Original Broadcast: This is Money
First-time buyers are borrowing big to try to skip the first rungs of the property ladder and buy bigger homes, a new report suggests. That comes alongside a slump in demand for flats, as buyers push for houses instead. So whether you are a first-time buyer or a home mover should you extend as far as you can to buy a home that will last you longer, or do you risk damaging your finaces by overstretching? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert talk property on this episode, from mortgages, to house prices, why buyer tastes have shifted and why flats can be great. Plus, how does this all fit in to the fading buy-to-let dream and can investing in property still work out? Also, why Britain has an inflation problem and what we can do about our sketchy public finances. And finally, there's a new savings account with a prize draw on offer — should you open one?
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
It’s September, it’s back to work, back to school and back to mild chaos. This week saw a delayed Budget announced, with a raft of speculation that will only mount over what bad news that could mean, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner forced to quite after underpaying stamp duty to the tune of £40,000, and long-term UK borrowing costs hit the highest level in 27 years. So, what on earth is going on? And aren’t we in the phase of the plan to get Britain’s economy back on track where things meant to be getting better not worse? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert do their best to keep the politics out of it while discussing the Budget, the stamp duty row and the gilts wobble. They explain what this all means for the UK’s national finances and our personal finances and look at whether things could really be about to improve. Plus, should the biggest take away from the Angela Rayner stamp duty situation be that it’s a terrible tax that needs to be reformed so bills are slashed for all, as soon as possible? And finally, if your pre-booked Uber fails to turn up, you miss a flight that the airline dragged forward by half a day, and end up paying £475 for new flights, should you be able to get someone other than you to foot the bill?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Dubai is doing its best to draw in disillusioned young Britons, offering cut-price properties, visa incentives for entrepreneurs and of course, the prospect of paying no income tax. Footballer Rio Ferdinand and his family have even announced they are making the move — but two young families This is Money spoke to say it isn't just for sports stars and influencers. They say it's easier to start your own business, they can get petrol for 50p a litre, and send their children to private school. Helen Crane and Georgie Frost are joined by Money Mail editor and This is Money alumna and Money Mail editor Rachel Rickard-Straus to discuss whether the money incentives would ever be enough for them to do the same. It comes as yet another planned tax hike is being rumoured ahead of Labour's Autumn Budget. This time, landlords are being threatened with paying National Insurance on the income they make from rent — but who will the tax hike really hurt? Elsewhere, our savings expert Sylvia Morris is convinced NS&I will slash the rate on its ever-popular Premium Bonds this October. Georgie is ditching hers, but should you do the same — and where can you get a better rate? Finally, Helen discusses helping a reader who was told she couldn't get her money back for an £883 ferry crossing her husband booked, as she had the wrong kind of death certificate.
Guests: Rachel Rickard-Straus
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
The Bank of England has cut interest rates again, but this time, the decision wasn’t straightforward. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane ask what the division in the Monetary Policy Committee tells us about the state of the economy right now, and what the cut means for our money. We also talk about plans to hit those in wealthier areas with bigger council tax bills. Why is the current system so unequal, and how could your area be affected? Helen discusses a water company who told an elderly couple they needed their pipework replacing at a cost of thousands — when in reality, all they needed was a new water meter (which is given away for free). Finally, Lee explains who can claim from the car finance scandal - and what to do if you can't find the paperwork.
Guests: Helen Crane
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What would you do with £208 million? Ahead of another Euromillions rollover, This is Money spoke to an adviser to those fortunate few who have scooped a jackpot to get some practical tips on what to do if you win big…just in case! Would friends and family be top of your list when it comes to how to spend it... or something else? Lee Boyce, Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost discuss. Simon turns his focus on The Big Winter Fuel u-turn and the spending review – 'pray for Rachel and all of us', he says. We borrowed too much to buy our home - what can we do about our huge mortgage? And an auction expert revealed the four types of property that savvy buyers are snapping up right now.
