Money Box

More than 200 pensioners responded to a request to tell us how much their state pension was. They were nearly all different amounts. Next week the basic pension is rising to £137.60 a week and the new state pension paid to younger pensioners to £179.60. But those are amounts that hardly anyone actually gets. So why are pensions - the old and the new - so complicated? Who better to answer that than two former pensions ministers. Sir Steve Webb had that job throughout the years of the coalition government and Baroness Ros Altmann for just over a year under David Cameron. Pockit is not a bank. But it does offer what it calls a current account. In fact that is a pre-paid card which customers load money onto and then can spend it almost as if it was a bank account. But some users have told Moneybox that their accounts have been locked and they they have struggled to get through to Pockit to find out what's going on. Paul talks to Martyn James, consumer rights expert at Resolver.It is now more than 90 days since the UK left the ambit of the EU at the end of the transition period. And more than one million UK people living in EU countries must adapt to the laws that apply to foreign residents. And if you have thought that maybe one day you would like to go to work or retire to an EU country what are the rules you will now have to follow? This week we look at Spain which is home to more people from the UK than any other EU country. Barry Davys is a partner in Spectrum International Financial Adviser group based in Catalunya.Researcher: Sowda Ali Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Richard Vadon

There’s been a rise in the number of divorces according to the Office for National Statistics along with predictions that even more couples will split as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Many law firms are reporting huge spikes in the number of separations during the pandemic.Plans for new “no fault” divorce rules are due to come in in the next few months and will abolish the need to blame one of the parties when pursuing a divorce. But what happens to the finances during all of this? What if a couple weren’t married or owned some assets before the marriage?Presenter Louise Cooper will be joined by:Rhona Adams, partner at Morton Fraser and head of the family law team Claire Gordon, family law partner at Farrer & Co Michael Royce, senior policy and propositions manager at the Money and Pensions ServiceE-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @Moneybox now with your thoughts, questions and experiences.Producer: Darin Graham Editor: Richard Vadon

Fancy earning interest on a £10,000 loan? We’ll find out about what negative interest rates mean for consumers in Denmark and what might happen if they were introduced here. Felicity Hannah talks to Niels Arne Dam, Chief Economist at Finance Denmark and Paul Pester, former CEO of TSB and currently the chair of research and ratings agency Fairer Finance.Women’s finances have been hit harder than men’s by the Covid crisis, so could that risk a widening wealth gap and how do we fix it? Maike Currie, investment director at Fidelity Investments and Professor Annamaria Lusardi, head of the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center at The George Washington University School of Business have some ideas. And, if you’re eating too much chocolate this weekend then you’re not alone! But can that tell us anything about how you plan your pension, your investments, your savings? Or does it just mean you like chocolate? Felicity talks to Dr Pragya Agarwal, a behavioural data scientist and Claire Walsh, a chartered financial planner.Researcher: Jonelle Awomoyi Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Emma Rippon

All too often we hear about fraudsters using the phone to trick victims into handing over thousands or tens of thousands of pounds and destroying lives in the process. But how often to we get to hear an actual recording of these criminals in action? We play a recording of a fraud call in progress because a criminal made the terrible mistake of calling our Money Box reporter Dan Whitworth. Paul Lewis talks to Graeme Biggar, Director General of National Economic Crime Centre for the National Crime Agency and MP Steve Baker, who's a member of the Treasury Select Committee.The Government plans to put more regulations in place to address the widespread concerns about the poor practice and behaviour of private car parking operators. A new code of practice will be drawn up, with the system being introduced by the middle of next year. Paul talks to Steve Clark, Director of Operations and Business Development, British Parking Association.The FCA says it has no current plans to take further regulatory action against a compensation scheme set up by the guarantor loans lender Amigo - despite admitting the scheme might not be compatible with its current rules. Sara Williams, founder of the debt advice website Debt Camel, talks us through the latest developments. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Jonelle Awomoyi Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Rosamund Jones

