Paul Lewis Writing Archive - BBC Money Box Newsletter

Since May 2006 I have written an e-mail each Friday to thousands of subscribing Money Box Listeners.
They are probably the most evanescent thing I write professionally. Strangely, they're one of my favourites.
Those e-mails are preserved here.
If a date is missing I was either away that week or the gremlins ate the newsletter and I couldn't retrieve it. Both happen occasionally.

They are all Š Paul Lewis 2006-2014

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Read the latest newsletter. The brief description after the date relates to my opener not the contents of Money Box

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2013/14

7 March 2014 Entitlement Day - 6 March 2014 brings 60,000 men and women into scope of benefits
28 February 2014 Cost of 1st and 2nd class stamps to rise on 31 March - buy now while prices last!
21 February 2014 BT to refund thousands for expensive directory enquiries calls.
14 February 2014 NO NEWSLETTER - WEEK OFF
7 February 2014 Constitutional battle over HB cuts for excess bedrooms
31 January 2014 Eight million O2 customers face price rise just days after Ofgem tried to clampdown
24 January 2014 Will PayDay lenders be controlled in 2014?
17 January 2014 Increasing bank competition not so easy as Labour thinks
10 January 2014 The need for a system to get legal advice to low income households
3 January 2014 New York facing same benefits and low pay debates as UK is
20 December 2013 MPs on Scottish Affairs Select Committee condemn what it called the bedroom tax
13 December 2013 The Triple Lock - what it really means for pensioners
6 December 2013 E.ON raises its prices but does offer simpler - though not quite simple - tariffs
29 November 2013 Excess Winter Deaths
22 November 2013 Chinese farmer cuts his own leg off after health service failure
15 November 2013 Singles Day in China is record online shopping day
8 November 2013 12 shades of payday lending and why APR is uniquely useful
1 November 2013 Energy companies won't put us on the cheapest tariff
26 October 2013 Cost of green measures
19 October 2013 Advisers fined Ł885,000
12 October 2013 SSE announces 8.2% price rise
5 October 2013 National Lottery price rise
28 September 2013 Energy prices - how to out-freeze Ed
21 September 2013 NO NEWSLETTER BUT SEE THIS BLOG
14 September 2013 The birth of a new bank - TSB
7 September 2013 DWP will eventually change its expensive 0845 lines
31 August 2013 Grandparents NI credits for looking after grandchildren

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2012/13

20 July 2013 Pension policy plans and changes
13 July 2013 Basic bank accounts
6 July 2013 Charity Bank
29 June 2013 Winter Fuel Payments temperature test
22 June 2013 Trading Standards and red tape
15 June 2013 Lloyds mishandling PPI misselling claims
8 June 2013 Bedroom tax challenge by disabled people
1 June 2013 Payday lenders under attack
25 May 2013 Everyday bribery in India
18 May 2013 India loves gold
11 May 2013 Pension fund managers don't look at the evidence
4 May 2013 High Street banks back in profit
27 April 2013 Radical simplifcation of UK tax system called for
20 April 2013 End of 0844 ripoffs - well almost, soon
13 April 2013 Henry VIII's parliament considered an early form of workfare
6 April 2013 The man who was paid Ł15.72 a word for a report on Barclays
30 March 2013 EASTER NO NEWSLETTER
23 March 2013 Retrospective laws to stop JSA compensation
16 March 2013 HMRC plans to close 281 Tax Enquiry Offices
9 March 2013 Naming and blaming - the 'bedroom tax' debate gets nasty
2 March 2013 Granny tax
23 February 2013 Nine small tax dodgers named
16 February 2013 Labour's 10p tax plan
9 February 2013 Personal finance to be in National Curriculum
2 February 2013 Bedroom tax explained
26 January 2013 SSE makes energy tariffs more complex
19 January 2013 Cold weather payments - fewer will get them after changes
12 January 2013 Most benefits to rise by 1%
5 January 2013 Gym contracts
22 December 2012 Warn Home Discount
15 December 2012 State pension reform delayed again
8 December 2012 Wedgwood factory and Museum
1 December 2012 Transfer of consumer credit regulation from OFT to FCA
23 November 2012 Universal Credit reports
16 November 2012 Safe and unsafe PINs
9 November 2012 Comet and Gift Cards and Vouchers
2 November 2012 Beware PPI claims companies
28 September 2012 DLA and Personal Independence Payments
21 September 2012 Does Universal Credit make work pay?
31 August 2012 and here Cancelling continuous payment authorities and winter fuel payment claims abroad

