This Is Money Show

The Bank of England has reached the peak with interest rates in this cycle. That's the firm view of the markets and most analysts, despite three members of the nine-strong Monetary Policy Committee disagreeing and voting for a rate hike this week. The question has now shifted from how high will rates go, to when will they be cut? The boldest predictions are for more than 1 per cent to be shaved off the base rate next year. Does that fit with the Bank's 'hawkish hold' of the base rate this week?  On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what next for interest rates both here and in the US - and whether markets are running away with themselves. Plus, two years after they finally started to properly rise what does heading back to a point where rates may fall mean for borrowers, savers and investors? Also on this week's show, is it better to use the central heating or an electric heater, the 'better' plan for a state pension triple-lock replacement, and the reasons Lee wants you

It's been a rollercoaster year for mortgage rates and after the inflation panic spike over summer, lenders have been slashing costs for borrowers. The best mortgage rates are now falling towards 4 per cent, whereas not so many months ago they were rising towards 6 per cent - and many deals climbed above that. So is the mortgage crisis over and how much further will rates fall? On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discussa year of mortgage madness, what could happen next and  - most importantly - what can those who need to remortgage or buy a home do. Plus, as gold hits a record high and bitcoin soars again, what's going on and should investors buy in? We discuss the case of the savers whose Isa savings of more than £600,000 went missing thanks to NatWest. And finally, This is Money lost a team member last week. Our development editor Richard Browning, a founding member of This is Money back in 1999, sadly died suddenly. The podcast plays tribute to Rich - the man who helped bui

We love the idea of transforming our homes so much that an entire cottage TV industry has sprung out of it, ranging from Grand Designs, to Ugly House to Lovely House and Your Home Made Perfect.  For Jaemi and Roly Glancy sketching out how they could renovate their properties turned into a start-up helping others envisage what they could do with theirs. In this bonus podcast episode, Simon Lambert of This is Money, speaks to Roly about how they started the business and where it's going.

What drives you mad about going to the supermarket? Is it self-service tills, scanning receipts to get out, loyalty scheme dual pricing, or prices being hiked well above inflation? Many of us want to support bricks and mortar retail, but there are times when shops seem to mainly be involved in testing our patience. In a week in which the competition watchdog fired a broadside at the consumer brands giants for pushing up prices, a practice dubbed ‘greedflation’ and sounded a warning to Tesco and Sainsbury’s over Clubcard and Nectar Prices, the This is Money podcast team head down the shops. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss what’s good, what’s bad and what really gets their goat. Plus, will a new online fraud charter make any difference? The team discuss investing legend Charlie Munger and financial crisis Chancellor Alistair Darling, who both died this week. And finally, what makes a house price hotspot – we look at the UK’s top 30 this year.

The Autumn Statement was the definition of a mixed bag. There was a National Insurance cut, but the stealth income tax raid continued. The Isa system got an improvement, but the allowance remained frozen. Meanwhile, the triple lock was delivered along with a pension pot-for-life plan but inheritance tax remains firmly uncut at 40 per cent, with all its weird quirks intact. So, was that an Autumn Statement to fire Britain on to growth, as the Chancellor claimed, or a damp squib? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Tanya Jefferies, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert dive into the details to reveal what the Autumn Statement means for you and the economy. From the Office of Budget Responsibility forecasts, to being allowed multiple Isas and the seemingly mad plan of allowing family homes to be easily converted to flats, the team take the measure of Jeremy Hunt’s plans. And they look ahead to whether there will be more tax cuts to come in the Budget – and whether Britain’s stealth tax and marginal tax trap me

The Autumn Statement arrives next week and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive. The idea of it being a simple update on the economy seems to have been abandoned and instead there is talk of an Isa overhaul, tax changes, and even inheritance tax being cut from 40 per cent to 20 per cent. But if you were Chancellor for the day, what would you do? On this week's podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what could be on the cards as Jeremy Hunt stands up and delivers his Autumn Statement next week. On the agenda: Stealth tax - will the income tax freeze end? Inheritance tax - will the rate be cut to 20%? Isas - will the allowance be boosted and the system improved? Savings - could the personal savings allowance get a rise? 

We all know pensions are important but most of us rarely engage with them. Yet, with a little bit of time and effort, you can get your work pension working as hard as possible for you - and at some point in the future you will be very glad you did so. On this episode of the This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert talk pensions: why you should start early, the reason that it involves free money, how to invest for a richer retirement many years down the line and much more. Also on the agenda, what happens if you get stuck in a mortgage with your ex, why is Lee so annoyed at a sneaky insurance tax that swiftly adds up and can M&S's sales and share price resurgence continue? And finally, listen to the end if you want to find out where Lee buys his socks and Georgie gets her underwear.

