Money Box

It's a little known fact that if you or a relative has an ongoing health problem, the NHS will pay, not just for your treatment in hospital but could also pay for all your care needs, be that in a private care home or even in your own home.More than 160,000 people get exactly that support. Many more feel they should get it. The scheme is known as Continuing Healthcare Funding and it can be worth thousands of pounds per month. It's available to people living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland they decided the funding system was not fit for purpose and got rid of it three years ago.So, how do you qualify for financial support for long term health problems? What can you do if the support is withdrawn? And is this an effective way of looking after people whilst being sensible with public money?Let us know your views on NHS Continuing Healthcare. You can get in touch with Money Box Live at moneybox@bbc.co.ukAdam Shaw is joined by a panel of experts: Lisa Morgan, Partner and Head of Nursing Care at Hugh James Solicitors in Wales Dan Harbour, Director of Beacon CHC Julie Wood, Chief Executive of NHS Clinical Commissioners Presenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Marie Keyworth Editor: Andrew Smith.

Money Box Live listener Anne from Dorset got in touch to tell us she feels "practically paralysed" when it comes to making decisions about spending money. She is 65 years old, retired and has an income of £20,000 a year through a combination of pensions and ad hoc work. She also has savings. But she has no idea if this will be enough to live comfortably in her retirement. She sees friends going on cruises and splashing out on luxuries which she'd love to do, but she is frightened of running out of money so ends up doing nothing. Anne says she knows she is fortunate to have a steady income, but she's not really enjoying retirement because she's too scared about her finances.Does this strike a chord with you? Get in touch with Money Box Live at moneybox@bbc.co.ukLouise Cooper will be joined by: Michelle Cracknell, Chief Executive, Pensions Advisory Service. Debora Price, Professor of Social Gerontology at the University of Manchester. Jenni Allen from consumer group Which?

New figures show a rise in contracts that do not guarantee a minimum number of hours. Whether you are a worker or an employer, how does this kind of arrangement work for you?

We speak to people who are worried that they've lost control of their life savings having handed it to a company they can no longer contact. Their situation highlights the huge concerns about the unregulated industry of inheritance planning, even though some businesses handle huge amounts of cash. Anyone can set themselves up as an estate planner or will writer but that lack of regulation can have alarming consequences when things don't go as planned.Also, Adam Shaw speaks to Richard Lloyd, the man appointed to lead an independent investigation into the running of the Financial Ombudsman Service. It follows a TV documentary that revealed a litany of problems facing the ombudsman, including severely under-trained staff, unachievable targets, and thousands of incorrect decisions. . And, what should banks be doing to stop the persistence of transfer fraud? With more than £200 million worth of people's money was lost last year after criminals impersonating their bank persuaded them to transfer money to the criminal's account. The victim's own banks won't be held accountable, but what about the bank where the stolen money is moved to? Natasha Vernier, Monzo Bank's Head of Financial Crime gives us one bank's view, and fraud consultant Richard Emery of 4 Keys International explains how banks should be forced to accept responsibility.Presenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Marie Keyworth Editor: Jim Frank.

On 25th May, sweeping new data protection rules come into force, changing the way individuals and businesses deal with personal data. The EU's General Data Protection Regulation - or GDPR for short - will give you the right to do things like ask companies and organisation to tell you what data they are holding on you, and how it's being used. It will also restrict the way direct marketing reaches your email inbox, and means you will be told if your data is compromised by hackers.While the new rules strengthen individual rights, it's a big change for businesses, who are running out of time to comply. While some are confident they will be ready by next month's deadline, others are complaining that information explaining what precise changes need to be made is hard to come by. And with the maximum fine of around £17 million or 4% of global annual turnover, the consequences of a company failing to comply could be huge.In this programme we explain what GDPR will mean for you as an individual, and for your business, busting some myths along the way. As ever we want to hear your experiences; email: moneybox@bbc.co.uk.Adam Shaw will be joined by a panel of guests: Annabel Kaye, co-founder of Koffee Klatch Nina O'Sullivan, Legal Director and Professional Support Lawyer at Mishcon de Reya Steve Wood, Deputy Commissioner at the Information Commissioner's OfficePresenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Marie Keyworth Editor: Jim Frank.

