Money Box
- Episodes
- 752
- Released
- several times a week
- Latest episode
- Oct 21, 2026
About the podcast
The latest news from the world of personal finance plus advice for those trying to make the most of their money.
Episodes 752
Money Box Live: Saving for Your Future Self
There can be a lot of financial pressures when you're first starting out in your career, paying the rent, saving for a home and clearing student debt to name just a few.So the idea of saving for a retirement …
Show notes
There can be a lot of financial pressures when you're first starting out in your career, paying the rent, saving for a home and clearing student debt to name just a few.
So the idea of saving for a retirement that's decades away can seem like a very low priority.
Research fromthe People's Partnership suggests 1 in 8 young adults now say that engaging with their pension feels pointless because they don't think they will ever retire. Meanwhile others are saving hard into workplace pensions now, because they're worried there won't be a State Pension by the time they get there.
We talk to Maisie, Rebecca and Ruaridh, who're in their late teens and twenties about their financial priorities and where savings and pensions fit into that.
Felicity Hannah is also joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at Royal London and Shantel Okello, Policy Researcher at the Pensions Policy Institute to answer your questions.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle Senior Editor: Sara Wadeson
(This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 23rd of September, 2026).
The Future of Pensions and Bereavement "Injustice"
Major reforms are needed in workplace pensions to increase the amount people are saving for their retirement, but it will take the next 20 years to get there. That's according to Professor Nick Pearce, one of …
Show notes
Major reforms are needed in workplace pensions to increase the amount people are saving for their retirement, but it will take the next 20 years to get there. That's according to Professor Nick Pearce, one of the people appointed by the Government to its Pensions Commission to look at the problem and find solutions. Government figures show that around 18 million working age adults are not saving into a pension and nearly half of those have a job. Professor Pearce talks to Paul Lewis about what they're looking at to tackle that problem.
Three of the UK's leading end-of-life charities have described the way bereaved families are being treated by the Capita-run Civil Service Pension Scheme as an "injustice". Last week the government published data showing more than 1,000 cases where loved ones had been waiting more than 100 days for survivor pensions and death in service payments. Capita has apologised many times already but faces the prospect of losing the contract of running the scheme, worth hundreds of millions of pounds, as the government looks to bring it back in-house.
More than a trillion pounds of our savings is sitting in accounts that pay little or even no interest, when it could easily be earning 4% or more elsewhere. Those figures come from the Bank of England analysed by the investment platform Lightyear. They show £1.2 trillion is sitting in UK bank and building society accounts and a quarter of that amount is earning no interest at all.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Amber Mehmood Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 19th September 2026)
Money Box Live: Rising Water Bills
More than 320,000 households in England and Wales complained to their water supplier last year. A rise of 56% on the year before, according a report from the industry watchdog the Consumer Council for Water.It …
Show notes
More than 320,000 households in England and Wales complained to their water supplier last year. A rise of 56% on the year before, according a report from the industry watchdog the Consumer Council for Water.
It also says the number of people escalating complaints to them has rocketed 84% - the biggest rise in the watchdog's 20-year history.
The topic of water is huge conversation right now, from who should control it, the price of bills and what happens when things go wrong.
Andy White, from the Consumer Council for Water, which represents water customers in England and Wales and Jeevan Jones, chief economist at Water UK, which represents the companies responsible for getting water to our homes join Felicity Hannah to get answers to some of your questions and comments.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle Senior Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 3pm on Wednesday 16th of September 2026).
Money Box Life: Lending to Loved Ones
When someone you love needs financial help, lending them money can seem like the easiest way to support them. And when you're the one facing financial difficulties, turning to someone close to you for a loan …
Show notes
When someone you love needs financial help, lending them money can seem like the easiest way to support them. And when you're the one facing financial difficulties, turning to someone close to you for a loan can feel like the most natural solution.
Around 1 in 4 of us borrow from family and friends when times are tight according to a survey from the not for profit, Fair4All Finance. It found many of those people were asking for smaller amounts of money of around £250 or less to help pay for essentials like food and bills. However, for some, it could be for a loan of tens of thousands of pounds, like children asking for money for a house deposit. The tension is, that if you don't get it right, you could damage relationships with people you care about.
