Four energy companies go bust in a fortnight. Gas and electricity prices set to rise by 12% for millions of customers. And there are warnings of energy shortages this winter. What can consumers do to protect themselves? There has been a rapid growth in the number of young people who appear to be laundering money through their bank accounts for criminals. And a bank offering special deals for students turns down one eighteen year old because her credit score is only ‘good’. Presenter: Paul Lewis ...
Sep 18, 2021•25 min
Many workers send a share of their wages abroad to support loved ones financially, a responsibility they may or may not be able to shoulder. In this episode Joice Etutu explores the aspirations of those supporting family overseas plus the emotions, pressures and difficult questions that arise. What is the right amount of money to send, how do you choose between competing requests, what personal sacrifices do you make and where do you draw the line or say no? We’d love to hear your personal stori...
Sep 15, 2021•27 min
Thieves are going after the millions of pounds being handed over to people reaching the age of 18 from their Government-sponsored Child Trust Funds. Why are there not more effective, targeted fraud warnings? The unemployment rate among young black people during the pandemic was more than three times higher than the rate for white people of the same age. This week the Government was grilled over what's been described as a 'shocking inequality'. And mortgage interest rates hit record lows with mor...
Sep 11, 2021•25 min
As students across the UK set off for university, we’re taking a look at the big student money dilemmas. E-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk with your experiences, ideas and questions now. From student loans to bank accounts, scholarships and finding a job. Felicity Hannah and guests will be ready with help and advice about paying your way through university. Joining Felicity are: Tom Allingham, Save The Student. Pamela Lockhart, Student Money Adviser, Dundee University. Rachel Springall, Moneyfacts Compa...
Sep 08, 2021•31 min
Money Box hears from the successful businessman who had half a million pounds stolen in three months through a Bitcoin fraud. He wants to warn people that "if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone" Plus we speak to cyber security expert Lisa Forte about how to help protect yourself when investing in cryptocurrency. Buy Now, Debt Later - how spreading the cost of buying could lead to being chased by debt collectors. A report by Citizens Advice says 10% of BNPL users end up being chased by ...
Sep 04, 2021•25 min
Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency. In this four-part series Felicity Hannah meets families, businesses & local councils whose lives and fortunes have been changed completely by the pandemic. This week, in the final programme, she chairs a discussion looking at what Covid will cost the nation’s economy with panellists Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist, Institute for Government, Lord Jim O’Neill, former Conservative Treasury minister & John Gathergood, Professo...
Aug 28, 2021•24 min
Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency. In a new four-part series Felicity Hannah meets families, businesses & local councils whose lives and fortunes have been changed completely by the pandemic. This week, she meets the leaders of three local councils – Wirral, Lancashire and Newcastle - to find out what Covid has done to their budgets and how that will hit their communities. We hear how some councils saved money because families were too scared to send elderly rel...
Aug 21, 2021•28 min
Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency. In a new four-part series Felicity Hannah meets households, businesses & local councils whose lives have been changed completely. Who are the winners and the losers of the pandemic? This week she travels to Manchester to meet three very different businesses who have experienced the financial highs and lows of the Covid crisis. From a small booming online enterprise to an iconic music venue which saw sales disappear overnight an...
Aug 14, 2021•28 min
Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency. In a new four-part series Felicity Hannah meets households, businesses and local councils whose lives have been changed completely. Who are the the winners and the losers of the pandemic? This week she travels to Stoke on Trent to meet two households who have experienced the financial highs and lows of the Covid crisis - Katie, a self employed piano teacher and a single mum of four, and Tyler, in his early twenties, who lives at ho...
Aug 07, 2021•28 min
How does timeshare holiday ownership work and what should you find out before signing up? On Wednesday’s Money Box Live Louise Cooper and guests look at the costs and considerations of timeshare holidays. We’d love to hear from you too. If you’re thinking of becoming a timeshare owner send us your questions and if you’ve already got one please share your wisdom! e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now. On the panel: Laura Johnston, Adviser, UK International Consumer Centre Paul Gardner Bougaard, Chief Exe...
