This is Money Podcast

Plans to massively hike probate fees have been dropped, but was this due to the General Election or the government trying to distance itself from a move that saw a huge backlash? Simon Lambert, Rachel Rickard Straus and Georgie Frost discuss it on this excerpt from the This is Money podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The result of the election on June 8 will determine the financial outcome of Britain possibly more than any other in recent memory. So sit down and listen to Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Rachel Rickard Straus explain in simple terms what is at stake. On the agenda:Pension triple lock – if you’ve never really understood this, you will nowEnergy price cap – that old thing. The only thing left for Theresa May to do to turn into Ed Miliband is to eat a bacon butty badly. Who will fix the housing crisis and how? Is GDP now suffering at the prospect of Brexit - and is it really best way to measure a country’s performance?Elections in Europe – how may they affect our economy?New probate fees ‘the equivalent of paying £20,000 to renew your passport’ have been scrapped – and other great Tory tax u-turns PlusLet’s increase the speed limit to 80mph on motorways. We need something to look forward to. Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brexit this, Brexit that but what about the other stuff we need to worry about. Britain soon gets to vote in another election and inevitably the campaigns surrounding it will be about Brexit. Before you get bombarded with those, this week’s This is Money podcast looks at why Theresa May has even called another election and what that decision means for the economy, the pound and investors?Yet this election should not just be about Brexit, there are other things to consider too. This is Money’s Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce, join Georgie Frost in the Share Radio studios to discuss what they might be.So, if that canvasser rings the doorbell asking for your vote, we run through some of the things from the world of money that you may want to ask them about. (And if Simon’s MP Jeremy Corbyn does come round to ask for his vote, he promises to ask him these questions and report back on the replies.)It’s not all about Brexit and it’s not just about then election though. This week, we also talk about why household debt is worrying the FCA and our banks, the secrets Lee uncovered behind the scenes at Costa coffee’s roaster and small cars for big people.Find out everything you need to know about money this week and what it means for you by listening to the podcast.And if you like it please share it – and also leave us a review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The price of all sorts is going up this week - from stamps to council tax. This is Money's Rachel Rickard Straus and Lee Boyce play the lucky dip of price hikes - which involves a stop watch, chocolate eggs... and quick explanations of how bills are set to rise. Then it's on to debt - credit card, car... you name it. Is it a worry? Is it a big worry? What's going to happen next? (Spoiler alert - they think it's a worry.)The Lifetime Isa - Lisa - has just launched, so that's next on the agenda. Presenter George Frost and the This is Money team talk through whether Isas have had their day, why Lisas may or may not be a good idea, and the great whopping investing question that it's so easy to forget. And the grand finale... involves a lot of wretching. Well nearly -it would if the team weren't so well behaved. It's the Easter taste test, in which the supermarkets' not-very-finest chocolate eggs and bunnies are compared, as well as four types of hot cross bun. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was never about economics. But 52% or the 72% turnout voted for the UK to leave the European Union last June and now it’s official. Prime Minister Theresa May has written and delivered a letter that gives the country just two years to renegotiate tens of thousands of laws that took 40 odd years to draw up. It’s about taking control, she said, without expanding what that might mean.In the absence of any credible positive analysis from the 'Leave' fraternity, please allow Simon Lambert, Rebecca Rutt and Georgie Frost to have a go at explaining where our economy now stands. The vote to leave the EU hit the pound immediately and that is likely to continue. Prices of just about everything are rising and are set to rocket. Five percent this year may not sound a lot but cumulatively, petrol, travel, clothes and food make up a lot of what we buy. But on the plus side?Also on the show Britain is in debt, nationally and personally at record levels. Should we be alarmed?The new pound coin is now in circulation. Is it really impossible to forge?What does investing post-Brexit look like? Investing overseas most likely.How much do you pay for a decent bottle of wine? Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One thousand years ago, life expectancy was about 30 years. In 30 years’ time, someone will be born who could live to 1,000. This causes a problem for the pensions industry and governments. It’s tough enough finding an income for a few months without working, never mind 935 years.This is the kind of problem experts have been grappling with lately and some of the results are emerging. On the table are joys such as working until you’re 105 years old, abolishing the State pension or coming up with ill-conceived alternatives such as the pointless Lifetime Isa. Most likely, if you’re under 30 now, you’ll probably retire at 70, or under 45 and you’ll work till you’re 68.The triple lock guarantee that ensures the State pension rises by inflation, earnings or 2.5% , whichever is higher, could be scrapped because the Government is ideologically against raising taxes to pay for it. Pensioners will be worse off without a solid alternative. Britain’s pensions used to be best in the world. Like a lot of things, we’ve slipped down that league table too. Women especially continue to lose out. But pensions are boring, right? Not when Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost get their hands on the subject. Also on this week’s show… Bank branches? Honestly, when was the last time you went into bank branch? What’s the point of them in 2017? More than 1,000 have closed in the past 12 months and the new thing of paying in cheques by photo could finish the rest off.You’re young, you earn money but never enough. Do you rent / buy a home or pay into a pension - or both? Inflation – it’s higher expected. Will Brexit make it spiral out of control and why did we move from to CPI from RPI? You CAN be a successful investor. If our new guide isn’t the easiest to read, most informative one you’ve read – we failed. We don’t think we did. Allow its author Simon to explain why investing is easier and more profitable than you might think. And finally… Ebay contracts aren’t binding. You can make anonymous joke bids that you never have to honour. It must be time for the online auction house to behave like an auction house. Enjoy #brexit #economy #money #pensions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a mess we’re in. Without too much