<description>&lt;p&gt;April is a big month for our finances, some bills go up and one or two even come down. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A big relief for many households will be the that energy prices are dropping, but one bill that is still going up is rent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;UK rent prices rose 9% in the 12 months to February.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Research shared exclusively with Money Box Live has revealed you're more likely to be in your overdraft if you're a renter compared to people with mortgages. You're also less likely to have savings to fall back on in an emergency.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Meanwhile government plans to scrap no fault evictions for tenants in England have been delayed. Neither tenants nor landlords are happy with the current position.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Felicity Hannah is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance specialist at Royal London, Dan Wilson Craw, Deputy Director at Generation Rent UK, and Richard Donnell, director of research at the property platform Zoopla.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Producer: Neil Morrow and Sarah Rogers
Reporter: Eimear Devlin
Editor: Jess Quayle&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(This episode was first broadcast on the 3rd April 2024)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Is your rent increasing? The latest figures show a record rise.

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 are dropping, but one bill that is still going up is rent.UK rent prices rose 9% in the 12 months to February.Research shared exclusively with Money Box Live has revealed you're more likely to be in your overdraft if you're a renter compared to people with mortgages. You're also less likely to have savings to fall back on in an emergency.Meanwhile government plans to scrap no fault evictions for tenants in England have been delayed. Neither tenants nor landlords are happy with the current position.Felicity Hannah is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance specialist at Royal London, Dan Wilson Craw, Deputy Director at Generation Rent UK, and Richard Donnell, director of research at the property platform Zoopla.Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Producer: Neil Morrow and Sarah Rogers
Reporter: Eimear Devlin
Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast on the 3rd April 2024)

Money Box Live: Resenting Renting?

<description>&lt;p&gt;April brings many changes for our money, and this programme has all you need to know.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From Monday 1st, there will be higher pay for people on the various minimum wages. For the first time 21 and 22 year olds join people aged 23 and over in getting what's called the National Living Wage. It's going up to £11.44 an hour, a near 10% rise. 18 to 20 year olds get a bigger boost with minimum wage up nearly 15% to £8.60 an hour, while 16 and 17 year olds and those on apprenticeships get the largest increase of more than 21%, taking their minimum hourly pay to £6.40. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On the same day, the Energy Price Cap set by the regulator Ofgem will fall reducing the typical annual bill in England, Scotland, and Wales by 12% to £1,690 per year. That is the lowest it has been for two years. So will it be worth switching suppliers for a new fixed deal?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It's 25 years since the introduction of tax-free ISAs. You have just a few days to make use of this year's allowance and there are some big changes next tax year. we’ve got all you need to know.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, what’s changing next week for childcare, why some people need to do a meter reading, and how to save money on stamps.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner
Editor: Jess Quayle&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 30th March 2024)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

What will rises in the national minimum wages mean for workers?

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 various minimum wages. For the first time 21 and 22 year olds join people aged 23 and over in getting what's called the National Living Wage. It's going up to £11.44 an hour, a near 10% rise. 18 to 20 year olds get a bigger boost with minimum wage up nearly 15% to £8.60 an hour, while 16 and 17 year olds and those on apprenticeships get the largest increase of more than 21%, taking their minimum hourly pay to £6.40. On the same day, the Energy Price Cap set by the regulator Ofgem will fall reducing the typical annual bill in England, Scotland, and Wales by 12% to £1,690 per year. That is the lowest it has been for two years. So will it be worth switching suppliers for a new fixed deal?It's 25 years since the introduction of tax-free ISAs. You have just a few days to make use of this year's allowance and there are some big changes next tax year. we’ve got all you need to know.Plus, what’s changing next week for childcare, why some people need to do a meter reading, and how to save money on stamps.Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner
Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 30th March 2024)

April Changes:  National Living Wage, ISAs and Energy

<description>&lt;p&gt;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 sorted one is that they don't think they have enough money to leave behind. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;So what types of Will are there and what do they mean? We'll be hearing from one man who says he was disinherited over changes to a Mirror Will. We also speak to a mother concerned about digital assets following the death of her son.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Plus, what happens if you don't have a Will at all, where will your estate go?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Felicity Hannah is joined by Nina Sperring, Partner at Price, Slater, Gawne solicitors and is a member of STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners which specialises in estates and Wills and Jade Gani, Chief Executive of Circe Law and a Director of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Producer: Sarah Rogers
Reporter: Neil Morrow
Editor: Jess Quayle&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm Wednesday March 27th 2024)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

More than half of us don't have a will, so what happens to your estate if you don't?

