Money Box

BBC Radio 4

4.2 (796)
BUSINESS
UPDATED WEEKLY

The latest news from the world of personal finance plus advice for those trying to make the most of their money.

4 HR AGO

Money Box Live: Autumn Budget 2025

For months we’ve heard speculation about what the Autumn Budget might bring - now we know. The Chancellor has delivered her statement, setting out plans for taxes, benefits, and spending. But what does it mean for your money? Our panel of experts break down the key announcements and explain how they could affect you. Felicity Hannah is joined by David Dodgson, a partner at the independent financial advisors, The Private Office; Helen Thornley, a tax expert from the Association of Taxation Technicians; and Sarah Pennells, a consumer finance specialist for the mutual life and pensions company, Royal London. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Helen Ledwick Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on the 26th of November 2025).

28 min
4 DAYS AGO

Life-changing Scams and Child Benefit

Money Box takes a special look at how victims of fraud are treated by those supposed to help them in the weeks and months afterwards. How are they helped in their fight for justice by the police, their banks and the courts? Or are they all too often left struggling to deal with both the financial and mental impact on their own? We also hear how a small regional charity in the UK has partnered with police to be there for victims when the spotlight of the original crime has faded. Parents who lost their child benefit because HMRC wrongly believed they had left the country deserved better treatment according to a senior MP. Dame Meg Hillier, the chair of the Treasury Select Committee, made the comments after the tax office stripped payments from almost 24,000 families after it used travel data to conclude they had left the UK permanently. As we previously reported, some of those people had simply been on holiday. HMRC says it took swift action and that, where there was evidence that customers had continued UK employment, it reinstated payments automatically without any need for customer contact and those payments have been backdated. As the Budget draws nearer how do frozen tax thresholds already impact people and how might that change on Wednesday? Plus, if you've got significant savings in a UK bank or building society or credit union, the level of protection you’d have if one of them goes bust is to rise from £85k to £120k – how will that work? Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (First broadcast 12pm Saturday 22nd November 2025)

25 min
13 DEC

Water Bills and Graduate Jobs

A record number of households across England and Wales are now getting social tariffs from water suppliers to help cut their bills. Two million households now get support according to a new report from the Consumer Council for Water, which is up by 22% on last year. It comes as nearly 3 million are now in debt to water companies, owing an average of £744. What's behind that rise? If you're a recent graduate - or you know one - then you're probably already aware of how tough the jobs market can be right now. Several recent reports show finding work with a new degree has got harder in recent years. We'll look at what help there is for graduates. New data shows that hundreds of thousands of former students are eligible for nearly £100 million pounds worth of refunds on their loans. How can you apply? And how can banks do more to support people with learning disabilities? Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (First broadcast on Radio 4 at 12pm, Saturday 15th November 2025)

25 min
6 DEC

Suspended child benefit and the cost of school trips

MPs on the Treasury Select Committee are seeking answers from HMRC after thousands of parents have had their child benefit stopped because they took a holiday abroad. The mistakes happened during a fraud crackdown on people emigrating from the UK but still claiming the benefit for their children. Now, among all the financial pressures of recent years the costs faced by parents for school trips has continued to go up. And it's not just a cause for concern for parents, but also for school governors. The body which represents them in England, the National Governance Association, has told Money Box that schools should try to help parents with these costs to ease the growing financial pressures many feel. Plus, a big change is underway aimed at helping victims of domestic violence in financial trouble. And we continue to look at Budget issues raised by listeners. This week it’s potential changes to council tax. Speculation suggests that the two highest bands, and the way bands are decided, could be subject to change later this month. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Eimear Devlin Editor: James Graham Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

25 min
29 NOV

Funeral insurance cancelled and not-so-simple assessment?

Thousands of people who've paid millions of pounds into an insurance plan they thought would cover their funeral costs face getting nothing in return. The insurer has told them their policies are being cancelled. Some had paid into the plan through their credit union for decades expecting a cash payment to go to their families when they died. But the cover will now come to an end as the insurer says a clause in the contract allows it to pull the plug with 30 days’ notice and give its customers - a number of whom are in their 80s - nothing. Now you might think receiving one tax demand a year is more than enough, but if you happen to be subjected to a so-called 'Simple Assessment' by HMRC you may well just have received a second one. HMRC have confirmed that they have started either issuing – or updating previously issued – Simple Assessments to include savings interest from 2024-25. But some tax advisors are concerned that people who paid their first bill covering earnings - back in the summer - could easily get confused and find themselves paying twice, once this new demand arrives. And - with speculation mounting as to what will be in the Chancellor’s budget – now just four weeks away – listeners have contacted us with their views about what may, or may not happen to Cash ISAs. This follows speculation that Rachel Reeves may reduce the cap on the amount you can save tax free in a cash ISA from £20,000 to a much lower amount such as £10,000, with the caveat that savers would be incentivised to invest more into the stocks and shares of British companies. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Sarah Rogers, Jo Krasner Researchers: Eimear Devlin, Catherine Lund Editor: Craig Henderson Snr News Editor: Sarah Wadeson

25 min
26 NOV

Money Box Live: Beating the squeeze?