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2011/12

21 July 2012 More detail on the changes to bereavement benefits
14 July 2012 Delays to pension reform and changes to bereavement benefits
7 July 2012 Ulster Bank problems continue
30 June 2012 Mis-selling hedges to 28,000 small businesses
23 June 2012 World Service the Euro Crisis and Your money
16 June 2012 No programme this week due to Bloomsday
9 June 2012 National Infrastructure savings bonds
2 June 2012 Government's 3 u-turns on Budget tax measures
26 May 2012 Books that cost more than a house
19 May 2012 Frozen pensions
12 May 2012 PPI - mis-selling or fraud?
5 May 2012 Trial of the Pyx - the Verdict
28 April 2012 Financially speaking awards
21 April 2012 Why we love gold on Nightwaves
14 April 2012 Cap on donations to charity
7 April 2012 Water bills and hosepipe bans
31 March 2012 VAT on pies, storage and DVD imports
24 March 2012 Pashley's Cycles
17 March 2012 Check your savings rates
10 March 2012 No newsletter was sent out or, indeed, written
3 March 2012 Take up of means-tested benefits still low
24 February 2012 New figures for take-up of means-tested benefits.
17 February 2012 Single mum and son living on Ł67.50 a week.
10 February 2012 The retail profits of Barclays
3 February 2012 The cost to us all of the financial services industry will be Ł1.2 billion next year.
28 January 2012 Raise tax allowance to Ł10,000 says Clegg
21 January 2012 Inflation protected savings
14 January 2012 Child Benefit - will it really be taken off higher rate taxpayers?
6 January 2012 Bad week for final salary pension schemes
24 December 2011 Foreign currency charge in UK to go and no return for cheque guarantee card
17 December 2011 Banks being fined
10 December 2011 Pension credit errors corrected in Parliament
3 December 2011 Gloom will be followed by doom - official
26 November 2011 Annuity rates tumbling as alternatives sought
19 November 2011 Money Box Live at Harrogate Grammar School Academy
12 November 2011 Poppy saver account and Bank of Ireland mortgages go to Nationwide
5 November 2011 State pension ages become law and Dept of Health proposed more for Warm Front
29 October 2011 State pension age last ditch stand and smart meters on the way
22 October 2011 Pension auto-enrolment
15 October 2011 My time at Cheltenham Literary Festival
8 October 2011 No blurb
1 October 2011 Age Discrimination ends today and minimum wage rises
24 September 2011 My time at LUCID and state pension age
17 September 2011 Long term care; Parliamentary evidence
10 September 2011 Critical Illness insurance; debt collection conference
3 September 2011 Victoria coach station
26 August 2011 Greece prices and economy

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2010/11

14 July 2011 Southern Cross fails; cheques reprieved
8 July 2011 Supreme Court on incontinence care and bank branch closure survey
1 July 2011 Public sector pensions
24 June 2011 Skeptics in the Pub and Welsh Local Government Association
17 June 2011 Cost of the FSA soars
10 June 2011 What age would you like to retire? Auto-enrolment.
3 June 2011 Halifax mortgage compensation
27 May 2011 Gremlined! Independent Commission on Banking
20 May 2011 Landbanking
13 May 2011 Headline Money Awards wins
6 May 2011 Photograph prices
28 April 2011 HMRC gets tough on small debtors and pension special
21 April 2011 Maundy Thursday quiet
15 April 2011 HMRC scams and more landbanking
8 April 2011 Minimum wage rise, tax calculators, HSBC faces fine
1 April 2011 Housing Benefit cuts begin today
25 March 2011 The Budget and winter fuel payment
18 March 2011 CPI vs RPI Government new explanation
11 March 2011 Vocalink pay survey
4 March 2011 Landbanking exposed
25 February 2011 Lloyds to pay Ł500mn mortgage compensation
18 February 2011 What will replace the FSA?
11 February 2011 Student loans - are they fair?
4 February 2011 Cutting legal aid for important cases
29 January 2011 OFT clamps down on debt management companies
22 January 2011 Compensation bill hits advisers
15 January 2011 Big week for announcements
7 January 2011 VAT and inflation
29 December 2010 Cuts due in next few days
17 December 2010 Consultations and heating oil prices
10 December 2010 Disintermediation and mortgage advice
3 December 2010 Tax rates as published and what do you think of the banks?
26 November 2010 Tax rate speculation
19 November 2010 Minister's rent mis-speaking
12 November 2010 Child benefit misinterpretation
29 October 2010 Citizen's Pension kite is flown
22 October 2010 Spending review
15 October 2010 End of Child Benefit
8 October 2010 Exclusive
1 October 2010 The end of the old git as Equality Act comes into force
24 September 2010 Digital legacy
17 September 2010 Fixed term parliaments will upset Budget day - and Guy Fawkes
10 September 2010 France and plus ça change...
3 September 2010 Munched by bureaucrats. But here it is.

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2009/10

16 July 2010 Public debt could be Ł5 trillion
9 July 2010 Two horse race for consumer protection
2 July 2010 Debt research and meetings
25 June 2010 My Money Week PR blackout
18 June 2010 Mirrlees and tax and Sants and pay
12 June 2010 Marilyn Monroe and snaps
5 June 2010 HMRC pensions figures wrong
28 May 2010 Goldman Sachs
21 May 2010 American help for borrowers
14 May 2010 Government debt and personal debt
7 May 2010 election deals
30 April 2010 Means-testing Winter Fuel Payment
22 April 2010 Who pays for Icelandic ash?
16 April 2010 Debts and the black hole
10 April 2010 Personal money habits
3 April 2010 Debt, deficit and doom
26 March 2010 The Budget - snaffled by glitches
19 March 2010 Pfeg
12 March 2010 FSA gets tough
5 March 2010 Budget promises
26 February 2010 FOS complaints - and silver bullet answers!
20 February 2010 FSA costs
13 February 2010 Silver bullet
6 February 2010 Prescriptions charges - policy changed!
6 February 2010 Prescription charges
29 January 2010 Percentages baffle accountant
22 January 2010 - what does 'at least 90%' mean?
15 January 2010 - Daily Express wrong on care home fees
8 January 2010 - eyebrows raised
31 December 2009 - what is a decade?
24 December 2009 - in fact not emailed but posted here on the Moneybox website
18 December 2009
11 December 2009
4 December 2009
27 November 2009 - includes my Supreme Court Day 25 November 2009
20 November 2009
13 November 2009
6 November 2009
30 October 2009
23 October 2009 - paragraph on Halifax munched by gremlins!
16 October 2009
13 October 2009 - Live from Glasgow!
9 October 2009
2 October 2009
25 September 2009
18 September 2009
11 September 2009 - not eaten by gremlins but very late.
4 September 2009 - eaten by gremlins!
28 August 2009 - pre-season special

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2008/09

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2007/08

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14
Season 2006/07

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Season 2005/06

JUMP TO 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

All material on these pages is Š Paul Lewis 1996-2014