Money Box

Money Box Live: How to fill out your tax return

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As 31st January looms, there’s less than one month left for around 5.7 million Self Assessment customers to file their tax return or they may face a...

Lasting Powers of Attorney and Tax Returns

04 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 2020, Lasting Powers of Attorney in England and Wales went digital. If you had permission to act on behalf of a relative who could no longer do it...

Money Box Live: Happiness and Money

01 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As the calendar page turns, so many of us also think of turning over new leaves, re-assessing what we're doing and how we are doing it. In this pod...

Heating the homes of the future

25 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Money Box takes a look at three innovative energy projects changing the way people heat their homes to try to improve efficiency and reduce bills.Firs...

Money Box Christmas

21 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a year when the cost of living has dominated so many of our programmes and of course your lives, we’ll return to some of the organisations and in...

Money Box Live: Cost of Living and Charities

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Christmas is a time for giving and often that means charitable donations. New research from the Charities Aid Foundation suggests fewer people are su...

Scottish Budget and Cold Weather Payments

14 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss this week's Scottish Budget, from income tax to benefits. Deputy First Minister John Swinney announced that everyone earning more than £43...

Money Box Live: Bereavement Finances

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At some point in our lives, we all experience the death of family, friends or partners, and it is never easy. It's made worse - by what can feel lik...

Where to keep warm this winter

07 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's going to be the coldest weekend of the year so far. We already know that typical energy bills will be double what they were last winter. So every...

Money Box Live: Christmas Spending

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As households grapple with cost of living pressures and with Christmas just around the corner, many will be looking for cheaper options for the big da...

Loot Boxes, Pension Compensation and Bank Closures

31 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An new report suggests children are put at risk by 'loot boxes' in video games. More than a thousand steelworkers will share compensation of £49 mill...

Money Box Live: Cohabitation

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

3.6 million couples in the UK cohabit, meaning they live together in a relationship but without getting married or civil partnered. In fact, they are ...

Spray Foam, Fraud & Pay Gaps

24 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We hear from a man whose home was valued at zero pounds which his mortgage provider said was because his loft was insulated with spray foam.70,000 vic...

Money Box Live: Your Spending Strategies

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The surge in inflation is hitting wide and hitting deep, impacting everything from energy and fuel, to food and everyday household goods. With inflati...

Autumn Statement Special

17 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this special Money Box we will delve into Jeremy Hunt's Autumn Statement and see what lies in the small print. How will changes to the support yo...

Money Box Live: Fighting Fraud and Scams

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With hundreds of thousands of victims and billions of pounds stolen every year, the UK continues to be in the grip of a fraud epidemic. We'll discus...

Stolen inheritance, Fraud and Pets

10 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A new report out today is recommending sweeping reform in the way fraud is dealt with in England and Wales. The House of Lords Digital Fraud Committe...

Money Box Live: Renting

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are around eight and a half million families who rent - quite a bit more than those who have mortgages - so the rise in housing costs, on top of...

Landlords, Heat Networks and Happiness

03 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The interest rate rose to 3% this week affecting mortgage rates. We'll be looking at what that means for buy-to-let landlords. Many will have intere...

Money Box Live: Your Pension

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you one of the nearly three million people who has lost track of a pension? There is almost £27 billion that has been paid in by individuals and ...

Broadband and the costs of being disabled

26 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Broadband providers have been told by the regulator Ofcom to 'think carefully' before making significant price rises. Most providers of telecoms and ...

Money Box Live: Your spending habits

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Food prices are rising at their fastest rate for more than 40 years. Figures out this week from the Office of National Statistics the price of budget ...

Energy Saving Special

19 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Money Box team concentrates on the biggest cost of living fear that people bring to the programme - how will I pay my energy bills when the price ...

Money Box Live: Your tax and your money

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The government has spent the past few weeks introducing and then withdrawing a confusion of financial policies, which first introduced the largest pac...

