Is that gym membership really worth it? Are there ways of getting fit for free? And can you ‘invest’ in your own health? Adam Shaw is joined by a panel of experts to answer your questions. Phill Wright - Business Transform Manager - Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity Steven Scales - Director of Membership and Sector Development – UK Active To share your experiences or to ask a question email [email protected] Producer: Drew Miller Hyndman...
Jun 22, 2022•29 min
This week, the energy regulator Ofgem, announced that the price cap, which most of us now pay for our electricity and gas, would be set every three months, not six as it does now. It says updating it more frequently should help avoid the kind of price shocks people are seeing now - with some saying their bill is doubling. It will also help the suppliers because if prices rise sharply they will not have to sell electricity and gas at below market rates for so long. Ofgem is also introducing a new...
Jun 18, 2022•29 min
Are you ready for the start of university? From loans to bursaries, discounts to freebies, Charmaine Cozier puts your questions to our expert panel on all things student finances. We hear from Jordan, Andrew, Phoebe, and Susan as we try to prepare you for higher education. Panel: David Thomson - Head of Operational Support - Student Loans Company Tom Allingham - Save the Student
Jun 15, 2022•29 min
The National Pawnbrokers Association tells Money Box it will hold talks with the Financial Conduct Authority next week. That follows a report which shows people on low incomes are pawning goods to pay for food and fuel. As the cost of living crisis hits more households, pawnbrokers say they're becoming a more important source of credit. Critics argue that pawnbrokers charge annual interest rates of 120% and undervalue people's possessions whilst supporters say they're a vital source of finance f...
Jun 11, 2022•26 min
What happens when Long Covid means you just can’t work like you used to? What kind of support could you be entitled to? And do you qualify for any benefits? Seb Choudhury hears from Holly, Jules, Lesley, and Sara about their experience with Long Covid. Whilst our panel of experts offer their advice and tips for returning to and leaving work. Panel: Ruth Cornish – Founder and HR Expert – Amelore Will Hadwin – Benefits Adviser & Trainer More information: https://longcovidwork.co.uk/ Presenter:...
Jun 08, 2022•28 min
According to the charity National Energy Action 6.5 million households are now living in fuel poverty which is up 50% on October last year. Fuel poverty is defined differently across the UK, but if you cannot afford to heat your home to the temperature needed to be healthy then you are in fuel poverty. People struggling to afford their energy bill are always advised to contact their supplier. We've been finding out what help is available. A report has highlighted the need to ensure low-cost floo...
Jun 04, 2022•25 min
How much does it cost to rent an allotment? What food can you grow if you don’t have a garden? And can you really save money by growing your own food? Felicity Hannah chats to Sheila, Rebecca, Ross, Paul, and Jess about their growing questions and experiences. As always our expert panel is on hand to answer their questions and give their green fingered tips. Panel: Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones – The Black Farmer Russell Attwood – The National Allotment Society
Jun 01, 2022•28 min
Some government guidance to give some people a £150 council tax rebate in April to help with record energy bills has been changed. The treasury says it was always clear, including its press notice and the leaflet which went out to millions of households, that the £150 council tax rebate to help with the cost of living would be paid “from” April. More on this story. More than two million people who rely on six means-tested state benefits are going to be moved to the newer benefit Universal Credit...
May 28, 2022•25 min
How much would you pay to increase your chances of having a baby? Would you travel abroad? Borrow money or ask family for help? The use of private IVF clinics is soaring and prices for a cycle of treatment can reach over £10,000. Felicity Hannah chats to Jess, Steve, Peter and Pragya. And our expert panel responds to their questions and experiences. Panel: Tone Jarvis-Mack – Chief Executive – Fertility Foundation Kayleigh Hartigan – Founder – Fertility Mapper Katherine O’Brien - Associate Direct...
May 25, 2022•28 min
Ukrainian refugees are now beginning to arrive in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Money Box has been contacted by two host families having difficulty helping their guests open UK bank accounts. Karina, a doctor, escaped from Kyiv and with her mother and her 5 year old daughter. They then travelled 1,700 miles to London. They are being hosted by Roger Corke and his family. They need a bank account to get benefits and give them some financial independence. We'll hear about their experi...
