Money Box

Money Box Live: School Costs

12 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

1 in 5 parents say they're struggling with the cost of sending their children to school according to the National Parent Survey.There're uniform costs...

Breakfast Clubs and Housing Costs

08 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Government made a start this week on its manifesto promise to provide free breakfast clubs in every primary school in England. The Children's Well...

Live from Sheffield: Affording Care

05 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Money Box Live broadcasts from Grange Crescent Residential Care Home in Sheffield for a special programme on the cost of care.Unlike NHS services, soc...

Energy Costs and Private Schools VAT

01 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Temperatures have fallen below zero in much of the UK this week, just as gas and electricity prices rose. From New Year's Day the price cap set by the...

The Cost of Having a Pet

25 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There are 36 million pets in the UK, which doesn't include fish and other aquatics, and the cost of owning one can add up.One of the biggest bills a p...

Energy Bill Support and Christmas Cheer!

18 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Electricity and gas suppliers say they're offering hundreds of millions of pounds of additional support for customers this winter. Energy prices will ...

Money Box Live: Side Hustles

15 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Almost half of us are making money from side hustles according to the comparison site, Finder.But how do they work, what do you need to do if you have...

Winter Fuel Help and Young Homeowners

11 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Some councils in England are offering vouchers or money directly to pensioners who've lost out on the Winter Fuel Payment this year. The money is be...

Money Box Live: How to give to Charity

08 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The British public is expected to donate close to £3bn to good causes over the festive season according to research from the Charities Aid Foundation...

Charity Bank Accounts and Attendance Allowance

04 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Around 9 out of 10 charities have told a new report they've had at least one issue with banking in the past two years. The Charity Finance Group and ...

Money Box Live: Escaping Economic Abuse

01 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Almost a million women are trapped in dangerous relationships because of economic abuse, figures from a dedicated charity suggest.Economic abuse is no...

FCA Seen as 'Incompetent' and Rare Coins

28 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new report about the UK’s main financial regulator was published this week, concluding the Financial Conduct Authority is "seen as incompetent at ...

Reporting Scams and Lifetime ISAs

21 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than 800,000 people have called a dedicated fraud line, which connects them with their bank if they think they’re being scammed, since it start...

Water Bills and Inheritance Tax for Farmers

14 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A record number of people in England and Wales are getting help with the cost of their water bills. The number of people on low incomes who have been ...

Lost Pensions and Student Loans

07 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New research estimates that there are more than 3 million lost pension pots in the UK. These are pensions that have been paid into by an employer but ...

Inheritance Tax Changes and Car Finance

30 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wednesday saw the first Budget from a Labour government for nearly 15 years and the first ever delivered by a female Chancellor. Rachel Reeves wasn't ...

Money Box Live: Budget Breakdown

27 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has announced her Budget but what does it mean for yours?Money Box Live is breaking down what the Budget mean for your ...

Budget Countdown and 'Finfluencers'

23 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are just a few days to go until Rachel Reeves stands up in Parliament to deliver her first Budget as Chancellor. Since the Labour Party won the...

Money Box Live: Children's Finances

20 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than half a million young people are yet to claim their Child Trust Fund which could be worth up to £2,200 according to the government, but how ...

Carer's Allowance and Child Trust Funds

16 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It was a big week for carers as the Government announced an independent review into Carer's Allowance overpayments after families were told to pay bac...

Money Box Live: Missing Out on Financial Support?

13 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Each year it’s estimated that £23 billion worth of help and support – from housing benefits to pension credit – goes unclaimed according to Pol...

Pension Credit and Renters Insurance

09 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Government is writing to 120,000 people aged 66 or more encouraging them to claim the means-tested benefit pension credit, which will also entitle...

Money Box Live: How to Buy a Home

06 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Buying a home is legendarily one of the most stressful events in life so today on Money Box Live we're going to try to take some of the pressure off b...

Scam Special: Game Changing New Fraud Rules

02 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In a special programme broadcast live from the Atrium in Quay House at MediaCityUK, Paul Lewis discusses a momentous change in the way banks treat cus...

