The Chartered Trading Standards Institute is warning people to keep a close eye on their bank and credit card accounts after thousands of unsuspecting shoppers have said they're having money taken without their knowledge. Individual payments are usually quite low, but if not spotted, they can quickly start to add up. Trading Standards say it's "outrageous" these payments are being taken without explicit consent. How can you spot and stop these payments?

Two thirds of first time buyers are overpaying their mortgage and one in six hope to be mortgage free by the time they're 40 according to a report from TSB. Is it the same for other mortgage holders and what should you think about if you're considering overpaying on your mortgage?

More than half of adults in the UK do not have a will. So if they die they will have no say in how their money, property, and possessions are distributed. WillAid, where solicitors all over the UK make free wills and suggest a donation to charity in exchange. How does it all work and what happens if someone dies without a will?

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Producers: Robert Cave Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast at 12pm on Saturday 18th October 2025)

The government wants more young people to be offered "gold standard apprenticeships". The plan was unveiled at the Labour party conference as the Prime Minister ditched the ambition for half of young people to go to university.

So we're looking at the financial side of apprenticeships, from how much they pay to what they can mean for a family's finances.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Ben Rowland, the author of Understanding Apprenticeships and also the chief executive of the Association of Employment and Learning Providers, a trade body for organisations that train apprentices. And also Rachel Kayes, community manager for the Association of Apprentices, an apprentice support body with around 50,000 members.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: James Graham Editor: Jess Quayle

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on the 15th of October 2025).

The Chancellor wants more people to invest in shares, UK companies and infrastructure projects in a bid to boost growth in the economy. Rachel Reeves argued in her recent Mansion House speech that it would make people better off, but this kind of investment involves risk and is making some people nervous. We put those concerns to Treasury Minister Lucy Rigby.

When is the best time to start a pension? Around 45,000 parents and grandparents seem to think saving should start when you're born. Figures from HMRC show nearly £80 million was invested in private pensions for children in 2022/23 that's up 15%. And the buyers of around 14 million cars who were deceived or misled about the commission paid to the dealer when they took out a car loan are set to receive an average payout of £700 for each deal. That estimate came from the Financial Conduct Authority this week when it set out details of a plan to compensate them, but it's less than the 'up-to-£950' it had suggested just a few months ago.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Catherine Lund Producers: Robert Cave, Craig Henderson Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Justin Bones

(First broadcast at 12pm on Saturday 11th October 2025)

Money Box Live hits the road and heads to the heart of the City of London for this special programme on investing. We're live at the London Stock Exchange to look at the basics and weigh up the different options.

According to the Financial Conduct Authority, about a third of adults had some sort of investment last year, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves wants savers to put more money into investments, arguing it will bring better returns and help boost the economy. But is it really for everyone? And how do you actually do it?

Felicity Hannah is joined by Julia Sage-Bell, senior policy advisor at the Personal Investment Management and Financial Advice Association (PIMFA), Philippa Hann, chief executive of financial advice firm Paradigm Morton and Louise Claro, an independent financial adviser at Circle Financial Services.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: James Graham and Helen Ledwick Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on Wednesday the 8th of October 2025).

Cash now accounts for less than 10% of all the retail payments we make. New figures out this week UK Finance, which represents banks and others, show the latest in the long term decline of cash. Just over a year ago new rules from the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority said banks had to ensure customers had access to their cash and could take their money out in cash, but at the same time the number of shops putting up the card only signs has increased. What does that mean for the future of cash?

On Monday it will be 6 months until the state pension age begins to rise from 66 to 67. How will that transition work?

The price cap on electricity and gas went up this week - affecting millions of households across England, Wales and Scotland. The energy regulator, Ofgem, says gas and electricity bills will increase by an average of 2% but it's the costs of electricity that's rising, not gas.

And what can do to ensure that your pension is being invested ethically? 

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Luke Wilson and Niamh McDermott Researcher: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 4th October 2025)

More of us than ever before have access to private medical insurance. New data shared with Money Box Live shows that more than 8 million people were covered last year - that's about 5 million adults, plus their families. It's a rise of 4% on the previous year and comes after a series of sharp increases since the pandemic.

We find out what's driving the growth, who's buying the policies and hear from those who have used private health services.

