The mystery of the stolen Nectar Points - and the loyalty card price sting
Supermarket loyalty schemes have become even more of a big thing in recent years as the two giants Tesco and Sainsbury's have rolled out Clubcard and Nectar Prices. But while cards bring lower prices, the points collected still mean prizes for some loyalty scheme fans. So, what happens if a fraudster steals your points? This is Money's Angharad Carrick recently went on the trail of some stole...
49m May 17, 2024
49m
Should the Bank of England have cut interest rates instead of holding firm?
The Bank of England decided to hold the base rate for the sixth time in a row this week (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-13396205/Bank-England-holds-rates-5-25-sixth-time-row-means-mortgages-savings.html) – but was it the right decision? Should the MPC have been bold and made a cut? What does it mean for our mortgages and savings? And when will a move come - and in what dire...
1hr 3m May 10, 2024
1hr 3m
Mortgage rates are rising again - should we be worried?
With not one but two mortgage spikes fresh in our minds, a flurry of rate rises have got home owners and potential buyers worried again. A bunch of major mortgage lenders raised their rates this week - and Santander did it twice. So, are we about to see another mortgage spike or is this just what brokers and lenders like to optimistically call a mere 'repricing'? And what does this all mean ...
58m May 03, 2024
58m
Is the FTSE 100 finally having its moment in the sun?
You can wait a long time for a FTSE 100 record high but for peak-starved British investors this week delivered a bonanza. Four record highs were racked up by the FTSE 100, with only Wednesday's slight dip spoiling what would have been a perfect run over a week. The return to new highs on Thursday came as a mega-mining merger bid arrive from BHP for Anglo American - and that was followed swift...
52m Apr 26, 2024
52m
Is there a risk that inflation falls and then spikes again?
53m Apr 19, 2024
53m
State pension boosted by 8.5% from this week - will it ever become means tested?
Older people received another boost to the state pension this week taking the full rate to over £11,000 a year. (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/pensions/article-13276295/Older-people-boost-state-pension-triple-lock.html) This year's increase of 8.5 per cent was thanks to the triple lock commitment - a guarantee the state pension will rise each year by the higher of CPI, wages or 2.5 per c...
55m Apr 12, 2024
55m
Beware fixed-rate savings trap… and secrets from an Isa millionaire
There's a warning for savers who's fixed term deals are coming to an end (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/saving/article-13264845/Dont-let-banks-roll-Isa-easy-access-account-paying-just-1-5-says-SYLVIA-MORRIS.html) - don't take your eye off the ball now or risk having your returns wiped out in a matter of months. A year ago, there was a flurry of savers choosing fixed-rate bonds as they im...
59m Apr 05, 2024
59m
Is a 99% mortgage really that bad?
The row over small deposit mortgage is the gift that keeps on giving. Hot on the heels of the Budget plan that never appeared arrives Yorkshire Building Society's new deal, that's been dubbed a 99 per cent mortgage. But is it really one of those and does it have any redeeming features? And if it's cheaper than you rent, is there anything wrong with taking a 99 per cent mortgage? On this wee...
46m Mar 29, 2024
46m
How to sort your pension and Isa before the tax year ends
There is less than a fortnight to go before the end of the tax year and that means it's time to sort your Isa, pension and finances before it's too late. With another tax raid on the way for investors on capital gains and dividends, this is one of the most important tax year ends in years. On this special bonus episode of the This is Money podcast, Simon Lambert talks to Rob Morgan, of Charle...
34m Mar 25, 2024
34m
Will the Bank of England cut rates as soon as people think?
The Bank of England held interest rates again this week as inflation dropped once more. So, are we out of the woods yet? Will inflation keep coming back down towards target and the Bank of England soon seamlessly switch back to cutting rates? Or will central bankers be keen to hold onto higher rates, even if we get hit by a bout of disinflation? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boy...