A whirlwind week: tax, pensions, savings and mortgages

12 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Prime Minister has announced another U-turn in her government's tax-cut plan, in an effort to reassure financial markets. Liz Truss says she will...

Money Box Live: Kids and the cost of living

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we move into a winter of record energy prices and double digit inflation, many families are facing the challenge of trying to keep costs down. But ...

Northern Ireland energy and the cost of living

05 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the past week energy companies in Northern Ireland have announced increases in the price of electricity and gas. It comes as people in Northern Ire...

Money Box Live: Dealing with Debt

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With the energy price cap rising again, and the cost of living putting pressure on many people's finances - what can you do if you are struggling with...

Energy special: Llandudno live

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As energy bills rise, Paul Lewis and the team are in North Wales for a special programme focusing on the cost of living. The team will be joined by ...

Money Box Live: Mortgage Special

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With changes to the stamp duty threshold, some of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders halting new home loans, and some economists predicting interest ...

A not-so 'mini budget'

22 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Paul Lewis has full details of what the mini budget will mean for your finances including changing tax rates, stamp duty alterations and support for t...

Money Box Live: The Future of Cash

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ten million people would struggle to cope in a cashless society even though only 17% of payments are not made with notes and coins, the Royal Society ...

How Much Should It Cost To Get Out Of Debt?

15 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the Government begins a sector review Money Box explores personal insolvency options and why some are much more expensive than others, plus what is...

Energy Bills, Banknotes and Coins

08 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today on Money Box we will mark the death of Queen Elizabeth II by looking at what will change – from our stamps to our passports. We'll speak to D...

Money Box Live: Making savings work for you

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The UK Inflation rate has hit 10.1%, the highest it’s been for 40 years, and it’s set to go even higher. In this programme, our panel of experts h...

Rent cap consultation for social housing tenants

01 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of people living in social housing in England could see increases to their rent capped next year. A consultation has been launched by the Gov...

Money Box Live: Your energy bill questions answered

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this programme we'll provide answers and advice for those worried about the cost of energy. Household energy bills will rise again this autumn to t...

Energy bill special: Q&A

24 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this special programme we'll answer your questions and provide advice for those worried about the cost of energy. Ofgem has announced that the typi...

Interest Free Loan Scheme to help 20,000 people

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A scheme offering interest-free loans to the financially vulnerable is being expanded to reach up to 20,000 people. After a successful trial at South ...

Food Poverty

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In England and Wales the school summer holiday is just beginning but Scotland and Northern Ireland are already well into their long and, often costly,...

Food banks warn they are struggling to meet demand

20 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Food banks across the UK have told Money Box they are facing increased demand, but falling donations, as the cost of living crisis bites people across...

Gender Identity and Finance

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being transgender or non-binary means you can have a lot of extra things to manage and finances, along with the admin involved, can be a big one.Felic...

Energy costs versus incomes

13 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Families on a low income face spending more than a quarter of the money they have left after paying their mortgage or rent on energy bills from April ...

Holidays

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After two years of Covid restrictions, much of the world has now opened back up and plenty of us are planning to take full advantage this summer.But w...

How changes at the top of government could affect your money

06 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been quite the week in politics and on this week's Money Box we'll take a look at what it could mean for your personal finances. One of the bigge...

The Cost of Cancer

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Getting a cancer diagnosis can be a scary and fraught time, before you even begin to consider the financial pressures. Affording time out of work, the...

What do National Insurance changes mean for you?

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From 6th July, everyone in work will see a cut in the taxes they pay. It's because the level of pay at which National Insurance begins will be raised...

Fraud

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fraudsters are always trying to get at our money, and the pandemic has changed their tactics and their access to our data.Felicity Hannah and our expe...

Energy firm introduces late payment charges

23 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scottish Power has introduced late payments fees for its five million customers saying the move "brings us in line with other suppliers" and reflect t...

Self Publishing

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Do you want to write a book? How would you go about publishing one? Many people now look away from traditional publishing and towards self publishing....

