This is Money Podcast

Is the FTSE 100 finally having its moment in the sun?

You can wait a long time for a FTSE 100 record high but for peak-starved British investors this week delivered a bonanza. Four record highs were racked up by the FTSE 100, with only Wednesday's slight dip spoiling what would have been a perfect run over a week. The return to new highs on Thursday came as a mega-mining merger bid arrive from BHP for Anglo American - and that was followed swiftly by one of the UK's few tech stars Darktrace announcing it had accepted a bid on Friday. Are these the ...

Is there a risk that inflation falls and then spikes again?

State pension boosted by 8.5% from this week - will it ever become means tested?

Older people received another boost to the state pension this week taking the full rate to over £11,000 a year. This year's increase of 8.5 per cent was thanks to the triple lock commitment - a guarantee the state pension will rise each year by the higher of CPI, wages or 2.5 per cent. What does the future hold? While there is plenty of speculation the state pension may become means tested , in reality it could be incredibly hard to implement. This week, Tanya Jefferies, Georgie Frost, Helen Cra...

Beware fixed-rate savings trap… and secrets from an Isa millionaire

There's a warning for savers who's fixed term deals are coming to an end - don't take your eye off the ball now or risk having your returns wiped out in a matter of months. A year ago, there was a flurry of savers choosing fixed-rate bonds as they improved drastically. But if you don't act, the chances are it'll rollover into an awful rate. On this week's This is Money podcast, Helen Crane, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost talk savings, just as we head into a new financial year. Also on the savings f...

Is a 99% mortgage really that bad?

The row over small deposit mortgage is the gift that keeps on giving. Hot on the heels of the Budget plan that never appeared arrives Yorkshire Building Society's new deal, that's been dubbed a 99 per cent mortgage. But is it really one of those and does it have any redeeming features? And if it's cheaper than you rent, is there anything wrong with taking a 99 per cent mortgage? On this week's This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert talk tiny deposit mortgages, negative equity and...

How to sort your pension and Isa before the tax year ends

There is less than a fortnight to go before the end of the tax year and that means it's time to sort your Isa, pension and finances before it's too late. With another tax raid on the way for investors on capital gains and dividends, this is one of the most important tax year ends in years. On this special bonus episode of the This is Money podcast, Simon Lambert talks to Rob Morgan, of Charles Stanley Direct, to find out what investors need to do and why sorting your pension and Isa can save you...

Will the Bank of England cut rates as soon as people think?

The Bank of England held interest rates again this week as inflation dropped once more. So, are we out of the woods yet? Will inflation keep coming back down towards target and the Bank of England soon seamlessly switch back to cutting rates? Or will central bankers be keen to hold onto higher rates, even if we get hit by a bout of disinflation? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what next for inflation and interest rates and what it means for your money. ...

Are you about to have to pay for your bank account?

Was the Budget too little, too late - and what will it mean for your money?

Jeremy Hunt bounced around delivering his Budget on Wednesday, proudly declaring his commitment to tax cuts and supporting working families. Another 2p was chopped off National Insurance and the threshold at which child benefit is removed was raised from £50,000 to £60,000. But you don’t need to be a financial expert to know that the Chancellor’s version of events isn’t quite the whole story. Because Mr Hunt is also presiding over a long-term stealth tax freeze to thresholds that is costing work...

Quick Budget reaction: Investing experts on the Chancellor's speech

On this bonus episode of the This is Money Podcast, Simon Lambert is joined by Charles Stanley Direct’s Lisa Caplan and Garry White for a quick run through what was in the Budget. Investment experts Lisa and Garry talk us through the main Budget points and what they mean for people. Join us on Friday for the full Budget episode where the This is Money Podcast team will dissect Jeremy Hunt's plan and reveal the devils uncovered in the details.

Tale of the state pension underpaid for 20 YEARS

The debacle over widespread errors in the state pension that This is Money and Sir Steve Webb uncovered, continues. As of the end of October last year, DWP had paid out just under half a billion pounds to more than 80,000 people who’ve been underpaid. But what about those who have died? This week, Tanya Jefferies, Lee Boyce, Angharad Carrick and Georgie Frost reveal the case where a letter was sent to the daughter of an 100 year-old man three years after he passed away, stating he had been unpai...