1hr 2m Mar 22, 2024
1hr 2m
Are you about to have to pay for your bank account?
53m Mar 15, 2024
53m
Was the Budget too little, too late - and what will it mean for your money?
Jeremy Hunt bounced around delivering his Budget on Wednesday, proudly declaring his commitment to tax cuts and supporting working families. Another 2p was chopped off National Insurance and the threshold at which child benefit is removed was raised from £50,000 to £60,000. But you don’t need to be a financial expert to know that the Chancellor’s version of events isn’t quite the whole story....
1hr 7m Mar 08, 2024
1hr 7m
Quick Budget reaction: Investing experts on the Chancellor's speech
On this bonus episode of the This is Money Podcast, Simon Lambert is joined by Charles Stanley Direct’s Lisa Caplan and Garry White for a quick run through what was in the Budget. Investment experts Lisa and Garry talk us through the main Budget points and what they mean for people. Join us on Friday for the full Budget episode where the This is Money Podcast team will dissect Jeremy Hunt's p...
16m Mar 06, 2024
16m
Tale of the state pension underpaid for 20 YEARS
The debacle over widespread errors in the state pension that This is Money and Sir Steve Webb uncovered, continues. As of the end of October last year, DWP had paid out just under half a billion pounds to more than 80,000 people who’ve been underpaid. But what about those who have died? This week, Tanya Jefferies, Lee Boyce, Angharad Carrick and Georgie Frost reveal the case where a letter wa...
53m Mar 01, 2024
53m
Will the Budget cut taxes and get rid of these traps?
With the Budget tipped to be the Chancellor’s last roll of the dice before a General Election, expectations over tax cuts are growing. But what taxes could Jeremy Hunt choose to cut and why – and is there hope that he will sort out the tax mess that Britain has got stuck in. The higher income child benefit charge creates marginal tax rates above 50 per cent, meanwhile the removal of the perso...
1hr 8m Feb 23, 2024
1hr 8m
The UK is in recession but does that matter (and could things be about to get better)?
It's finally happened. After months of will-we, won't-we speculation, the UK economy has finally succumbed to recession. The ONS revealed this week that a drop in GDP in the final three months of 2023 meant that Britain had racked up two consecutive of negative growth - and thus the dreaded R word is here. But is this a bad one, why does the term 'technical recession' keep being bandied about...
53m Feb 16, 2024
53m
Interview: Sir Stelios on how he launched easyJet - and backing young entrepreneurs
In this special bonus This is Money podcast episode, Simon Lambert speaks to easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Sir Stelios tells the story of how he launched easyJet his easyGroup of companies - and how allowing others to build companies using the easy brand works. He also explains why he is backing entrepreneurs under the age of 35 with his Stelios Philanthropic Foundation awards and...
15m Feb 13, 2024
15m
Will you be able to afford a comfortable retirement?
The cost of a comfortable retirement has jumped over the past year - but what do you need to get one and will you get there? As the Pension and Lifetime Savings Association updates its annual look at how much income people need for a basic, moderate or comfortable retirement, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert take a look at what this all means for you. If a comfortable retirement cos...
1hr 3m Feb 09, 2024
1hr 3m
Why would the Bank of England cut rates this year?
The Bank of England held base rate once again at 5.25 per cent (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-13028685/Bank-England-holds-rates-5-25-means-mortgages-savings.html) , the fourth hold in succession – but this time, it was a genuine split by MPC members. So, when will we start seeing rates fall – and will inflation really be at the target 2 per cent by April? This week...
59m Feb 02, 2024
59m
Why has Britain fallen behind on getting richer?
Britain's disposable income has dropped substantially over the past 14 years compared to where it should be, according to a new report this week. The Centre for Cities said that the average household's disposable income has fallen £10,000 behind where it would have been if pre-2010 growth rates had been maintained. On average we have got better off, but we are well below what would have been ...
