Share Sounds presented by Sarah Pennells (1) related to Financial Education - Adult

The start of the new tax year earlier this month didn't only mean changes to taxes and the introduction of a lifetime ISA, it also resulted in some big changes to benefits. Critics say that some of these changes will leave families much worse off. And some of the changes, such as the introduction of the so-called 'rape clause' are pretty controversial.

It's the kind of thing we don't want to have to think about, and dealing with a whole load of forms and numerous different companies is probably the last thing you want to do when your loved one has died. There are a number of things to consider though, not least changes to bereavement benefits which could leave thousands of widows and widowers worse off. Sarah Pennells is joined by Alastair McQueen from pensions and insurance provider Aviva, David Samson of turn2Us, which specializes in benefits advice and help and James Ward, Partner and Head of Private Clients at Seddons.

Over the last few weeks there's been a lot of focus on housing and older people, with the government's White Paper on housing looking at ways to encourage older people to downsize. But not everyone wants to sell up. Last year people released over £2 billion of equity from their homes. So, how can you make money from your property? What are the options and what do you have to bear in mind? Sarah Pennells was joined in the studio by Jane King who's from Ashridge financial planning and by Ceri Wheeldon who's the founder of the website Fab After Fifty.

This week Sarah looks at how you can save money on your weekly shop, if you need to make your money stretch a little bit further. Saving money on your food shopping doesn't mean eating badly though and joining Sarah to discuss how to get the most for your pound are Kelly Eroglu from the Reduced Grub blog, Caroline Taylor from the All That I'm Eating blog and young money champion, Rachael Healy.

Want to get the best deals on your Christmas Shopping? Not sure how to make the most of Black Friday? Never fear! Sarah Pennells is joined in the studio by Martyn James, Independent Financial Expert and Commentator, Katy Phillips from Idealo, and James Walker from the complaints website Resolver.co.uk, to share top tips on securing that must have bargain as well as answering your consumer rights questions.

In the wake of Brexit and Donald Trump being elected, what should you take account of and what should you ignore when it comes to investing? Sarah Pennells is joined by Louise Oliver, a Chartered Financial Planner at Piercefield Oliver, Lisa Stanley-Mann from Good with Money, and Share Radio's own Senior Analyst, Ed Bowsher, to guide you through investments and what to look out for in a post-truth environment.

Struggling to get on the property ladder? Sarah Pennells and Young Money Champion Olivia Rudgard look at the pros and cons of shared ownership with experts Lynda Clark, Editor of First Time Buyer Magazine, Kush Rawal, Sales and Marketing Director at Thames Valley Housing, and Paula Higgins, Chief Executive of Homeowners Alliance. Sarah and Olivia also hear from Alex Campbell who's bought a shared ownership property in Phoenix Quarter in Dartford in Kent.

With a new £5 note and £1 coin soon coming into circulation, Sarah looks at all the ways we can pay. Contactless payments are on the rise, but the vast majority of transactions are still done with cash. But what is legal tender, what’s the future for cheques and what do you do with all that loose change you’ve collected?

What do you do if you have large debts or haven’t paid off your mortgage, but retirement is just round the corner? Sarah looks at your options are if you owe money and how mortgage lenders will look at you if you’re heading towards retirement.

This week Sarah looks at how ISAs work. What are the different types available now, and how do they all work? Are they still the best option for savers? Figures published last week showed that 12.7m people had an ISA in the tax year up to April, down slightly from 13m last year. With savings rates so low, maybe that's not surprising.