This is Money Podcast

Investors this week have been hit by the 'Trump Slump.' Why is the US President rattling markets and is it the end of the US bull market?  Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss what you should be doing to make your investments great again.  How will the UK handle potential tariffs, should investors be in panic mode and what do experts say you should be doing to navigate the geopolitical turmoil? Pension freedom rules came into play 10 years ago - these allowed retirees to take control of their pension savings, shifting away from the obligation to buy an annuity and moving towards flexible drawdown and investment options. So a decade on, how have the class of 2015 fared? Nationwide is handing out more money - £600 million of it - to 12million eligible members as a 'big thank you' following its acquisition of Virgin Money last year. That’s £50 each. And it’s separate to its Fairer Share Scheme, which will be announced in May.  And lastly, what can you do if a neighbour cuts back hedges and trees which have given privacy for decades? 

People with gaps in their state pension records have just one more month to take advantage of a special offer to buy missing years going as far back as 2006. As long as you get your payment or a callback request in by 5 April you can still benefit from the deal, but after that you will only be able to fill gaps from the past six years. And many are facing a backlog with payments in limbo – so what's going on? This week pension gurus Sir Steve Webb and Tanya Jefferies join Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost to talk all things retirement. How can people save sufficiently to provide an income in retirement which they cannot even earn in salary? Steve replies to this tricky question. The state pension is going up in a month, with the headline rate at 4.1 per cent thanks to the triple lock. But Tanya reveals that elements of it are only going up 1.7 per cent... and does Sir Steve think the triple lock will survive? We're on the precipice of Billmageddon with council tax, water bills, train fares, car tax, telecoms and even stamp duty rising – can you dodge the worst of the rises? And Lee has five top tips for bidding at online auctions to pick up genuine bargains… but just remember the fees, no tweed required. 

The discussion highlights the surprising feelings of six-figure earners who don’t feel wealthy. A poll reveals most believe you need at least £150,000 to feel rich. The conversation shifts to Generation X's struggles with pension savings and the impact of rising living costs. Experts weigh in on the need for financial literacy and proactive planning for retirement. They also touch on energy bills and the potential pitfalls of regulatory changes in investment that could affect investor trust.

Tanya Jeffries, an expert on inflation and finance, shares her insights on the recent spike in inflation and its implications for personal finances. The discussion covers supermarket challenges from rising operational costs and changing consumer habits. Tanya suggests strategies for safeguarding wealth, emphasizing the importance of budget management and diverse investment options amid economic uncertainty. Listeners also gain clarity on choosing between pensions and ISAs, while navigating the complexities of state pension forecasts and premium bond rates.

The future of the cash Isa has been in the spotlight of late, with rumours the Chancellor could tinker with one of Britain's best loved tax breaks. It's believed some city bosses are lobbying her to make the limit less generous, and push more people into investing their money instead. While just speculation, it's a move that would certainly ruffle a few feathers. This week, Lee Boyce, Georgie Frost and Angharad Carrick discuss the future of Isas and ask: Should people with cash parked in savings accounts be strong-armed into investing instead? Elsewhere, Octopus has launched an investment platform where you can buy into a wind turbine - is it a good home for your cash? Council tax has been in the spotlight, with some areas seeing increases in annual bills of up to 9.9% - and with it a social movement to cancel direct debits. Here's why that's not a wise move. Ang spoke to Virgin Media O2's customer service boss about their pledge to turn around their poor performance over the years. Will we just be shoved to chatbots? And does living in a hard water area make energy bills more expensive?

The Bank of England has delivered another rate cut but big questions remain over what happens next? Forecasters had largely agreed that this year would see another two base rate cuts, but the Bank delivered a pair of verdicts that could push ratesetters down a different path. Firstly, it slashed its growth forecast for 2025 from 1.5 per cent to just 0.75 per cent. Secondly, it said inflation would rise well above target to 3.7 per cent. So what does this mean for the UK economy, interest rates, mortgage rates and savings rates? On this podcast episode, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Helen Crane discuss the impact of the rate cut and the Bank of England's forecasts. Another major issue for investors and the UK is Donald Trump's trade war, Simon explains how this will affect markets and where the winners and losers are likely to be. On the investing theme, the team also look at the lessons we can learn from the Covid crash and rebound, five years on from when the pandemic first started to hit. Plus, the mortgage trick that could clear your loan early... but would your lender let you do it? And finally, has Nectar finally come up with something to stop points being stolen?

More than a million people switched current account last year - the second time it has ticked over the 1m mark. So, who is winning the switching battle and is it all driven by people chasing a quick and easy buck from banks?  Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost dive into the data and also look at why you might not be rich enough to bank with HSBC anymore... if you want its exclusive account. The Government rules out forcing businesses to accept cash - is that a smart move? Need help with your tax return? HMRC slammed for poor customer service record via the telephone, is all the criticism justified?  And your next car insurance quote might just be significantly lower... as Lee sees a huge drop with an auto-renewal that had him smiling from ear-to-ear. 

How much homeowners are making when they come to sell up is shrinking - new data shows home-selling profits are at its lowest point for nearly a decade. This week, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce discuss the figures and delve into the pockets of Britain where house asking prices have grown the most in the past year, bucking the trend. With looming stamp duty changes happening in April, what will that do to the property market... and is it a fair system? With billions of pounds worth of cash Isas maturing in the coming months, is the tax-free season kicking off early? It appears so, with a battle for easy-access cash. Inflation falls - so is the threat of stagflation over? And the Jellycat craze continues to sweep Britain - is it time to invest in the cult soft toys, or have a raid of your house for any rare ones potentially lurking in the loft.

You have to feel for Rachel Reeves. After establishing a solid reputation in opposition, things haven’t gone to plan as Chancellor so far. Her Autumn Budget led to widespread criticism over tax rises on employment and extra costs for businesses, while questions abound over whether her plans will deliver the growth Labour promised voters. Now, a slow burn rise in the UK’s borrowing costs has led to gilt yields surpassing the levels seen after Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s ill-fated mini-Budget.  Unfortunate, for a Labour party that has spend the past couple of years citing a gilt yield spike as evidence while banging on about Liz Truss ‘crashing the economy’ and Tory mortgage penalties. But is Britain’s current predicament Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer’s fault or do they just find themselves caught out by an unfortunate set of circumstances? Or is it a bit of both? Where did things start to go wrong? Was it the Budget, or was it the claimed ‘£22billion black hole’ and months of miserabilism? And what are gilts and why do yields even matter? On this This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dig into what’s gone wrong with Britain’s finances and what it means for people. Plus, in better news Lee looks at the jobs that delivered the biggest pay rises last year and why. Simon explains what’s going on with the US hedge fund staging a raid on seven investment trusts – and why investors should make sure they vote. And finally, Lee catches up with Dave Fishwick as the new Bank of Dave film is released.