In an exclusive interview with this programme the Pensions Minister has talked about the government's plans to reform the UK's pension system. Torsten Bell has said that pension schemes should be moving more of members' money out of shares and into infrastructure projects where returns are higher. And he announced a new plan this week to bring millions of small pension pots together into one multibillion pound so-called 'consolidator scheme'. Hear that interview with Paul Lewis in full.

Banks, building societies, utility suppliers and pension providers "must do far better" when it comes to helping people deal with the finances of loved ones who've died. That's what the Chief Executive of Hospice UK, Toby Porter, has told this programme. We'll discuss best practice and what can be done to improve poor service.

And a government savings scheme designed to help people on low incomes is being extended and widened. How does Help to Save work?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(This programme was first broadcast 12pm Saturday 26th April 2025)

Parents typically pay an average of more than £80 per week for a childminder and £66 per week for after-school club, to cover the hours they're working. That's according to the latest data from the charity Coram Family and Childcare.

This week a new trial of free breakfast clubs launched at 750 schools across England, and the government says it'll save parents as much as £450 in childcare costs. Wales and Scotland already have programmes to provide free breakfasts to children in some primary schools.

In this programme Money Box Live discusses what help is available to try and cut the costs of wraparound care.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Lydia Hodges, Head of Coram Family and Childcare, and Laura Suter, Director of Personal Finance at the investment platform AJ Bell.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(The episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday the 23rd of April 2025).

Money Box investigates fees being charged of teenagers who are struggling to access their child trust funds. We speak to an 18 year old who agreed to pay a claims management firm 25% of his fund plus VAT, not realising he could do it for free. Lord David Blunkett was in government when Child Trust Funds were created in 2002, he tells Money Box that the unclaimed public money sitting in CTFs should be going to young people not firms looking to cash in.

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 19th April 2025)

New analysis shows that some parts of England have waiting lists for social housing that exceed 100 years. Recently the government pledged £2 billion of new investment to build up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes. But will that be enough? Felicity Hannah is joined by Jasmine Basran of the housing charity Crisis, and Alastair Smyth of the National Housing Federation.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

The stock markets have been on somewhat of a roller coaster since US president Trump announced global trade tariffs. Listeners emailed Money Box to tell us about the impact of the fall out in their pensions and investments. The advice from the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association which speaks for pension companies is 'if you still have many years until you retire, you have plenty of time to recover short-term price falls'. But, what happens if you're retiring right now and you've seen your pension plummet?

Also on the programme, the amount we owe on our credit cards is at record levels, topping £73 billion. But is increased borrowing an indication of consumer confidence or personal crisis?

And do you know you state pension age? Research suggests many of close to retirement don't.

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(This episode was first broadcast on Saturday the 12th of April on BBC Radio 4)

US Trade tariffs, stock market ups and downs, economic uncertainty. What do they all mean for your money?

Since last Wednesday, when Donald Trump announced huge increases in tariffs for goods being imported by the USA, global stock markets have been in turmoil. Money Box Live is discussing what these events might mean for your personal finances, over the short, medium, and longer term.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Russ Mould of AJ Bell, and Kirsty Stone of The Private Office. And they'll be taking questions from listeners.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

Stock markets around the world have plunged in reaction to the import tariffs imposed by President Trump and then the retaliation of China which responded with its own tariffs on American goods. Economists have warned that this trade war could seriously damage the world economy, and make all of us poorer. By the end of Friday shares traded in London had fallen nearly 5% in price. What does that mean for investments?

The earnings limit on Carer’s Allowance is to rise this week. From 7th April working carers can earn up to £196 per week after certain deductions, the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage, and continue to claim Carer’s Allowance. That's an increase of £45 compared to the previous earnings threshold. But what, if anything, does that mean for the thousands of carers who're in debt because they unwittingly got overpayments of the benefit?

Last year we tapped our cards 19 billion times in shops, pubs, cafes, and retail outlets without using our PIN. At the moment the upper limit for contactless card payments in person is £100, but regulators are considering raising it or even scrapping it altogether. What would that mean in practice?

And, a reminder to get your postage stamps before the cost of them goes up.

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 5th April, 2025)

The cost of just about everything we need to run a home will be more expensive for millions of households from Tuesday. Switching on the lights, turning on the heating, turning on the tap, calling your mum or your best friend, logging on to emails, will all cost more with rises usually well above the rate of inflation. We'll have tips on how to tackle those bills if you're struggling to pay them.

A payment service provider for hundreds of schools has decided to cease trading in the UK. What does this mean for parents who still have money on their accounts?

And hundreds of thousands of better off parents who claim Child Benefit should soon have a simpler way of paying the tax they owe on it. Some higher earners who’ve had to register for self-assessment to pay something called the ‘High Income Child Benefit Charge’ will soon be able to pay it via PAYE. What does the announcement, which was in the Spring Statement, mean in practice?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast at 12pm Saturday 29th March, 2025)

As the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, presents her Spring Statement, Money Box Live sifts through the details about what it all means for your personal finances.

Changes to the welfare system have already been announced. It will be harder to claim a disability benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under plans which the government says will get more people into work. We'll analysis any new details on that.

The Spring Statement comes ahead of big plans already announced in last year's Autumn Budget such as changes to stamp duty for home buyers and an increase to National Insurance Contributions for some employers, so as well as dissecting new announcements we'll also remind you what else coming in and when.

Felicity Hannah is joined by Sarah Pennells, Consumer Finance Specialist at pensions company Royal London; Elsa Littlewood, Tax Partner at the accountancy firm BDO and Mike Brewer, Chief Economist and Deputy Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Wednesday 26th March, 2025)

We report from Parliament as the Minister for Energy Consumers and the regulator Ofgem face questions from MPs about the banned process of back-billing. That's when energy suppliers wrongly send new bills for energy use longer than 12 months ago. We'll get reaction from Labour MP Bill Esterson who is the Chair of the House of Commons Energy Security and Net Zero committee, which sat on Wednesday.

And the biggest shake-up to benefits in a decade was announced by the government this week. It hopes the changes will ultimately save it five billion pounds a year from a benefits bill which Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told Parliament was 'a failing system that is currently not sustainable'. She proposed major changes to some benefits, what will this mean in practice?

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 22nd March 2025)