Single Parents

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Single parents often face particular financial hardships, especially with the economy facing severe challenges and prices rising so fast. A single par...

Energy costs: your questions answered

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, energy analysts Cornwall Insight predicted that the already record breaking price for energy will rise further and the annual cost for a ty...

The costs of being disabled

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

85% of families with disabled children use more energy, from electric hoists to extra heating and powered wheelchairs. Going without these can mean a ...

Cost of Living Special

02 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Every time we buy food, put fuel in our car, or get an energy bill the cost of living hits us where it hurts - in our pocket. Prices are rising fast...

Changing your money mindset

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you tighten the purse strings when you've always been a big spender? Could your hang-ups be holding you back? And how could changing your menta...

What help can pensioners get with their rising fuel bills?

25 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the chief executive of the energy regulator Ofgem warned the energy price cap could rise to £2,800 a year for a typical home. A few days l...

Let’s Get Physical

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Is that gym membership really worth it? Are there ways of getting fit for free? And can you ‘invest’ in your own health?Adam Shaw is joined by a p...

How new rules might affect your energy bills

18 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, the energy regulator Ofgem, announced that the price cap, which most of us now pay for our electricity and gas, would be set every three mo...

Student Finance

15 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are you ready for the start of university? From loans to bursaries, discounts to freebies, Charmaine Cozier puts your questions to our expert panel on...

The people using pawnbrokers to pay for food and fuel

11 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The National Pawnbrokers Association tells Money Box it will hold talks with the Financial Conduct Authority next week. That follows a report which sh...

Working with Long Covid

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when Long Covid means you just can’t work like you used to? What kind of support could you be entitled to? And do you qualify for any b...

How to apply for help paying your energy bills

04 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

According to the charity National Energy Action 6.5 million households are now living in fuel poverty which is up 50% on October last year. Fuel pover...

Growing Your Own

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How much does it cost to rent an allotment? What food can you grow if you don’t have a garden? And can you really save money by growing your own foo...

Government changes guidance on energy bill support payment

28 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Some government guidance to give some people a £150 council tax rebate in April to help with record energy bills has been changed. The treasury says ...

The Cost of IVF

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How much would you pay to increase your chances of having a baby? Would you travel abroad? Borrow money or ask family for help?The use of private IVF ...

Ukrainian refugees struggling to open UK bank accounts

21 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ukrainian refugees are now beginning to arrive in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Money Box has been contacted by two host families havi...

Saving Money but not on Chocolate

14 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Energy bills, the big food shop, the price of filling up the car - everything costs more just now and there’s no sign it’s going to change soon.Fe...

Small Businesses and Scams

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scams are on the rise and small businesses are no safer from fraudsters than consumers. And in some cases, businesses are being scammed by their own c...

"A special place in hell for crypto fraudsters"

07 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Government announced plans this week to impose more regulation on firms where people legally buy and sell bitcoin. One major crypto platform where...

06/04/2022

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Millions of households are facing a £700 a year rise in fuel costs from now with the increase in the energy price cap. This comes on top of other hik...

How to get £150 for your fuel bill

30 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to April, the season of rising prices and higher taxes - including the largest increase in energy bills. The first of two payments to help wit...

Young People and Money Anxiety

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The cost of living crisis is fuelling valid fears about personal and household finances - but what happens when money anxiety gets out of control? Man...

Inflation and the cost of living crisis

23 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Inflation is the rise in the price of everything we buy. This week the Office for Budget Responsibility predicted prices would rise more than 7% this ...

Spring Statement 2022

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The chancellor, Rishi Sunak, gives an update on the health of the UK economy. What will it mean for your household finances?A panel of experts will an...

Cryptocurrency scammers steal a man's house

16 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We report on a man who was fed up with poor returns on his savings and tried to invest in cryptocurrency instead. But he ended up losing his savings, ...