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 sorted one is that they don't think they have enough money to leave behind. So what types of Will are there and what do they mean? We'll be hearing from one man who says he was disinherited over changes to a Mirror Will. We also speak to a mother concerned about digital assets following the death of her son.Plus, what happens if you don't have a Will at all, where will your estate go?Felicity Hannah is joined by Nina Sperring, Partner at Price, Slater, Gawne solicitors and is a member of STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners which specialises in estates and Wills and Jade Gani, Chief Executive of Circe Law and a Director of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers.Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Producer: Sarah Rogers
Reporter: Neil Morrow
Editor: Jess Quayle(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm Wednesday March 27th 2024)

Money Box Live:  How Do Wills Work?

<description>&lt;p&gt;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 Osborne announced plans for new freedoms, allowing people over the age of 55 to take 25 per cent of their pension tax-free and use the rest as they wished. What impact did that have? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hundreds of survivors of economic and physical domestic abuse have been helped by a new scheme set up by one of the UK's biggest banks. TSB's "Flee Fund" was launched just over a year ago to offer financial help to people trying to escape abusive partners. Dan Whitworth reports from Preston.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There was a rare U-turn from HMRC this week. On Tuesday it announced it was planning to close its self-assessment phone helpline for six months of every year. The tax authority said it wanted people to use a chatbot and access its online services instead. Then, just over 24 hours later, HMRC changed its mind and halted those plans. It says its "listened to the feedback and is halting the helpline changes as it recognises more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers’ needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services.” What does that mean?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner
Researchers: Luke Smithurst, Eimear Devlin and Sandra Hardial.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 23rd March 2024)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The bank offering a 'flee fund' to help customers escape abusive relationships.

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 Osborne announced plans for new freedoms, allowing people over the age of 55 to take 25 per cent of their pension tax-free and use the rest as they wished. What impact did that have? Hundreds of survivors of economic and physical domestic abuse have been helped by a new scheme set up by one of the UK's biggest banks. TSB's "Flee Fund" was launched just over a year ago to offer financial help to people trying to escape abusive partners. Dan Whitworth reports from Preston.There was a rare U-turn from HMRC this week. On Tuesday it announced it was planning to close its self-assessment phone helpline for six months of every year. The tax authority said it wanted people to use a chatbot and access its online services instead. Then, just over 24 hours later, HMRC changed its mind and halted those plans. It says its "listened to the feedback and is halting the helpline changes as it recognises more needs to be done to ensure all taxpayers’ needs are met, whilst also encouraging them to transition to online services.” What does that mean?Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner
Researchers: Luke Smithurst, Eimear Devlin and Sandra Hardial.(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 23rd March 2024)

Pension Freedoms and Flee Funds

<description>&lt;p&gt;Mortgage customers face rising rates, vanishing deals and latest figures have shown more people are struggling to keep up with their repayments. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mortgage arrears, hit a seven-year high in the final quarter of 2023. So what can you do if that's you? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Felicity Hannah is joined by Charlotte Harrison of Skipton Building Society, Sally Mitchell from the Mortgage Mum, and Richard Lane from the debt charity Step Change - to discuss what's going on in the mortgage market and what you need to know.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Producer: Neil Morrow
Editor: Jess Quayle&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 20th March, 2024)&lt;/p&gt;</description>

What can you do if you're struggling to pay your mortgage?

Mortgage customers face rising rates, vanishing deals and latest figures have shown more people are struggling to keep up with their repayments. Mortgage arrears, hit a seven-year high in the final quarter of 2023. So what can you do if that's you? Felicity Hannah is joined by Charlotte Harrison of Skipton Building Society, Sally Mitchell from the Mortgage Mum, and Richard Lane from the debt charity Step Change - to discuss what's going on in the mortgage market and what you need to know.Presenter: Felicity Hannah
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Producer: Neil Morrow
Editor: Jess Quayle(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 20th March, 2024)

Money Box Live: Mortgages and Debt

The latest news from the world of personal finance plus advice for those trying to make the most of their money.

Money Box

Details

Recent Episodes