The cost of living alone, rather than living as a couple, is more than £1000 a year, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. In the UK nearly eight million people now live alone and spend on average £21 a week more than individuals who live as a couple. Money Box reporter Marie Keyworth visits Sussex to investigate the cost of living, shopping, exercising and holidaying alone.Up to 90,000 people on benefits are at risk of losing their home when the Government stops paying the interest on their mortgage in just over two weeks' time. In future, help with mortgage interest will be paid as a loan not a benefit. But new figures from the Department for Work and Pensions show that around 90% of those who get this benefit have not yet signed up for the loan that replaces it. It will be the same amount and still paid direct to their lender. But it will be a loan from the Government and secured against their home. If they do not sign up for the loan arrangement the money will stop from April 6th. We hear from Kit Malthouse, the Minister for Family Support, Child Maintenance and Housing, and from debt advisor Sara Williams, the founder of the Debt Camel blog.Also - Under Financial Conduct Authority rules, if you want to transfer a defined benefits pension of more than £30,000, you must seek guidance first. It's a safeguard against you making potentially disastrous financial decisions - but not an absolute block. That's because under pension freedom, it's your money and your decision. But one Money Box listener who received advice, but chose a different option, found it impossible to get her confirmation letter - which meant her pension transfer couldn't go ahead. Michelle Cracknell, chief executive of the Pensions Advisory Service explains your rights..Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Paul Waters.

This week a report from the Work and Pensions Select Committee says British Steel pension scheme members were targeted by "vulture" financial advisers after Tata was allowed to offload its retirement fund. It found that members were "shamelessly bamboozled" into transferring out of their final salary schemes, and criticises the Pensions Regulator and the FCA. The report also urged the FCA to ban contingent charging where financial advisers receive a fee for transfer advice, calling it "a key driver of poor advice." Guest Martin Bamford Chartered Financial Planner and Managing Director at Informed Choice Reporter Tony Bonsignore examines the issue of child maintenance and self-employed earnings as a bill on child maintenance evasion progresses towards its second reading. It's seeking to crack down on parents who use their self-employed status to "disguise the means they have available to financially support their non-resident children." Guest: Sumi Rabindrakumar from Gingerbread, the national charity for single parent families. Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) intend to lobby government to make the necessary changes to introduce what would be the UK's first collective defined contribution (CDC) scheme. It follows Royal Mail's decision to close its defined benefit scheme, which essentially pays out based on years worked and salary earned. How would the CDC scheme work and is there room for another pension option? Hilary Salt, founder of First Actuarial, who advised the CWU on the new scheme and Hugh Nolan, Chair of the Defined Contribution Committee for the Association of Consulting Actuaries, discuss. Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Jim Frank.

The FCA is warning about a form of online high-risk trading which some firms are illegally offering in the UK. Binary options trading involves betting on whether anything that can be measured in financial terms, like a currency or share index, will rise or fall below a specified price at a certain time. The FCA began regulating last month which means it's now illegal to sell those trades in the UK without its authorisation. Money Box listener Penny lost nearly £17,000 with an unauthorised firm but what can the FCA do in future to protect people like Penny? Christopher Woolard FCA Director of Strategy and Competition explains. The Department of Work and Pensions has confirmed that all Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claims will be reviewed. It follows a Government decision not to challenge a court ruling that said changes to PIP were unfair to people with mental health conditions. Guest Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of the mental health charity Mind. Interest-only mortgage holders are being urged to contact their lenders after a financial regulator review found too many people avoid planning how they intend to clear the underlying debt when the mortgage ends. It comes as Bank of England figures show December mortgage approvals reached a three year low. Why? Guests: Jane King, Independent Financial Adviser with Ash-Ridge Private Finance and Samuel Tombs, Chief UK Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Jim Frank.

How Britain created £435billion out of nowhere - and where the money went.

There's concern that thousands of steelworkers and former steelworkers at Port Talbot may have been badly advised to withdraw funds and put them into unsuitable investments. Money Box has learned that six firms have now voluntarily stopped signing up new clients. Money Box's Tony Bonsignore reports from Port Talbot. The programme hears from steelworker Paul who fears he's made the worst financial decision in his life. Megan Butler, director of supervision at the FCA and Michelle Cracknell, from the Pensions Advisory Service, explain the latest details of this complex situation. The Scottish Government is flexing its muscles over tax. As Money Box previewed last week, its draft Budget this week set out plans for increasing the present three income tax bands to five. Those earning up to £33,000 - will pay less income tax than they do this year. But some on higher incomes will pay considerably more. Stephen Hay, head of tax at accountants RSM joins the programme.Presenter; Paul Lewis Producer: Lesley McAlpine Editor: Andrew Smith.