Money Box

People are missing out on nearly two billion pounds' worth of discounts on water bills and broadband, according to Citizen's Advice. Social tariffs give lower prices to people on low incomes, but the charity says there's a "postcode lottery" when it comes to what people can get. The government says more than 1.3 million households in England and Wales benefitted from £200m worth of help with water bills in 2022/23 and that it's working with broadband providers to raise awareness of social tariffs.

How might the Chancellor change tax relief on pensions in the upcoming budget?

More than 11 million people used Open Banking in July - that figure was up by 12 percent on the month before. We'll discuss how it works.

And, have you been affected by a scam? Ahead of a special programme on October 5th we'd like to know your experiences - email [email protected].

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 21st September 2024)

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 who have experienced neglect and trauma. But they are self-employed, so there are also financial considerations, from allowances and fees, to tax returns and receipts.

In this programme we'll hear from charities, foster carers and care leavers. We'll also discuss new analysis from the Fostering Network, which found foster carers face a post code lottery when it comes to fees they’re paid.

Foster carers are given an allowance to pay for clothes and food - but they're also usually paid extra on top to recognise their time and skills. Those fees aren't fixed though, and local authorities can each individually decide how much to award.

Using freedom of information requests the charity found 60% of local authorities across the UK are paying foster carers the equivalent of less than £5 an hour based on a 40 hour week.

Felicity Hannah, is joined by Sarah Thomas, Chief Executive of The Fostering Network and Brenda Farrell, Head of Fostering at Barnardo's.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Weds 18th Sept 2024).

Hundreds of thousands of disabled pensioners will be unfairly impacted by the cut in Winter Fuel Payment, according to two leading charities who've spoken exclusively to Money Box. Disability Rights UK and Age UK have both told us that disabled pensioners often have higher energy bills because of medical needs and sharp cuts to the number of people receiving the payment will disproportionally affect them more than others. The government says it's committed to giving pensioners the dignity and security they deserve in retirement but says given the state of the public finances its inherited it’s right that it targets support to those who need it most. It says its protecting disabled pensioners through extra disability benefits such as Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payments. And that over a million pensioners will also continue to receive the Winter Fuel Payment and those on the full new State Pension will receive over £400 boost through the triple lock.

How might the Chancellor target Inheritance Tax in the upcoming Budget? Latest figures show that the government received a record £7.7 billion from IHT in the 12 months to July, up over 5% on a year before.

And, what can be done to encourage self-employed people to pay into a pension?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 14th September 2024)

Figures given exclusively to Money Box Live show that almost two-thirds of people who called the National Gambling Helpline had gambling related debt. So what are the options and what support is available?

This week Felicity Hannah speaks to those affected by gambling, either themselves or through a family member. Joining her to talk about it are Nicholas Hill from the Money and Pensions Service which is sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and Raminta Diliso Head of Gambling Related Financial Harm at the Charity GamCare which is in part funded by the gambling industry.

If you've been affected by addiction - help is available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(First broadcast 3pm on Wednesday 11th September 2024)

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 financial help. Known as the Household Support Fund it's made up of £421 million for councils in England with another £79 million for devolved nations. Dan Whitworth meets Sam, who's 28 and got help from the fund via Stockport Disability.

A new report analysing the finances of people on low incomes who apply for loans has found a third were declined because of 'excessive gambling'. Salad Money is a social enterprise, providing credit to people earning between £25k and £35k per year. It says that out of 170,000 people who applied for loans in the first three months of this year, a third were turned down. We'll hear from the CEO of Salad Money, Tim Rooney.

The consultation which could mean fraud victims who lose more than £85k won’t get their money back when new refund rules come into force in October.

And what tax changes could the government make in its first budget? We’ll discuss Capital Gains Tax and how it might be impacted.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 7th September 2024)

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 nursery can cost around £14,000 a year, so it's a welcome relief for many. There had been warnings that parents would struggle to find places but the government says it is confident about meeting demand.

From next September, the offer is set to rise to 30 hours, and include children up to school age too.

Education Minister, Baroness Smith has said it'll be a challenge to meet that level of demand with the Department for Education estimating about 85,000 more childcare places and 40,000 extra staff will be needed by 2025.

On today's programme we will be hearing from parents as well as the CEO of Kids Planet, one of the countries largest providers. Felicity Hannah will also be joined by Jonathan Broadberry, Policy Director at the National Day Nurseries Association and Emma Broome, Chief Executive of children's charity Coram.

We'll also look at the new rules coming in to make childcare cheaper in Northern Ireland.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(First broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday the 4th of September, 2024)

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 a year, depending on your age. From this winter it will be restricted to pensioners receiving Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits. The reason for means testing it this way is to save money - about £1.5bn each year. In a statement the government told us that "given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right that we target support to those who need it most." So how will you be affected? The Department for Work and Pensions has urged people to check if they could be eligible for Pension Credit - you can check here: https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit-calculator.

The Post Office handled a record amount of cash last month with customers either depositing or withdrawing more than £3.7bn. That new figure beat previous record highs set in May and April suggesting not only is there continued demand for cash, but that people are using Post Office branches more and more to get it. Dan Whitworth visits a branch in North Lincolnshire.

And, what does the expansion of funded childcare hours for working parents mean for those who’re set to benefit?

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 31st August 2024)

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 shows that around 45% of Gen Zs (people born between the late1990s and the early 2010) have a side hustle, but it's not just for the cash. More than a quarter of those are working at a passion project.

So how do you make it if you want a career in comedy or to bag an Olympic gold? Do you have to tell your boss if you're doing extra work on the side? And what should you do about tax?

Today we're talking to an Olympian who worked as a custody officer, a comic book writer who worked in a biology lab and an aspiring DJ who's on a zero-hours bar contract.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Jack Gamble, Director and CEO of the Campaign for the Arts and employment lawyer Rupa Mooker.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 31st July 2024)

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. That's according to figures from Money Wellness, a debt advice company which is funded by the government's Money and Pension Service. It says because most of its clients are low income households these debts can have significant knock-on impacts on the rest of their finances. The DWP says its staff work hard to support customers, and it's important to explore ways to reduce fraud and error so it can support the most vulnerable in society.

What will the new Pensions Bill announced by the Labour government in the King's Speech mean for your finances? We'll discuss plans to bring small pension pots, which people get after short term jobs, together.

Campaigners are calling for bereavement support payments to be extended for longer and for the amount given to families to rise with inflation. At the moment parents under pension age whose partner dies are entitled to bereavement benefits - as much £3,500 followed by 18 monthly payments of up to £350. The charity Widowed and Young would like those payments to be in place for longer. The Department for Work and Pensions told us that it knows losing a loved one is devastating and that it's committed to supporting those most in need through the welfare system.

And what's the best way to pay while you’re on holiday abroad?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 27th July 2024)

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't.

What are they, how do they work and how much do they cost? This programme is dedicated to answering your questions.

On the panel we have Sam Cox, knowledge officer from the Alzheimer's Society and Melinda Giles, partner and head of court protection at Giles Wilson Law.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 24th July 2024)