s Georgie Frost, This is Money editor Simon Lambert and consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce. Also on the agenda… Britain v Germany – who’s winning the supermarket wars?Not Germany?Buy to let landlords fight back Can you fiddle the credit card points system to make a mint?NoIs it possible to name an example of good customer service?No And in hopeful news, a young lad is on a mission to provide free legal advice for everyone.Could it work?D’yer know, it might just. Thank the Lord for young people. Apologies for the sound quality this week, building work was taking place in the street outside the studio. Building work is taking place all over London but that’s another story. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2016 is going well - but only if you live in Leicester. One week in, and the new year money news seems to be competing with the weather in terms of gloominess. Luckily we have the most upbeat and entertaining trio in financial broadcasting, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost, taking a fun look at what's been happening over the last seven days – however grim it is.China is panicking. And when China panics, the Chinese government shuts its markets. That makes Chinese investors panic even more and then the whole world joins in. Share prices have been plummeting. As big British chain stores start to reveal their Christmas trading figures, Marks & Spencer, which for some people IS Christmas, reveals it had a less than festive time of it. A couple who saved really hard for a deposit, stamp duty and fees for their dream home transferred the £45,000 to the solicitor days before the move – but the transfer was intercepted by crooks and they lost it. This is Money Editor Simon Lambert bravely outs himself as a recidivist Lotto loser dumping cash for decades into an investment that has less chance of coming good than he has of watching the opening night of Elvis Presley’s tour of the Moon. There was some upbeat news. It has emerged that not all banks are bad all of the time – at least in terms of current accounts. You would do well to listen to the segment on the best banks for your day-to-day money affairs. And two people won £1million each on the Premium Bonds. They both live in Leicester. It’s a fix! Or is it? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After last year's Christmas show went viral thanks to turkey ham, an improbable Christmas dinner product included in the taste test, the 2015 edition had a lot to live up to.This week, three wise men from This is Money - Simon, Lee and Rich - join even wiser Georgie Frost at Share Radio HQ to taste test THREE, three-course Christmas 'dinners' from Lidl, Waitrose and Tesco - live on air! Can cheaper really be better?Meanwhile, thanks to the US Federal Reserve raising American interests rates earlier in the week, the show also features a lot of valuable truths and myths about interest rates and inflation.The world was expecting the Fed to raise rates in 2015 and this was the last chance to do it. So it did. What does that mean for you and me?Also on the agenda...How to buy a home when your mortgage lender insists you insure it through a company that doesn't exist. Plus best Christmas adverts, pensioner bonds, the second hand annuity market.And Bread pudding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not often that a watchdog not only watches but also bites. But that’s what the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has done to our shameful banks. Sorry listeners, it’s bad bankers again! This time it’s the ‘pathetic’ interest rates paid to loyal savers, some as low as 0.01%. Share Radio’s money guru Georgie Frost is joined by editor Simon Lambert and consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce, who name and shame the banks named and shamed by the FCA.And it’s all thanks to a campaign This is Money launched in 2011 to make banks tell their customers what rate of interest they are being paid. Also, on the show…The price of oil is coming down again – they could start giving it away soon, well almost. The main Bank of England interest rate is kept on hold for the 81st month in a row, provoking more debate on the threat of it going up soonCould young people’s dream of owning a home come true thanks to a massive building programme – on the Green Belt?Guess what? We’re overpaying for our gas and electricity bills. Someone has totted up the pennies and it adds up to billions of pounds. Investing in whisky Best and worst fund managersStupidly expensive food and drink Does filling your freezer with newspaper help to cut your electricity bill? And finally…No, it doesn’t. But it’s fun to find out why.