Will the Budget cut taxes and get rid of these traps?

With the Budget tipped to be the Chancellor’s last roll of the dice before a General Election, expectations over tax cuts are growing. But what taxes could Jeremy Hunt choose to cut and why – and is there hope that he will sort out the tax mess that Britain has got stuck in. The higher income child benefit charge creates marginal tax rates above 50 per cent, meanwhile the removal of the personal allowance bakes in a 60 per cent income tax rate between £100,000 and £125,140. Should these tax trap...

The UK is in recession but does that matter (and could things be about to get better)?

It's finally happened. After months of will-we, won't-we speculation, the UK economy has finally succumbed to recession. The ONS revealed this week that a drop in GDP in the final three months of 2023 meant that Britain had racked up two consecutive of negative growth - and thus the dreaded R word is here. But is this a bad one, why does the term 'technical recession' keep being bandied about and do these backward-looking figures mask things already getting better? On this week's podcast, Georgi...

Interview: Sir Stelios on how he launched easyJet - and backing young entrepreneurs

In this special bonus This is Money podcast episode, Simon Lambert speaks to easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Sir Stelios tells the story of how he launched easyJet his easyGroup of companies - and how allowing others to build companies using the easy brand works. He also explains why he is backing entrepreneurs under the age of 35 with his Stelios Philanthropic Foundation awards and giving away £150,000 to the successful winner.

Will you be able to afford a comfortable retirement?

The cost of a comfortable retirement has jumped over the past year - but what do you need to get one and will you get there? As the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association updates its annual look at how much income people need for a basic, moderate or comfortable retirement, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert take a look at what this all means for you. If a comfortable retirement costs a couple £59,000 a year and a moderate one £43,000, which one do you have a chance of achieving - and ...

Why would the Bank of England cut rates this year?

The Bank of England held base rate once again at 5.25 per cent , the fourth hold in succession – but this time, it was a genuine split by MPC members. So, when will we start seeing rates fall – and will inflation really be at the target 2 per cent by April? This week, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss what another interest rate pause means for you – and what that means for savings and mortgage rates, along with investors. Where do you stand on the smart meter debate? With This i...

Why has Britain fallen behind on getting richer?

Britain's disposable income has dropped substantially over the past 14 years compared to where it should be, according to a new report this week. The Centre for Cities said that the average household's disposable income has fallen £10,000 behind where it would have been if pre-2010 growth rates had been maintained. On average we have got better off, but we are well below what would have been expected. On this episode of the This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look a...

You can bag a £10k heat pump discount... would that tempt you to get one?

The Government wants us to get heat pumps fitted in our homes and it's offering up to £7,500 for us to do so. Now Worcester Bosch is bumping that up by an extra £2,500 - if you pick one of theirs of course. But with the devices cost between £8,000 to £30,000 to buy and fit, would it tempt you? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Lee Boyce reveal all... and talk the 'boiler tax'. Is inflation back on the rise? How worried should we be by the latest figures? And where next for interest rates? And milli...

Should you stick your money in Premium Bonds, a savings account or invest?

After a good year for Premium Bonds when the only way was up for the prize fund rate, savers got a blow this week as a cut arrived. The prize fund rate is being cut to 4.4 per cent from 4.65 per cent. That edges the average return - which you may or may not get - from Premium Bonds further below the best savings deals, so should you save instead? Or would many Premium Bond holders be better off investing? On this podcast episode, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss whether Premium...

Is the taxman really going after Ebay sellers?

Have you ever sold anything on Ebay, Vinted or Facebook Marketplace to make a bit of extra cash? Those who do may have been worried this week, as news that the websites will now be required to report sellers' activities to the taxman caused panic online. So what are the rules - and is HMRC really going after people who sell the odd frock or mobile phone? In this week's episode, Lee Boyce, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost explain what's really happening, how to tell if you are a 'trader' - and why m...