May 21, 2022•28 min
Energy bills, the big food shop, the price of filling up the car - everything costs more just now and there’s no sign it’s going to change soon. Felicity Hannah and guests ask where can you look for cheaper options, to make our money go further, but still have some fun? She is joined in the studio by expert deal hunters who promise not to suggest cutting back on Easter eggs. Bukiie Smart, accountant and the creator of the Save Spend Invest. Claire Walsh, a chartered financial planner. And journa...
May 14, 2022•28 min
Scams are on the rise and small businesses are no safer from fraudsters than consumers. And in some cases, businesses are being scammed by their own customers. Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime, say that one in four small businesses are affected by fraud every year, with costs to businesses estimated at early £19 billion. How do entrepreneurs keep their budding business safe? What should companies do to protect their data? And when it all goes wrong, who ...
May 11, 2022•30 min
The Government announced plans this week to impose more regulation on firms where people legally buy and sell bitcoin. One major crypto platform where people do this is called Kraken - which is where 77-year-old Graeme moved more than half a million pounds which thieves then stole. Graeme was robbed of his savings, his car, and his house by thieves who manipulated him to buy cryptoassets. We hear from Curtis Ting, a Managing Director of Kraken. In an extreme case of council tax arrears, we hear ...
May 07, 2022•26 min
Millions of households are facing a £700 a year rise in fuel costs from now with the increase in the energy price cap. This comes on top of other hikes in the cost of living like council tax and more expensive food bills. How are people coping now the cap has been lifted? An expert panel gives advice. Expert panel Dhara Vyas - Policy, Advocacy & Campaigns Energy UK Abby Jitendra - Principal Policy Manager on Energy, Citizens Advice
May 04, 2022•30 min
Welcome to April, the season of rising prices and higher taxes - including the largest increase in energy bills. The first of two payments to help with those bills should arrive this month - a £150 rebate paid by local councils to all householders in Great Britain in council tax Bands A to D. (In Wales and Scotland the money will also go to Band E-H householders who benefit from council tax reduction schemes.) For those who pay council tax by direct debit, getting the money should be straightfor...
Apr 30, 2022•26 min
The cost of living crisis is fuelling valid fears about personal and household finances - but what happens when money anxiety gets out of control? Many young people worry about their own and their family's finances, but what can they do to conquer the fear? We hear from Iona Bain, musician turned financial author who specialises in millennial personal finance. She founded Young Money Blog after suffering with money anxiety herself. And we also hear from Sharon Davies, CEO of Young Enterprise, th...
Apr 27, 2022•29 min
Inflation is the rise in the price of everything we buy. This week the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted prices would rise more than 7% this year, peaking at nearly 9% this winter. We hear from Isabel Stockton of the Institute of Fiscal Studies, on tax changes and the worst inflation most people have ever seen. Some very vulnerable people are facing an even worse cost of living crisis than the rest of us. The amount of money that working age disabled adults are allowed to keep from thei...
Apr 23, 2022•25 min
The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, gives an update on the health of the UK economy. What will it mean for your household finances? A panel of experts will analyse what he says and we want to hear your thoughts too. Are you cheered or concerned by the state of the nation's finances? And how will it affect the way you spend or save your hard-earned cash? Also, looking ahead to the new tax year, we'll discuss the tax rises which begin in April and the outlook for our personal finances over the next twelv...
Apr 20, 2022•29 min
We report on a man who was fed up with poor returns on his savings and tried to invest in cryptocurrency instead. But he ended up losing his savings, his car, and his house as thieves stripped him bare. Money Box reporter Dan Whitworth investigates. The government is about to announce changes to who is eligible to receive the Warm Home Discount in England and Wales. This £140 payment off one electricity bill will be raised to £150 from next winter. But charities are warning that there will be mo...
Apr 16, 2022•25 min
How do you make sure your pensions and savings and invested ethically? Do you know where your pension is invested? How much of your money is invested in Russia? How can you put pressure on your pension providers to invest ethically? Felicity Hannah chats to listeners, guests and our panel of experts about how to make your money ethical. Panel: Lucy Coutts, Investment Director at JM Finn wealth management Becky O’Connor, Head of Pensions and Savings at Interactive Investor Find out more: https://...
Apr 13, 2022•28 min
Buying things online will be more difficult from Monday. A new law means that every purchase will have to be authenticated by an extra process after you have put in your card number, expiry date, and CVV code on the back. It will mean better protection against fraud, but may exclude some people from online shopping. We hear from Rob Cameron, Chief Executive of Barclaycard Payments, and Helen Saxon, Deputy Editor at Money Saving Expert. Two not-for-profit lenders have come up with a way to help l...