Money Box Live: Will You Pay More Tax?

30 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This month the new government will reveal its plans for the nation's finances in the Budget.We've been told 'difficult decisions' lie ahead as the Cha...

Working on Benefits and Banking Hubs

26 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new report given exclusively to Money Box is calling for more help for working families on Universal Credit. The University of Bath’s Institute fo...

Money Box Live: Can you afford university?

23 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Across the UK freshers are heading off to university, many leaving home for the first time and most of them are paying for at least some of that with ...

Social Tariffs and Open Banking

19 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

People are missing out on nearly two billion pounds' worth of discounts on water bills and broadband, according to Citizen's Advice. Social tariffs g...

Money Box Live: Fostering Finance

16 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are nearly 70,000 children in the UK who are in foster care. Foster carers main concern has to be the children they look after, including many ...

Winter Fuel Payment and Inheritance Tax

12 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of thousands of disabled pensioners will be unfairly impacted by the cut in Winter Fuel Payment, according to two leading charities who've sp...

Money Box Live: Gambling Debt

09 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Figures given exclusively to Money Box Live show that almost two-thirds of people who called the National Gambling Helpline had gambling related debt....

Household Support Fund and Gambling with Credit

05 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of millions of pounds has been made available from the government for local authorities across the UK to spend on those most in need of finan...

Money Box Live: Cheaper Childcare?

02 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Working parents and carers of children aged 9 months or over are now entitled to 15 hours of funded childcare a week during term time.50 hours of nurs...

Winter Fuel Payment and Using Cash

28 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many pensioners in England and Wales will lose Winter Fuel Payments this year. This annual payment had been universal and worth £200 or £300 pounds...

Money Box Live: Chasing a Dream

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not every dream job has an obvious route to success, so how do you make your passion project pay without falling behind on your bills?Visa research sh...

Benefit Overpayments and Travel Money

24 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly 10,000 people have needed free debt advice because of accidental overpayments by the Department for Work and Pensions in the past 12 months. Th...

Money Box Live: Your Power of Attorney Questions

21 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Felicity Hannah looks at giving someone Lasting Power of Attorney - that's the authority to manage your financial affairs in the event that you couldn...

Tackling Mobile Fraud and Savings Tax

17 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New tactics to fight mobile phone fraud are being rolled out across England and Wales. It's when mobile phones are stolen not for the value of the ph...

Money Box Live: Renting and the King's Speech

14 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Average rents in the UK rose by well over 8% in the past year, according to the ONS. In today’s King’s Speech, the new government has committed ...

Financial Advice Barriers and Wages

10 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than 9 out of 10 people did not pay for financial advice in the past two years and that number is growing. The figures come from surveys by the...

Money Box Live: Affording Care

07 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A new government has taken office so what might that mean for the financial issues you've told us you care about?A big topic you got in touch with us ...

New Chancellor and Energy Debt

03 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has swept to power promising change, but there will be no change in the rates of the three big taxes - income ta...

Money Box Live: Your Travel Rights

31 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Almost 300,000 flights will take off over the summer months and whilst most holidays go without a hitch, others fail to get off the ground.Last year s...

Election Quiz and Vincent Duggleby

27 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This time next week the General Election will be over. As the days count down we'll get into the nitty gritty with listener questions on Inheritance ...

Money Box Live: Care Leavers

24 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Around 38,000 children move into care every year in the UK. That's one every 15 minutes and a significant number of looked-after children will remain ...

Election Housing and Energy Debt Complaint

20 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There's less than a fortnight to go before the polls open in the General Election. The deadline's passed to register to vote, but there's still plent...

Money Box Live: Older Workers

17 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The number of people working into their late 60s, their 70s and beyond is rising. In this programme we'll discuss what that means for their employmen...

Tax and the Election and Help with Bills

13 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Nineteen days to go before your cross on a ballot paper will help decide who runs the country. You have been telling Money Box what matters to you. T...