effort this week, we spotted 10 messes. It was made pretty easy with the fallout from Chancellor Philip Hammond’s first go at a Budget making news all week. His attack on small business was up there with some of the made-up-as-you-go-along nonsense from his predecessor. Hammond learned well from George Osborne. Mess 1The Budget. Last week we wondered if the whole thing was a joke? It was. The main thrust, a rise in National Insurance contributions for people who don’t have a staff job, is in the bin. This leaves a big gap in the Government finances. They tried austerity, cut taxes for the richest, tried taking it out on small business. None of it has worked. What next? Tax needs to rise somewhere. Mess 2Ill-thought-out tax tweaks from the past come back to haunt policymakers. A change to flat-rate VAT announced in the last Autumn Statement is about to come into force and will be a further blow to small business. Listen for the great VAT explainer on how it works and who’ll be hit. Mess 3 A man who installed mouth-shaped urinals at work is named Britain’s best boss. Mess 4 New complicated emissions-based taxes on cars are coming in. Few motorists know what’s happening or why or how. Here’s an example: an emission-free electric car costing over £40,000 will be due more emissions tax than proud polluter the Ford Mustang V8. Plan for a bigger tax bill. Maybe. It’s a mess. Mess 5 It emerged while we were on air that the Chancellor responsible for some of the above messes – and still a sitting MP - is to become a newspaper editor. Politicians running the Press – and the one responsible for the short-lived sausage roll tax. Brilliant. Mess 6The latest job figures are out and look really good! This would be great news except too many of the jobs are zero hours contracts and wage growth and productivity are rubbish. When inflation caused by the devalued pound starts to bite, it’s likely to ravage spending power and could create a downward spiral of job insecurity and financial misery. Mess 7 Interest rates need to go up but the Bank of England won’t do it. It kind of can’t. Low rates are causing more harm than good, especially keeping wages down. See above. Mess 8Mortgage rates, however, will go up. The way mortgages are calculated isn’t based on the Bank Rate. Learn how they work and impress your friends with your new knowledge. Mess 9 People aren’t saving enough. There are easy ways to save and invest but people see investing as gambling and won’t do that either. Mess 10It’s Isa season – but cash Isas have been killed off. Who did that, George? Your entire £15,240 limit might earn you about one pound fifty a year in interest in the worst accounts. There are alternatives, This is Money editor Simon Lambert picks five ‘dividend heroes’ – but are you brave enough? Also with Georgie Frost and Rachel Rickard Straus.Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It felt like there was something fishy going on during the Budget speech this week.Chancellor Philip Hammond peppered the few official announcements he made with low-rent panto gags and political jibes. Were these a distraction technique? With the benefit of hindsight, it’s clear that trying to be funny was silly Philly’s way of glossing over one of the more ‘spectacularly dumb’ decisions in modern politics. Big banks brought the economy to its knees in the late noughties, why now go after the self-employed and small businesses to shore up the country’s finances with a National Insurance hike? It was a short, sweet kamikaze mission, especially given the manifesto pledge of no increase in VAT, National Insurance or income tax. A U-turn beckons. As ever, This is Money editor Simon Lambert explains exactly what it all means and how National insurance works for the self-employed. Is it time to merge it with income tax?Also, on the show with Georgie Frost and Lee ‘spreadsheet’ Boyce…A pointless, below-inflation government-backed savings bond was also announced in the Budget. You can get better elsewhere. Diesel cars confusion – we need answers on where exactly the pollution problem lies and who is likely to be penalised and whenSavings deal of the week – Atom bank has an attractive account but it’s only available on a phone appRip-off insurance cover – IPT, the insurance tax, has doubled in two years. Expect to pay hundreds of pounds more to cover your car and home.Can you afford to ever retire? Listen to Simon’s advice and you can save without realising. How should couples manage their joint finances – and what if one has secret debts? And finally, who should pay for dinner if you dine with someone who earns less than you?Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A speech this week from President Donald Trump sent the US stock market soaring to a record high.And where the US goes, the rest of the world follows. The FTSE 100 is also impressing investors. Trump stood at the podium, behaved like an adult and explained a little more about some of his less crazy policies, including the fiscal ones. Cash held offshore could start washing back into America and wind up in the pockets of shareholders, who clearly want a piece of that pie. There’s more to it than that. This is Money’s Simon Lambert explains how it all might work as other pundits ponder whether it’s the euphoria before the fall. A ‘bull run’ is when markets rise. ‘Bears’ usually spoil the party. The gloves are off. Also on the show, featuring Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost:Two more years of miserable savings ratesLifetime Isas – a totally flawed Government plot A new Range Rover ‘for women’Car insurance premiums are likely to rise because, oh do they really need an excuse?Hateful parking finesHateful probate fees A chance to win a radio Warm bath of homicideEnjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are a lot of laughs this week as Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost take a sideways look at some of the week’s potty money stories.Banks are in the spotlight because it’s reporting season and there was a mix of good news, shock news and fraud news from Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and the rest. But the pathetic attempts by RBS to lure customers to its headline 0.05% interest-paying cash Isa get taken to pieces by the This is Money team. Also on the show… A trendy new bank backed by the tech entrepreneur, haircut wearer and singing coach on TV’s The Voice, Will. i.am, is paying 2% to its savers. It’s a suspiciously high a rate say our judges. To open the account you have to take a selfie. How many moneyed 60-year-olds will take that seriously? Football. Bloody hell! It’s the metaphor for anything. Could the rise and fall of Leicester City be clever economic forecasting at play?A conversation about the state of our banking sector ensues: Tale of two bail outs – RBS v LloydsBritish Airways vs all the other airlines it used to be better than until it got into bed with Marks & Spencer’s sandwich department. Divorce vs capital gains taxScammers vs printer owners The new Ferrari vs critics of its odd new name And finally, How much is a coin worth when the Queen’s face has a goatee beard?Enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.