Are two-year mortgages fashionable again - and why are first-time buyers borrowing less from family?
For years, two-year fixes were the mortgage of choice for most homeowners - but borrowers piled into five-year deals in 2022 and 2023 in a bid to lock in super-low rates. Now, UK Finance figures show shorter fixed deals (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-14567855/Rate-gap-two-five-year-mortgages-TINY-long-YOU-fix-for.html) are once again back in vogue. Does that mean p...
35m Apr 11, 2025
35m
Trump tariff shock rocks the markets: What happens next?
Markets around the world have slumped, the dollar weakened and fears mount of a global recession, after Donald Trump announced huge 'reciprocal' tariffs on over 100 countries. The UK appears to have got off lightly, attracting just the baseline 10 per cent tariff - but even that will wipe out the Chancellor's beloved headroom and leaves the door wide open for tax rises in the Autumn. How else...
58m Apr 04, 2025
58m
What the Spring Statement means for your finances
Rachel Reeves is back to where she started after the Spring Statement, with her £9.9billion of budget headroom restored but at what cost. The Chancellor was true to her word and didn't turn this week's economic update into a second Budget, with no tax changes coming in. But a wave of spending cuts was announced, along with growth forecasts going both down and up. We also got the Office for Budg...
52m Mar 28, 2025
52m
Rachel Reeves is between a rock and a hard place - will it cost you more tax?
Rachel Reeves is due to deliver her Spring Statement next week and it's probably safe to say this isn't the position she wanted to be in. After an Autumn Budget that raised spending and hiked taxes while locking the Chancellor in with a new fiscal rule, Reeves would have hoped to arrive in March with better news on the economy. Instead, Labour's not-a-tax-on-working-people national insurance ...
59m Mar 21, 2025
59m
How worried should investors be about the Trump slump?
Investors this week have been hit by the 'Trump Slump.' Why is the US President rattling markets and is it the end of the US bull market? Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss what you should be doing to make your investments great again. How will the UK handle potential tariffs, should investors be in panic mode and what do experts say you should be doing to navigate the geopoli...
48m Mar 14, 2025
48m
Pension gurus on top-ups and sums behind a comfortable retirement
People with gaps in their state pension records have just one more month to take advantage of a special offer to buy missing years going as far back as 2006. As long as you get your payment or a callback request in by 5 April you can still benefit from the deal, but after that you will only be able to fill gaps from the past six years. And many are facing a backlog with payments in limbo – so...
1hr 8m Mar 07, 2025
1hr 8m
How much do you need to earn to feel rich?
If you earn a six figure salary then you have a far bigger income than most of the population. That's a multiple of the £37,500 median full-time salary and represents the kind of money that most people will only ever dream of. But would that equate to feeling rich? The cost of living and tax mean that increasing numbers of six figure earners are saying they aren't that wealthy. And surprisin...
48m Feb 28, 2025
48m
Inflation strikes back: How worried do we need to be?
54m Feb 21, 2025
54m
Should cash Isas be made less generous to encourage us to invest more?
The future of the cash Isa has been in the spotlight of late, with rumours the Chancellor could tinker with one of Britain's best loved tax breaks. It's believed some city bosses are lobbying her to make the limit less generous, and push more people into investing their money instead. While just speculation, it's a move that would certainly ruffle a few feathers. This week, Lee Boyce, Georgi...
50m Feb 14, 2025
50m
Will interest rates keep falling and can we dodge recession?
The Bank of England has delivered another rate cut but big questions remain over what happens next? Forecasters had largely agreed that this year would see another two base rate cuts, but the Bank delivered a pair of verdicts that could push ratesetters down a different path. Firstly, it slashed its growth forecast for 2025 from 1.5 per cent to just 0.75 per cent. Secondly, it said inflation ...
57m Feb 07, 2025
57m
Is current account switching boom driven by cash carrots on offer from banks - or something else?
More than a million people switched current account last year - the second time it has ticked over the 1m mark. So, who is winning the switching battle and is it all driven by people chasing a quick and easy buck from banks? Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost dive into the data and also look at why you might not be rich enough to bank with HSBC anymore... if you want its exclusive account. The Gove...
49m Jan 31, 2025
49m
Should you avoid a 40-year mortgage? The rise of long-life loans
50m Jan 24, 2025
50m
How much money are homeowners now making when they sell?
