Money Box

Infertility affects one in seven couples. Many people seek medical treatment to help them conceive. Some fertility treatment is available on the NHS, but the majority of couples go privately and pay for it themselves. It can be incredibly expensive, costing tens of thousands of pounds.Money Box Live is looking at the costs involved in fertility treatments. If this has affected you or your loved ones, or you have a question you'd like answered, presenter Louise Cooper and an expert panel want to hear from you. So why not call Money Box Live now 03 700 100 444, geographic charges from landlines and mobiles apply.Or email moneybox@bbc.co.ukor tweet @moneyboxGuestsPeter Thompson, Chief Executive of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the UK's independent regulator of fertility treatment. Aileen Feeney from the the charity, Fertility Network UKDr Raj Mathur, Senior fertility Consultant, working in both the NHS and a private clinic.

Money Box reporter Dan Whitworth investigates complaints from customers of a small energy supplier, Outfox the Market, who suddenly found themselves facing huge increases to their direct debit payments. Outfox the Market emailed Anna and her husband Rob to say their direct debit amounts would be split, meaning they would pay much more during winter and less in summer. The couple are already around £200 in credit on their account so they decided to switch supplier. Outfox the Market say the direct debit change would average out over the year. Following its administration deal with its lenders the pension fund of news publisher Johnston Press is being placed under Pension Protection Fund (PPF) rules. What happens if your pension passes to the PPF? Guest: Hilary Salt, Founder First Actuarial.We hear from the man who ended up being reported to the police for fraud by his insurer after making a stolen jewellery claim following a burglary. Neil McFarlane, Group CEO with the specialist jewellery insurance broker T.

The way we work is changing. By 2025, only 13% of people believe they will be working in traditional 9-5 employment.For the last 15+ years the number of self-employed workers has been increasing - tripling for the over 65's and doubling for the 16-24's whether it be as a sole trader or on zero hours or as part of the 'gig' economy. And that doesn't account for the rise of people on short term contracts with little or no job security.So in this brave new world of employment, how has the financial services industry responded? What can you do about your pension, insurance or getting a mortgage if you no longer have a career in one company but move from job to job?Your experiences and stories please: 03700 100 444. Lines open from 1pm on Wednesday 21`November. You can email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneyboxPresenter: Adam Shaw Producer: Alex Lewis

This week the government's publication of its draft Brexit Withdrawal Agreement was followed by the cabinet resignations of Dominic Raab and Esther McVey. The financial markets responded with a sharp drop in the pound before it stabilised and a fall in the share price of UK focused companies. Guest: Tom Stevenson Investment Director at Fidelity Worldwide Investments.Some of the biggest clothing retailers are being warned they could be encouraging young shoppers to get into problem debt. Major sports and fashion names are using a new type of “try before you buy” service from the Swedish bank Klarna for online orders. Guest Moira O'Neill, head of personal finance at Interactive Investor. A childminder reveals how problems with the government's tax-free childcare system are impacting on her business. Earlier this month around 22,000 standing order payments from parents to childcare providers were delayed. HMRC have apologised and say it was an isolated issue which has been fixed. Guest: Aoife Hamilton, Policy an

What’s your experience of the biggest change ever made to the benefits system? Universal Credit - which is being gradually introduced across the UK - is supposed to make things simpler, by merging six benefits into one single payment. But it's been plagued by controversy, especially over delays in paying claimants, causing severe hardship in some cases. In Budget 2018, the Chancellor introduced new measures designed to improve the system. These include increasing the amount of money people can earn before their benefits are reduced and allowing two weeks extra benefits for those moving from the old system to the new. But will it be enough to solve the problems? How might this extra help benefit you? If you have been affected by Universal Credit, do share your story by calling 03700 100 444. Lines open from 1pm on Wednesday 14 November. You can email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneyboxGuests: Sarah Hayle, Welfare rights adviser, Community Law Service, Northampton and County Angela Marke, Head of

Tens of thousands of free educational books about personal finance are being sent to every secondary school in England. For free. Funded by money saving expert Martin Lewis, written by Young Money and supported by the Government, it 's the UK's first ever financial education textbook.The Government’s announced its second attempt to try to increase probate fees, this time from just a few hundred to thousands of pounds for some. We’ll find out what’s behind the move, if it’s likely to get through Parliament and explain why critics say the move is not legal.This week saw state pension age equalise. Many women are not happy. We speak to someone who reached state pension age before 65 but is receiving much less than a man the same age because she qualified when the previous, lower state pension was in force. These women have not been entitled to free bus passes, tv licences and the winter fuel allowance 2 to 4 years sooner than men of the same age as mentioned in the piece. Winter Fuel Allowance is linked to women

