Original Broadcast: This is Money
Is the younger generation going to end up worse off than their parents? A new survey shows young people aged 18 to 29 say the events of 2026 have left them feeling particularly pessimistic about the future, and the number who believe they will be worse off than their parents has doubled in the past year. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss whether the idea the next generation will have it better than previous ones is now bunkum. Elsewhere, what do you want to see less of on the high street? And how can they improve? A student loan interest cap kicks in later in the year — for some. Simon explains what it means. And do you use a dodgy fire stick for watching TV, films or football? We discuss whether the net is closing in on their illegal use.
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As Rosacea Awareness Month approaches this April, experts are warning that many people may be misreading the signs of their skin. Facial redness is one of the most common concerns in the UK, yet it remains widely misunderstood. While Rosacea affects around one in ten people, not all redness signals a chronic condition — and in many cases, everyday triggers or skincare habits could be to blame. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this is Marie Troughton a UK-based Medical Relationships & Clinical Services Education Manager for Clinique.
Guests: Marie Troughton
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A report has been launched by Sciensus exploring how at-home care could be the future of a resilient NHS. It allows for complex treatment, such as chemotherapy and dialysis, to be delivered in our living rooms. Experts are suggesting this could be an ideal solution for those facing the hidden costs of attending regular hospital appointments and a postcode lottery of quality of care. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this further is Christian Tucat, Chief Executive Officer at Sciensus.
Guests: Christian Tucat
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Many younger adults think they are substantially less well-off than their parents. But while there are inequalities, new research suggests the wealth gap may be far narrower than previously reported — and it is largely down to the cash those in their twenties and thirties have stashed in their pensions. Lee Boyce, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost discuss why official figures got it wrong, and whether property versus pension is a pointless comparison. The team also ask what will happen to interest rates and mortgages due to the fact that — for now at least — a ceasefire in Iran appears to be holding. Elsewhere, Lee reports on a ferocious best buy battle at the top of the fixed Cash ISA tables, where even the high street banks are getting involved. And finally, another Chinese pretender to Amazon's retail throne has entered the UK. Is Joybuy any good, how did it fare when our reporter put its delivery service to the test — and do we really need another place to buy bargain toilet rolls online?
Guests: Helen Crane
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New research reveals Brits are redefining ageing — focusing less on appearance and more on how they feel, from energy levels to long-term health. But despite this shift, many admit they’ve ignored their health in the past, and younger people are already feeling the pressures of ageing. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this is Alan Graves, founder and Clinical Research Advisor at DoNotAge.
Guests: Alan Graves
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
A solar revolution is on its way to Britain and can help save us from volatile and high energy bills, if you believe Ed Miliband. Plug-in solar panels are popular across Europe but currently rules in the UK mean that we can’t buy them and, as it says on the tin, simply plug them into our home’s electricity supply. But changes are afoot that will mean we could soon be buying individual panels that cost £400 and simply plugging them into a three-pin wall socket, where thanks to the magic of an inverter they would put power into your home. And we might even be able to nip down to the middle of Lidl to buy them, with the discount supermarket among those talking about offering them — in its famous middle aisle. In Germany, IKEA sells panels and there and in other European countries they are popular, so could they transform our homes? How long would it take to get your money back — and what’s the prepper angle on the interest in all this? Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert talk plug-in solar panels and energy bills on this episode, also discussing summer holiday flights and what the massive disruption triggered by the Iran war will do to prices and demand — and how to target a cheaper break. Plus, with the government announcing its new town locations, where do property experts think the best one will be? And, there are rumblings in the finance world over private credit, with the Bank of England among those warning about what’s been dubbed shadow banking. What’s going on, could it trigger a financial crisis and should you be worried?
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CEO of Estatesearch (specialists in bereavement legal services) Jonathan Upton comments on the NS&I debacle and further lost money as follows: “This is just the tip of the iceberg. More than £33 billion has effectively become ‘lost’ in UK financial institutions, with only a fraction recovered over the past decade. Without more proactive asset searches by legal firms and stronger tracing efforts from financial institutions, this growing problem is leaving billions disconnected from their rightful owners.” Jonathan, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, has over two decades in the industry now, specifically dealing with estate assets after a bereavement. He's calling for financial institutions to undertake enhanced tracing exercises to follow customers who have changed providers or died to ensure assets are rightfully repatriated, and for legal firms can undertake Financial Profile searches or asset searches to establish the full extent of a person’s estate when they pass away so that assets can be passed on to the rightful beneficiaries.
Guests: Jonathan Upton
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
The young owners of over two-thirds of all Child Trust Funds reach adulthood at the end of March 2026, but very large numbers of HMRC-allocated accounts remain unknown and unclaimed, including almost three-quarters of the £1 billion belonging to low-income young adults: the position is particularly acute in the north of England and devolved nations. These are accounts for which HM Treasury/HMRC are the 'settlor', and therefore have a duty to deliver these young adults' birthrights. Background music: 'Waiting' by Andrew Langdon
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
There's just a week to go until the end of the tax year and if you haven't sorted your ISA, pension or the rest of your finances it's time to get your skates on. Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discuss the important things you need to think about before 5 April — and ideally right now. From how your ISA allowance works to parking cash and drip-feeding it, and why a pension can not only boost your retirement savings but also cut your tax bill, they explain what you need to know. And Simon has some extra tips on how to use as much of your ISA or pension allowance as possible, even if you don't have the ready cash. Also, what on earth is going on at NS&I — and will it have to pay millions on compensation? And how to become a tradesperson on a six-figure salary, will interest rates really rise four times this year and, finally, what are the food items that have rocketed the most in price?
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Mortgage rates have shot up this week as the impact of the conflict with Iran for inflation and interest rates sinks in. Banks and building societies have been racing to raise their fixed rates — with some even pushing them up twice in the space of a few days. It comes in response to a sudden switch around in expectations for the Bank of England base rate, but will this flurry of hikes continue or are the concerns overdone? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert look at what's going on in the mortgage market — and what you can do about it if you are buying a home or need to remortgage. Plus, Simon has broken with the habit of a lifetime and actually fixed his energy bills for once. He explains why you should too - and how there are still potentially price cap-beating or matching deals out there. Helen outlines the nine biggest mistakes you can make with your pension — and what they could cost you. And finally, if you have a Nationwide current account and are hopefully in line for some free money from Fairer Share, this is what you must do in the next two weeks.
Guests: Helen Crane
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