1hr 7m Jan 26, 2024
1hr 7m
You can bag a £10k heat pump discount... would that tempt you to get one?
The Government wants us to get heat pumps fitted in our homes and it's offering up to £7,500 for us to do so. Now Worcester Bosch is bumping that up by an extra £2,500 - if you pick one of theirs of course. But with the devices cost between £8,000 to £30,000 to buy and fit, would it tempt you? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Lee Boyce reveal all... and talk the 'boiler tax'. Is inflation back...
1hr Jan 19, 2024
1hr
Should you stick your money in Premium Bonds, a savings account or invest?
After a good year for Premium Bonds when the only way was up for the prize fund rate, savers got a blow this week as a cut arrived. The prize fund rate is being cut to 4.4 per cent from 4.65 per cent. That edges the average return - which you may or may not get - from Premium Bonds further below the best savings deals, so should you save instead? Or would many Premium Bond holders be better ...
1hr 2m Jan 12, 2024
1hr 2m
Is the taxman really going after Ebay sellers?
Have you ever sold anything on Ebay, Vinted or Facebook Marketplace to make a bit of extra cash? Those who do may have been worried this week, as news that the websites will now be required to report sellers' activities to the taxman (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/savemoneymakemoney/article-12922689/Will-HMRC-really-come-selling-old-clothes-unlikely-youll-taxed.html) caused panic online....
54m Jan 05, 2024
54m
Will investors have a good year in 2024 - and what do they need to look out for?
58m Dec 22, 2023
58m
How fast will interest rates fall - and where's the new normal?
The Bank of England has reached the peak with interest rates in this cycle. That's the firm view of the markets and most analysts, despite three members of the nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee disagreeing and voting for a rate hike this week. The question has now shifted from how high will rates go, to when will they be cut? The boldest predictions are for more than 1 per cent to be sha...
59m Dec 15, 2023
59m
Will mortgage rates keep falling and is the crisis over?
It's been a rollercoaster year for mortgage rates and after the inflation panic spike over summer, lenders have been slashing costs for borrowers. The best mortgage rates are now falling towards 4 per cent, whereas not so many months ago they were rising towards 6 per cent - and many deals climbed above that. So is the mortgage crisis over and how much further will rates fall? On this podcas...
59m Dec 10, 2023
59m
The pandemic start-up that can turn your floorplan into a grand design: Bonus interview with Peek Home's founders
We love the idea of transforming our homes so much that an entire cottage TV industry has sprung out of it, ranging from Grand Designs, to Ugly House to Lovely House and Your Home Made Perfect. For Jaemi and Roly Glancy sketching out how they could renovate their properties turned into a start-up helping others envisage what they could do with theirs. In this bonus podcast episode, Simon Lamb...
18m Dec 04, 2023
18m
What drives you mad about going to the shops?
What drives you mad about going to the supermarket? Is it self-service tills, scanning receipts to get out, loyalty scheme dual pricing, or prices being hiked well above inflation? Many of us want to support bricks and mortar retail, but there are times when shops seem to mainly be involved in testing our patience. In a week in which the competition watchdog fired a broadside at the consumer...
1hr Dec 01, 2023
1hr
Will the mixed bag Autumn Statement boost your wealth?
The Autumn Statement was the definition of a mixed bag. There was a National Insurance cut, but the stealth income tax raid continued. The Isa system got an improvement, but the allowance remained frozen. Meanwhile, the triple lock was delivered along with a pension pot-for-life plan but inheritance tax remains firmly uncut at 40 per cent, with all its weird quirks intact. So, was that an A...
56m Nov 24, 2023
56m
Autumn Statement: What would you do if you were Chancellor for the day?
The Autumn Statement arrives next week and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The idea of it being a simple update on the economy seems to have been abandoned and instead there is talk of an Isa overhaul, tax changes, and even inheritance tax being cut from 40 per cent to 20 per cent. But if you were Chancellor for the day, what would you do? On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee ...