A recent report by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that the coronavirus pandemic has driven more people into financial vulnerability. More adults in the UK have fallen into debt or have little capacity to ride out financial shocks, the FCA said. While furlough, other support grants and the Universal Credit uplift have helped many people avoid money problems, concerns are growing over the financial damage from multiple lockdowns, job losses, lower earnings and redundancies. How are people coping with debt during the pandemic and what support is available?Joining presenter Louise Cooper on the panel:Helen Undy, chief executive, Money and Mental Health Policy Institute Richard Lane, head of external affairs, Stepchange Colin Mathieson, from Advice Direct ScotlandIf you have a question about debt, please get in touch. E-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @MoneyBox.Producer: Darin Graham Editor: Rosamund Jones

The government responds to Money Box’s revelation that developers are asking customers to sign non-disclosure agreements as a condition of getting problems with their new build homes fixed. We also hear from listeners asked to keep quiet - despite the denials of developers about the practice. A change in the law next month means there could be a huge rise in the number of contractors working through unregulated umbrella companies - and some of those companies are accused of withholding holiday pay and even pension payments. And thousands of those who tried to claim universal credit in the pandemic have been rejected because they live with a partner who earns too much.Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporters: Dan Whitworth & Hannah Price Researcher: Sowda Ali Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Rosamund Jones

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has changed the way we live. But what impact has a year of lockdowns and restrictions had on shopkeepers and shoppers? Has the last year broken the mould for retail? Many essential shops have been successful during the pandemic with some in suburban or rural areas doing more trade as many people work from home.As covid restrictions finally ease, will our shopping habits have changed permanently? Presenter Felicity Hannah is joined by:Kate Ancketill, founder and CEO, GDR Creative Catherine Erdly, founder of the Resilient Retail Club and advisor at Enterprise Nation Bill Grimsey, author of the Grimsey Review.If you have a question about shopping, city centres or the high street then please get in touch. E-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @MoneyBox.Producer: Darin Graham Editor: Rosamund Jones

A senior MP tells Money Box it’s “appalling” that house developers are asking some customers to sign non-disclosure agreements as a condition of fixing serious defects with new homes. A new report this week claims there are still around 250,000 mortgage “prisoners” - people trapped on high-interest mortgages. And what to do if something goes wrong when you try to buy goods and services on Instagram.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jonelle Awomoyi Researcher: Sowda Ali Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Rosamund Jones

More people are trying their hand at trading and investing using online platforms. Much of the trend is driven by trading apps, with a rise in the number of people signing up since the coronavirus pandemic hit last year. Investors can buy shares in companies and investment funds and keep track of them on their phones. Many of the apps say their services are free to use and commission-free, so how do they make money? Why have trading apps grown so quickly and what are the risks and benefits of investing this way? Presenter Charmaine Cozier is joined by:Martin Bamford, chartered financial planner and head of client education at Informed Choice andRyan King, founder of Making Money Simple. If you're thinking about investing using an app or would like to share your experience, then please get in touch. E-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @MoneyBox.Producer: Darin Graham Editor: Rosamund Jones

Earlier this week the Government announced that economic abuse will be a criminal offence under the Domestic Abuse Bill. The law previously only recognised abuse that took place within a relationship, not after separation. We hear one survivor's shocking tale - she was left with nearly half a million pounds of debt - and hear her reaction to the law change. Paul Lewis talks to barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman.On Wednesday the DWP revealed that 200,000 women could be in line for payouts averaging £13,500 to compensate them for the underpayment of their state pensions going back decades. The DWP estimate the bill to be about £2.7bn. Paul talks to Sir Steve Webb, former Pensions Minister and current partner at Lane Clarke & Peacock who explains why some pensioners lost out and who is likely to benefit now. The calculator Steve Webb mentions during the interview is available here - https://www.lcp.uk.com/is-your-state-pension-being-underpaid/In the Budget the Chancellor confirmed that newly self-employed people who completed a tax return for 2019 to 2020 are now eligible for financial help. The group, which includes more than 600,000 people who became self-employed last year, were unable to access the first three instalments but they can now apply for the fourth Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant. Paul talks through the changes with Andy Chamberlain, Director of Policy at IPSE.NatWest has become the latest high street bank/building society to launch a lottery-style savings account. With interest rates so low, is this the future? Rachel Springall, finance expert at moneyfacts.co.uk, explainsPresenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Sowda Ali and Jonelle Awomoyi Producer: Ben Carter Editor: Rosamund Jones