Money Box

Share your experiences and tips for meeting the extra costs of the school holidays. Call 03700 100 444 from 1pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday 17 July (standard network charges apply) or e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now.Whether you're working and need to find the money for extra childcare costs or you're looking for ways to entertain your children on a low income, we'd love to hear your stories and solutions on Wednesday’s Money Box Live. Joining presenter Louise Cooper are:Megan Jarvie, Head of Coram Family and Childcare Greta Defeyter, Director of the Healthy Living Lab at Northumbria University Ema Wilkes, Chief Executive, Neo CommunityLouise visited the Notting Hill Adventure Playground.Presenter: Louise Cooper Producers: Diane Richardson and Khadidja Ndiaye Editor: Emma Rippon

Money Box's Drew Miller Hyndman has been to Southampton where this week TSB Bank held the latest in a series of in-branch sessions aimed at educating people on how to avoid becoming victims of financial fraud. Guest: Ashley Hart, Head of Fraud for TSB. Jeremy Hunt and Boris Johnson have both set out their tax plans should they become Prime Minister. Carl Emmerson, Deputy Director of the Institute For Fiscal Studies compares, contrasts and costs the policies. Gaps in the money management skills of children who are in, or young people who have left, care in England is the focus of a new report. It follows an inquiry by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Financial Education for Young People. Ralph who went into care when he was 14 shares his perspective on the issue. Guest: Sam Turner, Voice and Influencing Manager at Become, a charity for children in care and young care leavers. July 31st is the deadline to renew tax credits. If you already claim them what do you have to do and if you don’t – could you? G

Adam Shaw and guests discuss the costs and considerations of driving an electric car. To join the conversation call 03700 100 444 from 1pm – 3.30pm on Wednesday 10 July, email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneybox. We’d love to hear your views, questions and experiences.On the panel:Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder of Zap-Map and Next Green Car Claire Evans Consumer editor, Autocar and What Car? Anders Nilsson, GoComparePresenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Emma Rippon

Prepaid cards are continuing to increase in popularity, often as an alternative to a bank account. In many cases they are advertised as ‘no paper work, no fuss’ but Money Box hear's that's not always the case.A growing number of credit unions are offering loans which are repaid directly by child benefit payments to try to stop people getting into a cycle of expensive debt. Felicity Hannah reports on how they work in practice.Why people who live in parts of Scotland are being charged extra for online delivery charges and how Office of Tax simplification plans to simplify inheritance tax.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Who will take care of your finances and welfare if you no longer can? Putting in place a Power of Attorney - what ever your age - allows one or more trusted people to manage your money and personal needs if and when you need help, such as dealing with your bank, paying your bills or arranging personal care. There are many aspects to consider such as who to appoint, what responsibilities they will have and whether you want to place restrictions on the decisions which can be made on your behalf or set out specific wishes in advance. Perhaps you have one but are having difficulty using it or you're concerned that a relatives finances are being managed badly? Who can help if a relative or friend has already lost mental capacity but doesn't have a power of attorney in place?Whether you're thinking of setting up a power of attorney or want to share your views and experiences of using one we'd love to hear from you.Presenter Paul Lewis will be joined by:Sandra McDonald, former Public Guardian for Scotland Samanth

Tens of thousands of people are using two new apps which let them access their wages as they earn them. With no more waiting around for monthly pay days is this new tech helping people’s financial health or putting them at more risk of going into debt?Some of the people who lost money with the collapsed investment firm London Capital and Finance have been given a glimmer of hope they may be eligible for compensation. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme says some people may have been given advice about investing which would mean they could make a claim to get some, or all, of their money back. We hear the latest from the administrators and those who could benefit and those who are worried they might miss out.Counting down to the end of a five year loan agreement, one small business couldn’t wait to make the last payment. But the owners didn’t read the small print. It said they needed to give three month’s notice before they could stop paying the loan. We speak to a contract law specialist to see what pe

Louise Cooper and guests look at the volatile world of investing in digital currencies. Call 03700 100 444 from 1pm to 3.30pm on Wednesday 26 June or e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now with your experiences and questions.Joining Louise are:Marc Warne, Founder, Bittylicious Jemima Kelly, reporter, FT Alphaville Dave Jevans, CEO, CipherTraceProducer: Diane Richardson Editor: Emma Rippon