Aug 06, 2021•29 min
A new plan has been brokered to cut down on aggressive debt collection by bailiffs. Will it work amidst fears of a post-pandemic surge in debt problems? Tesco and M&S are both closing all the personal currents accounts they operate. What does this say about the role of supermarkets as financial institutions, and what should you do if you’re affected? Digital current account provider Pockit says it’s had to freeze around 1,000 accounts due to suspicious activity reports. A number of those cus...
Jul 31, 2021•27 min
How can our workplaces become an inclusive and fair environment for employees with a disability? If you’ve an idea or experience about job hunting, career support or staff retention e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now, whether you’re an employer or an employee, we’d love to hear from you. On the panel with presenter Charmaine Cozier are: • Liz Johnson, Co-Founder, The Ability People • Martin Sigsworth, Employment Manager. Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) • Angela Matthews, Head of Policy and Research, B...
Jul 28, 2021•29 min
Thousands of people say they’ve been shut out of their bank accounts without warning or explanation. MPs are investigating whether innocent customers have been caught up in a crackdown on money laundering. For the first time in 25 years the one-off payment given to adult prison leavers in England and Wales is to be raised. The Prison Discharge Grant will increase from £46 to £76, but what difference will that make? Last year 155,000 people shared an extra £16m in pay after that HMRC ensured they...
Jul 24, 2021•25 min
What do you need to know about travel rights, money and insurance this summer? Adam Shaw and guests answer your questions about the practicalities and costs of travelling this year. Are you considering a summer holiday? Have you rebooked a cancelled trip? How much is a PCR test, what does the travel traffic light system mean for your insurance and how do you get the best deal on your travel money? e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now with your questions and stories. If you’ve just returned from a trip ...
Jul 21, 2021•35 min
More than 20,000 bereaved families can now claim financial support once restricted to married couples and civil partners. The payments worth up to £10,000 have been extended to cover all couples who lived together and claimed child benefit. Eight years ago the government said it would introduce funding for university and higher education that is comparable with the principle of Islamic finance. So when will it happen? And what should banks do to protect problem gamblers. GUESTS: Omar Shaikh - Ad...
Jul 17, 2021•25 min
There are almost 3m lone parent families in the UK and for many the pandemic has put increased pressure on already stretched family finances. The charity Gingerbread say that single parents are more likely to have lost jobs or experienced reduced hours and falling incomes. If you’ve a question or a tip about supporting children when you separate, dealing with child maintenance payments and arrears or maximising your income, we’d love to hear from you. Or if you’ve got some advice to share about ...
Jul 14, 2021•32 min
When banks stop you spending your own money. Barclays and Santander have banned payments to one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges while TSB may soon stop payments to all exchanges. Why tens of thousands of people could be eligible for significant refunds after the HMRC lost what could prove to be a landmark case concerning the way it deals with child benefit paid to high earners. What will change when the Financial Conduct Authority takes over regulation of pre-paid funeral plans? Using yo...
Jul 10, 2021•34 min
What help and support is available to people with a business dream? How do you develop the skills you need to run your own business? We hear from some entrepreneurs about the experience of turning their ideas into reality. To share your experiences and any questions e-mail: moneybox@bbc.co.uk Presenter Louise Cooper is joined by an expert panel: • Lisa Wardlaw, College Delivery Manager, Young Enterprise Scotland • Julian Hall, founder, Ultra Education • Alison Edgar, The Entrepreneur's Godmother...
Jul 07, 2021•28 min
Google is cracking down on financial-scam adverts in the UK, but will it work? Campaigner Mark Taber tells us what needs to be done to stem the millions of pounds lost to bogus investment schemes each year. It was reported this week that the financial regulator has banned one of the biggest crypto currency exchanges from operating in the UK. Jannah Patchay, founder of Markets Evolution, and Jason Deane – a consultant for Luno, explain why those reports were wrong. Park Christmas Savings, one of ...
Jul 03, 2021•30 min
Would you like to generate your electricity through a local, renewable energy project rather than buying it from a big supplier? In this episode, Adam Shaw and guests consider the costs and practicalities of setting up and running community-led energy projects, do such initiatives make financial and environmental sense? Joining Adam are: Jodie Giles, head of community and local energy at Regen Tanuja Pandit, director of Power Up North London Steve Shaw, the director of Power for People If you've...
