Original Broadcast: This is Money
The triple lock's days appear to be numbered. Prime Minister Andy Burnham revealed bold plans to ditch the pension guarantee from 2030 and replace it with what has been dubbed a 'double lock' at the Labour Party conference this week. Is it the right move? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane discuss. Elsewhere, Angela Rayner announced that councils could soon be allowed to take over empty buy-to-let properties, if they had been vacant for as little as six months. Helen explains EDMOs and who could be stung. Fancy working for yourself? We reveal the ten most in-demand self-employed roles ... plus, what to do if you find out a colleague is being paid a lot more than you for doing something similar? Finally, a new vape tax comes into force this week. What's changing, and will it really encourage people to kick the habit? Time stages: 01:17 — Is the triple lock on the way out? 19:21 — State Pension myths busted 22:50 — Could councils take over empty homes? 30:00 — The most in-demand self-employed jobs 34:53 — My colleague earns £20,000 more than me — what can I do? 39:52 — The new vape tax: how much will it cost? 45:17 — Lee’s tip of the week.
Guests: Helen Crane
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Opportunities for young people seem increasingly sparse these days. In the post-COVID era of AI tools and austerity, a whole generation of young people find themselves less desired in the workforce than ever before. Despite high demand for apprenticeships, a shortage of entry-level vacancies is forcing them into university or unrelated work at best, and jobless and demoralised at worst. Here to discuss this increasingly desperate labour problem is Jonathan Bourne, Chief Executive Officer at Damar Training.
Guests: Jonathan Bourne
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Original Broadcast: Modern Mindset
Cycling is becoming more popular across the UK, with more people taking to two wheels in cities like London, Cambridge and Edinburgh — and e-bikes are helping make cycling accessible to even more people. But as e-bike use continues to grow, new research from cycling brand Diamant suggests many of us could benefit from a better understanding of the rules, safety and best practices that come with riding one. Joining Daniel Clewlow to share some practical advice and help us get the most out of e-bikes is Thomas Eichentopf, Brand & Marketing Manager for Diamant.
Guests: Thomas Eichentopf
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Hip and knee replacements are among the most common planned operations in the NHS, yet waiting times continue to rise as demand grows and the population ages. In England, the average wait for a hip replacement is now close to 25 weeks — well beyond the NHS target of 18 weeks — leaving many patients living with chronic pain, reduced mobility and a loss of independence. For some, these delays can lead to worsening joint damage, increased risk of falls and significant emotional strain, forcing difficult decisions about their health and quality of life. Joining Rory McGowan is orthopedic surgeon Dr. Aurimas Širka.
Guests: Dr. Aurimas Širka
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Original Broadcast: Modern Mindset
“With the cost of the Jaguar LandRover hack approaching nearly £2 billion, this now stands as the single most economically damaging cyber incident the UK has ever seen — and it should serve as a wake-up call for every board and public body in the country. This isn’t just a technical failure but an economic and operational resilience failure". With over twenty years of experience in information technology and cybersecurity, Simon Onyons brings deep expertise in financial regulation, cyber strategy and operations to help organisations strengthen their security posture and resilience. Simon also serves as Senior Advisor to the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), where he works on the NCSC Advisory Group to support national initiatives aimed at improving cyber resilience across the UK, and he continues in this role while at Kroll.
Guests: Simon Onyons
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
General Data Protection Regulation was introduced in 2016, but it's already past its sell-by date. With 56% of UK web browsers choosing to accept all cookies, there's plenty of data available for harvesting by tech businesses, while that and creativity is throughly exploited by AI. Meanwhile, employment opportunities for young people are steadily reducing, while data protection restrictions are cited by government as one of the reasons for not automatically releasing HMRC-allocated mature Child Trust Funds. We need a new approach, prioritising people. Background music: 'Digital Solitude' by Silent Partner
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Millions of UK homes could be fitted with illegal, non-compliant taps and plumbing. That’s according to global water safety authority NSF, whose research suggests most Brits don’t realise they’re the ones responsible for checking. Joining Rory McGowan now to discuss this is Samantha Duffy, Senior Manager of Global Water Programs at NSF.
Guests: Samantha Duffy
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Britain's weather is famous for its ability to go from stunning to downright miserable in the blink of an eye. The nation's jobs market has a habit of doing the same. Not so long ago, workers finally had the upper hand and were celebrating a post-Covid jobs boom, where almost all roles were in-demand and some decent salary rises could be negotiated. Now, the chat down the pub is more likely to be about redundancies, recruitment freezes and endless rejections that can end with someone accepting a lower salary and position just to get a job. It will almost certainly swiftly also turn to artificial intelligence and its threat to employment, particularly the white collar kind. But can you AI-proof a career, are the machines really coming for our jobs and what are the roles that are in hot demand at the moment? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dive into the employment market and look at the list of the 30 most in-demand roles to see what they can uncover. Plus, is Rachel Reeves being irresponsible in allowing another pension tax-free lump sum rush to occur, if she isn't going to stage a Budget raid? Why is Lee not happy about his football club and cash? What did the team discover after a shout out to listeners to tell them about mystery flight delays? And finally, if you don't get unlimited Yorkshire puddings with a pub roast, can you really go to Trading Standards?
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Original Broadcast: Modern Mindset
Rory McGowan speaks with James Kaberry, a non-executive director at IO Finance Partners, about the current state of SMEs in the UK. They discuss the significant role SMEs play in the economy, the challenges they face in accessing capital, and the rise of alternative lending solutions. James emphasises the importance of supporting SMEs to foster growth and stability in the economy, while also providing practical advice for those struggling to navigate the current financial landscape. https://iofp.co.uk/
Guests: James Kaberry
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Rory McGowan speaks with Jack Smith, CEO of Love Finance, about the challenges faced by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. They discuss the sectors that are struggling, particularly construction and hospitality, and the importance of quick access to finance for these businesses. Jack shares insights from his journey in the lending industry and emphasises the need for lenders to support SMEs effectively. https://www.lovefinance.co.uk/
Guests: Jack Smith
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