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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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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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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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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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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Original Broadcast: This is Money
How will the Iranian conflict affect your finances? Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce are joined by Helen Crane to discuss the potential impact on your investments and energy bills, and your price-at-the-pumps and mortgage. And, on a lighter note, Lee looks at rates nudging upwards on Cash ISAs.
Guests: Helen Crane
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