Has inflation peaked?

BBC Radio 4's Money Box Saturday, 18 October at 1204 BST On Radio 4 and Online 18 October 2008 Programme transcript (14 pages)

Inflation hit a 16 year high in September with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rising to 5.2% from 4.7%.

But some economists believe this is a peak and that inflation and interest rates may be about to plummet.

Roger Bootle, managing director at Capital Economics shared his view.

Has inflation peaked?

Further information/related stories:

Savers can get an interest rate of more than 6% on a balance of �1

Savings and mortgages

If interest rates do fall, what affect will that have on savings and mortgages?

And a week after the Bank of England cut the base rate by 0.5 percentage points to 4.5%, how have banks and building societies reacted?

We talked to Rachel Thrussell, head of savings at Moneyfacts and Melanie Bien, a director at Savill's Private Finance.

Savings and mortgages

Further information/related stories:

Landsbanki's administrators are writing to customers

Icelandic accounts

Savers with deposits in Landsbanki Guernsey may receive a part-payment of 30p in the �1 according to the Administrators, Deloitte and Touche LLP.

Guernsey's treasury minister joined us to discuss the proposals.

And the latest news on when UK savers with Icesave can expect compensation.

Icelandic accounts

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There are 1,000 sale-and-rent-back firms in the UK

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has recommended that sale and rent back schemes need statutory regulation in order to protect consumers.

An OFT market study
concluded that some firms mislead customers about the value of the property and the security of the tenancy.

Sale and rent back is entered into by people who can no longer pay their mortgage. The home is sold at a discount and rented back by the former owner who becomes a tenant.

The OFT claim that some tenants are being asked to pay substantial rent increases which they cannot afford.

We talked to Carol Riley from the National Association of Mortgage Victims and Heather Clayton, senior director for infrastructure at the OFT.

Sale and rent back

Further information/related stories:

HMRC's self assessment helpline is 0845 900 0444

Tax return deadline

If you are resisting the lure of internet technology and prefer to file your tax return on paper you have less than two weeks to complete the task.

The deadline for filing paper tax returns has been brought forward to 31 October 2008 although 'excepted persons' can file until 31 January 2009.

A paper return filed after 31 October 2008 will still be processed by HMRC but it will be subject to a �100 penalty.

The deadline for online filing remains 31 January 2009.

Mike Warburton, partner at accountancy firm Grant Thornton explained the changes.

Tax return deadline

Further information/related stories:

BBC Radio 4's Money Box was broadcast on Saturday, 18 October 2008 at 1204 BST.

The programme was repeated on Sunday 19 October 2008 at 2102 BST.

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