Money Box

Rising costs are having an impact on almost everyone, but that impact is very different for different social groups. Is anyone managing to make a difference to their own budget, however small? Whether they be high earners or low income households, how are people taking control of their finances? Felicity Hannah meets Peter who lives alone in a rented flat in Stoke and has a disability that prevents him from working; Hollie, a new mum, living with her fiancé in Wigan, who’s trying to juggle money while on maternity leave with the rising costs of having a small baby. And Kishan, one of many people being bitten by monthly mortgage rate hikes. He lives in London and has three mortgages; his own plus two buy to lets. The programme also talks to Dr Gemma Tetlow Chief Economist at the Institute for Government to ask what does Peter, Hollie and Kishan’s experience tell us about the cost of living crisis across the nation. Are households surviving or thriving? Series Producer Smita Patel Editor Clare Fordham Stud

The Bank of England is expected to raise interest rates again this week, for the fourteenth consecutive time. The increase will hike the monthly repayments for anyone on a variable rate mortgage, for those trying to re-mortgage after coming off a fixed-rate and for first time buyers with new home loans. In this podcast we look at the dilemmas created by high borrowing rates. The experts in this podcast are Sonya Matharu, Senior Mortgage Broker at The Mortgage Mum and Tom Bill, Head of UK Residential Research at Knight Frank. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Amber Mehmood Researcher: Luke Smithurst Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 2nd August, 2023)

Care home leaders are the latest group criticising the Government for failing to get £400 of winter fuel help to the people entitled to it. The Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Fund was supposed to help nearly one million households who don't pay an energy supplier directly. 20,000 households in care homes got this money, but according to new BBC Verify analysis for this programme that suggests 1 in 7 who were eligible, didn't. The government says it spent billions of pounds helping millions of households last winter with their energy bills, covering nearly half the cost of a typical household's bill. On Monday major changes begin in the way we are sold financial products and services by regulated firms like banks, insurers, advisers. Not only will they have to stick to the 20 year old rules about treating customers fairly. They will be subject to a new Consumer Duty. What is it and what does it mean? A scheme which offers debt advice and help with money problems through doctors’ surgeries, is be

An average of 20 potential tenants request to view each available rental home, more than triple the amount in 2019, according to data commissioned by the BBC. The queue to view is even longer in some regions, reaching 30 in the North West of England, according to the property portal Rightmove.From facing tough competition for a home to receiving a section 21 notice of eviction, we hear what renters are experiencing in the current market and we offer advice on what their rights are. The experts on the panel are Nyree Applegarth, Partner at Higgs LLP, Tim Bannister, Director at Rightmove and Ben Beadle, Chief Executive at National Residential Landlords Association.For tips on how to get ahead in the race to secure a rental property and information on your rights as a tenant go to the Tackling it Together section on the front page of the BBC News website.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Amber Mehmood Reporter: Sam Gruet Researcher: Luke Smithurst Editor: Jess Quayle(First Broadcast at 3pm, Wednesday 26th Jul

Sick people in England are being caught out by the complex rules which exempt some from NHS prescription charges. The Patients Association says the rules surrounding the £9.65 per item levy should be simplified. The call comes after Money Box listeners told us how they struggled to navigate the rules. The NHS Business Services Authority which runs the system told us "Patients can check they are eligible for free NHS prescriptions before claiming by using the free eligibility checker at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check. It takes just three minutes".Money Box can exclusively reveal that £55 million of fraud was prevented last year by bank and building society employees deliberately ignoring customers' instructions to transfer their money to thieves. They're allowed to do that in a branch because of what is called the banking protocol - a UK-wide law that allows staff in the branch to stop transfers and ask customers what they're doing with their money and why. We'll hear from Sophie who saved one of her customers £90,0

The UK government has announced a package of reforms designed to boost pensions and increase investment in British businesses. A panel of experts explore the impact of this on your pots and what it could mean for your retirement.The experts in this podcast are Nigel Peaple, Director of Policy and Research at the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) and Alice Guy, Head of Pensions and Savings at Interactive Investor.Presenter: Adam Shaw Reporter: Luke Smithurst Producer: Amber Mehmood Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 19th July, 2023)