How much homeowners are making when they come to sell up is shrinking - new data shows home-selling profits are at its lowest point for nearly a decade. This week, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce discuss the figures and delve into the pockets of Britain where house asking prices have grown the most in the past year, bucking the trend. With looming stamp duty changes happening in Ap...
1hr 1m Jan 17, 2025
1hr 1m
What’s gone wrong for the UK's finances, is it Rachel Reeves’ fault and how bad is it?
You have to feel for Rachel Reeves. After establishing a solid reputation in opposition, things haven’t gone to plan as Chancellor so far. Her Autumn Budget led to widespread criticism over tax rises on employment and extra costs for businesses, while questions abound over whether her plans will deliver the growth Labour promised voters. Now, a slow burn rise in the UK’s borrowing costs has l...
1hr 10m Jan 10, 2025
1hr 10m
Why aren't energy bills going down - and what to do if your smart meter goes mad
In a not very happy start to the new year, Ofgem's energy price cap went up on 1 January from £1,717 to £1,738. Energy experts at Cornwall Insight say it will go up again in April - and by more than they initially expected. So why are bills rising? After all, we are a long way from the peak of the gas price crisis back in 2021. This week, Georgie Frost and Helen Crane discuss when they will ...
40m Jan 03, 2025
40m
A decade of the This is Money podcast in our special live epsiode
In a special epsiode, we hosted our first live podcast at our offices to celebrate a  decade of discussing Britain's personal finances. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane talk through 10 years of huge and unexpected financial developments, from Brexit and President Trump to Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. Some of our valued listeners were in the audience as we covere...
1hr 1m Dec 27, 2024
1hr 1m
Going local with Alastair Humphreys - how to have a money saving adventure close to home
On this special bonus episode of the This is Money Podcast, Simon Lambert catches up with Alastair Humphreys about his quest to find adventure close to home. Alastair, a genuine global adventurer, who featured on our Making The Money Work Podcast series in 2020 (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/podcast/article-7951667/How-fund-life-adventure-Alastair-Humphreys-Making-Money-Work.html) , rece...
49m Dec 24, 2024
49m
What happened to our finances in 2024 - and what comes next in 2025?
1hr Dec 20, 2024
1hr
Are we getting a fair deal on energy bills?
59m Dec 13, 2024
59m
How rich do you feel - and does a £100,000 salary still make you wealthy?
How much spare cash do you have to spend? A new index shows we typically have £836 in disposable income each month. That’s the amount of money you have left over to spend or save after taxes and bills have been paid, according to comprehensive research. This week, Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce talk income and ask... does a £100,000 annual salary really not make workers feel wealt...
1hr Dec 06, 2024
1hr
What next for house prices and is it harder to buy a home now vs 1974?
House price predictions for next year have started to roll in, so where do the experts think they are headed next? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Lee Boyce discuss the property market - and delve into figures that attempt to tackle the tricky question: is it harder to buy a home now versus 50 years ago. And sticking with property, Halifax has launched a highly unusual fixed-rate mortgage - sh...
1hr Nov 29, 2024
1hr
Are interest rate cuts about to stall?
Inflation's spell below the Bank of England's 2 per cent target has been brief and the latest CPI figure came in at a higher than expected 2.3 per cent. Meanwhile, Bank of England boss Andrew Bailey has joined the Office of Budget Responsibility in stating that the recent Autumn Budget is likely to lift inflation, as employers face higher costs from national insurance and the rising minimum wa...
50m Nov 22, 2024
50m
Why have crypto prices soared in the past week - and do you need to pay tax on profits?
Crypto has been a little quiet of late. Out of the spotlight, minding its own business. But Donald Trump gets voted back in as US president and boom - bitcoin surged beyond $90,000 for the first time. The rest of the crypto market has also seen a boost, so what's going on? Where is it likely to head next and what do you need to be aware of if you are cashing out your gains? Simon Lambert, Le...
1hr 7m Nov 15, 2024
1hr 7m
What President Trump means for your money - and the TiM podcast's tenth birthday
President Trump is back. The US election finally came to a head this week and rather than the knife-edge result many expected, Donald Trump secured a decisive win over Kamala Harris. This podcast episode is a special double header: the team discuss that US election result and interest rate cuts in the first half and then celebrate the tenth anniversary of the This is Money podcast in the secon...
1hr 1m Nov 08, 2024
1hr 1m
Bonus episode: The big Budget pension and investing questions answered
On this special bonus episode of the This is Money Podcast, Rob Morgan, chief analyst at Charles Stanley Direct, joins Simon Lambert to answer the big questions that have emerged from last week's Budget. On this podcast, Simon and Rob cover among other things. Pensions and inheritance tax: Who will be caught out What can investors do – should they spend their pensions before other savings? Wh...