A big change to the UK's tax system starts next April, but are firms ready to comply?In barely five months' time, every business which is above the threshold for VAT must ditch paper-based record-keeping and get new approved software instead. The new rules are part of Making Tax Digital - and make it compulsory for them to keep electronic records of VAT and file returns to the Revenue directly from accounting software. It will apply to small businesses and sole traders if they are VAT-registered and have a turnover - not a profit, a turnover - of £85,000 a year or more. But accountants are worried that many businesses don't know anything about the changes. And there's concern about how much the new software will cost. If you're affected by the new rules or think you might be, get in touch. Call 03700 100 444. Lines are open from 1pm on Wednesday 24 October. Or email moneybox@bbc.co.uk or tweet @moneyboxGuests: Anita Monteith, Tax Manager, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales E

If you're thinking of buying a new greener motor car you might want to hurry up. In less than three weeks' time government subsidies on more environmentally friendly vehicles, worth thousands of pounds, are going to be cut or disappear altogether.Pay.UK have just released plans for banks to introduce confirmation payee in 2019 to help cut bank fraud. What's taken so long?New figures out this week show that hard work in fact pays rather less well than it did four years ago - at least for people whose low wages are topped up by benefits. This week's inflation figure for September confirmed just how much worse off many people on benefits are. High house prices make it incredibly hard, particularly for young people, to get on the property ladder. We report on a small but growing trend for people to buy their first home -- with someone other than a relative or a partner. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Richard Vadon

How can you legally reduce the inheritance tax your loved ones have to pay when you die? If you have accumulated substantial wealth during your life, inheritance tax can cost family and friends hundreds of thousands of pounds after your death. But there are legal ways to avoid being hit with a hefty IHT bill. Whether by donating to charity or giving away cash from surplus income, you can reduce the amount of inheritance tax due on your property, savings and other assets. But how does inheritance tax work and who is liable to pay it? What must your estate be worth before the 40% charge kicks in? And if you're married or in a civil partnership, what are the rules? £5.2 billion of IHT was paid last year, a record high. And yet, it’s still only a relatively small number of people whose estates are liable to so-called death duties. But many feel they’ve spent a lifetime earning the money and want to pass on as much as they can to their nearest and dearest. So how do you ensure you don’t pay unnecessary

If you haven't switched energy suppliers in recent years, what does the energy price cap mean for you? The regulator, Ofgem, has announced plans to prevent gas and electricity companies charging a typical household more than £1,136 a year, saving households £75 a year, on average. But will it mean companies stop offering some of their cheapest deals currently on the market? And will consumers be lulled into thinking they don't need to shop around and look for better deals? But how to switch and save? Its not always straightforward. Louise Cooper and guests take your energy questions.Guests: Audrey Gallagher, Director of Policy, Energy UK Gillian Cooper, Head of Retail Energy Markets, Citizens Advice Joe Malinowski, founder, price comparison website theenergyshop.comPresenter: Louise Cooper Producer: Sally Abrahams.

A study by the Resolution Foundation thinktank has found that the vast majority of people experience significant monthly wage volatility at least twice a year. Almost half see significant changes half of the year. The study used anonymised data from 7 million Lloyds bank accounts. It's the first time that actual data has been used to look at monthly earnings. Official figures which show adequate income over the year may therefore hide serious problems in a number of specific months. We speak to the study's author Daniel Tomlinson.An end to letting fees charged to tenants is now in sight. The Tenants' Fees Bill has just had it's third and final reading in the House of Commons and is set to become law soon. It means that 'Administrative fees', 'credit check fees', 'tenancy renewal fees' and others will all be consigned to the dustbin saving tenants an estimated £240m. In Wales a similar law is expected to be in place next year and in Scotland letting fees have been banned since 2012.With RBS announcing more ban

The future of motoring looks set to be increasingly electric with the Government committed to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. That commitment was strengthened this month with the unveiling of a new Road to Zero strategy aimed at boosting the country's electric vehicle infrastructure with proposals including fitting chargers in new developments, offices and even lampposts. But how does buying and running an electric car compare to petrol and diesel and what might you have to consider when making the switch? Electricity can certainly be cheaper than traditional fuels but how do you navigate the range of charging options available? There're also a number of Government grants to consider- what's on offer and how can you apply?Joining Paul Lewis are Consumer Editor at What Car?, Claire Evans, Head of Go Ultra Low, Poppy Welch and Director of Zap Map, Melanie Shufflebotham. Email your questions to moneybox@bbc.co.uk or you can call 03700 100 444 between 1pm and 3.30pm on Wednesday 25th July 2018. St

Three years ago pension freedoms were introduced, allowing millions of people to transfer out of their Defined Benefit schemes and cash in their savings. The appetite for transferring appears to have grown since then - a total of more than £34bn being moved around in the last calendar year, according to the most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics. So why would you want to give one up? The high transfer values is one reason - a pension of £10,000 could translate to a cash sum in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. But going down this route is not the right choice for every member of a Defined Benefit pension scheme. There have been concerns raised by regulators that unscrupulous financial advisors have been swooping in on members of these schemes, enticing them out of their pensions when that may not be the right move for them. A case in point was for workers at British Steel. To talk about the pros and cons of transferring out of a safeguarded pension scheme, Paul Lewis will be joined by

