Money Box

People in England and Wales who started university from September 2012 could see their student loan repayments rise by hundreds of pounds a year.Economic abuse has grown during the pandemic. We talk to one woman who was forced into debt by her husband. And one 82-year- old wants to know where his £1200 savings bond has gone which he took out in 1986. How do you trace old financial products?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Anita Langary Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Alex Lewis /Charmaine Cozier Editor: Emma Rippon

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, known as the furlough scheme is coming to an end and we'd like to hear what this means for your job or your business. Are you able to work as you did before the pandemic, or will you be facing difficult financial and personal decisions?What are the alternatives and potential solutions if staff or employers need or want to work differently?Whether you’re running a small business or you’re an employee, e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now and please include a phone number if you'd like to take part.Joining Paul Lewis on the panel are:Maya Alba-Heller, ACAS Adviser Hannah Thomas, Employment Solicitor, Markel LawPresenter: Paul Lewis Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Emma Rippon

As the price of gas and electricity continues to soar. What more can be done to keep our bills in check?New pensioners who have turned 66 this year are facing long delays before their pension is paid as the queue of those waiting doubles. And as theft from customers bank accounts rises 80% in six months, should the Government declare fraud a threat to national security?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Anita Langary Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Do you have a question about saving and investing for children? Whether you’re interested in easy access, regular savings accounts or thinking of stocks and shares, our panel will be ready to help on Wednesday’s Money Box Live. Whatever your question, e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now and please include a phone number if you’d like to take part in the programme.Joining presenter Charmaine Cozier are:• Chartered Financial Planner Claire Walsh • Rachel Springall from financial comparison site MoneyfactsPresenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Emma Rippon

Four energy companies go bust in a fortnight. Gas and electricity prices set to rise by 12% for millions of customers. And there are warnings of energy shortages this winter. What can consumers do to protect themselves?There has been a rapid growth in the number of young people who appear to be laundering money through their bank accounts for criminals.And a bank offering special deals for students turns down one eighteen year old because her credit score is only ‘good’.Presenter: Paul Lewis Researcher: Anita Langary Reporter: Dan Whitworth Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Series producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Many workers send a share of their wages abroad to support loved ones financially, a responsibility they may or may not be able to shoulder.In this episode Joice Etutu explores the aspirations of those supporting family overseas plus the emotions, pressures and difficult questions that arise. What is the right amount of money to send, how do you choose between competing requests, what personal sacrifices do you make and where do you draw the line or say no?We’d love to hear your personal stories, views and experiences so please get in touch if you’d like to take part, e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk or Tweet @moneyboxPresenter: Joice Etutu Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Emma Rippon

Thieves are going after the millions of pounds being handed over to people reaching the age of 18 from their Government-sponsored Child Trust Funds. Why are there not more effective, targeted fraud warnings?The unemployment rate among young black people during the pandemic was more than three times higher than the rate for white people of the same age. This week the Government was grilled over what's been described as a 'shocking inequality'.And mortgage interest rates hit record lows with more than 120 offers below 1% but only those with equity or savings already can get them.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Anita Langary Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

As students across the UK set off for university, we’re taking a look at the big student money dilemmas. E-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk with your experiences, ideas and questions now. From student loans to bank accounts, scholarships and finding a job. Felicity Hannah and guests will be ready with help and advice about paying your way through university. Joining Felicity are: Tom Allingham, Save The Student. Pamela Lockhart, Student Money Adviser, Dundee University. Rachel Springall, Moneyfacts Comparison Site. We’d love to hear from you too, e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk with your experiences and questions and please include a phone number if you’d like to join the conversation on Wednesday 8 September at 3pm. Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Emma Rippon

Money Box hears from the successful businessman who had half a million pounds stolen in three months through a Bitcoin fraud. He wants to warn people that "if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone" Plus we speak to cyber security expert Lisa Forte about how to help protect yourself when investing in cryptocurrency.Buy Now, Debt Later - how spreading the cost of buying could lead to being chased by debt collectors. A report by Citizens Advice says 10% of BNPL users end up being chased by debt collectors.And the Teacher’s Pension Scheme demands thousands of pounds back from a pensioner on benefits even though its error led to her being overpaid.Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Researcher: Anita Langary Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Emma Rippon

Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency.In this four-part series Felicity Hannah meets families, businesses & local councils whose lives and fortunes have been changed completely by the pandemic.This week, in the final programme, she chairs a discussion looking at what Covid will cost the nation’s economy with panellists Dr Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist, Institute for Government, Lord Jim O’Neill, former Conservative Treasury minister & John Gathergood, Professor of Economics at Nottingham University.Producer Smita Patel Editor Alex Lewis Studio Engineer James Beard

Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency.In a new four-part series Felicity Hannah meets families, businesses & local councils whose lives and fortunes have been changed completely by the pandemic.This week, she meets the leaders of three local councils – Wirral, Lancashire and Newcastle - to find out what Covid has done to their budgets and how that will hit their communities. We hear how some councils saved money because families were too scared to send elderly relatives into care homes, while most faced huge extra costs and have struggled to recoup income lost through local lockdowns. How will they cope as they face a £3 billion funding gap over the next few years?Producer Helen Grady Researcher Louise Byrne Editor Alex Lewis

Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency.In a new four-part series Felicity Hannah meets households, businesses & local councils whose lives have been changed completely. Who are the winners and the losers of the pandemic?This week she travels to Manchester to meet three very different businesses who have experienced the financial highs and lows of the Covid crisis. From a small booming online enterprise to an iconic music venue which saw sales disappear overnight and a large construction company which, despite having to cut jobs, has carried on building.Producer Smita Patel Researcher Louise Byrne Editor Alex Lewis

Covid has been an economic crisis as well as a health emergency.In a new four-part series Felicity Hannah meets households, businesses and local councils whose lives have been changed completely. Who are the the winners and the losers of the pandemic?This week she travels to Stoke on Trent to meet two households who have experienced the financial highs and lows of the Covid crisis - Katie, a self employed piano teacher and a single mum of four, and Tyler, in his early twenties, who lives at home with his parents. Both have had their lives transformed due to money matters.Producer Smita Patel Researcher Louise Byrne Editor Alex Lewis

How does timeshare holiday ownership work and what should you find out before signing up?On Wednesday’s Money Box Live Louise Cooper and guests look at the costs and considerations of timeshare holidays.We’d love to hear from you too. If you’re thinking of becoming a timeshare owner send us your questions and if you’ve already got one please share your wisdom! e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now.On the panel:Laura Johnston, Adviser, UK International Consumer Centre Paul Gardner Bougaard, Chief Exec, Resort Development OrganisationPresenter: Louise Cooper Producer: Sally Abrahams Editor: Alex Lewis

A new plan has been brokered to cut down on aggressive debt collection by bailiffs. Will it work amidst fears of a post-pandemic surge in debt problems?Tesco and M&S are both closing all the personal currents accounts they operate. What does this say about the role of supermarkets as financial institutions, and what should you do if you’re affected? Digital current account provider Pockit says it’s had to freeze around 1,000 accounts due to suspicious activity reports. A number of those customers say they are taking legal action to get access to their cash.And how can a pension fund you have paid into disappear as charges erode its value.?GUESTS: Joe Shalam - head of the Financial Inclusion Policy Unit at the Centre for Social Justice Peter Hahn - Emeritus professor at the London Institute of Banking & Finance Helen Saxon – banking editor at MoneySavingExpert Gina Miller – founder of the True and Fair Campaign Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Rese

How can our workplaces become an inclusive and fair environment for employees with a disability? If you’ve an idea or experience about job hunting, career support or staff retention e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now, whether you’re an employer or an employee, we’d love to hear from you.On the panel with presenter Charmaine Cozier are:• Liz Johnson, Co-Founder, The Ability People • Martin Sigsworth, Employment Manager. Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT) • Angela Matthews, Head of Policy and Research, Business Disability ForumPresenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Alex Lewis

Thousands of people say they’ve been shut out of their bank accounts without warning or explanation. MPs are investigating whether innocent customers have been caught up in a crackdown on money laundering. For the first time in 25 years the one-off payment given to adult prison leavers in England and Wales is to be raised. The Prison Discharge Grant will increase from £46 to £76, but what difference will that make?Last year 155,000 people shared an extra £16m in pay after that HMRC ensured they were getting minimum wage. Plus the latest clampdown on debt packager or IVA lead generator firms GUESTS: Nicki Stopford - chief operating officer for the online complaints service Resolver. Monique Williams - Head of Delivery at Switchback, a charity for male prison leavers Clare Merrills - from HMRC Amy Taylor - Chair of the Greater Manchester Money Advice GroupPresenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Researcher: Stefania Okereke Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Alex Lewis

What do you need to know about travel rights, money and insurance this summer?Adam Shaw and guests answer your questions about the practicalities and costs of travelling this year. Are you considering a summer holiday? Have you rebooked a cancelled trip? How much is a PCR test, what does the travel traffic light system mean for your insurance and how do you get the best deal on your travel money?e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk now with your questions and stories. If you’ve just returned from a trip we’d love to hear how you got on.On the panel are:Rory Boland, Travel Editor, Which? Helen Saxon, Money Saving Expert Graeme Trudgill, British Insurance Brokers’ Association

More than 20,000 bereaved families can now claim financial support once restricted to married couples and civil partners. The payments worth up to £10,000 have been extended to cover all couples who lived together and claimed child benefit.Eight years ago the government said it would introduce funding for university and higher education that is comparable with the principle of Islamic finance. So when will it happen?And what should banks do to protect problem gamblers.GUESTS: Omar Shaikh - Advisory Board Member UK Islamic Finance Council Professor Sharon Collard, Research Director at the Personal Finance research Centre at the University of Bristol Danny Cheetham - anti-gambling campaignerPresenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Production Co-ordinator: Janet Staples Researcher: Stefania Okereke Producer: Joe Kent Editor: Alex Lewis

There are almost 3m lone parent families in the UK and for many the pandemic has put increased pressure on already stretched family finances. The charity Gingerbread say that single parents are more likely to have lost jobs or experienced reduced hours and falling incomes.If you’ve a question or a tip about supporting children when you separate, dealing with child maintenance payments and arrears or maximising your income, we’d love to hear from you.Or if you’ve got some advice to share about free or low cost family activities for the summer we’re all ears, e-mail moneybox@bbc.co.uk to join the conversation.On the panel are:• Ros Bever, Family Lawyer, Irwin Mitchell • Victoria Benson, CEO, Gingerbread • Phil Agulnik, Director of benefits checker entitledtoPresenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Diane Richardson Editor: Alex Lewis