Dear Listener,

It was the least surprising news of the week when the Bank of England cut interest rates by a quarter of one percent taking its Bank Rate down to 5.25%. High Street banks fell over themselves to announce they would pass the rate cut on to borrowers in full. But is that really the good news it seems? Are they making money off us in other ways? And what is the best mortgage choice now?

More than a million Norwich Union customers will get a share of £2.1 billion, boosting their with-profits pensions, endowments and bonds by about 10%. We ask why they will have to wait until 2010 to get it all.

Another major energy supplier puts up its prices. This week it’s E.ON and the rise started on Friday. But how do the suppliers work out which bit of your quarterly bill is charged at the old rate and which bit at the new? We get the – surprising – answers.

A new pensions helpline opens for women only. The man in charge tells us why it’s needed.

All that – and maybe more – in this week’s Money Box. If you are out on Saturday why not download the podcast and play it on your MP3 player when it suits you? Or just listen online. Find both through our page www.bbc.co.uk/moneybox .

Best wishes,

Paul Lewis

 PS Don’t forget the live preview of Money Box on BBC1 Breakfast between 8.45 and 9 on Saturday morning.

e-mail Paul Lewis