So what are the rules and what happens when things don't go to plan?
Joining Felicity Hannah is Melinda Giles, a partner at the law firm Giles Wilson who specialises in family law and Peter Tutton, Director of Policy at the debt charity StepChange.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle Senior Editor: Sara Wadeson
(This episode first aired on Wednesday the 9th September, 2026).
Numeracy Review and Petrol Prices
A new survey has suggested nearly a third of people in the UK believe they lost money last year because of their poor maths skills. One estimate puts the cost of innumeracy at £25 billion per year. To try and …
Show notes
A new survey has suggested nearly a third of people in the UK believe they lost money last year because of their poor maths skills. One estimate puts the cost of innumeracy at £25 billion per year. To try and tackle this the government has asked a House of Lords committee to investigate. We'll hear from its chair, Lord Agnew.
The price of petrol is the highest it has been for almost four years. It was autumn 2022 when petrol last topped 160p a litre. We'll look at why that is and what you can do try and bring the costs down.
It's 50 years since the creation of the first index fund for ordinary investors - spearheaded by John Bogle, the founder of the American investment company The Vanguard Group. What was its impact on investing today?
And, why more than £1.5 billion languishing in unclaimed, government-backed Child Trust Funds will be the focus of a new review by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm on Saturday 5th September 2026)
Money Box Live: Back to School
Children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland return to school this week, with Scottish children already well into the first term of the year.Many parents and carers will have the cost of sending their …
Show notes
Children in England, Wales and Northern Ireland return to school this week, with Scottish children already well into the first term of the year.
Many parents and carers will have the cost of sending their children to school in mind this week, right as several changes come in on uniforms, free school meals and the continued rollout of free breakfast clubs.
Parents could expect to spend more than £15,500 on a child's school years from reception to GCSE, with school clubs accounting for the biggest share of the bill, according to new Nationwide research.
Felicity Hannah is joined by Carol Homden, the chief executive of children's charity Coram and Jasmine Birtles, director and co-founder of MoneyMagpie.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Will Harris Production co-ordinator: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 2nd September 2026)
New Bailiff Rule and 10p Coins
Tougher regulation about how bailiffs can operate in England and Wales have been announced by the government. The changes will make it mandatory for every bailiff to sign up to a code of practice. The idea is …
Show notes
Tougher regulation about how bailiffs can operate in England and Wales have been announced by the government. The changes will make it mandatory for every bailiff to sign up to a code of practice. The idea is to drive up standards and stop poor practice - like intimidation, unfair treatment or pushing people into accepting excessive repayment plans they can't afford.
Thousands of bereaved loved ones of former and current civil servants are still having to wait more than 100 days for pension payments. Those figures come 8 months into the ongoing scandal that is the Capita-run civil service pension scheme. Capita says it now has the processes, automation and technology in place to work through the backlog and remains committed to working through it as quickly as possible.
The first 10p coins to feature King Charles' portrait entered circulation this week, but what can you buy these days for 10p?
And, if you’re a parent whose child is aged 16 -19 and remaining in approved education, like T Levels, A Levels or Scottish Highers you have until Monday August 31st to extend your Child Benefit claim or risk losing the payment.
Presenter: Dan Whitworth Reporters: Hannah Mullane, Jo Krasner and Niamh McDermott Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast at 12pm on Saturday 29th August 2026)
Money Box Live: Armed Forces Finances
In this special edition of Money Box Live, presenter Felicity Hannah has been out to Weeton Barracks in Preston to see how soldiers juggle their finances whilst leading an often unpredictable military life.We …
Show notes
In this special edition of Money Box Live, presenter Felicity Hannah has been out to Weeton Barracks in Preston to see how soldiers juggle their finances whilst leading an often unpredictable military life.
We look at the benefits of life in the forces – from financial help to buy a home to generous pensions and special payments to encourage you to stay on longer. And we examine the challenges of a career which could see you being deployed to the other side of the world at a moment’s notice.
