This is Money Podcast

This week, This is Money takes a look at a raft of inter-generation financial divide stories that have popped up in August. This includes why those born in the 1980s have less disposable income than those born in the 1970s according to the Office for National Statistics and why the Bank of Mum and Dad is creaking. Assistant editor Lee Boyce, reporter George Nixon and host Georgie Frost run the rule over these statistics, along with proposals to raise the state pension age to 75. This was from a right-wing think tank The Centre for Social Justice and has left many industry experts irate. We also discuss data showing that two thirds of older people say they feel hurt by the inter-generational financial criticism that they are lording it up at the expense of younger generations. Elsewhere, why easy-access savings account rates could be a better bet than fixed-rate offers and why you should act if you have a Marcus Bank savings account. We also talk metal bank cards – why on earth would you want one and who is offering them?

It's fair to say environmental issues have moved to the forefront of the agenda in recent times – a large chunk of households in Britain are becoming more eco-conscious. This week, editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost take a look at potential changes you can make to help the pound in your pocket turn a little greener. Simon explains his rallying cry for us to be his acronym 'Layby' rather than being labelled 'Nimbys'. Layby – or look after your back yard – is a movement to look after the country we live in. When it comes to investing, there is a growing movement where savers who want to combat climate change invest a small amount of money in the very companies eco-activists traditionally rally against, such as fossil fuel giants Shell and BP – so why? You don't have to do a Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish activist, and sail for two weeks to your holiday destination to lower your travel carbon footprint... what can you do to be a more eco-friendly tourist? And finally… it's hard enough trying to predict how rapidly a normal car will depreciate, but estimating the loss of value of an electric vehicle is a whole other ball game. We reveal all.

The pound has been battered and bruised of late and it took another blow last week with gloomy news about the UK economy. With a no-deal potentially in the offing, how much more of a pounding will sterling take? Editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost look at what lies behind the decline, why it's fallen so much when jobs, wages and inflation aren't doing badly and what it could mean for interest rates. We also ask: is a recession coming? And as the cost of living nudged higher, with inflation recorded at 2.1 per cent, what was behind the surprise increase? Elsewhere, should you fix your mortgage for 10 years? Banks and building societies are increasingly catering to the rising demand. One of the biggest last minute holiday hassles is sorting out money and something we often leave to the last minute. But you could avoid all that and sign up for a credit or debit card that comes with no extra fees spending abroad and doesn't load currency conversions in the bank's favour.

If you think you're too savvy to fall victim to a pension scam - or any scam for that matter - you might want to think again.  Almost half of 45-65 year olds would potentially fall victim to six common tactics used by fraudsters, Financial Conduct Authority research claims. Editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost take a look, as it's revealed the average victim loses £82,000. A psychologist also reveals five common tricks used by scammers to get you to part with your cash, whether it is pension-related or not. Elsewhere, we reveal how one reader was facing his house sale falling through thanks to a little known Cifas fraud marker being attached to his name via telecoms giant Sky. We teach you how to complain properly, as we aim to arm listeners with the knowledge they need to take on big firms when they do something wrong. The RAC launches a new insurance that could beat the car rental rip-off and the AA warns about keeping on the right side of the French driving law.

Changes in tax rules that will be introduced next year could hit the income of anyone who's self-employed - such as IT experts and business consultants. Editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost look at why it is being called a 'ticking timebomb' for contractors. Elsewhere, as the PPI deadline fast approaches, what will it mean for banks and consumers – and why you should DIY a claim before it's too late. Things go from bad to worse for Neil Woodford investors, as money will be locked in now until December at the earliest. The Financial Conduct comes in for criticism after failing to warn savers about a scam they knew about for nearly a month resulting in huge financial losses for three of our readers. And John Lewis gives advice on where to stash valuables before heading away with help from six ex-burglars.

