Original Broadcast: This is Money
After the endless speculation, the Budget finally arrived this week. Rachel Reeves seemed happy with her statement and Sir Keir Starmer has been out singing its praises, but was the Budget a diamond in the rough or a dud? On this Budget 2025 episode, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dive into a Budget that many have commented is the most chaotic they can remember. After all the rumours, worries and waiting, how good or bad was it? Some of the expected financial pain didn't arrive but there were plenty of tweaks to tax our pocket and our patience. Did the Chancellor cut the right balance between getting more money in and supporting the economy, did she articulate a clear plan, or are we back to drifting about aimlessly in the tax and spending doom loop doldrums? And most importantly, what will all the measures mean for your money?
Published:
The NHS estimates that 14 million people are living with bladder problems — that is one in five of us in the UK, and 50% of care home residents have urinary incontinence. This week is Urology Week, a time to raise awareness of issues relating to our bladders and discuss typically taboo topics such as incontinence. Joining Rory McGowan to educate us on urology and explain how changes in continence care in the NHS is having a big impact is Tara, a nurse advisor for Ontex Healthcare. https://www.theurologyfoundation.org/
Guests: Tara
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
Can you do a financial podcast and not mention the Budget right now? No, not really. But you can give it a good shot at keeping Budget chat to the minimum. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert take breather from talking about Rachel Reeves and the endless cycle of madness that is the Budget 2025 build up to discuss some other stuff. Can they get through it without mentioning the Budget any more than five times? Listen to find out. First up it's interest rates. Why did the Bank of England hold, will there be a cut next month and how far will they fall? Plus, how have rate expectations shifted and where exactly do mortgage borrowers and savers stand now? Next, it's house prices. Leading estate agent Savills says property values are due to rise 22% in five years, but is that a lot or a little — and could homes actually be getting cheaper. Lee explains why savers are stashing so much cash and Simon sounds a clarion call for moving your money out of insult accounts. Then, via a quick diversion avoiding sneaky speed cameras, it is on to the turf war. Is it ever okay to consider artificial grass and what will it do to your house price? Listen to the end for B***** mentions score.
Published:
This November, PETA is launching Plant Wool Month — a 30-day celebration of the beauty, diversity, and sustainability of the wools borne from the extraordinary plants that give the Earth its lungs. Unlike sheep’s wool, which bears the worst possible environmental rating and often involves the mistreatment of the animals, hemp wool, for example, is ranked as a Class A material. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this further is PETA’s Associate Director of Media and Communications Jennifer White.
Guests: Jennifer White
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
Despite repeated assurances that Labour would not break its election manifesto by hiking income tax, it appears it is now under consideration by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget. Why is Rachel Reeves mulling over this U-turn, how much would it cost us, and would she really dare to do it? Angharad Carrick, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost discuss. Speculation over a 'mansion tax' in the Budget has also reared its head again. The team discuss whether it's a good idea to tax people with pricey homes, and how on earth HM Revenue & Customs would decide whether someone's house is worth more than £2 million or not. Elsewhere, some good news in store, as Goldman Sachs has predicted the Bank of England will cut interest rates at its meeting next week. Does fading inflation and sluggish growth mean this is now on the cards, and would the Bank dare to make a move before the Budget beast is unleashed? The team discuss. They also look at why we're now paying three times the energy standing charges that we were six years ago, and why some chocolate biscuits can no longer call themselves chocolate.
Guests: Angharad Carrick,Helen Crane
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
The dream of becoming an ISA millionaire will be a common ambition among many This is Money listeners. Most will probably dismiss it as fantasy but what if you could actually get there? Recently a long-time This is Money reader got in touch to tell us that he had managed just that... at the age of 36. Ollie Perry was happy to share his story, not to boast but to try to inspire others and to show that it isn't just wealthy boomers who can manage to make an ISA million. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss his story and what we can learn from it. How did he do it, are the big risks he took suitable for others, and what if you if prefer to get rich slower but with less chance of something going wrong? With a new top rate in town, Lee takes a look at the best buy savings deals on the market, Simon delves into why so many homes are seeing asking prices cut, and Georgie ponders why people are rushing to pay big money for retro tech that doesn't work.
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
AI hype is still driving share prices higher but there are a growing number of voices warning of a stock market bubble that might soon burst. The Bank of England added its name to the list of those raising concerns this week, as its Financial Policy Committee drew comparisons with the ‘dotcom’ boom 25 years ago that soon turned to bust. The red flags include a number of high profile, huge money deals involving OpenAI, with Oracle, Nvidia and now AMD, along with a massive data centre infrastructure splurge and questions over the robustness of credit markets. But why has AI gone from great investment hope to potential market super villain in a short space of time? What on earth is going on with U.S. tech giants' 'I give you money, you buy my stuff' deals? And are there genuine parallels to be drawn with the dotcom boom, or the months before the credit crunch? Georgie Frost, Angharad Carrick and Simon Lambert, look at why people are worried about an AI bubble popping and what investors can do to protect themselves. Plus, could you claim some money back from the car finance compensation that the FCA announced this week? Could we really scrap stamp duty — and would that be a good idea? And why did some households manage to pay nothing for their electricity last week?
Guests: Angharad Carrick
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
It's the latest social media craze, allegedly — revenge saving. But what on earth is it and can it really encourage people to get into the savings habit? Lee Boyce, Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost dive into the world of revenge saving. And while this new buzz-term does the rounds, we have a stab at making our version — the mind-trick savings method. We discuss why you shouldn't get hung up on saving large amounts, chasing high interest rates and to visualise money like a snowball going downhill. Meanwhile, we look at the little known government savings account that has seen £220m in bonus payments — could you benefit from opening one? A current account with a 6% savings rate, but it’ll set you back a whopping £17 a month — can it really be worth it? Also, HMRC can now take money DIRECT from your bank account or ISA if you haven't paid taxes; and Steve Webb answers a reader question — why can't I get my state pension on my 66th birthday?
Guests: Sir Steve Webb
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
Britain is suffering from an epidemic of people who are theoretically rich saying that they don't feel flush at all. If you're a higher-rate taxpayer on more than £50,000 then you are up in the top chunk of the country's earners, but chances are that unless you are well into six figures you don't feel particularly wealthy. Even many of those on £100,000-plus complain that they aren't comfortably living the lifestyles they expected when they dreamed of that kind of money. So, what's going on, what income does it take to make someone rich, does wealth matter more, or is it all to do with how much you have going out? As This is Money launches a new calculator that tells you how you compare, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the state of the nation's incomes. Also, where are the best places to retire to and how does Britain score, how hard is it to take your mortgage with you when you move and are EPCs a swizz. Plus, listen to Lee speak to Ross Kemp for a special 'Me & My Money' interview.
Published:
Original Broadcast: This is Money
As the founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, Greg Jackson knows more about Britain's household energy than almost anyone else. In his interview with This is Money's Simon Lambert, he explains why bills are still so high, what we can do as a nation to try to bring them down — and the future of household energy. Greg explains what people need to know about solar panels, heat pumps, electric cars and agile energy deals — and what we can do for those who don't want any of those things. He also discusses an idea that he is passionated about, making renewable energy cheaper — and sometimes even free — for those nearer to the source, which he believes could help both individuals and businesses - and attract big technology firms to the UK.
Guests: Greg Jackson
Published:
