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BBC Radio 4's Money Box
Saturday 01 December
at 1204 GMT
On Radio 4 and Online
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The economic outlook is getting gloomier, according to Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England.
We should anticipate a slowing in the growth of the UK economy and a rise in the rate of inflation, he warned MPs on the Treasury Select Committee earlier this week.
Financial commentators are now speculating that interest rates in the UK could be cut by the end of the year.
Martin Weale, director of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, talked to us about how the global credit crunch is biting.
Further information:
Mortgages
Home Information Packs may also be a factor in the market slowing
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Nationwide figures out this week say that house prices have fallen by £2000 (0.8%) since October.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that the market is overvalued by 40% and HSBC says 30% of value is inexplicable.
Plus, with mortgage approvals at their lowest level since 2005 and fewer new mortgages, what is next for house prices?
Jonathan Davis, chartered financial planner and a spokesman for housepricecrash.co.uk and Ray Boulger, senior technical manager at John Charcol, suggested some answers to that question.
Further information:
Tax losers
The Treasury says, on average, households will be £1050 better off
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More than five million people on low incomes will end up paying more when the new tax changes come into force in April next year.
The news came with the recent release of the Treasury's pre-Budget figures.
One Money Box listener told us how she will be affected.
And Anita Monteith, tax manager from the Institute of Chartered Accountants, discussed in detail who will be losing out.
Further information:
Legacies
Charities are hoping more people will leave a gift of money in their will
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Charities say they are also going to be worse off after the tax changes in 2008.
They estimate they could lose tens of millions of pounds a year.
As a result, charities will be relying more on donations and legacies from members of the public.
Bob Howard found out about the different ways you can leave money to charity in your will.
Further information:
Cheque clearing
The OFT put pressure on banks to clarify the clearing system
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Until last week, if you paid a cheque into your bank account, you could never be sure that the money was actually yours.
The bank could take the money back at any time if the cheque turned out to be fraudulent.
Money Box raised this issue more than three years ago, and now the largest banks have finally decided on a time when the money definitely becomes yours.
Jemma Smith, from the Payments Association, APACS, and Stephen Alambritis from the Federation of Small Businesses, went through the new rules with us.
Further information:
Other news
People who claim job seekers allowance or who are in need of emergency financial help could be affected by a strike next Thursday, 6 December and Friday, 7 December.
The action is being taken by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union who work for the Department of Work and Pensions.
Some job centres are expected to shut, but a spokesperson from the DWP says that 98% of payments are now done electronically and that everything necessary to minimise disruption to its customers will be done.
BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 01 December 2007 at 1204 GMT.
The programme was repeated on Sunday, 02 December 2007 at 2102 GMT.
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