Have interest rates peaked? After an inflation spike rudely awoke them from their slumbers, the Bank of England and the US Federal Reserve have shown us that rate hiking can be a difficult habit to break. But 14 consecutive rate rises into an astonishing run from 0.1 per cent to 5.25 per cent for the base rate, the Bank of England suddenly paused six weeks ago. And then, on Thursday, it did it again. On both of those occasions, the Fed had also just done the same thing across the Atlantic. So, are we finally there? When does a pause become a peak? And if we have reached the top of the interest rate cycle, what happens next? On this episode of This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert look at the decision to hold rates again and what it means for savers, mortgage borrowers and investors. Plus, what are Andrew Bailey’s Bank of England and Jay Powell’s Fed telling us about their respective economies – and how divergent are the paths of the UK and US? Also on this episode, Crane o

This week, This is Money's pensions expert Tanya Jefferies joins Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost.  Among the topics being discussed: State pension top-ups are in dire need of an overhaul by DWP and HMRC, says TANYA JEFFERIES What does the bond market sell-off mean for your investments and pension? UK bond yields at 25 year high: Global borrowing costs rocket in debt market rout Premium Bonds winning numbers - and latest news Our neighbour's CCTV is recording us: Can we make them take it down?

Wages are up, but inflation is… the same. What does it all mean for mortgage rates, the state pension, benefits and the economy generally?   One thing we know won’t be affected by the latest figure is income tax bands. Just how much is the big freeze – AKA fiscal drag - going to cost us? That’s on the agenda for Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost this week as the latest CPI reading stuck at 6.7 per cent.  At the start of the year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak set the target to halve inflation by the end of 2023.   And it was looking promising. But this latest inflation figures might have thrown a bit of spanner into the works. What’s going on at Royal Mail? Some households say they are only receiving their post once a week. Hospital appointment letters, birthday cards, parcels and important bills have all gone missing in delays caused by a staffing crisis. In Brighton, households say they’re receiving mail as infrequently as just once a fortnight. Picking an estate agent to sell your home is so i

House prices will continue to fall, says an influential poll of estate agents.  The latest survey by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors found that buyer demand is declining and fewer homes are coming to the market. Meanwhile, Halifax’s latest house price figures show a £14,000 drop compared to the recent peak in August 2022 and 4.7 per cent fall in the year to the end of September, the largest since 2009.  So, how much further could they fall and are buyers in danger of trying to time the market? Will there be a big pause before a general election next year? Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce discuss the age old favourite of house prices. This week has also seen the Bank of England sound the alarm over 35 year mortgages – should we be concerned? Skipton Building Society launches a headline mortgage rate of 3.35 per cent. What’s the catch? It comes as its rival Nationwide has new best buy home loan rates. Could mortgage deals continue to fall? And we look at the top up-and-coming areas

Inflation is easing, food prices are coming down from their peak and the energy price cap dropped last weekend. But you are still paying around 10 per cent more for your groceries now than last year, petrol prices are rising, mortgage rates are still high, and you may end up paying more for your gas and electricity this winter too. But how is that possible? This week, Angharad Carrick, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane tackle energy bills and look at who might be paying more in the next three months. And when it comes to water bills, some firms are looking at charging 44 per cent more over the next seven years. Why? Crane on the Case this week tackles a parking charge issued after someone waited too long in a McDonald’s drive-thru queue. Despite that, Helen managed to get a positive result – but why are so many parking charges being dished out every day, and where is the promised government help to stop it happening. Lee gives you a run through of another busy week in the world of savings and ban

It’s been called the most hated tax in Britain - but only four per cent of people pay it. You could be forgiven for thinking inheritance tax is something only the super-rich need to worry about.  But thanks to rising house prices and an increasing desire to transfer wealth between generations, more and more people are being drawn into the net. It happens not only when someone is left property or other assets from someone's estate, but also when they accept a gift from someone who passes away before the 'seven year rule' tax exemption kicks in.   The IFS says that that four per cent could become 12 per cent within a decade. And many of those who will never pay inheritance tax still hate the idea that the Government is taking a big cut of the wealth people have worked hard to build up over their lifetime.  So it might come as welcome news that Rishi Sunak is reported to be considering cutting the tax, or even scrapping it altogether, as a potential vote-winner ahead of the next election. What’s wrong wit