1hr 3m Nov 17, 2023
1hr 3m
How to turn your work pension into a moneyspinner and boost your pot
We all know pensions are important but most of us rarely engage with them. Yet, with a little bit of time and effort, you can get your work pension working as hard as possible for you - and at some point in the future you will be very glad you did so. On this episode of the This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert talk pensions: why you should start early, the reason ...
1hr 5m Nov 10, 2023
1hr 5m
Have interest rates peaked - and what happens next?
Have interest rates peaked? After an inflation spike rudely awoke them from their slumbers, the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve have shown us that rate hiking can be a difficult habit to break. But 14 consecutive rate rises into an astonishing run from 0.1 per cent to 5.25 per cent for the base rate, the Bank of England suddenly paused six weeks ago. And then, on Thursday, it did i...
53m Nov 03, 2023
53m
Pension blunders and why a bond spike is worrying investors
This week, This is Money's pensions expert Tanya Jefferies joins Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost. Among the topics being discussed: State pension top-ups are in dire need of an overhaul by DWP and HMRC, says TANYA JEFFERIES (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/comment/article-12667275/State-pension-ups-need-overhaul-DWP-HMRC.html) What does the bond market sell-off mean for your investments ...
54m Oct 28, 2023
54m
How much will frozen income tax bands suck out of your pay packet?
Wages are up, but inflation is… the same. What does it all mean for mortgage rates, the state pension, benefits and the economy generally? One thing we know won’t be affected by the latest figure is income tax bands. Just how much is the big freeze – AKA fiscal drag (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-12644069/How-frozen-income-tax-bands-cost-average-worker-following-Septembers-...
1hr 6m Oct 20, 2023
1hr 6m
How much further could house prices fall?
House prices will continue to fall, says an influential poll of estate agents. The latest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors found that buyer demand is declining (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-12618565/House-prices-fall-according-Rics-estate-agent-survey.html) and fewer homes are coming to the market. Meanwhile, Halifax’s latest house price figu...
58m Oct 13, 2023
58m
Will your energy bills rise this winter despite a falling price cap?
Inflation is easing, food prices are coming down from their peak and the energy price cap dropped last weekend. But you are still paying around 10 per cent more for your groceries now than last year, petrol prices are rising, mortgage rates are still high, and you may end up paying more for your gas and electricity this winter too. But how is that possible? This week, Angharad Carrick, Georgi...
56m Oct 06, 2023
56m
Could the most hated tax in Britain be axed?
It’s been called the most hated tax in Britain - but only four per cent of people pay it. You could be forgiven for thinking inheritance tax is something only the super-rich need to worry about. But thanks to rising house prices and an increasing desire to transfer wealth between generations, more and more people are being drawn into the net. It happens not only when someone is left property...
46m Sep 29, 2023
46m
Have interest rates peaked and what next for savings and mortgages?
And suddenly they stopped. After 14 interest rate rises in a row, the Bank of England stalled and kept base rate on hold. A lower than expected inflation number and slew of economic reports indicating the heat was being taken out of the economy were credited with staying the Monetary Policy Committee's hand. So, will 5.25 per cent now be the peak for base rate or could rates once again start ...
51m Sep 22, 2023
51m
Podcast cut: How young workers can boost their pension (and maybe double their money)
This is Money's Simon Lambert gives his tips for young pension savers on how to give their retirement fund a big boost - and in some instances double the pot they end up with.
2m Sep 19, 2023
2m
Should we keep the triple lock or come up with a better pension plan?
If the triple lock is stuck to, the state pension should rise by 8.5 per cent next April. That will be an inflation-busting rise but a promise is a promise - and the triple lock is meant to be a cast iron guarantee that the state pension will rise by either 2.5 per cent, average wages, or inflation. Except it's already been unpicked once and arguing about whether the government can wriggle ou...
44m Sep 15, 2023
44m
Should we gift every newborn £1,000 to invest?