37m Nov 06, 2024
37m
What does the Budget mean for you - and did Rachel Reeves do a good job?
Rachel Reeves' maiden Budget this week saw the first-ever female chancellor make £40billion of sweeping tax rises to plug funding gaps, everywhere from the NHS and schools. While it left many of us with something to be miserable about when it comes to our money, there were also some important dodged bullets, as Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Helen Crane discuss on this week's podcast. Among...
56m Nov 01, 2024
56m
Private vs public sector pensions - and how to avoid a race to the bottom
1hr Oct 26, 2024
1hr
What would YOU do if you were Chancellor for the Budget?
Whether you voted Labour or not, with any new government, there is a sense of optimism. Things can only get better… apparently. But within days, Rachel Reeves and co poured cold water over all that - and the gloom and doom about the economy and what then could be (and crucially not be) in the Budget hasn’t stopped. Well Simon Lambert is fed up. So he has put forward an alternative budget with...
47m Oct 18, 2024
47m
Can we turn pension saving into a fix for our finances?
1hr 9m Oct 11, 2024
1hr 9m
How to manage your money - and what we do with ours
How well do you manage your money? Where would you rate your budgeting, saving, investing and pension efforts out of ten? It's not often that we think about these things but mulling them over and making improvements where needed and patting yourself on the back when deserved, is a major step on the road to financial success. On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert dial down th...
50m Oct 04, 2024
50m
Should you invest in a work pension or Sipp? Steve Webb and Simon Lambert in a bonus podcast cut
The This is Money podcast recently welcomed Sir Steve Webb for a special episode where he answered listeners' questions on everything you need to know about pensions. In this excerpt, Steve and Simon Lambert discuss whether you should invest in a work pension or Sipp - and how to make the most of them. > Listen back to the full Steve Webb pensions episode (https://audioboom.com/posts/8574388-...
7m Oct 03, 2024
7m
How to protect your finances before the Budget (and what to avoid)
59m Sep 27, 2024
59m
What you need to know about pensions with Steve Webb
Sir Steve Webb has been This is Money's pensions agony uncle for the past eight years - and this week he celebrated an astonishing 400 columns. Every week, Steve, in partnership with This is Money's pensions and investing editor Tanya Jefferies, answers readers' questions about retirement. On this special episode of the This is Money podcast, Steve joins Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert to ans...
51m Sep 20, 2024
51m
Don’t make these savings mistakes – how to make more of your cash
Do you keep savings in your current account? It’s an easy trap to fall into, with a third of people admitting they do it in a recent poll. If you do keep a savings pot in a bank account you are likely to be missing out on a big chunk of interest you could otherwise earn. But even if they don’t do this, there’s two more mistakes people make – using convenient ‘insult’ accounts with their exist...
54m Sep 13, 2024
54m
The way to beat inheritance tax (but what's the catch?)
Inheritance tax- punches above it s weight. It is paid by only a small minority of estates, yet manages to be Britain's most hated tax and its most controversial. Some believe it's immoral double taxation and should be axed altogether, others say crank it up - and somewhere in the middle there are many people who feel that taking 40 per cent is just too much. But it's also a tax that even tho...
57m Sep 06, 2024
57m
Could you get hit by a Labour tax raid?
A bad news Budget looks to be on the cards after Labour continued to pour cold water on optimism its own election victory this week. Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered a gloomy speech saying the Budget was going to be painful, hot on the heels of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' own gloom-mongering. But having made a promise not to raise the rates of income tax, national insurance, VAT and corpor...
1hr Aug 31, 2024
1hr
Gold price hits record high - should you invest in the precious metal?
Gold has hit record highs this week and has rocketed so far this year. What’s driving the price and how do you invest? This week, Tanya Jefferies, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce turn their attention to the precious metal – a notoriously volatile investment, but yet seen as a safe haven. Energy bills will be back on the up, with the new Ofgem price cap announced for October. Is it worth fixing be...
43m Aug 23, 2024
43m
What does the latest inflation data mean for our finances for the rest of 2024?
This week, the consumer prices index measure of inflation nudged higher to 2.2 per cent. But what does this mean for future base rate decisions - and then in turn, mortgage rates and savings rates. This week, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss the latest inflation figures and what the rest of the year has in store for the economy. Meanwhile, experts predict a busier housing market this autu...