Out go Theresa May and Philip Hammond, in come Boris Johnson and Sajid David – will it result in your finances falling out of top gear, or going on a grand tour? That's the question editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost tackle this week, as we have a new Prime Minister at the helm, and a new Chancellor as his sidekick. Boris has hinted at a stamp duty cut, an income tax cut, a fix for the social care crisis and promised more police officers and better infrastructure. Can he deliver on all that? And, more pertinently, will Mr Johnson manage to succeed when it comes to Brexit by Halloween?  We discuss all this and what other tricks may he have up his sleeve to help your finances? Meanwhile, we reveal why you may want to think twice before logging into public wifi at coffee shops and hotels. And there are top tips on how you can fight the financial fear of the school holidays. And we also discuss why going for a classic car maybe a better investment when it comes to convertibles and celebrate the mundane vehicles that used to be a common sight on our roads, but no longer are.

  The threat of no deal is looming larger – just a few months after people had decided a softer Brexit was on the cards.    This week we had the Office of Budget Responsibility’s verdict on what a ‘benign’ no-deal Brexit scenario might look like for the economy. It would cost us £30billion, unemployment would rise to 5%, the pound would fall 10% and house prices would go down by the same amount.    And that’s not based on the IMF’s worst case scenario. The Chancellor said things could actually be more painful, Jacob Rees-Mogg suggested it was the wrong way round and we could be £80billion richer.   So could no deal really happen? What would it mean for your money? Are the OBR’s forecasts just more Project Fear? Or is ignoring experts measured forecasts Project Daft?   On this week’s podcast Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost dive into Britain’s unpredictable short-term future.   Also on the show, we look at what we can learn from a trip back to This is Money a decade ago, consider why Lloyds is getting back into the investment advice business with Schroders Personal Wealth, and answer a couple of reader questions on faking a break-up and staging a divorce to dodge pension tax and whether if you break off an engagement you get to keep the ring.   Who said love is dead? Enjoy.

It's official: IHT is the country's most hated tax. That's according to the Office of Tax Simplification, who have been looking into the quirks of the system at the request of the Chancellor. What needs to change – and could a Labour plan, bubbling away in the background, really be the answer? Editor Simon Lambert, assistant editor Lee Boyce and host Georgie Frost take a look. Whatever happens with IHT, most want to leave as much of their wealth as possible to loved ones when they pass away – so just how do you do it and how many bend the rules? Elsewhere, we update on what's going on at Deutsche Bank as thousands of jobs across the globe are axed. Eon goes green and says millions of its customers will now receive 100 per cent renewable electricity – but what does that mean? And on the topic of green, we have details of the first all-electric Mini – how much will it cost, what is its range and most importantly... is it any good?

t’s been more than a month since Britain’s most high profile fund manager Neil Woodford was embarrassingly forced to close the doors to his flagship fund. Since then, investors have been unable to sell out and this week - after the first 28 days of closure rolled round - Woodford Equity Income locked savers in for another four weeks. Over the past month, Woodford, his business, its associates and the entire fund management industry have been thrown under the spotlight, but ultimately, will all this fuss and fiasco make any difference? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Alex Sebastian look at what next for the investment world, what has changed and whether once the noise dies down it will simply be back to business as usual. Can we learn anything from the Woodford mess? Are there other investments we should be looking at? Is this just another reason to ditch active management for passive funds? Will we still continue to love our star managers? All this and more comes under the microscope, as the team look to Woodford and beyond and consider the business of making money from making other people’s money.

The bumper fees we pay to estate agents to sell our homes are a common gripe, so what’s not to like about one that offers to do it for free? Yes, free.  Online agent Housesimple says that it will sell your home at no charge, rather than the 1.5 per cent you might pay a traditional High Street agent, or even the £900 or thereabouts that rival fixed fee agents charge. So, what’s the catch and would taking up this kind of offer be a good idea? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Will Kirkman dive into the murky world of selling houses and whether estate agents are worth their fees. They also look at how much it costs to get on the property ladder around the UK and why it’s got more affordable in London, with one major caveat. On the agenda this week, in addition to that, is the help or lack of for mortgage prisoners and how to get your pension to last to 100. The team also take a trip back to the 1970s, to find out why a decade famed for being economically rubbish for the UK also managed to deliver the last time unemployment was this low. And finally, Simon has some tips on how to do well in our £20,000 Fantasy Share Picking Game, which include not copying him thanks to his lowly 1,400th place in the practice league.