Money Box

How are you dealing with energy costs this winter?Money Box Live has heard some people are skipping meals whilst others in full time employment are turning to warm banks and food hubs to cut costs.The energy price cap, which is now what most of us pay, jumped 5% at the start of the year to £1928 for typical use - but what exactly does that mean and are you a typical user?Meanwhile, the charity Citizens Advice has estimated two million people on prepayment meters could have their gas and electricity cut off because they cannot afford to top up. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero says its spending an average of £3,700 per household to support families with the cost-of-living. And there is some relief on the way as prices are predicted to fall in the spring.Answering all your questions and comments with Felicity Hannah is Peter Smith, Director of Policy at the charity National Energy Action and Deputy Policy Director Daniel Portis from Energy UK which speaks for the industry.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast oat 3pm Wednesday the 24th of January 2024)

Some people who have been defrauded out of some or all of their pension fund are now being chased by HM Revenue & Customs for tax on money they no longer have. They were persuaded by advisers to cash in their pension and invest it in schemes that promised big returns. In fact they were often fake and some or all of their money disappeared. But HMRC is demanding tax on this missing money because they cashed in their pension too early. A campaign group based in Parliament is calling for a change in the law to protect them from what it calls the largest tax scandal in British history. In response, HMRC told Money Box “We do not tax pension savings lost to fraud. What we do tax are amounts that people release, or attempt to release, from their pensions where not authorised in law. It is our responsibility to collect the tax people legally owe and maintain a fair tax system for all. We sympathise with people who may have lost money by entering such arrangements and handle these situations on a case by case basis. We take the wellbeing of all taxpayers seriously and do everything we can for those who engage with us to get their tax affairs in order, including by offering affordable payment plans.”As temperatures hit a new low this week one charity is nearly doubling the size of the vouchers it gives to those who can't keep warm. We'll speak to the Fuel Bank Foundation which helps people on prepayment meters manage their bills.A record number of people will need to re-mortgage this year - are the choices getting any better?And all you need to know about filing your self assessment form.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Tamzin Kraftman Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 20th January 2024)

Flooding damages property, lives and can be incredibly financially damaging as well.There was £352 million pounds in insurance claims for damaged homes following storms Babet, Ciaran and Debi at the end of last year according to the Association of British Insurers. We don't yet know the financial fall out of January's storm Henk - the eighth named storm of the season - but as the climate changes, insurers expect even more of this kind of weather.So what is flooding costing homeowners and businesses and what is the best advice if you've been affected?Felicity Hannah visits a flat owner in Worcestershire and we hear from the man who spent £80,000 taking matters into his own hands.This week we're joined by Heather Shepherd from the charity the National Flood Forum as well as Laura Hughes, Manager of General Insurance at the Association of British Insurers, which represents the industry.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Sara Wadeson(This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 17th of January on Radio 4 at 3pm)

New figures given to Money Box show there has been a big increase in the amount of money being stolen through fake text messages offering people jobs. These recruitment scams are usually sent via text or WhatsApp and offer high pay, easy hours and the chance to work from home. Last year 126 people contacted Action Fraud saying they'd been victims of this type of scam with £977,000 stolen from them. That is 50 times as much as was reported the year before. What do you need to look out for?Storm Henk was the 8th storm of this season and more could well be on the way. As the flooding costs for insurers rise, home insurance premiums move up with them. According to the Consumer Intelligence Home Insurance Price Index they had already risen 36% by last October. We'll explain all you need to know about flood insurance.When you pay into a pension you expect it to be there for you when you retire. We investigate one listener's case who discovered her pension company had taken all her money in charges.And Paul Lewis asks listeners how they buy their music? Email moneybox@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Sandra Hardial Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 13th January, 2024)

The price of nursery can be more than a mortgage. In fact, to send a two-year-old to nursery for 50 hours a week, allowing you to work full time, can set you back more than £14,000 a year according to Coram the children's charity.But, from April this year, working parents in England can claim 15 government funded hours for two year olds, instead of waiting for them to turn three to get help. Applications for that support are now open - but there are concerns that not all parents will be be able to get their applications processed in time to use them. We've been investigating that, and what else is available to cut childcare costs for mums and dads.We'll also hear from a nursery owner on the financial pressures of caring for children and talk about the costs of having school age kids.Felicity Hannah is joined by Paul Rhodes from the Money and Pensions Service and Meghan Meek-O'Connor, senior policy adviser on child poverty at Save the Children UK.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast on the 10th of January at 3pm on Radio 4).

The podcast discusses the recent reduction in UK national insurance tax and its impact on income. It also explores the new rules for bank account fraud refunds and the concept of gross negligence. The responsibility of banks for fraud prevention is highlighted, along with the availability of free childcare offers and the approaching deadline for tax returns.

It can feel like new year, new you, with so much potential for change and improvement, but then reality can kick in. Around 1 in 3 of us will have made a financial resolution this year, but according to Hargreaves Lansdown, almost 20% of us won't even make it to the end of this week.So how do you make them stick? Felicity Hannah is joined by behavioural & data scientist Professor Pragya Agarwal, Laura Suter, Head of Personal Finance at AJ Bell and consumer rights expert Martyn James. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Andrew Strachan Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast on Radio 4, Wednesday the 3rd of January 2024 at 3pm)

Explore important money topics discussed between Christmas and New Year, including consumer rights, managing debt, regifting, and booking travel. Learn about the risks and etiquette of regifting, the importance of creating a budget, the tradition of filing tax returns, and tips for finding holiday bargains and avoiding travel scams.

Professor Mairi Spowage discusses the Scottish government's budget, including higher taxes for higher earners. The MEI highlights the importance of studying core maths. Tips for saving money in 2024 are shared, along with festive music from the City of Lincoln Band.

Rising rental costs, high demand for rental properties, and the impact of rising interest rates on homeowners. Challenges faced by tenants in finding affordable housing. Delays in scrapping no fault evictions and the difficulties faced by tenants. Dealing with mold and damp in rented apartments. Actions for tenants with unresolved issues and protecting against bad landlords. The shortage of rental properties and the need to shift policy to support the rental market.