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The latest news from the world of personal finance plus advice for those trying to make the most of their money.

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Money Box: 12/02/2011

12/02/2011

BBC Radio 4 - Money Box, 12/02/2011

Paul Lewis with money news: he interviews the minister in charge of debt advice funding.

Paul Lewis with this week's money news: he talks to the minister in charge of debt advice funding; faster payments go-slow queried; and can the financial industry justify its fees?

In this week's programme, Paul Lewis interviews the minister responsible for the funding of high-street debt advice. The government recently announced the end of the Financial Inclusion Fund, which pays for 500 face-to-face debt advisors nationally. What will replace it? The Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mark Hoban, discusses the issues. The programme also hears from Jay Lowe, debt advice manager at Stoke-on-Trent's Citizens Advice Bureau. 

Citizens Advice is one source of free debt advice, but this week a BBC investigation found that finding free advice can be difficult. If you look on the internet for organisations which offer free advice, debt management companies which charge for their service often come at the top of the list of search results.Paul Lewis talks to Phil Kemp of Radio 4's The Report, who has been investigating what the Office of Fair Trading calls the problem of 'lookalike websites'. 

Money Box listeners say they are continuing to lose money because it can still takes days to make online or phone transfers between bank accounts. The "faster payments system", agreed by the banks in May 2008, held out the promise of same-day transfers but, almost three years on, it's still not happening for some bank customers. Bob Howard investigates. 

As the Isa season approaches, how does the investment industry justify the fees fund managers charge?
Mark Meldon of independent financial advisers, R C Gray, tells Money Box he believes charges are too high, while Richard Saunders, chief executive of the Investment Management Association, argues they are reasonable and well-worth paying.

And Which? tells the programme why it is asking the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the hidden surcharges on payments by credit or debit card.

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