Frozen Tax Thresholds and Bailiffs

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. Jeremy Hunt says this will save the average worker £450 a year. But, analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility says maintaining a freeze on the personal tax allowance - the amount earned before tax is paid - will mean 3.7 million extra people paying income tax by 2028, when the freeze comes to an end. So will you be better or worse off? We'll be looking at the numbers. What would you do if you got a letter through your door asking for almost £2000 owed by a complete stranger? That's what happened to one of our listeners who spent weeks trying to sort it out with a debt recovery company. We hear from a senior MP calling for tougher regulation. And an investigation into car finance agreements taken out before February 2021 could eventually lead to compensation for millions of motorists. Discretionary commission agreements meant some lenders allowed car dealers to adjust interest rates on finance deals. The Finance and Leasing Association told us: "In practice, having discretion to move the interest rate often meant that dealers lowered it to be more competitive." Presenter: Paul Lewis

Reporter: Dan Whitworth

Researchers: Sandra Hardial and Jo Krasner

Editor: Sarah Rogers (First broadcast 12pm Saturday 9th March 2024)