And suddenly they stopped. After 14 interest rate rises in a row, the Bank of England stalled and kept base rate on hold. A lower than expected inflation number and slew of economic reports indicating the heat was being taken out of the economy were credited with staying the Monetary Policy Committee's hand. So, will 5.25 per cent now be the peak for base rate or could rates once again start to head higher from here? And what does the Bank of England's decision to pause mean for savings rates and mortgage rates? On this week, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert discuss why interest rates were held, what nudged inflation down, what could happen next and what all this means for savers, borrowers and investors. Plus, what does the government rowing back on Net Zero plans mean for electric cars, EPCs and how we heat our homes. And finally, if your neighbours can seen into your garden and you don't like it, can you just stick up a very tall fence or do you need planning permission (and risk triggering

This is Money's Simon Lambert gives his tips for young pension savers on how to give their retirement fund a big boost - and in some instances double the pot they end up with.

If the triple lock is stuck to, the state pension should rise by 8.5 per cent next April. That will be an inflation-busting rise but a promise is a promise - and the triple lock is meant to be a cast iron guarantee that the state pension will rise by either 2.5 per cent, average wages, or inflation. Except it's already been unpicked once and arguing about whether the government can wriggle out of it has become an annual event. It's expensive and paid for by current workers, but the triple lock has improved the state pension - and one day those workers should get that payout themselves. Yet, has it run its course and is it time for a better policy than the triple lock? On this podcast, Georgie Frost, Sam Barker and Simon Lambert debate the triple lock and whether to keep it. Plus, why is Facebook Marketplace such a wild west for consumers and what happened when we tried to set up our own (fake) scam? Santander's cracking 5.2 per cent easy access savings deal was pulled this week. The team discuss whethe

Every child could receive a pot of £1,000 at birth to be channelled into long-term investments in UK growth under proposals to give the young a leg up and revive a ‘stagnant’ economy. The idea of a ‘New Generation Trust’ is part of a package of reforms that could add £225billion to the economy, says a report by the City of London Corporation. A £1,000 payment to all newborn children would need to be invested - and it is claimed this could provide long-term capital for UK PLC.  It revives memories of the Child Trust Fund scheme launched by Gordon Brown two decades ago, and later scrapped by George Osborne – and that hasn’t exactly been a roaring success. This week, Lee Boyce, Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost discuss the merits of the idea – and why whether this happens or not parents should start building a pot for children as early as possible. It’s been another exciting week for savings – Santander has a new best buy easy-access deal, Moneybox has launched a top cash Isa and First Direct is offering five

Inflation has been ravaging our finances, but it is also threatening our future.  According to new research, if you want a comfortable retirement, you need to build a pot of nearly £600,000. The rising cost of living requires an extra £4,200 a year to maintain the same lifestyle as in spring last year - which means you have to save another £69,000 in all. This week, Tanya Jefferies, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane delve into pensions, as separate research shows more than half of people saving into one believe they will never put away enough to stop working when they get older. What can you do? Tanya reveals how to invest your pension and live off it in retirement. One thing that isn’t going to help your retirement funds is forking out to help your kids get on the property ladder. But that is exactly what is happening at the moment and in huge numbers. Financial aid is expected to support almost half of all homes purchased by buyers under the age of 55 this year - totaling £8.1billion. Is tappi

Many people may be feeling in a state of financial flux at the moment and wondering where to put their money. And it's not an easy choice. Savings rates have improved, gold is holding steady, but property prices are slipping and stocks are sticky. And that is just some of the myriad of options Britons are contemplating right now, alongside other areas such as overpaying the mortgage or saving for retirement. So, where would you put your money for the next five years? That’s the question the This is Money team put to the experts – and our readers – with a mixed response. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert and Lee Boyce reveal what they told us, the results of a reader poll and how they’re grappling with these big financial decisions. Could unloved and cheap investment trusts be the answer? Simon runs the rule. Premium Bonds have been boosted again – Lee reveals why they are giving them a headache. And NS&I have boosted its green savings deal to 5.7 per cent. Is it a good deal now? Elsewhere, Ofgem has ann

The inflation spike took central banks, governments and many ordinary people by surprise but Britain’s cost of living problem has proved more stubborn that most. The latest set of official figures on consumer prices index inflation seem to show that the UK may be making some headway on getting it down. Aided by a substantial drop in the energy price cap, annual CPI inflation fell to 6.8 per cent in July – down from 7.9 per cent in June. Does that mean we have turned a corner on inflation and can look forward to Rishi Sunak delivering on his promise of halving it this year? Or were there once again some hidden nasties in the inflation report that could mean it takes longer to subside? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert dig into the inflation data and look at why economists decide that real wage growth was something to worry about. The team look at what this could mean for interest rates and where they will peak – and what that in turn means for mortgaged homeowners and s