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
With the Bank of England citing Donal Trump's trade war as the key driver for lower interest rates, will the UK-US trade deal stall the fall? Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Helen Crane discuss this and — will the new IHT levy on pensions lead to retirees spending more on holidays? Also, as companies require more of their staff to return to the office, is 'Working From Home' over?
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Markets around the world have slumped, the dollar weakened and fears mount of a global recession, after Donald Trump announced huge 'reciprocal' tariffs on over one hundred countries. The UK appears to have got off lightly, attracting just the baseline 10% tariff - but even that will wipe out the Chancellor's beloved headroom and leaves the door wide open for tax rises in the Autumn. How else could it hit us here? From pensions, investments, mortgages and energy bills, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce try to unpick a crazy few days in the geo-political arena. As ISA providers continue to battle it out to win new customers ahead of the end of the tax year, we've seen some chunky deals. A quartet of savings apps have all boosted rates repeatedly in the last week, with the top Cash ISA rate of 5.9%, up from 5.28% just a week ago. The catch? These bonus boosts only last three months, so how good is the rate you're really getting over the whole year? And are these deals worth it? And, on the topic of ISAs, Simon has his very, very last minute tips on filling your allowance before it's too late.
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Rachel Reeves is back to where she started after the Spring Statement, with her £9.9billion of budget headroom restored but at what cost? The Chancellor was true to her word and didn't turn last week's economic update into a second Budget, with no tax changes coming in. But a wave of spending cuts was announced, along with growth forecasts going both down and up. We also got the Office for Budget Responsibility's update on what Reeves' Autumn Budget tax rises will cost us, a threat to Cash ISAs and no reprieve for home buyers on stamp duty. In this episode, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dive into the Spring Statement to explain why it happened, what it means, and tackle the question of whether taxes are going to have to rise again in autumn. They look at the very important assumption being made by the OBR, which if it turns out to be wrong could mean there is a £48billion black hole in the sums. And is the entire thing a charade anyway and damaging to our future prospects? Simon explains why he thinks so. Finally, campaigners like Gary Stevenson claim that this could all be solved with a wealth tax — is that where we will eventually end up?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Rachel Reeves is due to deliver her Spring Statement next week, and it's probably safe to say this isn't the position she wanted to be in. After an Autumn Budget that raised spending and hiked taxes while locking the Chancellor in with a new fiscal rule, Reeves would have hoped to arrive in March with better news on the economy. Instead, Labour's not-a-tax-on-working-people national insurance hike on employers has backfired, at the same time as the growth forecasts have taken a downturn and borrowing costs have risen. So, what will the Chancellor do next week? Will she tweak her own fiscal rule, raise taxes again or cut spending in unprotected areas that are already suffering? As Rachel Reeves finds herself between a rock and a hard place, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what could happen. Plus, what does the Bank of England holding rates and the potential future path mean for your savings and mortgage? What should you do to sort your ISA and pension now? Can you really give away £1 million a year and dodge inheritance tax? And finally, the question that anyone like Simon who racks up the odd foreign traffic infraction needs answered: if you get a holiday parking fine, do you have to pay it?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Investors this week have been hit by the 'Trump Slump.' Why is the US President rattling markets, and is it the end of the US bull market? Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss what you should be doing to make your investments great again. How will the UK handle potential tariffs, should investors be in panic mode and what do experts say you should be doing to navigate the geopolitical turmoil? Pension freedom rules came into play ten years ago — these allowed retirees to take control of their pension savings, shifting away from the obligation to buy an annuity and moving towards flexible drawdown and investment options. So a decade on, how have the class of 2015 fared? Nationwide is handing out more money — £600 million of it — to 12 million eligible members as a 'big thank you' following its acquisition of Virgin Money last year. That’s £50 each. And it’s separate to its Fairer Share Scheme, which will be announced in May. And lastly, what can you do if a neighbour cuts back hedges and trees which have given you privacy for decades?
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