There’s a general disgruntlement in the ranks that the pay does not step up to the mark. The latest official Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey shows that less than four in ten personnel agree that the pay and benefits they receive are fair for the work they do. We put that to the armed forces Minister for Veterans Calvin Bailey MP.
Our expert panel includes Ann Griffiths, the Royal British Legion’s Head of Policy and Research, Kate Gannon, Vice President of the Personal Finance Society, and Sergeant Cameron Eden, a British Army soldier and the creator of The Savvy Squaddie - a financial education platform on YouTube that helps service personnel and veterans navigate personal finance.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(This episode was first broadcast on BBC Radio Four on Wednesday July 29, 2026)
New Chancellor, New Plans? and Inheritance Gifts
This week has seen a new Prime Minister and a new Chancellor of the Exchequer. As soon as John Healey was appointed the announcements began. First came the announcement to cut VAT on household energy bills from …
Show notes
This week has seen a new Prime Minister and a new Chancellor of the Exchequer. As soon as John Healey was appointed the announcements began. First came the announcement to cut VAT on household energy bills from October, next a plan to cap bus fares in England from January, then a 20% cut to business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England starting from April. But what about that major issue on the doorstep when Andy Burnham was campaigning to be elected in his new constituency of Makerfield? The frozen personal tax threshold. We'll discuss what this might mean for your money.
Nearly two million households in England and Wales are living in water poverty according to a new study seen exclusively by this programme. The technical definition of that is when people spend more than 5% of their income, after housing costs, on water bills. What it means in reality is being unable to afford to pay for water, and being in debt to a water company. We'll speak to the Consumer Council for Water, who commissioned that study.
Plus, we'll look at the rules around gifts and inheritance tax as a new survey by the financial advisors The Private Office found more then 8 in 10 of its clients aged over 45 believe parents and grandparents should help younger generations during their lifetime rather than leave an inheritance after death.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Amber Mehmood, Catherine Lund and Jo Krasner. Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 25th July 2026)
Money Box Live: House Sale Nightmares
Major reforms are planned to shake up house selling in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The government hopes the plans could end gazundering and gazumping and make buying and selling homes faster, cheaper …
Show notes
Major reforms are planned to shake up house selling in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The government hopes the plans could end gazundering and gazumping and make buying and selling homes faster, cheaper and less likely to fall through.
Gazumping happens when a seller switches buyer at the last minute, usually because someone else can pay more, gazundering is where a buyer suddenly drops their agreed offer just before contracts are exchanged.
One in three house sales fall through before exchange. This costs sellers £400m and the wider economy £1.5bn each year, according to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
Plans to reform the system include the introduction of a sellers’ pack, similar to the system operating in Scotland.
Felicity Hannah is joined by Nathan Emerson, the CEO of PropertyMark (a professional body for property agents) and David Bridge, Head of Conveyancing at the Dorset-based solicitors Kiteleys .
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Production co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(This programme was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday July 22nd, 2026)
State Pension Age Rise, Gazundering and Air-Con
Urgent action is needed to help people in their sixties on low incomes who face a delay of up to a year before they can claim their State Pension. That is the main recommendation of a new report from the Work …
Show notes
Urgent action is needed to help people in their sixties on low incomes who face a delay of up to a year before they can claim their State Pension. That is the main recommendation of a new report from the Work and Pensions Committee. Pension age rises over the next two years from 66 to 67 and the committee of MPs fears some of the people affected by that delay face poverty unless the benefit rules are changed to give them more money. The Department for Work and Pensions says in February, 0.02% of the Universal Credit caseload was aged 65 or 66. It also welcomed the report saying it will consider the recommendations in due course.
There’s growing concern in the housing industry over the rise in a practice known as “gazundering”. It’s when people selling homes are told by buyers just days before exchanging, that they must drop the agreed price by thousands of pounds or risk losing the deal. The Conveyancing Association says it’s a growing problem and is urging the government to implement reforms which would stop the practice “without delay”. The government says it's stopping gazundering by introducing "legally binding agreements that prevent buyers from walking away at the last minute without a valid reason, with fines for those who do."
