I write pieces for fairly regularly for BBCi also known as BBC online, usually based on a story we have run on Money Box.. Those pieces are brought together here. They are © Paul Lewis 2001-2005.

Season 2004/2005

• 9 July 2005 Indian bank wants UK savers ICICI, India's largest private bank, offers 5.4% on your savings - for now.
• 2 July 2005 Costlier pensions if rules change Regulator's plans to scrap sales information will put up prices.
• 18 June 2005 Elderly must write for extra cash Some people claiming pension credit must claim more each month or miss out.
• 11 June 2005 Credit card scrapped for 70,000 Intelligent Finance calls a halt to its unique 'offset' credit card.
• 28 May 2005 Homeowners must keep deeds safe Two lenders no longer keep vital documents for borrowers
• 21 May 2005 Concern over financial commission BBC investigation examines if sales are biased by commission and if there is an alternative
• 14 May 2005 Banks reject shared branches As more branches close, banks say they won't join up to save costs
• 30 April 2005 Better money for endowments Demand from European investors means selling your endowment may be profitable
• 16 April 2005 Pension changes mean more cash Waiting to retire until 6 April 2006 could mean more money
• 9 April 2005 Banks may cut clearing time to an hour Plans for new technology revealed
• 2 April 2005 Deadlines for children's money Child Trust Fund choices
• 26 February 2005 Pension help 'leaves out 50,000' Financial Assistance Scheme will only help those close to retirement age.
• 19 February 2005 Bond breaks its word 2000 people may lose £17 million after Eurolife says it cannot pay them.
• 12 February 2005 Council Tax help for over-60s Unique Kent project could be model
• 22 January 2005 Pension boost for half a million Government writes to pensioners offering pension boost
• 4 December 2004 Minister calls for pension reform Pensions Secretary Alan Johnson wants to reform state pension
• 4 December 2004 Chancellor reveals pension rises More for poorer pensioners and state pension rates from April
• 28 November 2004 New rules could end independent advice Changes to the way financial products are sold
• 14 November 2004 Row over pension assistance fund 'What planet is Minister on?' asks pension funds boss.
• 7 November 2004 Will Aid 2004 underway Charities get fees for wills made in November.
• 23 October 2004 Privacy Rules 'help lending decisions' Family members will not be linked in credit information
• 16 October 2004 Call for Government pension subsidy Insurers want employers to be paid for providing pensions
• 9 October 2004 Cheques to be made more certain industry responds to concerns about late bouncing cheques
• 2 October 2004 Call for tax credits reform change overpayment rules and make information clearer, says pressure group
• 25 September 2004 Pension boost for some over 80s a little known pension could mean £47 a week
• 18 September 2004 Ads cause tax credit confusion do those forms have to be returned or not?
• 4 September 2004 Urgent talks after pensions error new payment system closed down by clerk in New York

