Money Box

The number of emergency hardship loans issued to former civil servants who are facing long delays for pension payments is "pitiful" according to a senior MP. Clive Betts, the deputy chair of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, has told Money Box the loan system is "not adequate" after figures published for the first time earlier this week show fewer than 600 have been issued - compared to many thousands of people who are missing money. The Cabinet Office says an urgent recovery plan is underway and its immediate priority is to stabilise the service. Capita have previously apologised for the delays.
Nearly one in five adults now use Buy Now, Pay Later - instead of paying the whole cost upfront with a debit or credit card you can spread the cost interest free over three or four monthly payments. At one time it was young people driving the rise. But some new research from the Personal Finance Research Centre at the University of Bristol (commissioned by the Aberdeen Group Charitable Trust) suggests Buy Now, Pay Later is now spreading to older people. The number using it in their forties and sixties has grown by a third, with the biggest rise in the last two years among people in their fifties with the number using it up by half.
And, as a rare Pokémon card sells for 12 million pounds at auction - what's the appeal for collectors - and what should you think about when buying them?
Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researcher: Jo Krasner and Niamh McDermott
Editor: Jess Quayle
Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast Saturday 28th February 2026)

Claims management firms have been warned by regulators to treat their customers fairly over compensation claims for mis-sold car finance. The financial regulator is set to announce its own free-to-use scheme for the millions of people who could be due compensation because the car finance deals they signed up to were mis-sold.
Private claims management firms, which have already taken on many claims, can take as much as 40% of any compensation eventually paid out.
The warning from the regulator includes telling consumers to guard against large charges to pull out of their claim, so-called exit fees, if they wish to switch to the free scheme.
And, if you've been shopping online recently you may have been asked to eschew your usual credit-card payment in favour of a new way to hand over your money: pay by bank. By cutting out the credit or debit card middlemen, you'll be saving the retailer some cost from payment fees. But what's in it for the online shopper - apart from having to put up with weaker consumer protection?
Also, the savings and investment divide between those who are, and aren't, using the tax-free benefits of a junior ISA and the new figures which show how online scammers are targeting those who are trying to improve their personal finances.
Photo credit: Tim Goode/PA Wire

How hard is it for young people to find a job and once they do how can they make it pay?
Some 16.1% of people aged 16 to 24 are not able to find work according to the latest government figures, the highest level for 10 years. Without a job, being able buying a home, paying into a pension or just pay the bills can seem impossible.
So what's the best way to go? Graduate job, apprenticeship or working your way up from an entry level job and what support is there for those struggling whilst on the hunt?
The Department for Work and Pensions told Money Box Live, "We’re determined to tackle youth unemployment, which is why we’re investing £1.5 billion through our Youth Guarantee in work experience, apprenticeships and subsidised jobs."
Joining Paul Lewis today is Barry Fletcher, Chief Executive of the Youth Futures Foundation, a charity focused on reducing youth unemployment. And Lizzie Crowley a skills advisor at the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.
Presenter: Paul Lewis
Producers: James Graham and Sarah Rogers
Editor: Robert Cave
Senior Editor: Justin Bones
(This episode was first broadcast on Wednesday the 18th of February 2026)
Picture credit BAE Systems

The Chief Executive of Capita Public Services has apologised for the serious delays thousands of civil servants are facing simply to get paid their pensions. Richard Holroyd was speaking to MPs on the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday when he admitted his service was "overwhelmed" when it took over the running of the civil service pension scheme in December. We'll get reaction from people affected and hear from Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.
Love might be in the air for some today - but with the roses and candlelight, comes a warning about criminals working in the shadows to trick people into giving away their money. Romance scams are types of fraud when a scammer pretends to be in a relationship with someone to gain money or personal information from them. They often start online or on social media. More than twenty million pounds was lost to romance scams in the first half of last year, up more than a third compared to 2024. We'll hear from one listener who says he lost £30,000 to a romance scam.
How will a planned replacement to the Lifetime ISA work and what will it mean for people who’ve already got one?
And what to do if you think you might be eligible for the Warm Homes Discount this winter but haven't had the payment yet.
Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researchers: Jo Krasner and Niamh McDermott
Editor: Jess Quayle
Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 12pm Saturday 14th February 2026)

Mortgages are one of the most important financial products most of us ever come across, but they're also complicated. With more than 7,000 products on the market, how do you pick the right one for you?
It can feel pretty overwhelming and hard to choose the best product at a time when rates are held at 3.75% but expected to fall, and relaxed lending rules mean some people can borrow 6.5 times their salary over longer terms.
We'll answer listener questions about trackers, what term you should pick, and what to do if you're a first-time buyer.
Paul Lewis is joined by Sally Mitchell, a mortgage advisor at Versed Financial, and Paul Broadhead from the Building Societies Association.
Presenters: Paul Lewis and Felicity Hannah
Producers: Sarah Rogers and James Graham
Editor: Jess Quayle
Senior News Editor: Sara Wadeson
(First broadcast 3pm Wednesday 11th February 2026)