Cost of Care and Energy Credit

06 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we continue our series of listener questions ahead of the election, we focus on the Cost of Care and how care later in life should be paid for. Dan...

Pensions and 'drip pricing'

29 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We hear from a pensioner on benefits who tells us she was shocked to find herself having to pay tax on her pension for the first time. With expert hel...

General Election and Fraud report

22 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What are the financial issues that you will be considering when you decide how to cast your vote in the General Election in July? Research shows that ...

Carers Allowance and HMRC helpline

15 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Money Box can reveal that the government is recouping more than £250m pounds from over 100,000 carers who it says broke the earnings rule and should ...

Money Box Live: How to Increase Your Pay

12 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do you get as much as you give when it comes to your job? We've had some important jobs numbers this week - with official data showing there are more...

Pensions Dashboard and Leasehold

08 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Pension Dashboard is intended to provide an online service to millions of people who have paid into a pension at work by showing all their pots an...

Money Box Live: The Cost of Splitting Up

05 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks two years since the historic reform in family law, known as the 'no fault divorce', was introduced. It was aimed at reducing conflict ...

Digital Exclusion and National Insurance credits

01 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Digitally excluded. An elderly couple have their accounts frozen because their documents were out of date - despite having being customers for their b...

Money Box Live: The Cost of Caring

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Unpaid carers spend at least 35 hours a week looking after someone close to them. That someone may have an illness, a disability, a mental health prob...

Carers Allowance and Minimum Payments on Credit Cards

25 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A senior MP has told Money Box that the government must take urgent action to stop carers working up thousands of pounds of debt after unwittingly rec...

Money Box Live: What's going on with leasehold?

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Around 10 million people across the UK live in a leasehold property. That means they viewed the house or flat, bought it, may be paying off a mortgage...

New Fraud Refund Rules and ISA Changes

18 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New regulations aim to ensure that victims of fraud are treated fairly, no matter who they trust with their money. The financial watchdog, the Paymen...

Money Box Live: Can you afford your car?

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week car insurance bosses, appeared in front of MP's as part of an investigation into the cost of premiums.They're continuing to rise and accordi...

Carer's Allowance and Car Insurance Costs

11 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tens of thousands of people who juggle caring for a loved one and having a job may be forced to cut the hours they work, according to the charity Care...

Money Box Live: Can you Beat your Bills?

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Data from the Financial Conduct Authority suggests fewer of us are struggling to pay our bills compared to last year, but the numbers are still high.T...

National Insurance Cut and Council Tax Debt

04 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

National Insurance - a tax millions of working age people pay on their wages - is being cut this weekend, for the second time this year. The main rat...

Money Box Live: Resenting Renting?

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

April is a big month for our finances, some bills go up and one or two even come down. A big relief for many households will be the that energy prices...

April Changes: National Living Wage, ISAs and Energy

27 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

April brings many changes for our money, and this programme has all you need to know.From Monday 1st, there will be higher pay for people on the vario...

Money Box Live: How Do Wills Work?

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

More than half of adults don't have a Will according to new research from insurance company Canada Life. The main reason people say they haven't sorte...

Pension Freedoms and Flee Funds

20 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week marks 10 years since a landmark shift in the way we could all use our pensions. Back in the Spring of 2014 the then Chancellor George Osbor...

Money Box Live: Mortgages and Debt

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mortgage customers face rising rates, vanishing deals and latest figures have shown more people are struggling to keep up with their repayments. Mort...

Crypto-Related Fraud and Mortgage Arrears

13 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The number of people falling victim to fraud involving cryptocurrency has more than doubled between 2020 and 2023 according to Action Fraud. The value...

Money Box Live: childcare

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

New arrangements for childcare payments come into force in April in England. How will the new arrangements affect parents? Are they going to be better...

Frozen Tax Thresholds and Bailiffs

06 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Chancellor has delivered his Spring Budget for 2024 announcing a 2p National Insurance cut for millions of working people under the age of 66. Je...