Money Box has found that a grant which can be used to install a heating system than can also act as air conditioning is not up and running, despite being announced in November. We'll investigate why.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth, Jo Krasner and Niamh McDermott Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
Photo Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin via Getty Images
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 18th July 2026)
Money Box Live: Buy Now, Pay Later Shake-Up
New regulations begin today (Wednesday July 15th) for shoppers using Buy Now Pay Later. Consumers using services like Klarna and Clearpay will now be given more protection but also a greater risk of rejection …
Show notes
New regulations begin today (Wednesday July 15th) for shoppers using Buy Now Pay Later. Consumers using services like Klarna and Clearpay will now be given more protection but also a greater risk of rejection, as new affordability checks begin.
BNPL schemes often provide interest free payment options over several months and have proved immensely popular. Experian estimates that a 100mn transactions were made that way last year, adding up to about £7bn.
Meanwhile, new data from one of the country’s largest free money advice services, Money Wellness, shows BNPL has become an increasingly common feature of customers' finances over the past four years, with June recording 4,520 customers seeking help with BNPL debt. That's the highest June on record and second only to the traditional post-Christmas spike seen in January.
Presenter Felicity Hannah talks to the Financial Conduct Authority to find out if the new rules are going to improve things for shoppers. She’s joined by an expert panel answering listener questions – Mick McAteer of The Financial Inclusion Centre, a UK not-for-profit policy and research group. and Matthew Sheeran from Money Wellness.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
Photo credit: Pakorn Supajitsoontorn via Getty Images.
(This episode of Money Box Live was first broadcast on BBC Radio Four at 3pm on Wednesday 15th July)
Making Tax Digital Deadline and Cheques
A deadline approaches for 860,000 self-employed people and landlords who must start reporting their income and expenses in a new way. It is called Making Tax Digital and it affects small businesses with a …
Show notes
A deadline approaches for 860,000 self-employed people and landlords who must start reporting their income and expenses in a new way. It is called Making Tax Digital and it affects small businesses with a turnover or gross income above £50,000 a year. They have until 7th August to report their income and expenditure to HMRC. What do they need to know?
It is “unacceptable” that the government has refused to commit to bringing the administration of the Civil Service Pension Scheme back in-house. That’s according to PCS Union, which says a rare joint committee hearing in Parliament this week highlighted the “catastrophic failures” of the scheme, leaving many members facing “unacceptable delays, errors and distress” when trying to access the pensions they have worked their entire careers to earn. The Cabinet Office, which has overall responsibility for the scheme, says immediately terminating the contract would cause more problems and severely disrupt the pension payroll, jeopordizing the financial security of hundreds of thousands of public servants.
How are rules which make banks reimburse victims of fraud going? A new report evaluates the first year of Mandatory Reimbursement.
And a major high street bank has changed its mind after deciding not to allow customers to deposit their cheques in a Post Office.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Output Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 11th July 2026)
Money Box Live: Would you let AI manage your money?
We look at whether artificial intelligence is a help, or a hazard when it comes to helping you with your personal finances.One in five adults in the UK - around 11 million people - are already open to the idea …
Show notes
We look at whether artificial intelligence is a help, or a hazard when it comes to helping you with your personal finances.
One in five adults in the UK - around 11 million people - are already open to the idea of using AI to manage their finances, according to the Financial Conduct Authority. But using AI to manage our money is not without risk. The FCA, the organisation tasked with keeping us financially safe, says that regulators are in an "arms race" to keep up with AI in financial services. We speak to the man behind its new report, Sheldon Mills.
And with the increase in AI useage likely to attract the scammers and the deepfakers, just how will regulation evolve to protect us?
Alongside presenter Ruth Alexander and taking listener questions is Simon Belshaw who is Chief Client Officer at the investment company Hargreaves Lansdown. And we hear from Elle Farrell-Kingsley, and advocate for AI ethics who has previously worked on artificial intelligence for one of the big tech companies.
