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
Has tax just got a little more taxing? 'Making Tax Digital' has come in, meaning hundreds of thousands of people need to make their first quarterly report to HMRC this week — and during the summer holidays to boot. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce cover what you need to know about the changes and whether it’s a good move. How easy is it to find the right software, will it help reduce the ‘tax gap’, and who will need to start using it? A retirement giant has warned that the Government’s inheritance tax raid on pensions next year will undermine faith in saving long-term for later life. Should people be worried about the changes, or keep calm and carry on with their pension contributions? Also, last week a Premium Bonds £1 million winner scooped the top prize with a bond bought only six months ago. Is that unusual? Or do many people win the seven-figure sum quickly? Lee reveals all. Heading off on summer holidays? We give a reminder about the dos and don’ts when it comes to spending overseas — and what does the actor Will Ferrell have to do with it?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Is the can finally going to stop being kicked down the road on social care? Andy Burnham has promised to correct what he has called a ‘dereliction of duty’ by a generation of politicians. But how does he plan to succeed where so many before him have failed, can he pull it off and who is going to end up paying? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discuss how to solve a problem that has defeated successive governments and created a reverse lottery where the unlucky losers can see their wealth wiped out. Meanwhile, there was no move for the Bank of England this week as interest rates were held again, despite fears that the recent spike in energy prices could prompt another inflation shock. What does it all mean for our money? Plus, would you haggle at a high street store? Our man Toby Walne did, so what happened? And finally, is Britain’s beach hut boom over?
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
A raft of new initiatives have been released by our new prime minister last week, covering pubs, buses and electricity bills: is this all part of a radical plan, or just more tinkering? And how do we pay for it? Budgeting for defence spending is also clearly a big issue going forward, so what does new Chancellor John Healey have in store for us?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
The rise in the state pension age looks likely to speed up again, as it was revealed this week that the Government has already been banking the gains.It is now almost certain that the state pension age will rise to 68 between 2037 and 2039, seven years earlier than the official timetable. But will it have to go up again and when? And is a further rise fair when life expectancy has stalled and it's the triple lock that's driving up costs? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the state pension, when you might get it and whether it's time for a rethink. Plus, how can you bridge the gap if you want to retire earlier by saving more yourself? Simon also explains how you can track down any old work pensions and get them working much harder for you. Lee discusses why it is taking so long to buy and sell homes, and what can be done. And finally, in the week that SpaceX shares slipped below their IPO price, Simon reveals that he did what he said he was going to do, and he spent his IPO profits on a weekend away — but how much extra did he have to chip in?
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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
Goodbye Halifax! It’s being scrapped by Lloyds after 173 years. But why would you kill off one of Britain’s best known and trusted banking brands? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss the end of a very familiar name and talk through the history of what started out as a building society ... and ask: is another historic name next? Also, Britons suffer the sharpest drop in wealth of any developed nation — what’s behind it, and can we arrest the decline? The pensions gender pay gap is still big according to a whole raft of data. We share some key ways that women can boost their pensions. And finally, the secrets to selling on Vinted are revealed by someone who is raking in £12,000 a month selling old clothes.
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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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