We're joined by Tim Read, director of research at the health sector data firm LaingBuisson which is behind the numbers and has just published its annual study into the private medical cover market, and Tina Jennings, general secretary of the Association of Medical Insurers and Intermediaries, a trade body representing insurance companies and brokers working in this field.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: James Graham Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson (This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on Wednesday the 1st of October 2025).

The National Association of Head Teachers has written to the Department for Education demanding it take action to address what it describes as the failing Teachers' Pensions Scheme. The union has told Money Box it's shocked at the number of members contacting it for help describing a litany of delays, miscommunication and the failure to carry out even basic services leaving many in financial disarray. The government says it understands these problems have caused frustration and it's continuing to work closely with Teachers’ Pensions to resolve these issue as soon as possible.

This year's Winter Fuel Payment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is going to all pensioners but instead of everyone keeping it, those who have an income of more than £35,000 will have it taken back by HMRC. How will that work in practice?

Fake news stories about the state pension have been worrying many listeners. We'll have some advice on what to look out for.

And tens of thousands of motorists could be eligible for a share of £200m in compensation after insurers paid them too little on their claims.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Catherine Lund Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 27th September 2025)

Cryptocurrencies, like Bitcoin, are a type of digital money that has proliferated in recent years. They are mostly unconnected to governments or central banks. Some people treat them as an investment, some people as a bit of a flutter, and many more people don't yet know anything about them at all.

We look at how they work and how the regulatory landscape is changing with the UK's financial regulator the Financial Conduct Authority currently consulting on a range of proposals. It could mean crypto-related firms will be covered by the same requirements as traditional financial firms, boosting consumer protections.

It comes as Action Fraud, which is the UK's national reporting centre for cybercrime, says crypto-related scams jumped by 16% last year. In fact, it accounted for two thirds of all investment fraud reports.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Kate Baucherel, a digital strategy consultant specialising in emerging technologies like crypto, and Louise Abbott, a partner at Keystone Law with a focus on fraud, crypto and asset recovery.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: James Graham Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on Wednesday the 24th of September 2025).

Top lawyers have told Money Box that people across the UK are being misled into paying thousands of pounds for products which they are told will protect the value of their home from inheritance tax or being taken to pay for care home fees. In reality, they say, these schemes do not work and may trigger legal complications and huge financial costs in the future. Usually the products involve setting up some sort of 'trust' but they are often sold by people who are not lawyers and are not regulated. The Association of Lifetime Lawyers, asked over a hundred its own members and found 95% of those lawyers surveyed said they had seen such products being missold and more than 4 in 5 said they had clients who had been misled.

Buy-to-let mortgage rates have dipped to their lowest level in almost three years and there is more choice of mortgage products for buy to let landlords than ever before. The data, which comes from Money Facts, might be good news for any landlords coming to the end of a 2 year fix when rates were higher, but not for those who fixed 5 years ago when rates were much lower. What does it mean for the market?

The state pension looks set to increase by more than inflation in April - that would mean an extra £500 a year for many. And why are house prices rising faster in Northern Ireland than in the rest of the UK?

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Eimear Devlin Researcher: Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 20th September 2025)

This week on Money Box Live we're looking at a topic that's very difficult but very important. What happens to your finances when the worst happens? How do you plan for your financial future when you've been diagnosed with a life-limiting or terminal illness?

It's a question a group of MPs have been asking too. The All Party Parliamentary Group for Hospice and End of Life Care has found that people can face real hardship because they often have extra costs combined with a loss of earnings.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Jamie Thunder, senior policy manager for financial security at the end of life charity Marie Curie and Nina Sperring, partner at Price, Slater, Gawne solicitors. She's also a member of STEP, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners which specialises in estates and wills. We also hear from Nathaniel Dye, a music teacher who was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer at 36.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: James Graham and Helen Ledwick Editor: Jess Quayle Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson

(First broadcast at 3pm Wednesday 17th September 2025)

New figures reveal that more than a quarter of a million homeowners have temporarily reduced their mortgages payments, or extended their mortgage term, since lenders agreed to offer better support to customers in June 2023 through what was called the Mortgage Charter.

There's been a sharp rise in people taking their tax-free lump sum out of their pension over the past year. Since 2015 people over the age of 55 could take 25 per cent of their pension pots tax-free and then use the rest as they wished. These figures from the regulator the Financial Conduct Authority show tens of thousands more people made that choice - why?