Apr 09, 2022•30 min
The average UK rent has broken through the £1000 barrier for the first time and inflation is starting to push up landlords costs. How do you beat the rush for viewings? Could rent controls be a short term solution? And could a good tenant and landlord relationship solve all your woes? Charmaine Cozier is joined by an expert panel for tenants and landlords to answer questions and offer advice. Ruth Ehrlich, Policy Manager at Shelter. Chris Norris, Director of Policy and Campaigns at the National ...
Apr 06, 2022•29 min
The telecoms watchdog Ofcom has drawn up proposals to make it harder for criminals to fake caller ID when they phone people. It’s called number spoofing and happens when crooks use technology to make the number that comes up on your phone appear as though the call is coming from a legitimate organisation like your bank or the police. We hear from Lindsey Fussell, Ofcom’s Group Director for Networks and Communications. Big changes to the way student loans are repaid in England could change the ba...
Apr 05, 2022•26 min
As Russian military forces continue bombarding Ukrainian cities and civilians, are your investments supporting the Kremlin's regime? International companies have been pulling out of Russian investment, and pension funds and investment firms say they are reducing holdings in Russian companies. But what can ordinary investors do? Are you aware that a tracker fund or an investment bond might help support Russian firms? We hear from Lucy Coutts, Investment Director at JM Finn Wealth Management. For ...
Apr 02, 2022•26 min
As the cost of living rises, more people are facing going into debt. Whether it’s your rent, mortgage, utility bills or credit cards, breaking the cycle of debt isn’t easy. Who can you go to when you’re struggling to pay your debts? How do you prioritise your spending? Can you even negotiate your debts down? And how can you avoid debt altogether? Felicity Hannah talks to Chloe, Chris, Manga, Christine and James about their debt woes and wins. And to help advise and guide us through the world of ...
Mar 30, 2022•33 min
Looking for the latest episode? New episodes of Money Box will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps. If you haven’t already, you can download the BBC Sounds app to listen to the Money Box podcast first. BBC Sounds is also available in lots of other places. Find us on your voice device or smart speaker, on your connected TV, in your car, or at bbc.co.uk/sounds. The latest episode is available on BBC Sounds right now. BBC Sounds – you can find exclusive mus...
Mar 03, 2022•1 min
A BBC investigation has found that more than 50 people were tricked into working for a design agency that turned out to be fake. They were hired during the lockdown and convinced the company was a successful business. But it had an online universe of fake profiles, stolen work and lies. Workers were all Jobfished. Charmaine Cozier talks to BBC reporter Catrin Nye who investigated this story for the past 12 months and to former employee, Jordan Carter about what happened to him The programme also...
Feb 23, 2022•28 min
Plans to cut back on face-to-face debt advice in favour of regional call centres have been scrapped - for now. We hear from Craig Simmons, Head of Debt Policy and Strategy at the Money and Pensions Service, and from debt adviser Amy Taylor, who is also Chair of the Greater Manchester Money Advice Group. (Debt Advice links below.) An estimated £75 million a year is stolen from people in the UK by online subscription frauds. You buy one thing and are secretly subscribed forever. Reporter Athar Ahm...
Feb 19, 2022•26 min
Valentine’s Day, this week, may have been good, bad, ugly or plain irrelevant – but for millions of people it will also have been expensive. So in today’s Money Box Live, Adam Shaw and guests look at the costs of dating. What do you spend on finding and hooking up with someone? Is it worth spending money on how you look on dating sites, plus for the date itself? And do you split the bill at the end of a date? Adam Shaw talks to listeners Jan, Roger, Fay, Georgie and Mike who tell us about their ...
Feb 16, 2022•37 min
You could get the best Christmas present this year, cash you thought you had lost forever! Louise Cooper and guests discuss how to trace financial assets you may have forgotten about in old bank accounts, pensions, investments and perhaps insurance policies. Joining Louise Cooper to discuss how to locate your share of an estimated £50 billion languishing unloved and unclaimed in various places are: Kaya Marchant, Pensions Specialist at MoneyHelper Carol Knight, Chief of Operations at The Investi...
Feb 15, 2022•29 min