Will investors have a good year in 2024 - and what do they need to look out for?

How fast will interest rates fall - and where's the new normal?

The Bank of England has reached the peak with interest rates in this cycle. That's the firm view of the markets and most analysts, despite three members of the nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee disagreeing and voting for a rate hike this week. The question has now shifted from how high will rates go, to when will they be cut? The boldest predictions are for more than 1 per cent to be shaved off the base rate next year. Does that fit with the Bank's 'hawkish hold' of the base rate this week? ...

Will mortgage rates keep falling and is the crisis over?

It's been a rollercoaster year for mortgage rates and after the inflation panic spike over summer, lenders have been slashing costs for borrowers. The best mortgage rates are now falling towards 4 per cent, whereas not so many months ago they were rising towards 6 per cent - and many deals climbed above that. So is the mortgage crisis over and how much further will rates fall? On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discussa year of mortgage madness, what could happen next ...

The pandemic start-up that can turn your floorplan into a grand design: Bonus interview with Peek Home's founders

We love the idea of transforming our homes so much that an entire cottage TV industry has sprung out of it, ranging from Grand Designs, to Ugly House to Lovely House and Your Home Made Perfect. For Jaemi and Roly Glancy sketching out how they could renovate their properties turned into a start-up helping others envisage what they could do with theirs. In this bonus podcast episode, Simon Lambert of This is Money, speaks to Roly about how they started the business and where it's going....

What drives you mad about going to the shops?

What drives you mad about going to the supermarket? Is it self-service tills, scanning receipts to get out, loyalty scheme dual pricing, or prices being hiked well above inflation? Many of us want to support bricks and mortar retail, but there are times when shops seem to mainly be involved in testing our patience. In a week in which the competition watchdog fired a broadside at the consumer brands giants for pushing up prices, a practice dubbed ‘greedflation’ and sounded a warning to Tesco and ...

Will the mixed bag Autumn Statement boost your wealth?

The Autumn Statement was the definition of a mixed bag. There was a National Insurance cut, but the stealth income tax raid continued. The Isa system got an improvement, but the allowance remained frozen. Meanwhile, the triple lock was delivered along with a pension pot-for-life plan but inheritance tax remains firmly uncut at 40 per cent, with all its weird quirks intact. So, was that an Autumn Statement to fire Britain on to growth, as the Chancellor claimed, or a damp squib? On this week’s po...

Autumn Statement: What would you do if you were Chancellor for the day?

The Autumn Statement arrives next week and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The idea of it being a simple update on the economy seems to have been abandoned and instead there is talk of an Isa overhaul, tax changes, and even inheritance tax being cut from 40 per cent to 20 per cent. But if you were Chancellor for the day, what would you do? On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what could be on the cards as Jeremy Hunt stands up and delivers his Autum...

How to turn your work pension into a moneyspinner and boost your pot

We all know pensions are important but most of us rarely engage with them. Yet, with a little bit of time and effort, you can get your work pension working as hard as possible for you - and at some point in the future you will be very glad you did so. On this episode of the This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert talk pensions: why you should start early, the reason that it involves free money, how to invest for a richer retirement many years down the line and much more...

Have interest rates peaked - and what happens next?

Have interest rates peaked? After an inflation spike rudely awoke them from their slumbers, the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve have shown us that rate hiking can be a difficult habit to break. But 14 consecutive rate rises into an astonishing run from 0.1 per cent to 5.25 per cent for the base rate, the Bank of England suddenly paused six weeks ago. And then, on Thursday, it did it again . On both of those occasions, the Fed had also just done the same thing across the Atlantic. So, ...

Pension blunders and why a bond spike is worrying investors

This week, This is Money's pensions expert Tanya Jefferies joins Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost. Among the topics being discussed: State pension top-ups are in dire need of an overhaul by DWP and HMRC, says TANYA JEFFERIES What does the bond market sell-off mean for your investments and pension? UK bond yields at 25 year high: Global borrowing costs rocket in debt market rout Premium Bonds winning numbers - and latest news Our neighbour's CCTV is recording us: Can we make them take it down?...