If your home isn't working for you, should you pack up and move or get the builders in and improve?

Moving is expensive, aside from the price of the house there's Stamp Duty and solicitors fees to think about. So, is it worth getting the builders in instead if you're desperate for an extra bedroom? Insurance firm Aviva predicts 7 million of us will renovate over the next two years, spending an average of £14,000 each.

But what happens if the renovations go wrong, you run out of money, or you're hoping to move but no-one wants to buy your home?

Felicity Hannah is joined by Beth Rudolf from the Conveyancing Association and Harvey Fremlin, Managing Director at The National Self Build & Renovation Centre.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

(This episode was first broadcast at 3pm on Radio 4 on the 7th of May 2025)

People over the age of 60 hold nearly £3 trillion of wealth in the value of their homes, almost all of it mortgage free. That is more than half of all housing wealth in the UK. Under 35s by contrast control only £600 billion and half of that is mortgaged. These startling figures were published recently by the upmarket estate agent Savills which has analysed housing data in Britain for many years. It says this disparity between young and old has never been bigger.

MPs, charities and free debt advice providers are calling for an urgent change in the law to help protect the finances of thousands of domestic abuse survivors. At the moment people, mainly women, who are left in debt after fleeing abusive relationships normally have to have their names and addresses published as part of the process of getting that debt written off. Something campaigners say not only puts their personal safety at risk, but can also put them off addressing financial problems altogether. The government has said its currently reviewing this matter and will update in due course.

And, annuities are a safe, regular income in retirement. You can use your pension fund to buy one and a growing number of people are doing just that. Sales of annuities have seen an 83% increase since 2020, based on figures from the Association of British Insurers. We'll discuss what's behind that rise.

Presenter: Paul Lewis

(This programme was first broadcast at 12pm Saturday 3rd May 2025)

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)