Money Box Live: Budget Special

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presents his Spring Budget, Money Box Live sifts through the details - and the impact on all our finances.Expectations inclu...

The Future of Money and Universal Credit

30 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Money Box gets a special look at a new exhibition at the Bank of England Museum about the future of money. Paul Lewis picks up a gold bar, sees the n...

Hannah and Seagull: Learning Money

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How do schools teach children and teenagers about money?Learning about money is part of the curriculum but more than three-quarters of teachers say yo...

Energy Debt and Annuities

23 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As many as two million of the poorest households have seen the amount they owe their energy suppliers double over the past year. This new analysis of ...

Money Box Live: Co-parenting Finances

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are approximately four million children in Great Britain whose parents are separated.When couples break up they cut their finances apart, but fo...

Probate Delays and Pension Charges

16 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When someone dies and leaves a property in their own name, or has significant savings or investments, the executors must apply for probate - a legal d...

Money Box Live: When Can You Retire?

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When do you think you'll be able to retire?Perhaps you can't wait to pick up your last pay check or maybe you love your job so much you want to work f...

Citizens Advice Closure and Investment Platforms

09 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dozens of Citizens Advice centres are at risk of closing because local councils which support them are running out of money. That warning came this we...

Money Box Live: Are Savers Getting a Good Deal?

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are savers getting a good return on their cash?Although times are tight, we are actually saving slightly more according to the Bank of England. In De...

Bereavement Support Deadline and Warm Home Discount

02 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Around twelve thousand unmarried parents with dependent children whose partner has died have just a few days to claim their share of an estimated £17...

Money Box Live: How to Start a Business

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you thinking of turning your 'side hustle' into a full time job?Perhaps you want to take the plunge but don't know your sole trader from your limi...

Fraud Victims Treasury Meeting and Funeral Scams

24 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Campaigners for victims of pension and investment fraud met with the Treasury this week. We'll hear from the Conservative MP who is the co-chair of th...

Money Box Live: What's going on with Energy Bills?

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 tu...

Pension Scams & HMRC and Fuel Vouchers

17 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Money Box Live: Flooding and Insurance

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Flooding damages property, lives and can be incredibly financially damaging as well.There was £352 million pounds in insurance claims for damaged hom...

Fake Job Offers and Pension Pots

10 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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....

Money Box Live: The Childcare Challenge

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

National Insurance Cut and Fraud Refunds

03 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

National Insurance will be cut for millions workers from today. It'll be cut from 12% to 10% - the lowest main rate for more than twenty years. The g...

Money Box Live: Financial Resolutions

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ma...

Money Box Live: Survival Guide

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you putting down the mince pies and opening your bank statements? Well, you're in the right place as we're dedicating some time to the kinds of m...

Scottish Budget, Core Maths and Christmas Winners

20 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Higher earners in Scotland are to pay more income tax from April. That was one of the headlines from the Scottish government in its budget on Tuesday....

Money Box Live: The Rising Cost of Rent

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A typical rental property gets 25 enquires from people who want to view it, according to the property listings site Rightmove. That high demand also ...

Inflation, Gift Cards and Energy Deals

13 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Office for National Statistics has published the first of a new quarterly set of figures designed to reflect how inflation is experienced by house...

Money Box Live: Christmas Spending and Scams

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're tackling the cost of the festive season and looking at how to avoid scams. The cost of Christmas is up almost a quarter over the last ...

Teenage Scam Ads and Mortgage Overpayments

06 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Teenagers are being bombarded on social media with promotions for financial products they might not understand and that are usually too risky or dange...

Money Box Live: Banking

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This is a transformative time for banking. The last decade has seen an incredibly fast-paced increase in the use of technology and also a rapid decre...

Cyber-Attack Hits Home Sales and Charity Bank Accounts

30 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Property buyers have said their home completions are being left in limbo after a company providing IT services to law firms was hit by a cyber inciden...

Money Box Live: Power of Attorney

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This week on Money Box Live we're talking about Power of Attorney. What it means, who needs one and some of the pros and pitfalls.Presenter and Strict...