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
ISA season is in full swing as savers and investors race to beat the clock to fill up their allowance — but where are people putting their money? Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost take a look and reveal stocks and shares Isa bestsellers of 2026. And even before the current markets turmoil caused by the Iran conflict, Lee reveals just how much is pouring into cash. There are fresh warnings sounded over Britain's mid-life pensions crisis — but it's not too late to build a healthy retirement pot. We reveal how and some of the rules of thumb it is worth remembering when it comes to building your retirement nest egg. McDonald's launches trading cards with selected meals - and some of the rarest are already listed on eBay for HUGE sums. Lee does a live opening of three packs — can he bag a £10,000 gold Ronald card? And just what is the fastest way to make £10k: Five experts — including Simon — have been given £500 each to put into betting, crypto, stocks, furniture and Vinted, alongside a share-picking monkey with a pin. Who will come out on top?
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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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Original Broadcast: This is Money
The flying Footsie is on course for the best start to the year since 1998 and driving it are 20 stocks that have risen by 50% or more in the past year. Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss what's going on for the flagship UK index and whether the run can continue. They also zoom in on Rolls Royce — its shares have soared by more than 1000% in five years. Is it too late to join the party? When it comes to Junior ISAs, many parents worry that once their children get access, they'll fritter it away — but is that really the case? New analysis suggests not. And NS&I has cut the underlying rate on its Premium Bonds to 3.3%. Is it time to move your money? The Government is rolling out the next phase of making tax digital which will require some to file quarterly — is expensive chaos on the way? Lastly, can you save money with an EV versus a petrol equivalent? Or does the maths simply not add up?
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Pensions are a topic that dominate the financial landscape and for the past decade This is Money readers have had Sir Steve Webb on hand to answer their questions. A former pensions minister, Steve has been our weekly columnist for ten years and helped guide people through the maze of retirement finances. Steve joins Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert to talk about what's happened over those ten years and discuss what you need to know about pensions. Whether they've been about saving for retirement, turning a pension into income, working out what the quirks of the state pension mean for you and much more, Steve has both helped the readers asking the questions and the millions who have read the answers. Aided by This is Money's pension and investing editor, Tanya Jefferies, Steve has also undertaken campaigning journalism, exposing among other things the underpaid women's state pension scandal, which got us a mention in parliamentary reports. Also, Simon reveals how to strike the best deal on a new car with the help of our industry insiders who know how much the salesman or woman will really knock off. Plus, if you get an inheritance you don't need, can you pass it on with incurring an inheritance tax liability yourself? And finally, just how good is Barclays' seemingly generous offer to pay you £1,000 for switching — and who exactly can get it?
Guests: Sir Steve Webb
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Simon Lambert interviews Marcus and Alexander Blunt, the brothers behind travel firm Heidi, to find out how they turned a start-up into the UK's second biggest ski package holiday firm in eight years — and survived the pandemic's threat to the business along the way. Eight years ago, brothers Marcus and Alexander Blunt were passionate skiers frustrated by the difficulty of trying to organise the mountain holidays that they and their friends really wanted. Deciding on a ski resort, sorting flights, accommodation, transfers and getting friends from different parts of the country to the right place at the right time, had Marcus building complicated spreadsheets to work things out. After one mammoth piece or organisation, they had a lightbulb moment. Maybe it was time for a package holiday firm that allowed people to tailor their ski trips to what they needed, find the best place to go to and put customer service centre stage. With both the brothers working in the travel industry, they decided to figure out how to test their concept and the appetite for it, and then they launched their start-up in 2018, while doing full-time jobs — and both having babies born that year. They made a pact that if they could do £500,000 worth of sales in their first year, they would quit their jobs and go all-in, explains Alexander. From there, in the space of less than eight years, Heidi has grown to become the UK's second biggest package holiday firm. That's no mean feat considering that the pandemic hit just two years in — and halfway through the ski holiday season. Marcus and Alexander tell Simon how they turned their business idea into reality, how they grew Heidi, the lessons they have learnt along the way and share their tips for other aspiring entrepreneurs.
Guests: Marcus Blunt,Alexander Blunt
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
A shake up is happening in the world of DIY investing. Some of the biggest investment platforms are overhauling their fees ahead of Rachel Reeves' big push to get Britain investing — and under pressure from upstarts offering much cheaper services. The biggest name of all, Hargreaves Lansdown, has cut its prices for most investors, yet this seems to have triggered a chunk to jump ship. So, why are some HL investors moving if things are getting cheaper — and is it time we all looked at our investment platform fees? Georgie Frost, Rachel Rickard Straus and Simon Lambert discuss the latest DIY investing battle and what it means for your portfolio — plus, what you should look for if you do want cheaper investing or a helping hand. With nearly £1 trillion in ISAs, how did people build up such big pots and could they end up being a target for a tax raid? What's going on with the civil service pension meltdown? And finally, the most-applied-for jobs and the apprenticeships with which people can dodge a massive student debt.
Guests: Rachel Rickard Straus
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
Student loans look like another mess that has reached a tipping point in Britain's shonky financial system. There are three different types of student loan plan that graduates could currently be on and one of them offers a particularly bad deal. Those who took out Plan 2 student loans, between 2012 and 2022, suffered fees being hiked to £9,000, face interest rates of RPI plus 3%, and have seen the repayment threshold above which they lose 9% of their income bounce around at the whim of governments. Meanwhile, lots of graduates are staring down the barrel of decades of a big extra chunk coming out of their wages, but then never actually clearing the debt before it gets written off after 30 years. As the reality bites of the student loans they signed up to at 18 — for an average post university debt of £50,000 — without properly realising the consequences, many late 20- and 30- somethings are increasingly angry. Do they have a point and what can we do? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert talk student loans, what might happen, what we could do — and who should pay for university. Plus, what does the Bank of England holding rates mean for borrowers and savers? For those who aren't losing their spare cash to a student loan and have got on the property ladder, should you overpay your mortgage? The man who got his mortgage paid off in four years — and how he did it. What on earth is happening to bitcoin, and why is it crashing? And finally, what are the rules on flexible ISAs and putting money back in?
Guests: Helen Crane
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Original Broadcast: This is Money
The Government has announced plans for a cap on ground rent — is it a welcome policy that will finally fix a broken system or does it risk creating new problems along the way? Helen Crane, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce discuss the plans first revealed on TikTok by the Prime Minister, what's potentially changing and when. Watch out — HMRC is about: stamp duty investigations are on the rise — is it all Angela Rayner's fault? And how do buyers find themselves in the crosshairs? 'Metal madness' is still in full swing with gold and silver on a tear up with some huge gains this week, but also some hefty falls. What's going on? NS&I has made some cheeky rate cuts but a cash Isa season seems to have erupted early — where can you find the best rates? And lastly: wood burners. Are they an environmental no-no, or can they help save money on your energy bills?
Guests: Helen Crane
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