Jun 30, 2021•36 min
Should the government force banks to guarantee everyone access to cash? Age UK warns that despite the rise of digital payments, millions of people still rely on cash and the charity says it should be seen as an essential service - like electricity, water, or the post. Barclays bank is to repay millions of pounds to customers miss-sold loans to pay for a timeshare scheme in Malta, but hundreds of others say they should be getting their money back too. The UK’s biggest insurance firm and a major h...
Jun 26, 2021•25 min
Arranging your wedding or civil partnership during Covid can be very tricky, especially as rules and restrictions change. But what are your rights if your plans are disrupted? Can you cancel and get a refund if your guest numbers are cut, you're told not to dance, or people - perhaps close family - are not able to attend because of changes to rules? Should you expect to be able to postpone without penalty? Can venues hang on to part of what you've paid up front? Is there any point in getting wed...
Jun 23, 2021•29 min
Thousands of people are struggling to complete the purchase of their new home before a big rise in Stamp Duty begins on the first of July in most of the UK. High street banks are told they are wrongly denying compensation to victims of fraud and they’ve been given a timetable to change their procedures. And grieving families could be paying hundreds of pounds too much for a funeral because firms do not display their prices clearly. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Production Co-ordi...
Jun 19, 2021•26 min
Low interest rates on savings has made many people consider putting money built up during the pandemic into stocks and shares in the hope of higher returns. But what do you need to know BEFORE you make that first trade? We explore the risks, how to navigate the jargon and - most importantly - whether this type of investment is really for you. Do you have an experience you'd like to share? Email us: moneybox@bbc.co.uk. Expert panel: - Susannah Streeter, Senior investment and markets analyst, Harg...
Jun 16, 2021•28 min
Bitcoin or Britcoin? The Bank of England has published the results of its consultation on creating a new central bank digital currency – and also the prospect of regulating other commercial digital currencies – so-called “safecoin”. We hear from the Bank’s deputy governor, Sir Jon Cunliffe and from cryptocurrency expert Kate Baucherel. Four years after the Grenfell Tower fire in which 72 people died, leaseholders living in tower blocks affected by the cladding crisis have started receiving and p...
Jun 12, 2021•28 min
Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in England Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland are now open for indoor business. But there’s growing concern about the numbers of vacancies across the hospitality sector. According to trade body UK Hospitality there is a shortfall of almost 200,000 workers. If you run a hospitality business, how difficult are you finding it to get staff? Are you a worker who’s left the sector to look for employment elsewhere? Let us know your experience: moneybox@bbc.c...
Jun 09, 2021•29 min
Children’s Commissioner for Wales Professor Sally Holland explains why she, along with the Commissioners for Scotland and Northern Ireland, want the DWP to drop a Universal Credit entitlement rule introduced by the coalition government in 2017. It only provides support for a maximum of two children with a few specific exceptions. Money Box reporter Joice Etutu hears from some of the thousands of people who have received random cheques from HSBC Banking Group. Amounts vary from tens to thousands ...
Jun 05, 2021•25 min
What are you rights when making a complaint? How do you make sure you escalate your grievance to the right person? What difference can social media make in getting your grumble seen and sorted? Adam Shaw is joined by Martyn James from Resolver, a free, independent issue resolution service. and Alicia Alinia , Managing Director, Consumer Legal Services at the law firm, Slater & Gordon. Producer Smita Patel Editor Alex Lewis
Jun 02, 2021•29 min
A Money Box listener has been refused work by two employers because he was unable to provide his National Insurance Number despite the Department for Work and Pensions saying individuals can start work without one. Last year we reported that people coming to the UK with the right to work weren’t able to obtain a National Insurance Number because the government had stopped issuing them. People can now apply - but that process takes up to 16 weeks and trying to get work in the meantime can be toug...
May 29, 2021•25 min
Apprenticeships allow you to earn money as you study for qualifications and gain practical experience on the job. There's a wide range of careers and industries to choose from but a recent Ofsted report said that 10% of apprenticeships are inadequate, so how do you find a good quality scheme to help you develop the skills you need to succeed? On Wednesday's programme Adam Shaw speaks to apprentices and employers about their experiences and ambitions and we'd love to hear from you too. If you're ...
May 29, 2021•27 min