56m Aug 16, 2024
56m
Will stock markets keep stumbling - and how to be calm in a storm
Stock markets around the world saw huge falls this week, but is it a sign of more trouble ahead or just a storm in a teacup? Simon takes a look at what’s behind it all, and why investors should avoid the temptation to start tinkering with their portfolios once the horse has already bolted. His advice is to ignore the voice in your head that says you should get out now to stave off disaster - ...
1hr Aug 09, 2024
1hr
How far will interest rates fall - and what does it mean for you?
1hr 6m Aug 02, 2024
1hr 6m
Saving, investing, property and pensions: How to grow your wealth long-term
Building up a savings pot and then investing to growing your wealth and provide a decent pension for retirement is the key to long-term financial success. But there's lots to consider at each step - and most people will want to buy a home along the way. So what do you need to think about when sketching out your lifetime finances and then trying to achieve your goals? On this podcast, Georgie Fr...
50m Jul 26, 2024
50m
Is being a Nimby really that bad - and what to do with awkward neighbours
It's official - we're complaining about our neighbours more, new data shows. When it comes to noise, many appear sick of barking dogs, squeaky trampolines and loud music ruining the enjoyment of our homes. This week, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost talk about neighbour wars - and what we can do about it. And sticking to the property front, does it matter if you're a 'super' nimby?...
1hr 5m Jul 19, 2024
1hr 5m
Have you got financial confidence - could it make you richer?
Do you feel financially confident? When it comes to budgeting, saving, investing, and building your pension, are you clueless, comfortable, or cracking on? A piece of research this week by Moneybox claimed that being financially confident could add £67,000 to your lifetime wealth – on average those with confidence were worth £145,000 on average, compared to £78,000 for the unconfident. But wh...
59m Jul 12, 2024
59m
What the Labour government means for your money
All change, please. In a radical reshaping of the political landscape, Britain has elected a Labour government for the first time in 14 years. New prime minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have made bold promises of revival, growth and wealth creation. But many fear that Britain’s troubled public finances will also mean that promises not to raise taxes will prove empty. So, wh...
57m Jul 05, 2024
57m
More of us are falling into the savings tax trap - is it fair?
You find a decent paying savings account, diligently squirrel away your money, watch it grow… only for the taxman to come along and swipe a chunk. And since savings rates have been much better in recent years, the amount HMRC is taking in in savings tax revenue has gone up significantly It's only going to increase according to estimates, to the tune of £10.37billion in 2024/25, up from £6.6bi...
1hr 11m Jun 28, 2024
1hr 11m
Inflation is back on target, so is life about to get easier?
Inflation is back on target at 2 per cent. After the spike into double-digits that triggered talk of a cost of living crisis and sent interest rates spiralling, we are now back at the Bank of England's target level. So, is the great inflation panic over and is life about get easier? Or will we be feeling the after effects of high inflation for years to come? And what's going to happen to int...
45m Jun 21, 2024
45m
The manifesto episode: Do Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems have the plan Britain need?
It’s manifesto week and Labour, the Conservatives and the Lib Dems have laid out their vision for the country – along with the Green Party, Reform and others. The economy, tax and people’s finances are a cornerstone of the all the manifestos, but what are the main parties proposing and what could it mean for you? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Angharad Carrick and Simon Lambert take a...
1hr 2m Jun 14, 2024
1hr 2m
What does it take to win the Premium Bonds - and is it worth you trying?
How much do you need in Premium Bonds to win the jackpot? And if you haven’t maxed them out to the full £50,000, is it even worth bothering? This is Money has run some in-depth analysis on all the £1million prizes over the past four years and this week revealed how much those lucky people held. On this week’s podcast episode, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what it takes t...
1hr 3m Jun 07, 2024
1hr 3m
The consumer champion's guide to getting what you want
This is Money's consumer champion Helen Crane celebrated the 100th edition of her Crane on the Case column this week. Helen has won back more than £1.2million for readers over the course of all those columns and learnt a thing or two along the way about how to battle consumer problems and bad customer service. On this podcast, she discusses the big wins, the satisfying victories, the worst ca...
58m May 31, 2024
58m
What could the general election mean for your money?
The Prime Minister put an end to all the speculation this week by giving us the date for the general election: July 4. That comes as the latest inflation reading was 2.3 per cent, a little above forecasts making a base rate cut next month now unlikely. Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce delve into the economic state of affairs and what the upcoming election could mean for your money (...
1hr May 24, 2024
1hr