Inflation may not be in double digits anymore, but it is still almost double the Bank of England's target. That means prices are rising twice as fast as they should be. So we might have come through the cost of living crisis - but many people are still feeling its impact. Today we're asking: how are you beating the squeeze? And, in this week of trick or treating, how are you making sure you can still afford the treats? Presenter FELICITY HANNAH is joined by expert guests NEIL BELLAMY, consumer insights director at the market research firm NIQ, LISA WEBB, senior lawyer at the consumer champion Which? and the consumer journalist, HARRY WALLOP. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Catherine Lund, James Graham Editors: Jess Quayle, Craig Henderson Senior News Editor; Sara Wadeson (This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on Wednesday 29th October).

29 min
22 NOV

Infected Blood Compensation and Standing Charges

Lawyers acting for victims of the infected blood scandal have written to the Chancellor demanding urgent action to avoid families and loved ones having to pay £100,000s in tax. The government has previously said compensation payments would not be subject to Inheritance Tax. But with around 3,000 victims having already died they say a change in the rules is needed to avoid their loved ones facing huge tax bills. The Treasury says it's "considering" the issue and a decision will be made at the Budget. Plans to reform standing charges for gas and electricity "will not work" and should be scrapped, the trade body for the energy industry Energy UK has told Money Box. Standing charges are the fixed daily cost that households pay just to be connect to electricity or gas supply. They rose sharply this month to an average £320 a year - more than £6 a week - a cost you must pay before you turn on a light or cook your dinner. Suppliers say they cover the cost of providing and maintaining the supply. However, the energy regulator Ofgem is considering proposals to offer all customers a reduced standing charge, but at the cost of paying more for the electricity and gas they actually use. It says that will increase choice for consumers but Energy UK wants them to rethink the proposal. How much will benefits rise in April? And with one month to go, what would you like to know ahead of the Autumn Budget? Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (First broadcast at 12pm on Saturday 25th October 2025)

25 min
19 NOV

Money Box Live: First-Time Buyers

For some it's the dream, for others it's the plan, for most it's an effort. On this programme we look at buying a first home. It's rarely easy but plenty of people are making the jump. The property site Zoopla says first time buyers accounted for 40% of sales in the first half of the year. But the picture can be so different depending on where you live and how much family support you can tap into. We'll hear from those who've just bought as well as others struggling to make it work because their salaries are out of step with prices. Felicity Hannah is joined by Richard Donnell who heads the research and insights team at the property website Zoopla and Jane King a mortgage adviser at the firm, Ash Ridge. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: James Graham Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on Wednesday the 22nd October 2025).

28 min

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Paul Lewis

Host

4.2

out of 5

796 Ratings

Trust Fund

5 Aug

Alibongo ee

Can we hear about setting up a trust fund and best practices. Particularly head injury trust funds and managing accounts / requirements
Really informative podcast everytime

25/11/2023

buffy flow and spike

Insurance hikes- thanks for focusing on car insurance. Painful increases are being matched by house and contents insurance. Our renewal quotes recently received are between 45% - 61% increased!!!! Can you explore this too? Thank you Leo Curran
Time of publishing

9 Feb

crisfca23/

Last episode published Feb talking about self assessment due to “in three weeks”. Come on you’re better than that
Too late!

14/11/2024

stanspa0

I’ve been a keen listener of Moneybox for many years and a firm fan of the Apple Podcast format with all my favourite content available in one place. In recent times, my enjoyment has been diminished by the excessive delay in the release of material to the platform, often making its content so far out-of-date as to be no longer relevant. I can understand a day or two after the show is first aired, but a month!? As a consequence, I no longer subscribe to the show which is a shame, as the content, when relevant, is great. I feel the unnecessary delay means the BBC is not meeting its stated purpose of informing, educating and entertaining its audience as far as this show is concerned on this platform.