Major Revenue IT error

BBC Radio 4's Money Box Saturday 16 December at 1204 GMT on Radio 4 and Online Programme transcript

HM Revenue & Customs has wrongly told hundreds of thousands of people that there is a hole in their National Insurance contribution record.

The BBC discovered the blunder after a number of people contacted Money Box to say they had been sent letters in error.

HMRC has confirmed its error but cannot say how many people are affected. The Institute of Payroll Professionals estimates it to be 700,000.

We heard one worker's story and talked to a local authority whose 11,000 employees have been affected.

Plus we spoke to Karen Thomson from the Institute of Payroll Professionals which has been inundated with calls from employers.

Further information:

Major IT error at the Revenue

External links and helplines

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Crash for cash scams

The fraudsters stage an accident then make an inflated claim

Hundreds of gangs are staging dangerous traffic accidents to commit insurance fraud, investigators are warning.

One of the most common and dangerous scams is where a fraudster brakes suddenly causing an innocent motorist to crash into them.

Then they submit a false claim for damages to the motorist's insurer which can net them up to £30,000.

Bob Howard has been investigating.

Further information:

Fraud body warns of crash scams

External links and helplines

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Pension plans

Pensions Secretary John Hutton launched details of the scheme

Workers are to be automatically enrolled into a pension scheme from 2012 under new government plans.

Up to 10m people not already in occupational schemes will pay into the "personal accounts" unless they opt out.

We asked Niki Cleal, director of the Pensions Policy Institute, who the proposals will benefit the most and who might have a difficult decision to make.

Further information:

New UK Pensions scheme unveiled

External links and helplines

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Cash machines

There must also be "crystal clear" signs on machines that charge

Six hundred free ATMs are to be placed in low-income areas following a deal struck by banks, cash machine operators and HM Treasury.

The move follows concerns raised by the Treasury Select Committee in March 2005 about the impact of ATM charges on lower-income groups.

Banks and building societies will pay a premium to the machine operators to compensate them for the low use expected in those areas.

We spoke to Edwin Latter of Link and David Nibloe, HSBC which is to provide 100 of the new machines.

Further information:

External links and helplines

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Airline tax

The extra tax has been designed to help protect the environment

Millions of people who have booked flights and package holidays for next year are unsure if they will be paying more tax after an announcement in the chancellor's pre-Budget statement.

The rate of Air Passenger Duty, levied every time someone takes a commercial flight, will double from 1 February.

But while some passengers must make up the tax difference others will escape having to pay.

We spoke to David Alexander from ABTA and Toby Nichol from Easyjet.

Further information:

Millions face air tax uncertainty

External links and helplines

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BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 16 December at 1204 GMT and Sunday, 17 December at 2102 GMT.

Presenter: Paul Lewis
Producer: Jennifer Clarke
Reporter: Bob Howard