Money Box

The conversation dives into the financial fallout for cancer survivors, revealing the urgent need for better support systems. Personal stories highlight the struggle to regain stability after a diagnosis. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are in flux following recent Bank of England cuts, with insights on navigating current deals. The podcast also addresses shareholder rights, calling for reforms to ensure investors can easily exercise their voting power. With discussions on critical illness cover and investment principles, it’s both eye-opening and empowering.

Join Harvey Fremlin, Managing Director at The National Self Build & Renovation Centre, and Beth Rudolf from the Conveyancing Association as they dissect the dilemma of moving versus renovating your home. They delve into the soaring costs of moving, explore motivations for staying put, and tackle the emotional pitfalls of family home exchanges. With real-life renovation horror stories, they provide essential advice on budget management, contractor reliability, and the dangers of improper spray foam insulation. A must-listen for any homeowner!

People over the age of 60 hold nearly £3 trillion of wealth in the value of their homes, almost all of it mortgage free. That is more than half of all housing wealth in the UK. Under 35s by contrast control only £600 billion and half of that is mortgaged. These startling figures were published recently by the upmarket estate agent Savills which has analysed housing data in Britain for many years. It says this disparity between young and old has never been bigger.MPs, charities and free debt advice providers are calling for an urgent change in the law to help protect the finances of thousands of domestic abuse survivors. At the moment people, mainly women, who are left in debt after fleeing abusive relationships normally have to have their names and addresses published as part of the process of getting that debt written off. Something campaigners say not only puts their personal safety at risk, but can also put them off addressing financial problems altogether. The government has said its currently reviewing this matter and will update in due course.And, annuities are a safe, regular income in retirement. You can use your pension fund to buy one and a growing number of people are doing just that. Sales of annuities have seen an 83% increase since 2020, based on figures from the Association of British Insurers. We'll discuss what's behind that rise.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle(This programme was first broadcast at 12pm Saturday 3rd May 2025)

In an exclusive interview with this programme the Pensions Minister has talked about the government's plans to reform the UK's pension system. Torsten Bell has said that pension schemes should be moving more of members' money out of shares and into infrastructure projects where returns are higher. And he announced a new plan this week to bring millions of small pension pots together into one multibillion pound so-called 'consolidator scheme'. Hear that interview with Paul Lewis in full.Banks, building societies, utility suppliers and pension providers "must do far better" when it comes to helping people deal with the finances of loved ones who've died. That's what the Chief Executive of Hospice UK, Toby Porter, has told this programme. We'll discuss best practice and what can be done to improve poor service.And a government savings scheme designed to help people on low incomes is being extended and widened. How does Help to Save work?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Catherine Lund and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(This programme was first broadcast 12pm Saturday 26th April 2025)

Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, and Laura Suter, Director of Personal Finance at AJ Bell, dive into the financial struggles of working parents managing childcare costs. They discuss the launch of free breakfast clubs in 750 schools across England and how this can save parents up to £450 annually. The conversation also highlights the UK's tax-free childcare scheme, support options for special needs care, and the critical role of community networks in easing the childcare burden.

Money Box investigates fees being charged of teenagers who are struggling to access their child trust funds. We speak to an 18 year old who agreed to pay a claims management firm 25% of his fund plus VAT, not realising he could do it for free. Lord David Blunkett was in government when Child Trust Funds were created in 2002, he tells Money Box that the unclaimed public money sitting in CTFs should be going to young people not firms looking to cash in. Gold has seen rising prices this week in response to global markets turmoil. The precious metal is traditionally seen as a safe investment during times of economic turbulence. We look at the pros and cons of investing in gold and the different ways to do it. Bank branches continue to close and in some remaining branches hours or services are being reduced. We hear from a Money Box listener who struggled to make a face to face appointment at his local bank branch. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Sarah Rogers Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Beatrice Pickup(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 19th April 2025)

New analysis shows that some parts of England have waiting lists for social housing that exceed 100 years. Recently the government pledged £2 billion of new investment to build up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes. But will that be enough? Felicity Hannah is joined by Jasmine Basran of the housing charity Crisis, and Alastair Smyth of the National Housing Federation.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Neil Morrow and Sarah Rogers Editor: Beatrice Pickup

The stock markets have been on somewhat of a roller coaster since US president Trump announced global trade tariffs. Listeners emailed Money Box to tell us about the impact of the fall out in their pensions and investments. The advice from the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association which speaks for pension companies is 'if you still have many years until you retire, you have plenty of time to recover short-term price falls'. But, what happens if you're retiring right now and you've seen your pension plummet? Also on the programme, the amount we owe on our credit cards is at record levels, topping £73 billion. But is increased borrowing an indication of consumer confidence or personal crisis?And do you know you state pension age? Research suggests many of close to retirement don't.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Output Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Sarah Rogers(This episode was first broadcast on Saturday the 12th of April on BBC Radio 4)

US Trade tariffs, stock market ups and downs, economic uncertainty. What do they all mean for your money?Since last Wednesday, when Donald Trump announced huge increases in tariffs for goods being imported by the USA, global stock markets have been in turmoil. Money Box Live is discussing what these events might mean for your personal finances, over the short, medium, and longer term. Felicity Hannah is joined by Russ Mould of AJ Bell, and Kirsty Stone of The Private Office. And they'll be taking questions from listeners. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Eimear Devlin Producer: Neil Morrow Editor: Jess Quayle

Stock markets around the world have plunged in reaction to the import tariffs imposed by President Trump and then the retaliation of China which responded with its own tariffs on American goods. Economists have warned that this trade war could seriously damage the world economy, and make all of us poorer. By the end of Friday shares traded in London had fallen nearly 5% in price. What does that mean for investments?The earnings limit on Carer’s Allowance is to rise this week. From 7th April working carers can earn up to £196 per week after certain deductions, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage, and continue to claim Carer’s Allowance. That's an increase of £45 compared to the previous earnings threshold. But what, if anything, does that mean for the thousands of carers who're in debt because they unwittingly got overpayments of the benefit?Last year we tapped our cards 19 billion times in shops, pubs, cafes, and retail outlets without using our PIN. At the moment the upper limit for contactless card payments in person is £100, but regulators are considering raising it or even scrapping it altogether. What would that mean in practice?And, a reminder to get your postage stamps before the cost of them goes up.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Peter Ruddick and Dan Whitworth Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 5th April, 2025)