#money #saving #interestrates #moneysaving #whisky #newspaper #banks #badbanks #greenbelt #houseprices #bills Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is this the best financial product ever? From a saver's point of view the Help to Buy Isa may just be that.Much of the work at This is Money involves uncovering bad behaviour at banks and other providers of financial products.Anyone would think bankers had no morals. Of course, we also work hard to praise the good stuff. One banker this week, claims a product has been launched that has no downside. Really? Is there finally something too good to be true that is actually true? Editor Simon Lambert and This is Money’s money product expert Laura Whitcombe pore over the new help-to-buy Isa that hands free money to first time buyers. But what’s the catch? Also on the show…It’s going to get tough for home owners for all sorts of reasons.It’s already getting tough for buy-to-letters – but is that such a bad thing?What’s the matter with people and their unhealthy relationship with credit cards?Does anyone care about climate change when you can save a few quid on your ‘lectric?Are you earning less than a tractor driver? Help small shops and small businesses. They’re lovely. And cake. #cake #credit #helptobuy #climatechange #shopping #homes #banks #money #spending Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As shoppers plotted a course this week through the complicated array of bargains spewed into stores for Black Friday, the Chancellor was hatching a plot of his own to keep news of a £91bn tax raid out of his Autumn Statement. Editor Simon Lambert and consumer affairs editor Lee Boyce join Share Radio presenter Georgie Frost for a fun look at this mini-Budget - and shopping. As with all of these things, the devil’s in the retail. Are graduates really going to foot the bill for increased pensions?Are the buy-to-let tax changes going to kill off buy-to-let?What are these help-to-buy Isas? The Chancellor may have announced that he’s going to build 400,000 new homes – but where on Earth is he going to put them?‘I want to see a map, George Osborne!’ demands Lee. Simon admits to getting very excited about negative interest rates, where banks charge customers to look after their savings.Also being discussed: The latest news on Isa ratesWhen phishing scams arrive by SMS and become smishing And shopping. Does anyone actually like the Black Friday shopping event? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When banks brought down the global economy in 2007/08, Iceland jailed the bankers responsible.In Britain meanwhile, taxpayers gave our bankers getting on for £200 billion to be paid for by cutting spending on police, armed forces and the benefits of disabled people.We also commissioned a report into multiple scandals committed at HBOS bank that has taken seven years of writing.The report came out this week. It's damning and 'convicts' the bosses responsible - but will anything happen to them?Probably not.HBOS is the abbreviated cover for Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and scandal. This is Money's Rachel Rickard Straus and Lee Boyce despair as they pore of over the revelations in the report. Also this week, with Share Radio presenter Georgie Frost:The great new smart meter rip offThe worst ever cash Isa rates from Government-owned NSandI Bad deflation - what's that and is it heading our way?Britain v Germany - who's winning the supermarket price wars? Surprisingly expensive carsand David Beckham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happened in the financial crisis? Is it time to forgive the banks and move on? Do we need the City?Simon Lambert and Rachel Rickard Straus join Georgie Frost in the studio for a run through the week's essential money news.This week's show features a potted history of what on earth went wrong in the financial system - and whether eight years down the line it is time to forgive and move on.The team also look at how to fix Britain's tax mess, why the buy-to-let boom could blow up and quite why anyone would want a house with an underground showroom for 25 cars.(The answer to which to a certain car-mad This is Money editor, is obvious). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone has a duty to pay tax – it’s the investment that allows democracy and civilised society to function. But have you tried to contact the tax office lately? In good times, it’s tough enough trying to get a tax refund from HMRC but now people are telling us it’s becoming impossible to even pay their bills. A near-hour wait to get through on the phone is the norm. Also on the agenda: The interest rates rise soap opera continues with the latest will-they won’t-they relationship looking like it’s off until further notice. The UK economy is looking healthy but what do investors looking at fragile emerging markets need to know?Parking your car looks likely to get a whole lot more expensive - £85 more to be precise. Did you know you can now chuck all your spare foreign coins into a machine that instantly converts them into British pounds? And finally…Do you really need to pay extra car insurance and fees to amend your policy if you get promoted?Probably not. But it’s fun to hear why with This is Money’s Simon Lambert and Laura Whitcombe, Share Radio’s Georgie Frost and another fascinating hour of money chat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find out what happens when a scammer pretends to be from broadband provider TalkTalk and attempts to take over an unsuspecting customer's computer.And what happens when the customer turns out to be journalist Sam Greenhill, who strings along the conman.(Personal details have been blanked out of this audio) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.