Presenter: Ruth Alexander Producer: Craig Henderson Researchers: Niamh McDermott, Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
Pictured: Sheldon Mills, Financial Conduct Authority
(This edition was first broadcast on Wednesday July 8, 2026)
Child Trust Fund "Injustice" and Pension Opt-Outs
Parliament was asked this week to help tens of thousands of young adults get access to their own money. It is sitting in the state-backed Child Trust Funds set up more than 15 years ago with contributions from …
Show notes
Parliament was asked this week to help tens of thousands of young adults get access to their own money. It is sitting in the state-backed Child Trust Funds set up more than 15 years ago with contributions from the government, parents and other relatives. However, because these young people have learning disabilities the legal process for getting hold of their own money can cost more than the couple of thousand pounds typically in their fund. What happens next?
New figures reveal that in a single year half a million people said 'no thanks' to joining a workplace pension. Like everyone taking up a new job they were automatically enrolled into a pension, but they opted out before it even began. How might that impact their future?
Capita has missed the deadline to return services to normal for civil servants facing long delays in getting their pensions sorted.
And, a major change to the Lifetime ISA could see it replaced with a new product designed solely for First Time Buyers. How will it work?
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Meghan Owen Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 4th July 2026)
Buying a flat: stepping stone or millstone?
Buying a flat used to be a stepping stone to owning a house – but has this all changed?Research is telling us that the gap in price between flats and houses has hit a 30 year high. According to the property …
Show notes
Buying a flat used to be a stepping stone to owning a house – but has this all changed?
Research is telling us that the gap in price between flats and houses has hit a 30 year high. According to the property platform Zoopla, so far this this year two-thirds of one and two-bedroom flats listed for sale still haven't been sold.
The leasehold system in England is being blamed, in large part, for the declining popularity of flats. There are concerns about the length of leases and the maintenance and service charges often involved when owning a flat. The Government is in the process of introducing new measures to deal with some of these issues.
So today we're asking - what does buying a flat mean for your finances? Maybe you live in one and love it! Perhaps your children do? Or are you struggling to sell and feeling a bit flattened?
Presenter Felicity Hannah puts listeners’ questions and concerns to an expert panel. Polly Gilbert is a director at the digital mortgage brokers Tembo, and Liam Spender is a trustee at the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 1st July, 2026)
Chair of the Banking Review and Winter Fuel Payments
More than 15,000 people have responded to a Government review into access to banking services in just three weeks since it opened. The review comes after a decade which has seen almost 7,000 bank branches …
Show notes
More than 15,000 people have responded to a Government review into access to banking services in just three weeks since it opened. The review comes after a decade which has seen almost 7,000 bank branches close, with hundreds more happening this year and some announced in just the past few days. Richard Lloyd, a former Director at the consumer group Which?, gives his first interview since being appointed to lead the review.
HMRC must "learn lessons" for the future after incorrectly suspending child benefit payments from thousands of claimants last year. That is the conclusion of a report published this week by the National Audit Office. The mistake happened during the wider roll out of a pilot scheme designed to cut some of the hundreds of millions of pounds estimated to be lost to fraud and error in child benefit claims each year.
People who are 66 today, born 27 June 1960, are the youngest people who will get the Winter Fuel Payment this year. Normally the qualifying date is three months later. How does the payment work?
And, VAT has been cut on summer attractions used by children - from theme parks to fast food - what kind of discounts are there?
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Sarah Rogers and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast at midday on Saturday 27th June, 2026)
Money Box Live: The Future of Banking
We’ve seen a big fall in the number of bank branches over the last decade. Around 6,700 bank and building society branches have closed since the beginning of 2015, according to Which? With more due to close …
Show notes
We’ve seen a big fall in the number of bank branches over the last decade. Around 6,700 bank and building society branches have closed since the beginning of 2015, according to Which? With more due to close this month.
Now the government is carrying out a review following concerns about the reduced access to face-to-face banking, and how this affects banking customers both in towns and in rural areas across the UK.