• 17 July 2004 Tories want city watchdog reform Howard Flight on FSA reform plans
• 10 July 2004 Pension fund not enough 40,000 people face reduced pension if engineering firm goes bust.
• 3 July 2004 No guarantee after DWP job cuts 11,000 jobs to go - Minister refuses to guarantee customers service will improve.
• 26 June 2004 Employers warned on pension fund The new chairman of the Pension Protection Fund warns of 'unscrupulous employers' waiting in the wings.
• 12 June 2004 Delays hit care home refunds Thousands of elderly people still waiting to get their own money back
• 5 June 2004 Save money by 're-pensioning' cut charges if your pension began before April 2001.
• 29 May 2004 New endowment compensation hope - FSA tightens time bar rules
• 22 May 2004 Strikes loom over pensions - public sector pension cuts will cause unrest
• 15 May 2004 Pension compensation confusion - Government cannot say when or how much will be paid
• 24 April 2004 Banks 'stealing by finding' says MP - accusations over use of dormant accounts
• 20 April 2004 Interest rates: Does a cap fit? should high interest rates be banned by law?
• 3 April 2004 Standard Life boss defends review - Sandy Crombie denies review was a sham.
• 27 March 2004 Benefits system 'should be simpler' says top civil servant at Department for Work and Pensions
• 13 March 2004 No hope for Equitable Losers Government rules out re-opening Penrose enquiry
• 28 February 2004 Banks may charge for money transfers when a new system starts in 2005
• 21 February 2004 Pensions backlog 'not acceptable' says MP as 30,000 widowed and divorcees wait for pensions
• 14 February 2004 Cash boost for working longer as government promises more for deferring retirement
• 14 February 2004 Watchdog to study afternoon TV - The FSA launches a new unit to monitor adverts
• 7 February 2004 Ex Equitable boss defends his record - Chris Headdon speaks to the BBC
• 31 January 2004 Insurer denies mis-selling charge - Legal & General defends its record
• 24 January 2004 Cash may not be King The FSA warns on the dangers of cautious investment
• 20 December 2003 'Excessive charges' on store cards denied by the industry
• 13 December 2003 Faint hope for Tribune customers as the insurer goes bust, few out of 40,000 will get compensation
• 13 December 2003 Tax time-bomb for self-employed becoming a company will no longer save money
• 6 December 2003 Unlocked pensions poverty trap beware schemes that take money from your pension
• 15 November 2003 Economist warns of debt crisis as personal debt heads towards £1 trillion
• 8 November 2003 Europe demands answers on pensions which vanish when companies go bust
• 1 November 2003 Insurer may boycott child trust fund Norwich Union demands 5% upfront and 1% a year to take part
• 24 October 2003 Reliance chief slams financial services and says 60 building societies will disappear.
• 17 October 2003 Endowment claims process clogs up Companies get more time to deal with complaints.
• 13 September 2003 More endowment misery Money Box discovers a new group of people who cannot get compensation
• 6 September 2003 Interest rate rise by 2004 Top economist predicts rates will go up

• 19 July 2003 Swansong of the financial watchdog Sir Howard Davies's parting thoughts
• 12 July 2003 Savers may not face rate cuts Building society chief says mortgages cheap enough
• 5 July 2003 Minister denies "work 'til you drop" plan Pensions Minister Malcolm Wicks interviewed
• 28 June 2003 'Shares will grow' says FSA watchdog predicts 7.5%-8.5% growth per year in long-term
• 21 June 2003 Money moves swiftly in Sweden UK banks run out of excuses for slow money transfers
• 7 June 2003 Pension inflation protection may end company pensions may cut inflation to 2.5%
• 31 May 2003 Annuity rates continue to decline more misery for people who save for their own retirement
• 24 May 2003 Low income savers owed £300 million Revenue admits Tax Back campaign has not worked
• 3 May 2003 Revenue relaxes contribution rules New rules make it easier to get a full pension
• 26 April 2003 Minister admits tax credit problems Dawn Primarolo admits system has not worked as it should
• 29 March 2003 Plans to cut war disablement benefit The Government wants to reduce the money paid to injured service men and women.
• 8 March 2003 Extra tax for 65 year olds Inland Revenue fails to give full tax relief to over 65s
• 22 February 2003 Post Office admits technology mistake On Money Box, the Post Office Director of Banking admits that mistakes have been made and 20,000 PIN pads will have to be adapted.
• 22 February 2003 Seven steps to money heaven Why is it so hard to open a new Post Office Card Account to continue to get pensions and benefits at the Post Office?
• 22 February 2003 Council Tax: Cut your bill Council tax bills are set to rise by more than 10% - much more in parts of England. Tips on how to apply for money off your council tax.
• 15 February 2003 Computer error halts fuel payments More than 1000 winter fuel payment claims are wiped from the computer.
• 1 November 2002 Cash Up Will we see the end of cash by 2020? The BBC's Book of the Future

• 11 May 2002 Married women's reduced rate contributions Thousands of women still pay useless National Insurance contributions.
• 5 October 2001 Citibank riles online customers A new online banking aggregation service runs into problems.

e-mail Paul Lewis on paul@paullewis.co.uk