Every child could receive a pot of £1,000 at birth to be channelled into long-term investments in UK growth under proposals to give the young a leg up and revive a ‘stagnant’ economy. The idea of a ‘New Generation Trust’ (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-12489065/Every-child-1-000-pot-invest-plan-revive-stagnant-economy.html) is part of a package of reforms that could add £2...
1hr Sep 08, 2023
1hr
Are you on track for a comfy retirement and do you really need a £600k pot?
Inflation has been ravaging our finances, but it is also threatening our future. According to new research, if you want a comfortable retirement, you need to build a pot of nearly £600,000. (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/pensions/article-12442079/How-need-save-retirement.html) The rising cost of living requires an extra £4,200 a year to maintain the same lifestyle as in spring last year -...
51m Sep 01, 2023
51m
Where would YOU put money for five years? This is Money podcast
Many people may be feeling in a state of financial flux at the moment and wondering where to put their money. And it's not an easy choice. Savings rates have improved, gold is holding steady, but property prices are slipping and stocks are sticky. And that is just some of the myriad of options Britons are contemplating right now, alongside other areas such as overpaying the mortgage or saving...
1hr 11m Aug 26, 2023
1hr 11m
Have we turned the corner on high inflation or could it bounce back?
The inflation spike took central banks, governments and many ordinary people by surprise but Britain’s cost of living problem has proved more stubborn that most. The latest set of official figures on consumer prices index inflation seem to show that the UK may be making some headway on getting it down. Aided by a substantial drop in the energy price cap, annual CPI inflation fell to 6.8 per c...
44m Aug 18, 2023
44m
Mortgage mayhem has stalled but what happens next?
After months of mortgage mayhem some better news finally arrived this week with major lenders delivering a slew of hefty rate cuts. Halifax, Nationwide, and NatWest have all delivered big chops to their home loans, with analysts saying that we may be past the moment of peak panic in the mortgage market. That’s the silver lining to a very dark cloud though, as mortgage rates are far higher tha...
51m Aug 11, 2023
51m
Taxman customer service troubles unmasked and probate problems in the spotlight
When it comes to HM Revenue & Customs, it's safe to say that many business owners and accountants have become well-acquainted with chaos. The push for a digital tax system has left some waiting months to receive basic tax information (https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/smallbusiness/article-12198887/Inside-chaos-tax-office-Whats-gone-wrong-disastrously-understaffed-HMRC.html) - and following ...
53m Aug 04, 2023
53m
Energy firms rapped for bad customer service... while still making mega profits
Energy firms have had their feet held to the fire this week. The industry as a whole has been blasted by the regulator Ofgem (https://ptp-uk-cc.anlremote.com/money/bills/article-12340541/Energy-firms-customer-service-blasted-watchdog-Ofgem.html) over poor customer service, while our investigation revealed that 200 customers don't think Ovo has been billing them properly (https://ptp-uk-cc.anlr...
50m Jul 28, 2023
50m
Inflation eases to 7.9% - what does that mean for mortgage and savings rates?
Earlier in the week, the consumer prices index measure of inflation fell by more than expected thanks to a fall in transport and food prices. It eased to 7.9 per cent in June, a bigger drop than expected, according to the Office for National Statistics. This was the lowest CPI rate since March 2022 when inflationary pressures began to amplify the headline figure. So what does that mean for t...
47m Jul 21, 2023
47m
Do you really want your pension invested in risky unlisted companies?
52m Jul 17, 2023
52m
Could your bank really close YOUR current account with little warning?
Banks have come into the firing line this week over current account closures and slowness to pass on base rate rises to savers. Nigel Farage claims his bank shut his current account over his Brexit views – the former politician has been vocal on Twitter about his treatment by Coutts, while the exclusive bank with a high net wealth clientele has fired back. So, can banks realistically do that ...
50m Jul 07, 2023
50m