Millions of people are missing out on tens of billions of pounds worth of help ranging from benefits to social tariffs from utility companies. That's according to the latest analysis Policy in Practice suggests. What type of benefits are people missing out on?

And the £100 limit on contactless card payments looks set to be scrapped. The regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, published plans this week to let banks set their own limit - or indeed have no limit at all.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researcher: Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm on Radio 4 on Saturday 13th September 2025)

About a quarter of a million 18-year-olds in the UK secured a university place this summer and are now preparing to head off to their chosen institution. The numbers increased by about 5% at a time when the costs associated with getting a degree are also rising.

There's a patchwork of different funding models across the UK, but for students in England and Wales tuition fees have gone up for the first time in eight years. We take a look at how tuition and day-to-day costs are funded across the UK, and hear from students about their housing - another major cost that has been increasing.

Debt is also now a major part of the university experience, with students in England graduating with an average debt of £53,000. One graduate explains how she has struggled to make a dent in her debt over the past 10 years despite holding well paid jobs.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Tom Allingham from the student money website Save the Student and Clare Dickens, director of the Student Life team at the University of Wolverhampton.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: James Graham and Helen Ledwick Editor: Jess Quayle

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on the 10th of September 2025).

We look at changes which the Government has announced – and the speculation around those it hasn’t. Pension inheritance rules will change in 2027. It may seem a long time away, but people are making plans now. We hear from some of those pension planners as they try to clear up any confusion around the changes. We also look at speculation around what might be in the Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Autumn Budget, which she announced this week will take place on November 26.

His Majesty's Revenue and Customs tells Money Box it's deploying hundreds of staff to bring down waiting times for people making claims about missing state pension payments. It's already written to 370,000 people, mainly women, who took time off work to care for children and now might be getting less money than they should be because of an error in their National Insurance records. But given that HMRC has already admitted it's been, in its words, "inherently challenging" to try to fix the problem it might come as little surprise the vast majority of people still missing money, haven't been paid what they're owed.

Just a few weeks ago thousands of would-be university students found out whether they had achieved the right grades to get into the university of their choice. Now comes the reality check, when many wonder how they will afford to pay for it. Some argue that the level of Government maintenance loans only covers half the true cost of student living. The Higher Education Policy Institute has just conducted a study into maintenance loans in England and reckons they only cover half of the true costs of student life.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Amber Mehmood, Jo Krasner, Catherine Lund Editors: Jess Quayle, Craig Henderson

Being a tenant can be pricey — and it’s only getting pricier. Private rents rose by almost six per cent in the year to July, and while the pace may be slowing, the average UK rent still stands at over £1,300 a month. So what does that mean for the millions of people living in private rented homes? This week on Money Box Live, we're looking at the cost of renting — and what it’s doing to your finances. We’ll hear from a family forced to live apart because they can’t afford to rent together, and from a woman struggling to rent because of debt problems. We’ll ask what the upcoming Renters Rights Bill means for tenants — and what tax breaks are available to people who choose to rent out a spare room. With rising prices, limited supply, and big reforms on the horizon, join us as we unpack the pressures facing renters — and what support is out there. Felicity Hannah is joined by Matt Hutchinson from Spare Room, Vicky Spratt, Housing Correspondent for The i, and Matt Sheeran from Money Wellness Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Helen Ledwick Editors: Jess Quayle and Craig Henderson (This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on the 3rd of September 2025).

Hundreds of former retained firefighters have come forward to claim millions of pounds in missing pension payments after Money Box covered the story earlier this summer. We'd reported how their union, the Fire and Rescue Service Association, had warned thousands of its members risked missing out on the payments very often worth tens of thousands of pounds for each individual.

Scammers have been sending texts pretending to be from the government to try and trick pensioners into applying for the Winter Fuel Payment. That's a payment that can be worth up to £300 off energy bills over the colder months. It's prompted the Department for Work and Pensions to issue a warning, telling people to beware of the texts, which ask people to click on link which could be used to steal money from victims.

How are the rumours about changes to stamp duty affecting the housing market?

And a reminder that if you’re the parent or carer of a 16-19 year old you’ve got until Sunday to renew your child benefit claim.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Catherine Lund and Eimear Devlin Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 12pm Saturday 30th August 2025)

Dragons' Den investor and entrepreneur Deborah Meaden joins Felicity Hannah to look at the money wisdom and advice you wish you'd known when you were starting out.

