Dear listener,

Britain's biggest building society is to get much bigger after Nationwide announced it will absorb its 2nd biggest rival Portman. The new mega-society will have 13 million members and be as big as all the other building societies put together. But will customers benefit? And why do Portman members get a vote and a windfall but Nationwide members get nothing?

New mothers will get more paid leave under revised rules that begin on 1 October. In future, even the smallest companies will have to keep jobs open for people on maternity leave. Small businesses tell us their fears about the changes.

Two sisters in their 80s told the European Court that inheritance tax rules violate their human rights. When one dies the other could have to sell the home they share to pay the tax bill. Will the judges agree?

And why are gas and electricity tariffs still rising when wholesale prices have been falling since June?

Join us on Saturday, 16 September, at 1204 BST on BBC Radio 4.

Best wishes,

Paul Lewis

PS Don't forget you can hear a trail for the programme as well as find further information about all these items and have your say at the Money Box website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/moneybox

e-mail Paul Lewis