A “staggering failure” is how one senior MP has described a government scheme designed to help nearly a million households with their energy bills last winter. Former SNP and now independent MP Angus MacNeil, who's Chair of Parliament’s Energy Security and Net Zero committee, has called on the government to reopen the scheme after a Money Box investigation reported that 750,000 eligible households have not received the £400 to help with their fuel costs and can't now apply for it. The Energy Bill Support Scheme Alternative Funding was launched in February to give the £400 to people who live in park homes, on narrow boats, in care homes, and travellers who had not automatically had the £400 which was sent to households with an electricity meter. In response, a government spokesperson said: "We spent billions to protect families when prices rose over winter, covering nearly half a typical household's energy bill – this includes more than £50m supporting 130,000 households without a domestic energy supplier".Wh

Millions of people are booking their holidays right now, but with hundreds of flights already cancelled and the threat of air traffic control strikes looming, how do you fight for your rights if your travel plans get disrupted? What's the best way to manage your money overseas? And how is the cost of living impacting people's plans if you are lucky enough to be getting away?The experts in this podcast are: Cathy Adams, Senior Content Editor (Travel) at The Times and Sunday Times, Alan Dean, Managing Director at CoverForYou and Cedar Tree, and Sean Tipton, Media Relations Manager at the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).Presenter: Dan Whitworth Reporter: Sarah Rogers Researcher: Luke Smithurst Producer: Amber Mehmood Editor: Elisabeth Mahy(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 12th July, 2023)

New data shows more than 700,000 households across Great Britain have missed out on £300 million worth of support with their energy bills. The government said in February 900,000 households were eligible to apply for a one-off £400 payment because they did not have an energy supplier that would apply it automatically. The government said it had spent more than £50m 'supporting households without a domestic energy supplier', but this data suggests just over £300 million of the possible £360 million in Great Britain had not been claimed before the deadline. The big high street banks have been told to be more open with their customers about savings rates - what will that mean in practice?And could Artificial Intelligence transform how banks decide whether to lend us money?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sarah Rogers Researcher: Sandra Hardial Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 8th July, 2023)

Bank bosses are being asked to explain why interest rates on savings aren't keeping up with the rising cost of borrowing. The heads of Lloyds, HSBC, NatWest and Barclays banks will meet the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on Thursday.Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has already stepped in to tell banks to put up rates for savers.At the moment the Bank of England base rate is 5 per cent, following last months 13th consecutive rise. UK Finance who speak for banks say "savings rates are driven by a number of factors," not just the base rate.Laura Suter, head of Personal Finance at AJ Bell and Kirsty Stone, Chartered Financial Planner at The Private Office, are here to help make sense of your savings.Presenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 5th July, 2023)

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has stepped in to tell banks to put up the rates paid to savers after the Bank of England raised the official Bank Rate to 5%. Many mortgage rates went up at once and more have been increased this week, but the rates paid on savings by the banks have not followed them. The gap between the two has almost doubled from December 2021. We hear from Gillian who runs a business in Bromsgrove and ask how banks make decisions on savings rates.More than two million calls to a helpline for people wanting to boost their state pension have been blocked by the Department for Work and Pensions. The Minister in charge of what is called the Future Pension Centre, Laura Trott, has admitted that in the first five months of the year more than two million calls were cut off without even being allowed to join the call waiting queue. A new energy price cap comes into effect today. This will see households pay an average of 2,074 pounds a year. This is lower than the level at which government subsidies ke

Amidst a cost of living crisis, almost 9 in 10 young adults say that simply having enough money to cover their basic needs is classed as aspirational, according to a survey by the children's charity Barnardo's. We hear about some of the financial pressures burdening young people - from renting, to food costs and car expenses. In this podcast, BBC Newsbeat's Cost of Living Reporter, Sam Gruet, joins Felicity Hannah and Alice Haine, Personal Finance Analyst at Bestinvest.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Amber Mehmood and Sarah Rogers Reporter: Sam Gruet (Newsbeat Cost of Living Reporter) Editor: Beatrice Pickup(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 28th June, 2023)

Rising interest rates are putting pressure on those homeowners with variable mortgages, or with fixed terms due to end this year. The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has met with the big banks to discuss the forbearance options lenders can offer to customers in difficulty. We discuss the long term financial implications of options such as payment deferrals, extending the length of the mortgage or switching to interest only with Sarah Coles, Head of Personal Finance at Hargreaves Lansdown.The children's charity Barnardos is concerned about the impact of rising living costs on young people aged 18-25. The charity worked with the Co-op to survey 2,500 people in that age bracket. Almost 9 in 10 responded that having enough money to cover basic needs was considered 'aspirational', and more than half had worried about whether they could afford things in the last six months. We speak to a 20 year old care leaver about their relationship with money. And what should you do to protect large sums of money from fraud? We've been

