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BBC Radio 4's Money Box
Saturday 17 May
at 1204 BST
On Radio 4 and Online
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The outlook for inflation has now "deteriorated markedly" says Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England - and "for the time being at least, the nice decade is behind us."
He added that house prices were set to fall further, though no one could be certain how far they would decline.
Consumer inflation has reached its highest level in 13 months, driven by high food and fuel costs and will probably stay above the government target of 2% for two years.
We asked Howard Wheeldon, senior strategist at BGC Partners, and Justin Urquhart Stewart of Seven Investment Management, how people can best gear up to cope with higher prices and falling house prices.
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The 10p tax rate abolition caused "revolt" by some Labour MPs
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The 10p tax band
In a bid to defuse the 10p tax row, Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced changes to the personal tax allowance.
It has gone up by £600 - meaning anyone earning up to £40,835 will gain £120 this year.
The move was intended to compensate the 5.3 million households who lost out when the 10p tax rate was abolished.
The chancellor told MPs he would also lower the level at which 40p tax is paid.
Francesca Lagerberg, head of national tax office at Grant Thornton, joined us to explain how the announcement helps those people whose incomes went down in April, who are the new winners and who will still lose out.
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Lending is at a 33 year low, says the Council of Mortgage Lenders
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Mortgages
Using a mortgage broker to find the best priced mortgages might no longer work.
As a result of the credit crunch many banks and building societies are offering better deals to customers who contact them directly rather
than go through the broker route.
The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) has complained to the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
But the FSA said a refusal to offer deals via a broker was not necessarily against the customer's best interests.
Bob Howard investigated.
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Sale and Rent Back Schemes
There is increasing concern over the growing number of firms offering to buy homes from householders in difficulty.
The so-called "mortgage rescue" or "sale and rent back" schemes are aimed at people facing repossession, who are offered a quick sale at a knock-down price.
The buy-to-let investor then rents the property back to the former owners.
Money Box follows up its recent reports and explains how the Office of Fair Trading is now taking an interest in the sector, which remains unregulated.
Heather Clayton, of the OFT, Peter Tutton, social policy officer with Citizens Advice and Steve Hilton of the National Landlord's Association gave us their views.
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Other news
Later this year or early next, a banking reform bill will provide extra protection to savers through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the prime minister has announced, and the amount of savings protected may be increased above the current £35,000.
Also, there is to be a Bill to introduce the Saving Gateway, which encourages people on low incomes to save by matching money put into a special account with money put in by the government.
BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 17 May 2008 at 1204 BST.
The programme was repeated on Sunday, 18 May 2008 at 2102 BST.
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17 May 2008
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