Russia and Pensions

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do you make sure your pensions and savings and invested ethically? Do you know where your pension is invested? How much of your money is invested ...

Boosting your benefits and new online shopping checks

09 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Buying things online will be more difficult from Monday. A new law means that every purchase will have to be authenticated by an extra process after y...

Renting lowdown

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The average UK rent has broken through the £1000 barrier for the first time and inflation is starting to push up landlords costs.How do you beat the ...

New moves to fight fraudsters faking phone caller IDs

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The telecoms watchdog Ofcom has drawn up proposals to make it harder for criminals to fake caller ID when they phone people. It’s called number spoo...

How to stop investing in Russia

02 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Russian military forces continue bombarding Ukrainian cities and civilians, are your investments supporting the Kremlin's regime? International com...

Surviving Debt

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the cost of living rises, more people are facing going into debt. Whether it’s your rent, mortgage, utility bills or credit cards, breaking the c...

Money Box is now first on BBC Sounds

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Looking for the latest episode? New episodes of Money Box will now be available first on BBC Sounds for four weeks before other podcast apps.If you ha...

My job was not ‘as advertised’

23 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A BBC investigation has found that more than 50 people were tricked into working for a design agency that turned out to be fake. They were hired duri...

Saving face-to-face debt advice

19 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Plans to cut back on face-to-face debt advice in favour of regional call centres have been scrapped - for now. We hear from Craig Simmons, Head of Deb...

The Cost of Dating

16 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Valentine’s Day, this week, may have been good, bad, ugly or plain irrelevant – but for millions of people it will also have been expensive. So i...

Tracing lost and forgotten financial assets

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You could get the best Christmas present this year, cash you thought you had lost forever! Louise Cooper and guests discuss how to trace financial as...

Cost of living squeeze for benefits and state pension

12 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In April, benefits and the state pension will rise by just over three per cent. That is less than half the increase in prices which is predicted by th...

Energy Cap Lowdown

09 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The recent announcement of a huge rise in energy prices comes amidst wider worries about rising prices. Everyone is facing much higher energy bills ...

Energy, employee rights and mortgages

05 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A 54% increase in the energy price cap means a huge rise in what your provider can charge you to heat your home, keep the lights on and cook your food...

Foster Carer Finances

02 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Before you have children, it’s important to think about the finances. And that’s just as true for anyone considering becoming a foster carer.So, w...

Heir Hunters

29 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Long lost, wealthy relatives who’ve sadly died but for whom you “might” be the next of kin – too good to be true or the real thing? We explain...

Energy Prices

26 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As millions of people are paying even more for their gas and electricity, Charmaine Cozier, listeners and experts discuss why prices are set to incre...

NFTs

24 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From CryptoPunks to Bored Apes to original artwork and more, there has never been so much interest in them. Even big traditional art galleries are get...

Fraud and energy

22 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A Money Box investigation has discovered how a scam that saw criminals steal nearly £4m from 69 victims was barely investigated by the police – a r...

Being a Guarantor

19 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Would you ever consider being responsible for someone else’s mortgage? Or their rent? Or a debt? What if it was someone you loved and wanted to help...

Energy bills

15 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In April households are likely to see an increase of up to 50% in the cost of their energy bills. Many people already struggle to pay for gas and elec...

Care Leaver Finances

12 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It takes a lot to get started in adult life - finding a flat, learning to budget, perhaps heading to university or a first job.Many new adults rely on...

Pensions for teenagers?

08 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Automatic pensions are suggested for 18-21-year olds, the best ways to invest your money in 2022, the tax implications of cash inducements - and the r...

Consumer Rights

06 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pyjamas and jumpers are the most unwanted gifts we receive and in the post-Christmas period about 10% of us return at least one gift to the shops.Sinc...

How to Make Money from Unwanted Presents and Belongings

01 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Felicity Hannah and guests discuss how to make money from unwanted presents and belongings. And they hear from listeners who sell on, re-gift and rent...