In this special programme Money Box Live asks what IS the future for banking and what do these changes mean for you? Will online banking ultimately be the end of banking face-to-face – or will there always be some form of bank to pop into?
Presenter Felicity Hannah is joined by Charles Randell, former chief of the regulator the Financial Conduct Authority and a member of the Financial Exclusion Commission, and Gareth Oakley, the CEO of Cash Access UK, to answer your questions.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday 24th June, 2026)
Pension delays and fraud figures
Capita chiefs promised MPs on the Public Accounts Committee it would fix long-running problems with its administration of one of the biggest pension schemes in the country by the end of this month. Tens of …
Show notes
Capita chiefs promised MPs on the Public Accounts Committee it would fix long-running problems with its administration of one of the biggest pension schemes in the country by the end of this month. Tens of thousands of retired and serving civil servants have been reporting long delays to payments, leading to serious financial hardship to pensioners and their families. But Money Box has learned the deadline isn't likely to be met. We speak to the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee about what happens next. And cases of reported are still increasing. We explain how AI has become the latest weapon in the fraudsters' armoury. Also, holiday season is upon us. What can we do to minimise the hit from those annoying non-sterling transaction fees levied every time we use our plastic. A consumer expert shares his advice.
Renting in Retirement and Wildlife Bank Notes
Six million people who expect to be paying housing costs once they've stopped working say they don't know how they'll be able to afford it. That's according to new research from pensions and investment firm …
Show notes
Six million people who expect to be paying housing costs once they've stopped working say they don't know how they'll be able to afford it. That's according to new research from pensions and investment firm Royal London. It surveyed 4,000 people and says the findings suggest around 1 in 3 UK adults are already paying, or expect to pay, rent or a mortgage once they've retired. What can be done to help them afford it?
A record number of solar panels are being fitted to homes and businesses across the UK. Last year's record is forecast to be beaten this year as electricity prices rise on July 1st. Solar panels on your roof don't just help pay your electricity bills. You can also sell spare energy back to your supplier to help pay your remaining heating bills. We'll investigate why one supplier is reducing that rate.
And, what creatures would you like to see on the new Bank of England banknotes? There's a plan to replace the humans on fivers, tenners and so on with other species. The shortlist chosen by a panel of wildlife experts published by the Bank of England has 18 mammals, birds, amphibians, insects and fish. We'll speak to the Bank of England Chief Cashier Victora Cleland about what's behind the change.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast on Radio 4 at 12pm on Saturday 13th June 2026)
AI scams, cohabiting and student loans
Scammers are using increasingly convincing AI generated videos to steal people's money. We hear from a victim who had £165,000 stolen and ask an expert how to spot the warning signs before it's too late.The …
Show notes
Scammers are using increasingly convincing AI generated videos to steal people's money. We hear from a victim who had £165,000 stolen and ask an expert how to spot the warning signs before it's too late.
The government has promised new financial rights for cohabiting couples. We examine what the plans could mean for the three and a half million couples in the UK who live together without being married or in a civil partnership.
Households in Northern Ireland will see their gas and electricity bills rise next month. We find out what's behind the increase and what support is available.
Plus, why is one MP comparing parts of England's student loan system to some of the country's biggest financial scandals?
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Hannah Mullane, Jo Krasner, and Niamh Mc Dermott. Editor: Sarah Rogers
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 6th June 2026)
Civil Service Pension Debacle and Cheaper Energy?
The PCS union is calling for Capita to lose its contract to administer the Civil Service Pensions scheme six months after it took over. It follows problems which have seen thousands of retired civil servants …
Show notes
The PCS union is calling for Capita to lose its contract to administer the Civil Service Pensions scheme six months after it took over. It follows problems which have seen thousands of retired civil servants waiting months for pension payments. The Union says it would like the contract to be managed by the government instead. Capita says it is making progress on getting things 'back to normal levels' and that it’s got extra trained staff working on the backlog.
Why is the take-up of child benefit, which is worth at least £1,400 per year, at its lowest level for more than twenty years? HMRC says it works with 'many partners' to promote take-up and provide information to new parents in hospitals across the UK. But what else can be done?