Complaints about the loans used to buy cars have trebled in three years - 50% up in the last year alone. A million new cars were sold to individuals in 2018 - more than nine out of ten on finance. We borrowed £45 billion to buy new and used cars last year. The size and growth of this finance has caused the Bank of England to express concerns and in November the Financial Conduct Authority was so worried it published new rules about how that credit was sold. We look at how well our ability to repay is being assessed.Small businesses and the self-employed who pay VAT will have to make big changes to how the submit their information to HMRC over the next few months. It's all part of Making Tax Digital where quarterly figures must be submitted using approved software rather than just entering them manually on the HMRC website. Some large firms who already make accountancy packages are telling customers they must sign up for new and often expensive upgrades but do they really need to?Nearly seven in ten people se

Childcare in the UK is amongst the most expensive in the world – and prices keep rising. For some families, nursery fees cost more than the monthly mortgage. Whether you are looking at nurseries or childminders for your pre-school children what financial help is available to reduce costs? What is tax-free childcare and how does it work? Who is eligible for 15 or 30 hours’ free childcare a week – and what help can you get to pay for childcare if you’re on Universal Credit? We'll explore the options available to parents wanting to give their child the best start in life.Adam Shaw and a panel of guests will be taking your calls, emails and tweets. Do get in touch. Call 03700 100 444 – lines open at 1300 on Wednesday 19 June; email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneyboxGuests: Megan Jarvie, Head of Coram Family and Childcare Charlotte McDonough, UK Policy advisor, Save the Children Neil Hill, Money expert, Money Advice Service Presenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Sally Abrahams

An inquiry has been launched into the potential mis-selling of leasehold properties. The Competition and Market Authority are aiming to shed light on potential misleading practice and unfair terms to better protect people buying a home in the future. What difference could it make to the lives of many whose homes have become unsellable?We speak to some of the British Steel workers persuaded to transfer out of their final salary pension schemes by rogue advisers. This week the Financial Conduct Authority visited Port Talbot to answer some of their questions. Earlier this month, the Equity Income Fund run by fund manager Neil Woodford suspended withdrawals by its investors. We hear from a listener whose money became trapped in the fund despite requesting a withdrawal more than 72 hours before the fund was frozen.And after the BBC announced this week that many over-75's would have to start paying for their licence fee, we find out who will still be able to get it free.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter Dan Whitworth

For years we've rented carpet cleaners or hired a dinner jacket for a wedding. But now we're beginning to rent all sorts of other things too. Furniture., toys, even outfits for a work do. Money Box Live looks at the increasingly popular option of renting stuff rather than owning it. What can you borrow and what the pros and cons of doing so? We visit the Library of Things in south London where you can rent a tent, a waffle maker or even a ukulele. Will borrowing not buying help save the planet? Guests: Emily Gordon-Smith Director of Consumer Products at Stylus Martyn James, Consumer rights expert at ResolverPresenter: Louise Cooper Producer: Sally Abrahams

Millions of people need financial advice but don't get it according to a damning report out this week. It's called the 'advice gap' and includes people who need advice about investment or pensions but can't afford professional advice and people who need free advice on a variety of money matters but don't know where to get it. We discuss how to make financial advice more accessible to everyone.Banks have until April next year to implement major changes on overdraft charges. The fees from overdrafts bring in nearly two and a half billion pounds a year and they are mainly paid by a small number of customers who are in debt or vulnerable. The Financial Conduct Authority say it will be the biggest shakeup of overdraft fees in a generation, others aren't so impressed.Over 9000 students in higher education are estranged from their families, without the safety net of the bank of Mum or Dad if things go wrong. Estrangement charity Stand Alone has found that financial and other pressures mean they're three times more

Credit unions are financial not-for-profit co-operatives run by their members which offer a range of saving accounts and loans. Around 2 million people in the UK belong to one. In order to join people must have something in common with other members such as living or working in the same area or having the same occupation. The work that credit unions do with those who are excluded from mainstream financial services has led to the perception that they are a "poor man's bank" but this isn't the whole story. Paul Lewis talks to Robert Kelly, Chief Executive of the Association of British Credit Unions, and Dr Paul A. Jones, Head of the Research Unit for Financial Inclusion at Liverpool John Moores University, about how credit unions are adapting in the age of fast digital bankingWith contributions from Teresa Manning, Chief Executive of Clockwise Credit Union and Professor Sharon Collard Research Director of the Personal Finance Research Centre at the University of Bristol. If you have a credit union related que