The average interest rate charged by mortgage lenders is now much higher than many homeowners have been used to.So what can those struggling to make repayments do - and what if any help should lenders provide?The experts in this podcast are Charles Roe, Director of Mortgages at UK Finance, Andrew Wishart, Senior Economist at Capital Economist and Rita Kohli, Managing Director at The Mortgage Stop. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Amber Mehmood Editor: Beatrice Pickup(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 21st June, 2023)

On June 12th, HMRC closed its self assessment tax helpline - a helpline that last summer people tried to call over a million times. Instead, it's directing people who want advice or who need help with their online self assessments to its digital services. HMRC says this is a pilot for a new seasonal model and that it will reopen in September. It says the plan will free up staff time to deal with urgent queries. The decision has prompted criticism from tax groups who say that the closure is extremely disappointing, that it's ill thought out and that its a clear indication that HMRC can't cope with demand. Angela McDonald the Deputy CEO and Second Permanent Secretary at HMRC speaks to Felicity Hannah live.MPs have questioned insurances bosses over high premiums. The Treasury Committee called executives in to answer questions about potential profiteering during the cost of living crisis. Dan Whitworth reports on that hearing.More on plans to make sure banks give innocent victims of push payment fraud the r

A prolific cyber crime gang has stolen personal data belonging to more than 100,000 employees. It's a mass hack which has impacted organisations globally. In the hands of criminals, your personal data can be used to make cloned credit cards, buy phone plans, falsely claim government benefits and even take out a mortgage, for which you can become liable. In this podcast, we discuss how you can try and prevent this from happening and what you can do if you are a victim. The experts on the panel are Sarah Lyons, from the National Cyber Security Centre and Matt Cooke, Cyber Security Strategist at Proofpoint - which helps protect businesses and employees online.Presenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Amber Mehmood and Clare Worden Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 14th June, 2023)

Changes to how families of disabled children can access UK government-backed trust funds have been announced. Currently, parents and carers of 18-year-olds who lack mental capacity have to apply to the Court of Protection to access the money. The Ministry of Justice says claims will now be dealt with in eight weeks - rather than six months. We'll hear from Mike Freer the Minister for Courts and Legal Services and from a campaigner who says the changes don't go far enough.Hundreds of thousands of people have had their personal information stolen by hackers. We'll ask what you can do now to stay safe.We'll discuss a new report calling for banks and other financial institutions to do more to improve services for people with hearing difficulties. The report is from the Lending Standards Board which is calling for greater inclusion. UK Finance, which represents the banking and finance sectors, told us it's committed to supporting customers and do offer extra support including British Sign Language translations

House prices have fallen by 1% compared with a year ago – the first drop since 2012 (Halifax) and as inflation remains high, lenders are increasing the cost of mortgage borrowing.But what do these changes in the housing market mean for anyone who dreams of owning their own home, for people trying to move up the ladder or those thinking about equity release?The experts in this podcast are Tim Bannister, Director of Property Science at Rightmove and Clare Beardmore, Director of Mortgages at Legal & General. Presenter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Amber Mehmood Editor: Sara Wadeson(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 7th June, 2023)

Mortgages are back in the headlines this week, with the news that hundreds of deals are being pulled from the market. Since the start of last week, the total number of mortgage products on the market has fallen by 11.3% according to new figures from Money Facts. We'll discuss this with Sonya Matharu, Senior Mortgage Broker with The Mortgage Mum.There are calls to simplify and reform the tax free childcare system. The charity Coram says many families don't even know they are eligible because the system is so difficult to manage. HMRC says Tax-Free Childcare is quick and easy to claim and that it can be a real boost to the household budget of working families. Adding that families can choose the financial support that best suits their needs. It recommends that parents use the Childcare Choices website (https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/) to find the right childcare offer for them.We'll discuss what the latest updates are for funeral plan holders with companies which have gone out of business - following

The Financial Conduct Authority is concerned that young people in particular are turning to bloggers and influencers for investing advice - without fully understanding the risks. Scammers are also using social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok to target people, as the cost of living pushes people to look for high return investments.In this podcast, we discuss what red flags to watch out for and how easy it can be to end up parted from your money. The experts on the panel are Giles Mason, Director of Campaigns at UK Finance, Laura Suter, Head of Personal Finance at AJ Bell and Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise. Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Amber Mehmood Reporter: Sandra Hardial Editor: Elisabeth MahyIf you have been affected by the issues covered in this podcast, visit BBC Action Line for advice or support: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/375cB1pZ3FwFRQMh9zLxZhb/information-and-support-fraud(First broadcast 3pm, Wednesday 21st May 2023)