Building society merger

BBC Radio 4's Money Box Saturday 16 September 1204 BST Sunday 17 September 2102 BST On Radio 4 and online Programme transcript

Two of the UK's biggest building societies, Nationwide and Portman, have announced they plan to merge, creating the UK's second-largest mortgage lender.

If the merger is approved, there will be financial windfalls for qualifying savers and borrowers of the Portman.

The news comes just two weeks after Portman announced it had approval to merge with Lambeth.

What will it mean for customers?

On Money Box on Saturday we spoke to Nationwide chief executive Philip Williamson and Portman group development director Matthew Wyles.

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Further information:

'Cheaper mortgages' after merger

Nationwide and Portman to merge

External links and helplines

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Maternity rights

New mothers will benefit but small businesses may be hit hard

Extended maternity rights being introduced under the Work and Families Act will begin to have an impact from next month.

Maternity leave will rise from 26 to 39 weeks to mothers whose babies are born from April 2007.

And companies employing less than five people will have to keep a post open for up to a year.

The improvements in provision are likely to hit some small businesses hard. Bob Howard reported.

Further information:

Maternity rights to hit small firms

External links and helplines

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Tax rule challenge

The Burden sisters say they are being discriminated against

A case is underway to test whether inheritance tax rules are fair to relatives who live together.

Campaigners say there is injustice where, for example, sisters are living together in the same property.

At the moment when one dies, the other can face inheritance tax and may need to sell the property in order to meet the tax bill.

Married people and same-sex couples in civil partnerships do not face such problems.

We spoke to Emma Stradling, of the law firm representing the Burden sisters, Wood Awdry Ford.

And we heard from BBC Europe correspondent Jack Issard.

Further information:

Sisters in inheritance tax battle

External links and helplines

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Energy prices

The wholesale gas price has fallen around 20% from record levels

Now summer is over and cooler weather is on the way people are beginning to wonder just how high their energy bills will be this winter.

There are signs that the wholesale cost of gas and oil is coming down so might that be passed on in price reductions to customers?

Alternatively, could we be in for another difficult time? We asked Alistair Buchanan, of energy regulator Ofgem, and Joe Malinowski, founder of TheEnergyShop.

Further information:

Ofgem warns gas firms over bills

External links and helplines

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Presenter: Paul Lewis
Producer: Chris A'Court
Reporter: Bob Howard