Letting agencies can no longer charge tenants fees when they rent a property. They've already been banned in Scotland and now England is following suit. They can be pretty hefty - for example £500 for a credit check, £200 to check out of the property. These fees account for £700m a year and account for a fifth of agencies turnover. So is this a win win for tenants or will the ban have unintended consequences?When it comes to elderly or vulnerable loved ones, family and friends often rely on other people to help manage their day to day lives, including going shopping, paying bills, helping them look after their money. Many elderly people fall victim to financial abuse. We speak to Action on Elder Abuse about what you can do to try to stop this from happening. And this week a major change began which should mean that victims of bank fraud are reimbursed for their losses in almost every case. But it only applies to frauds committed from last Tuesday, May 28th. So what can be done about the estimated £1bn of mone

Music streaming is big business. But how do the various providers differ and how do their payment models work - for consumers and musicians? We'll hear from grime artist Chiedu Oraka, Alice Enders from Enders Analysis and from Chris Cooke who is head of Music at CMU Insights, a music business consultancy.If you have a question for the panel or want to share your experience call us on 03700 100 444 between 1pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday 29nd May. (Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply.) Or send an email before then to moneybox@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Louise Cooper Producer: Paul Waters

New safeguards for victims of bank fraud come into effect from Tuesday. Over 350 million pounds was stolen from accounts last year through what's called Authorised Push Payment Fraud - that happens when a person is tricked into transferring money into a fraudster's account. Often the banks have refused to refund victims but now they will have to.Figures released this week by StepChange - one of the UK's largest debt charities - show a big rise in the amount of debt relief orders in England and Wales. But what is a debt relief order and why are they at a four year high?Researchers at Newcastle University have found that a ban on online borrowing between 11pm and 7am could protect consumers and are calling for the introduction of 'credit curfews'.And when a Money Box listener's partner died suddenly just days after they had taken delivery of a new car she could no longer afford the repayments. But the finance company initially told her it would cost tens of thousands of pounds to get out of the contract. We sp

Crowdfunding involves asking a lot of people for typically small amounts of money. It's done online as a way of financing businesses, individuals, charities or the development of ideas. There are different ways to do it including making a donation, giving money in return for shares in a business, providing a loan or receiving a reward linked to the fundraising project in return for your cash.Joining Adam Shaw to discuss the rules, risks and potential rewards of crowdfunding are Gerald Oppenheim Chief Executive for the Fundraising Regulator, Jes Bailey Founder and Consultant with Crowdfund 360 and Bruce Davis, Director of the UK Crowdfunding Association and also Co-Founder and Joint Managing Director at Abundance Investment.If you have a question for the panel or want to share your experience of crowdfunding as a donor or as a fundraiser call 03700 100 444 after 1pm on Wednesday 22nd May or send an email before then to moneybox@bbc.co.uk Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply.Prese

At least two million people suffer domestic abuse in the UK each year. But domestic abuse is not always just physical. Taking control of a partner's money - financial abuse - is often part of controlling someone. This week a new advice service has been launched aimed at people who work in banks and building societies to help them spot the signs of economic abuse among their customers and encourage them to offer practical help when they do.Metro Bank is pronounced 'safe' by the Bank of England. But what would happen to customers if another bank did go bust? Some businesses have been trying out shortening the working week from the five days which most full timers work to four but with no loss of pay. Could this leave workers feeling less stressed, more productive and striking a better work/life balance? Or would it pile more pressure onto an already stressed workforce?And what to do if you're pursued for a debt that is not yours.Presenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Looking for and finding a job following a long career break can be difficult and demoralising. There are various reasons for extended career breaks including redundancy, divorce or family commitments. What help is available for returners and how can employers do more to recruit them?Adam Shaw and a panel of guests are ready to hear your questions and experiences and provide practical help. Email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or call 03700 100 444 after 1pm on Wednesday 15th May. Standard geographic charges from landlines and mobiles will apply.Guests: Emily Andrews, Senior Evidence Manager at the Centre for Ageing Better, Stephanie Dillon, Founder of Inclusivity Partners and Sarah Chilton, Partner with specialist employment lawyers CM Murray. Presenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Charmaine Cozier Editor: Andrew Smith

Ben Wallace MP, Minister for Economic Fraud responds to criticism from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary about whether the government is "content to leave fraud at the back of the queue" given what damage it can do.Dan Whitworth reports on a significant development for the former clients of collapsed mini-bond firm London Capital and Finance. And the launch of a pilot scheme to tackle rent arrears and keep people away from high cost credit by allowing them to flex their monthly rent payments.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon