Money Box

The payday lender QuickQuid has entered administration. It follows an earlier announcement of plans to close its business in the UK where it was the largest firm of its type. It's owned by the US-based company Enova which gave "regulatory uncertainty" as the reason for departure. What does this mean for existing borrowers and also for customers awaiting compensation for loans they say they should never have had because there's no way they could afford to repay them? Guest: Martin Lewis, founder of Money Saving Expert. Money Box listener Elaine reveals how her 18-year-old son was bullied into becoming a money mule, which saw him laundering cash from criminal activities through his personal bank account. Guest: Detective Sargeant Marc Cananur from the Kent Police Economic Crime Unit.An expensive plumber's bill - but not the sort you might be thinking of. Murray Menzies paid into a pension scheme for his employees and now faces a £1.2m bill triggered by his decision to retire and close down the small family firm. Guest Katie Banks, Partner at Hogan Lovells and Chair of the Association of Pension Lawyers. Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Bridget Harney

You might think of comedians as up on a stage in a pub, but that's just one part of what the job entails today. Social media, streaming services and stadium tours have changed the game. Instead of doing gigs to get on TV, you do TV to get people to your gig!We'll look at how to start out and deal with cash and card readers, how to navigate online streaming and how you can get a mortgage while still telling jokes for a living.The panel are-Charlie Dinkin, comedian,director and writerTiernan Douieb, a stand-up perfomer and podcast presenterSarah Fox Clinch, a mortgage specialist for comedians at Fox DavidsonDavid Coppard, Head of Media and Entertainment at accountancy firm MHA MacIntyre Hudson

This week the decision was made to wind down the funds managed by ‘star’ manager Neil Woodford. Listeners have been in touch wanting to know what this means for their money and if they will be able to claim compensation. We discuss with Mark Polson from The Lang Cat Financial Consultancy and Anna Sofat from Addidi Wealth.The Financial Conduct Authority has announced plans to ban the way in which some car retailers receive commission based on the interest rate of the car finance loan they arrange. Good news for consumers?And we speak to a company that allows employees to award themselves a pay increase.Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Do you know what your credit score says about you? If you’ve had a breakup, make up, break down, spending spree or life shock in the last six years, your credit rating will have it recorded.The majority of us don’t know what our credit score is and how these numbers are created. A good credit rating helps us access loans, mortgages or credit cards.But could there be a better way of helping people access credit and see what they can really afford to borrow?Our panel of experts will help you find out what your score says about you, how to get a better one and why workouts are required before you hit the bank not just the beach.Contact the Money Box team to tell your stories and ask questions. The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday (9/10/19). Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox

In this programme we go undercover into the world of the mule, discovering how children as young as 13 are being groomed to hand over their bank account details to criminals. We reveal that some of the recruiters, known as herders, are also teenagers. The accounts are then used to launder the proceeds of crime.Latest figures show that the number of accounts belonging to under 21's being used by money mules has doubled since 2016. Money mules and herders face a 14 year prison sentence if caught.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producers: Tom Wright and Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Can I get a good return on investments that do good? Should you be letting your money speak rather than be out on the street? With £2.2 trillion in pension funds in the UK, do we really know what our money is doing and what it could be doing in the fight against climate change?We have an expert panel on hand with both the science and finance knowledge to help you navigate what's called impact investing.Mike Thompson - Committee on Climate Change Charlene Cranny - UK Sustainable Investment Fund Mary Stevens - Friends of The EarthContact the Money Box team to tell your stories and ask questions. The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday (9/10/19). Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox

Competition in the home and insurance market is not working and loyal customers are being penalised, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. The FCA estimates that six million people pay on average £200 too much - totaling an overpayment of £1.2bn a year. We hear from Huw Evans the Director General of the Association of British Insurers and Matthew Upton, Director of Policy at Citizen's Advice.Last week Money Box listener Sade emailed us saying she wanted to celebrate her 18th birthday by getting a credit card. So where should she begin? Helen Saxon from Money Saving Expert runs her through some of the options.And why are so many freehold houses sold with covenants which restrict everything from what vehicle you can park in your drive to whether you can put up a satellite dish? One homeowner told us hers was "not worth the paper it's written on". Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Ever had the horror of running a cake stand? Do charity egg and spoon races haunt your dreams? Moneybox is looking to make you the Jeff Bezos of the the bake sale and make your fundraiser go further.Parent Teacher Associations are changing, their roles and are now more important than ever. With budget cuts in schools and pressure for new technology the need for extra funding has never been greater.Moneybox Live looks at how school fundraisers can maximise their money, bring in new volunteers, use charitable status to find new funding and adapt to the digital world.Presenter Felicity Hannah is joined by Carol Rogerson of PTA Plus magazine, Kerry Jane Packman from charity Parentkind and Susan Burton from start-up Classlist to answer listeners' questions.Contact the Money Box team to tell your stories The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox

For decades, Stoke-on-Trent was powered by industry, with tens of thousands working in mining and pottery. But when the mines and factories closed, generations of people were left out of work. For some, not working became a culture that stuck.But that's not the only reason why Stoke is the insolvency capital on England and Wales. The average wage in the area is £5,000 less than the national average, plus there are low levels of literacy, numeracy and IT skills. Poverty and poor health have helped reinforce financial exclusion, trapping many in a spiral of debt and deprivation which they can't get out of.Now the North Staffordshire Financial Inclusion Group is on a five-year mission to eradicate Stoke's debt issues. It plans to work with schools to get personal finance on the curriculum and actively target people who are struggling.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Hazel Morgan and Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor Emma Rippon

How do student loans work, when do you start repaying them and what happens when it goes wrong? It can be very confusing for students and their parents alike so we are here to help. Our panel help answer your questions about tuition fees, maintenance loans and how it all works. One of the most common questions is whether parents should pay the fees upfront to avoid their child getting into 'huge debt'....the answer might surprise you. Contact the Money Box team to tell your stories The number to call is 03 700 100 444, geographic charges apply. The lines open at 1pm on Wednesday. Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneyboxPanel: Tom Allingham, Save the Student Hayley Borrett, National Association of Student Money Advisers financial capabilty championPresenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Phoebe Keane