Original Broadcast: This is Money
NS&I has just boosted the Premium Bonds underlying rate again to its highest level in nearly two years. The odds of winning are better too, with more £50,000 and £100,000 prizes to boot. More than 22 million of us hold Premium Bonds but after years of being beaten by the best savings accounts, are they suddenly looking like a good option again? And why raise the rate at all? Lee Boyce, Georgie Frost and Helen Crane discuss. Imagine you bought a house years ago, pay your mortgage every month ... only to discover the Land Registry still hasn’t registered it in your name. It could mean you can’t remortgage and are subsequently out of pocket. We discuss a case where this happened, why, and a deluge of cases we are hearing about. Inflation is heading the wrong way again - up from 2.6% to 2.9% in July, largely thanks to higher energy costs. What does that mean for base rate? Energy bills are likely to head higher still, with forecasts of another rise price cap rise in October. Is it time to fix? And finally, plug-in solar panels can be legally sold from next week. But before we all rush out to buy them, we explain what you need to know.
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
After years of stagnant sales and plummeting prices…is the housing market about to take off again? Lee Boyce, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost discuss what's going with property values and hunt for green shoots of recovery. Some of Britain's biggest banks are offering far better savings rates under different brands. We look at where the deals are hiding and how much more you could earn. Crane is back on the case — this time, she resolves a reader problem with an £11,500 heat pump. It left some rooms at just 12°C – and their energy bills went up. A-level results day was this week — do the younger generation need to go to university? We talk about the pressures facing school leavers and why a degree isn't the only route to a successful career, running through best apprenticeships and jobs that don't require a degree.
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Twice as many households could be forced to pay a new 'mansion tax', latest speculation suggests — the threshold may fall from £2 million to £1.5 million. That rumour comes with Andy Burnham expected to be Prime Minister before the end of the month. So, exactly who will be affected, which regions are most at risk and is the High Value Council Tax Surcharge fair? Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce discuss as more middle-class homeowners potentially face an annual bill, which won't be ring-fenced for local services. Also, the scourge of cowboy builders — trust in traders falls as millions grappled with shoddy home repairs in the past 18 months. How can you find a good tradesperson, and what are your rights if things go wrong? NS&I is in panic mode, as it is far below the amount required to meet its financial targets. As such, it has boosted rates across all products since April. Which ones should you open and which should you avoid?And lastly, the tricks to get you into VIP airport lounges for less this summer — even if you've booked economy.
Guests: Lee Boyce
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
On this bonus episode of This is Money, Lee Boyce speaks to Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland on her views over the future of cash. We talk about why preserving choice in payments is important, whether she fears physical money will die out and how we can stop Britain going totally cashless. How do we encourage retailers to accept cash and why are people turning away from using it? How do we keep cash relevant? We also talk about the 'paradox of cash' where cash is used less frequently for transactions, notes in circulation continue to grow and whether it's fair that part of our lives have seemingly gone cashless, including car parks. With the House of Lords recently announcing a National Resilience Committee looking at whether we should hold cash reserves at home — is there any ideal amount we should hold? Victoria's signature is on bank notes from 2014 — 2018, and on notes since last year again too, after becoming chief cashier again — how does that feel? Also, we talk about the bank note consultation currently happening — why replace historical figures with wildlife? And has she been surprised by some of the backlash? There are eighteen choices on the list, and nearly half a million people have cast their vote. Lee's favourite is a kingfisher on a fiver and a brown hare on a twenty ... what are your picks? You can vote until 3 July: https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/help-us-design-our-next-series-of-banknotes.
Guests: Lee Boyce,Victoria Cleland
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
As we approach installation of the seventh prime minister in just ten years, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Helen Crane discuss how we are being seen as the political basketcase of Europe, and what it means for your money. There's also fury over reforms to ISAs, and a warning that Rachel Reeves' new tax on investors won't work. Plus, the Bank of England wants your help.
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Most families don't pay inheritance tax, but those that do can get hit with huge bills running into hundreds of thousands of pounds. With pension pots soon to be included in calculations, this is going to be an issue facing more families in the years ahead. So if you know your parents or grandparents will get caught in their inheritance tax net, and you also know they don't want to see 40% of a chunk of their hard-won wealth going to the Government, should you ask for an early inheritance to solve the problem? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discuss how to tackle the thorny issue of giving money away, without triggering a family fallout. Plus, will the Bank of England still hike interest rates this year, how did a woman end up with another person's massive energy bill from the other side of the country, and is Labour's new plan to make home buyers' offers binding a good idea? And finally, Simon talks us through his shortlived SpaceX adventure after he decided to sign up for the latest stock market craze.
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
The Government is planning a major inheritance shake-up for unmarried couples but does it go far enough, and will it trigger a wave of disputes? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the planned rules for co-habiting couples, who it covers, whether it goes too far or not far enough and why they still lose out on tax. Plus, how much do you need for a comfortable retirement and will you get there? And, what it will take in 25 years' time. How to invest in index funds and profit the easy way. Also, what can you do if someone ditches a car or van on your road?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
It's the sort of theoretical question you might discuss at the pub with your mates. If you won the lottery and had the choice, would you pick a £1 million lump sum, or take £1,000 a week for life? Pollster YouGov posed the question to 7,000 Britons recently, and it is fair to say opinions are divided. According to two money experts, there is a right answer — so which is the best strategy, and why is likely to make you much richer? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane discuss. Easy access savings rates have barely budged in recent weeks, but fixed-rate deals are becoming much more attractive. We look at some of the best — and Helen explains why a number of HSBC customers are feeling disgruntled after ISA transfers to the bank were hit with a raft of delays. The team also looks at Volvo's chaotic EV recall, and what drivers who have been told their car is a potential fire risk can do. It has been confirmed that the energy price cap will rise by 13% in July, with costs for the average household climbing by £221. So is it worth thinking about fixing your tariff? And in last week's heatwave, we discuss data which reveals exactly how expensive it is to keep cool. Are new-fangled air cooler devices worth it, and is air conditioning as pricey as many assume?
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Helen Crane discuss a new Government report showing the scale of savings shortfall in British pensions, and how millions with lifestyle pensions could be left short. Also — mansion and wealth taxes are back on the agenda. Plus, Nationwide's new 'fairer share' gets an airing, and the team ask whether it makes sense to cap food prices.
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
A week is a long time in politics — and what a week it’s been. But what does all the turmoil mean for our money? And can we blame it all on Labour?Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss the threat to Keir Starmer's leadership and why it has caused some market panic. If the Prime Minister is ousted, what could the new man or woman in charge change when it comes to tax and wealth? Nearly a quarter of retailers now no longer accept cash — but there is a cohort of 'cash preppers' tucking money away at home in case of payment outages. Should we care? NS&I has bumped up the underlying rate on Premium Bonds and made the odds of winning a prize shorter — are they now a good home for your cash again? And finally, Lloyds Bank launches a first-time buyer mortgage requiring a £5,000 deposit. Is it a good way to step onto the property ladder?
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