They hear from listeners who say they wish they'd known more about everything, from how to budget to asking for a pay rise. Others regret not understanding the power of compound interest or what to do with a workplace pension after changing jobs.

Dave Fishwick, founder of Burnley Savings and Loans, sets out his top tips and explains his biggest money mistake. And maths teacher and broadcaster Bobby Seagull stresses the importance of financial education. They're also joined by financial planner Kirsty Stone from the financial advice firm The Private Office.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producers: Sarah Rogers and James Graham Editor: Jess Quayle

(This programme was first broadcast at 3pm on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 30th of July 2025)

When will you retire? And will you have enough money to live comfortably? Big questions and this week the government announced two major reviews to study them after concerns that today's workers will be poorer in retirement than their parents. The first is a revived Pension Commission with a wide remit. The second is a review into the state pension age. We'll speak to Pensions UK, which represents pension schemes that together provide a retirement income to more than 30 million people.

From September working parents of children aged 9 months to school age will get 30 hours of childcare funded by the Government. It simplifies the present system which has different rules at different ages and means working parents of children under three will potentially save thousands of pounds on the cost of childcare. Who is eligible and how does it work?

Thousands of people who were retained firefighters are being urged to claim pension payments worth thousands or tens of thousands of pounds. Retained or on-call firefighters generally work part-time. Sixteen thousand of their colleagues have already claimed but a further 10,000 could be eligible to buy back pensions after two legal changes in the past few years.

And some money saving tips for anyone going abroad for their summer holiday.

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporters: Dan Whitworth and Jo Krasner Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Catherine Lund Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 26th July 2025)

Every adult has a credit score but you've been telling us the factors affecting it can be mystifying and frustrating. So in this edition of Money Box Live we've been digging into the inbox to answer your questions on credit scores.

Whether you’re trying to get a mortgage or loan or just the best rate on a credit card, the information on your file can have a big impact at any stage of life, so what does it all mean and if you want to improve yours, how can you do it?

We'll hear from someone battling to rectify his score after fraudsters took over his credit card and we hear from a man with an excellent credit rating who is struggling to get any credit at all.

Felicity Hannah is joined by John Webb, a credit expert at the credit reference agency Experian, and Lisa Webb, a senior lawyer and consumer champion at Which?

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers Editor: Jess Quayle

(This programme was first aired on BBC Radio 4 on Wednesday 23rd of July 2025)

For every £1 a man has in his private pension pot a woman has just 42p according to research from pension company Royal London.

When it comes to the State Pension, the gap has closed considerably for people retiring today. But women in their 80s are still getting up to 25% less than men.

This week on Money Box Live, we're looking at the reasons behind is as well as what can be done to boost savings.

Find out more about a little known pot of money the government has set aside mainly for women, who didn't work because they were looking after children, between 1978 and 2010 - which is largely going unclaimed. We also hear the struggle of a woman who struggled after the state pension age for women was raised from 60 to 66 and what might happen next with the campaign against it.

With Felicity Hannah is Sir Steve Webb, former pensions minister and and now partner at pensions consultancy Lane Clark and Peacock and Daniela Silcock who has her own pensions research company.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Sarah Rogers and Helen Ledwick Editor: Jess Quayle

(This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 16th of July 2025)

Money Box can exclusively reveal there has been a sharp rise in the number of people applying to have water meters fitted to try to bring their bills down. The data has been shared with this programme by the Consumer Council for Water, the CCW, the which speaks for water consumers in England and Wales. It comes after record April price rises for water with average bills rising more than £120 to over £600 per year.

Cash ISAs appear to have been reprieved - at least for now. Until Friday morning there was widespread speculation that the Chancellor might announce on Tuesday that the amount you could put into a cash ISA would be slashed from £20,000, perhaps to as little as £4000. The idea was that would fit in with government plans to encourage investment by nudging people with £20,000 to spare to use the rest of their tax free ISA allowance to invest in shares instead. However, Money Box understands that won't happen - certainly not on Tuesday when Rachel Reeves gives her annual Mansion House speech to the City of London. We'll look at what that might mean.

And what does a major ruling on a divorce case in the Supreme Court mean for how wealth is split between couples in the future?

Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner Editor: Jess Quayle

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 12th July 2025)