This is Money Podcast

More than a million people switched current account last year - the second time it has ticked over the 1m mark. So, who is winning the switching battle and is it all driven by people chasing a quick and easy buck from banks?  Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost dive into the data and also look at why you might not be rich enough to bank with HSBC anymore... if you want its exclusive account. The Government rules out forcing businesses to accept cash - is that a smart move? Need help with your tax return? HMRC slammed for poor customer service record via the telephone, is all the criticism justified?  And your next car insurance quote might just be significantly lower... as Lee sees a huge drop with an auto-renewal that had him smiling from ear-to-ear.

How much homeowners are making when they come to sell up is shrinking - new data shows home-selling profits are at its lowest point for nearly a decade. This week, Simon Lambert, Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce discuss the figures and delve into the pockets of Britain where house asking prices have grown the most in the past year, bucking the trend. With looming stamp duty changes happening in April, what will that do to the property market... and is it a fair system? With billions of pounds worth of cash Isas maturing in the coming months, is the tax-free season kicking off early? It appears so, with a battle for easy-access cash. Inflation falls - so is the threat of stagflation over? And the Jellycat craze continues to sweep Britain - is it time to invest in the cult soft toys, or have a raid of your house for any rare ones potentially lurking in the loft.

You have to feel for Rachel Reeves. After establishing a solid reputation in opposition, things haven’t gone to plan as Chancellor so far. Her Autumn Budget led to widespread criticism over tax rises on employment and extra costs for businesses, while questions abound over whether her plans will deliver the growth Labour promised voters. Now, a slow burn rise in the UK’s borrowing costs has led to gilt yields surpassing the levels seen after Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s ill-fated mini-Budget.  Unfortunate, for a Labour party that has spend the past couple of years citing a gilt yield spike as evidence while banging on about Liz Truss ‘crashing the economy’ and Tory mortgage penalties. But is Britain’s current predicament Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer’s fault or do they just find themselves caught out by an unfortunate set of circumstances? Or is it a bit of both? Where did things start to go wrong? Was it the Budget, or was it the claimed ‘£22billion black hole’ and months of miserabilism? And what are gilts and why do yields even matter? On this This is Money podcast, Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert dig into what’s gone wrong with Britain’s finances and what it means for people. Plus, in better news Lee looks at the jobs that delivered the biggest pay rises last year and why. Simon explains what’s going on with the US hedge fund staging a raid on seven investment trusts – and why investors should make sure they vote. And finally, Lee catches up with Dave Fishwick as the new Bank of Dave film is released.

In a not very happy start to the new year, Ofgem's energy price cap went up on 1 January from £1,717 to £1,738. Energy experts at Cornwall Insight say it will go up again in April - and by more than they initially expected.  So why are bills rising? After all, we are a long way from the peak of the gas price crisis back in 2021.  This week, Georgie Frost and Helen Crane discuss when they will finally go back to normal - and whether fixed rates are a good deal again.  The team also talk about an Octopus energy customer who was charged £5 to make a cup of tea thanks to a new smart meter.  For homeowners starting 2025 by sticking their property on the market, we get some tips from estate agents on how to spruce up your home - and which renovations aren't worth the bother.  We also discuss whether buyers really care about the smell of freshly baked bread, and what the best colour is to paint your front door.  Helen speaks about the companies This is Money readers have moaned about most in 2024, and her highlights from the Crane on the Case column.  And we finish off with some sensible tips from financial advisers about how to give your money a makeover in the new year.

In a special epsiode, we hosted our first live podcast at our offices to celebrate a  decade of discussing Britain's personal finances. Georgie Frost, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Helen Crane talk through 10 years of huge and unexpected financial developments, from Brexit and President Trump to Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. Some of our valued listeners were in the audience as we covered major themes that have erupted in our financial lives since 2014, including Liz Truss's infamous 'mini-Budget', the rollercoaster property market – and whether we can truly say we have put the cost-of-living crisis in the rearview mirror. In addition to looking at the bigger picture, we drilled into how these events have shaped our personal finances and affected our savings, mortgages, pensions, investments and aspirations. 'Producing a podcast episode every week for a decade felt like something we should celebrate, so I was delighted to welcome our guests – and especially our listeners – to a 10th birthday celebration,' This is Money publisher, Simon Lambert said. 'Launching a podcast was a fairly unusual move a decade ago and it turned out to be a good idea and also hugely enjoyable for us. 'We always wanted the podcast to make money engaging and accessible, help people improve their personal finances and enjoy the richer life that can bring.'