A debt advice provider calls for a new social energy tariff to give cheaper gas and electricity to those on lower incomes, ahead of price rises in July.
And, the new rare bank note to celebrate Scotland qualifying for the World Cup for first time in more than 25 years.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Hannah Mullane and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 30th May 2026)
Carers' Pensions and Face-to-Face Banking
Newly released research seen exclusively by this programme suggests a quarter of the UK's nearly 6 million carers have paused or stopped paying into their pension because of the financial pressures of caring …
Show notes
Newly released research seen exclusively by this programme suggests a quarter of the UK's nearly 6 million carers have paused or stopped paying into their pension because of the financial pressures of caring for a loved one. Most often, that loved one has complex needs and the costs of caring for them can be high. In the same research, from Carers UK, three quarters of carers said they're worried about their financial futures.
An independent review is to take place into how the closure of bank branches affects people who rely on being able to physically go into their bank and speak to someone. The government says it wants to make sure those needing access to in-person service are protected. It has appointed Richard Lloyd, a former Director at Which?, to review face-to-face banking.
On Wednesday National Savings and Investments will start a year-long process of contacting the executors and personal representatives of 34,000 former customers whose money it had kept after they died, some as long ago as 2008. How will that work?
And a new report looks at the quality of financial guidance being offered by some social media posts.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Catherine Lund and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast at 12 noon on Saturday 23rd May, 2026)
Money Box Live: Invest or Save?
If you’re fortunate enough to have set some money aside for a rainy day the Government wants you to invest more rather than keep it all in cash savings accounts.The Treasury, has appointed the Investment …
Show notes
If you’re fortunate enough to have set some money aside for a rainy day the Government wants you to invest more rather than keep it all in cash savings accounts.
The Treasury, has appointed the Investment Association, alongside 19 financial services firms, to lead an industry initiative to persuade people with savings to move at least some of that money into shares.
As a nation, we invest much less than in other similar countries, but why? What puts you off and what would you need to take the plunge?
Presenter Felicity Hannah is joined by Karen Northey, Director of Corporate Affairs at the Investment Association, and David Dodgson, an Independent Financial Advisor with The Private Office to answer listener questions.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 3pm on Wednesday 20th May 2026)
Lack of Wills and "Savvy Squirrel"
Millions of adults across the UK, have not told their families what they want to happen to their money and property when they die. STEP, the Society for Trust and Estate Planners, reported this week on a survey …
Show notes
Millions of adults across the UK, have not told their families what they want to happen to their money and property when they die. STEP, the Society for Trust and Estate Planners, reported this week on a survey which found 8 out of 10 adults had kept their loved ones in ignorance of their wishes. A third of them did not even have a will, leaving its distribution to complex legal rules rather than what the family itself might want. What should people do to avoid this?
It is nearly forty years since the government sold off British Gas and encouraged us all to Tell Sid as part of Margaret Thatcher's 1986 dream of a share owning democracy. Today, the present Labour government wants people to invest more and it has appointed the Investment Association, alongside 19 of the UK's leading financial services firms, to lead an industry wide initiative to persuade people with savings to move at least some of them into shares. This "Invest for the Future" campaign has its own mascot - Savvy Squirrel. Could this lead to cultural change in the way we invest?
And when might you have to pay tax on the interest you earn on savings? We'll explain all.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle News Editor: Justin Bones
(First broadcast at 12noon, Saturday 16th May 2026)
How to Live Long and Prosper
We may be living longer, but are our finances in the best of health?On today’s Money Box Live we take a stroll through the decades and examine the kind of financial challenges that living longer might throw at …
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We may be living longer, but are our finances in the best of health?
On today’s Money Box Live we take a stroll through the decades and examine the kind of financial challenges that living longer might throw at us.
A growing number of people in the UK are reaching 100 – Sir David Attenborough among them - and there are now more than 600,000 people in their nineties, but are we sufficiently prepared for the true costs of sustaining a healthy income into later life.