Graduates who sign up to training programmes offered by some of Britain's biggest outsourcing companies are being hit with bills running into tens of thousands of pounds if they decide to leave within two years. Some of those affected are now planning legal action. Will the government keep its commitment, written into legislation, to publish the details of how a ban on pensions cold calls will work by the end of the month? If it doesn't the Work and Pensions Secretary will have to explain to Parliament why that hasn't happened. Guest Rachel Vahey, Product Technical Manager, Nucleus FinancialIt's been a bad week for the Universal Credit benefit. On Thursday the High Court found the way it was implemented unlawfully discriminated against two severely disabled men when their income dropped after moving over to it. We hear from one of the claimants and Tessa Gregory from Leigh Day Solicitors who represented the men.On Friday a critical report from the public spending watchdog the National Audit Office said the Un

A government-backed scheme that allows you to buy part of your home and rent the rest. It's often advertised as a more affordable way for first-time buyers to get on the property ladder. But how affordable is it, especially when rent and service charges go up? Paul Lewis and guests explore the pro and cons of this kind of home ownership, which avoids the need for a hefty deposit and allows you to keep buying a bigger share of the home, but which can also limit who you can sell your property to and evict you if you get behind with your rent. Guests: Amy Nettleton, Aster Group housing association Jaedon Green, Leeds Building Society Giles Peaker, partner and housing specialist, Anthony Gold solicitorsPresenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Andrew Smith.

How can you avoid SIM swap fraud happening to you? TSB customers have contacted Money Box after their mobile phones were targeted by criminals. The fraud involves an identity thief posing as their victim in order to trick mobile phone providers into issuing a new SIM card. That card is then used, along with other information, to access and steal from online bank accounts. Reporter Tony Bonsignore investigates, and we hear from Keiron Dalton, head of fraud at Aspect Software.There is a call for people who have stopped work before reaching state pension age to check if they can top up their pension through voluntary contributions. In certain cases it could add £244 a year to their state pension. Steve Webb, director of policy at Royal London explains who qualifies and what they need to do. More lenders appear to be offering mortgages to older borrowers, with one provider allowing people to hold one until the age of 99. Jane King, independent mortgage advisor with Ash-Ridge Private Finance discusses what is behi

It's a little known fact that if you or a relative has an ongoing health problem, the NHS will pay, not just for your treatment in hospital but could also pay for all your care needs, be that in a private care home or even in your own home.More than 160,000 people get exactly that support. Many more feel they should get it. The scheme is known as Continuing Healthcare Funding and it can be worth thousands of pounds per month. It's available to people living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland they decided the funding system was not fit for purpose and got rid of it three years ago.So, how do you qualify for financial support for long term health problems? What can you do if the support is withdrawn? And is this an effective way of looking after people whilst being sensible with public money?Let us know your views on NHS Continuing Healthcare. You can get in touch with Money Box Live at moneybox@bbc.co.ukAdam Shaw is joined by a panel of experts: Lisa Morgan, Partner and Head of Nursing Care at

Money Box Live listener Anne from Dorset got in touch to tell us she feels "practically paralysed" when it comes to making decisions about spending money. She is 65 years old, retired and has an income of £20,000 a year through a combination of pensions and ad hoc work. She also has savings. But she has no idea if this will be enough to live comfortably in her retirement. She sees friends going on cruises and splashing out on luxuries which she'd love to do, but she is frightened of running out of money so ends up doing nothing. Anne says she knows she is fortunate to have a steady income, but she's not really enjoying retirement because she's too scared about her finances.Does this strike a chord with you? Get in touch with Money Box Live at moneybox@bbc.co.ukLouise Cooper will be joined by: Michelle Cracknell, Chief Executive, Pensions Advisory Service. Debora Price, Professor of Social Gerontology at the University of Manchester. Jenni Allen from consumer group Which?

New figures show a rise in contracts that do not guarantee a minimum number of hours. Whether you are a worker or an employer, how does this kind of arrangement work for you?

We speak to people who are worried that they've lost control of their life savings having handed it to a company they can no longer contact. Their situation highlights the huge concerns about the unregulated industry of inheritance planning, even though some businesses handle huge amounts of cash. Anyone can set themselves up as an estate planner or will writer but that lack of regulation can have alarming consequences when things don't go as planned.Also, Adam Shaw speaks to Richard Lloyd, the man appointed to lead an independent investigation into the running of the Financial Ombudsman Service. It follows a TV documentary that revealed a litany of problems facing the ombudsman, including severely under-trained staff, unachievable targets, and thousands of incorrect decisions. . And, what should banks be doing to stop the persistence of transfer fraud? With more than £200 million worth of people's money was lost last year after criminals impersonating their bank persuaded them to transfer money to the crimin