Felicity Hannah is joined by two expert panellists who are answering listener questions - Dr Suzy Morrissey, deputy director of the Pensions Policy Institute, and Jonathan Cribb, deputy director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
How do you ensure your money lasts as long as you do?
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast at 3pm Wednesday 13th May 2026)
Claims management inquiry and bank account switching
Since lenders were ordered to repay billions to consumers who signed up to unfair car finance deals, millions of people have been sent adverts exhorting them to claim compensation through claims managers or law …
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Since lenders were ordered to repay billions to consumers who signed up to unfair car finance deals, millions of people have been sent adverts exhorting them to claim compensation through claims managers or law firms. But now the Financial Conduct Authority is to investigate the industry amid concerns of sharp practice and misleading marketing. Paul Lewis asks if the regulator has acted quickly enough to root out the rogue operators.
And we hear from the serial switchers - those tempted by cash perks to change their bank accounts. Is it worth it?
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Jo Krasner and Felicity Hannah Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Rob Cave Senior news editor: Sara Wadeson
Money Box Life: Teenagers talk money
Teenage years are formative in many different ways – and being able to handle finances is one of them.In this programme - one of our special Money Box Life episodes – presenter Felicity Hannah talks to …
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Teenage years are formative in many different ways – and being able to handle finances is one of them.
In this programme - one of our special Money Box Life episodes – presenter Felicity Hannah talks to teenagers from varied backgrounds about their early experiences of handling money.
We get their views on the guiding role of parents. We hear how making mistakes can prove helpful – if you learn from them. And how jobs can shape the understanding of money and how to use it, providing of course you are able to secure some form of work in an increasingly competitive environment.
Advice is on hand from Stephanie Fitzgerald, head of young people's programmes at the Money Charity, and Julia Evans from Spear, which is a charity which supports young people to find work. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Craig Henderson, James Graham Editor: Robert Cave Senior News Editor: Sarah Wadeson
(First broadcast on Wednesday 6 May 2026)
NS&I Delays and Youth Unemployment
Some bereaved listeners whose relatives had money put away with National Savings and Investments are facing weeks and months of delay in getting their own money. It comes as NS&I works to track down the …
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Some bereaved listeners whose relatives had money put away with National Savings and Investments are facing weeks and months of delay in getting their own money. It comes as NS&I works to track down the accounts of tens of thousands of people who had died, after it admitted keeping nearly half a billion pounds in its coffers that should have been passed to their estates. The state-owned bank has apologised and says its working hard on its plan to ensure those affected are paid what is owed to them, along with returning the processing of current and new bereavement claims to their normal time-frame.
The cost of borrowing has been held steady by the Bank of England. On Thursday its Monetary Policy Committee held the Bank Rate at 3.75%. How is that affecting mortgage deals?
And, how can young people, who’re out of work, find a job? Dan Whitworth reports on a scheme run by the charity Spear to address barriers to work. It comes as University College London publishes research which finds being out of work and education between ages 16 and 24 has long-term consequences for people’s employment and finances in midlife.
Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm, Saturday 2nd May 2026)
Renters and Landlords: Your Questions Answered
A huge amount is about to change for anyone who rents their home or who owns a rental property in England. The Renters' Rights Act comes into force on May 1 and there's a lot in it, from ending so-called 'no …
Show notes
A huge amount is about to change for anyone who rents their home or who owns a rental property in England.
The Renters' Rights Act comes into force on May 1 and there's a lot in it, from ending so-called 'no fault' evictions to limits on rent increases. It will make a big difference to 11 million private renters and their 2.3 million landlords. After all, for tenants it involves their homes while for landlords it concerns their financial security.
Felicity Hannah is joined by Rachael Williamson, director of policy at the Chartered Institute of Housing; Ben Beadle, chief executive of the National Residential Landlords Association; and Tarun Bhakta, policy manager at the housing charity Shelter.
Together they address listeners' questions on how the new law will affect different aspects of the rental market, including tenancies, evictions and how anti-discrimination measures will work.
Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: James Graham Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sarah Wadeson
(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 29nd April 2026)
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