with me now is our cost of living correspondent kevin peachey and jasmine birtles, personal finance expertpie. so let's start with one of our questions. how do ni cuts impact those who rely on the state pension only? yes, they don't affect those on state pensions because if you are on a state pension you don't pay national insurance. that is one of the big talking points about this tax change because it is 27 million workers who are feeling the effects of the tax cut. and clearly, there are some pensioner groups who are saying what about us? but clearly, the chancellor wanted to direct this tax cut at people who are working. and that is the reason why he has gone for national insurance this time, i guess it remains to be seen if there is any change to income tax at a budget later on during election year. clearly, income tax paid by pensioners in some cases, but national insurance isn't. someone else is saying that the chancellor has denoting new to help pensioners who are still working and will not benefit from the national insurance giveaway? not that we have heard, people who are retired

joining me now is the bbc�*s cost of living correspondent kevin peachey.rent says that these comments are astounding from a senior banker. 0ne mortgage adviser described them as ludicrous and out of touch with reality. and i guess the key to it is that it is very tough to raise money for a deposit when rents have risen by 30% in three years according to property portals, and the cost of an average home is many times average earnings, and according to one think tank, they say that actually if you are aged up to sa, you are most likely to be living with your parents, and the parents are helping with deposits too. so how did come back into the debate later in the day and said that he didn't intend to underplay people's difficulties, and he meant that actually getting access to a mortgage was easier, but he admitted that it hasn't quite come across as he'd planned in that interview. kevin, thank you. an american suspected of faking his own death and going into hiding in scotland has been extradited back to the us. last year a court ruled the man — who claimed

peachey explains. than 1.5 million homeowners who are going to be renewing their mortgages because their current deal is expiring this year. that new deal is likely to be more expensive. this renewed competition between lenders, really good news for them. they have relieved some of that financial pain and may make it a little bit less intense. landlords, the pressure on them eight years little and it could feed through to tenants who may see rent rises less sharply. all this possible because the converse predict the next move in the bank of england �*s benchmark rate will be down and so there has already fed through to mortgage lenders own funding costs. that is why the halifax has been able to announce this quite chunky. and others like hsbc will announce further or see further reductions. it does depend on what deal you have got. it will depend on your circumstances and another warning that brokers expect more rate cuts to come but they won't fall to the ultra low levels that we have benefited from f

our cost of living correspondent kevin peachey reports.meowners are going to be renewing their their mortgages because their current deal is expiring this year and that new deal is likely to be more expensive. so this renewed competition between lenders is really good news for them, may relieve some of that financial pain, may make it a little bit less intense. remember, too, that landlords, the pressure on them may ease a little and that could feed through to tenants who may see those rent rises go a little less sharply. all this is possible because economists are predicting that the next move and the bank of england's benchmark rate will be down. and so that's already fed through to mortgage lenders�* own funding costs. and so that's why the halifax, the uk's biggest lender, has been able to announce this quite chunky fall, really. and then others like hsbc will announce further or we'll see further reductions. and it does depend on what deal you've got. it will depend on your circumstances. and another warning that brokers expect more r

kevin peachey is here. it isa it is a controversial practice and it is back on?back on?— it is a controversial practice and it is back on? it is. energy firms may want _ it is back on? it is. energy firms may want to _ it is back on? it is. energy firms may want to fit _ it is back on? it is. energy firms may want to fit these _ it is back on? it is. energy firms l may want to fit these prepayment meters into homes of people who have fallen behind on bills and have no prospect of paying. the idea of course is that debt doesn't keep building and building because of the prepayment meter. you pay for it in advance. to do so forcibly you need advance. to do so forcibly you need a court warrant. and there was outcry when agents for british gas were shown to be going into the homes of vulnerable people to fit these metres. the boss of the company admitted there was no excuse for it. so, there was a sector wide ban on the whole practice. that was in place in february. and now, under stricter rules, these three companies, edf, scottishpowerand companies, edf, scottishpow

peachey is here.e coming year? more than1.5 more than 1.5 million homeowners are going to be renewing their mortgages because their current deal is expiring this year. that new deal is likely to be more expensive so this renewed competition between lenders is really good news for them, it may relieve some of that financial pain and might make it a bit less intense. rememberthat and might make it a bit less intense. remember that landlords, the pressure on them my teaser little and that could feed through to tenants who may see those rent rises go a little less sharply. all this is possible because economists are predicting the next move in the bank of england's benchmark rate will be down and so that is already fed through to mortgage lenders�* on funding costs, so that is why the halifax, the uk�*s biggest lender, has been able to announce this quite chunky fall and others like hsbc tomorrow and others will announce further, will see further reductions. it does depend on what deal you have got. it wi

our business correspondent kevin peachey is here, so what's the prospect for people with mortgages innd they will be looking for a new deal in all likelihood that will be more expensive. but because of this competition now between the lenders it will take some of the intensity out of that pain. as you mention the halifax the biggest mortgage lender in the uk announced quite chunky this week and has followed. they just announced that they will make some cuts tomorrow. so these are quite significant changes at the start of the year. what does that mean for people, they will be looking and they will see if it will affect their particular circumstances and their deal but not in every case it has to be said. it is happening of course because the bank of england has held rates three times in a row now and expect the next move, economists expect the next move, economists expect the next move, economists expect the next move to be down and that is fed through to mortgage lenders but we are not going to see a return to the ultralow rates that many people got used to for more than a decade. kev

kevin peachey, bbc news.rged the wrong amount, speak to your energy supplier. and i always say, plenty of support, advice and help available on the bbc cost of living page online. the archbishop of canterbury has called on political leaders, called on political leaders contesting elections this year to show respect for one another. justin welby urged them to disagree passionately but not to focus on division. 0ur correspondent jon donnison has more. in the year he crowned a new king, archbishop justin welby opens his new year message on the coronation. all: god save the king! and, in particular, the example set by the country�*s military. for the first time in 70 years, our forces swore an oath to a new monarch. they promised to be faithful and to observe and obey all orders. they understood that it wasn�*t about being served by us, but to serve. hip, hip. all: , and at a time when headlines have been dominated by wars, much of the archbishop�*s message is focused on the world�*s conflicts — first in ukraine.

kevin peachey, bbc news. i think the smoke alarm might go off!st fire festival — the up helly aa got underway in lerwick. the 143—year—old annual event sees people celebrate shetland's norse heritage by snaking their way through the streets before a viking galley long boat is set alight. look at that picture! it is like a funeral prior. you are watching this life. i watched the live stream. this year saw women and girls able to join the head of the procession for the first time in its history. it looks dangerous but having listened to the commentary last night, it is well organised. looks windy. a fierce fire which will not be blown out by the wind. here's carol with a look at this morning's weather. at the moment in the northern isles the wind is gusting around 55 miles an hour in the west of scotland it is 66. picking up through the day. todayis is 66. picking up through the day. today is a country of two halves. in the north there are strong and gusty winds, severe gales and in the south dry with breeze. the storm passes across the north of us

kevin peachey, bbc news.d to energy with him from standing charges and customer service to pre—payment meters and energy prices. what question would you ask him? you can get in touch with us in all the usual ways, which are on screen now. thanks. do get in touch with those questions because it is surprising when you have one of those big chief executives, one of those really big companies, sometimes the detail that either they don't know about or their attention is drawn to. bear that in mind and get your questions to us if you would like to follow some of those up.— to us if you would like to follow some of those up. matt is looking at the weather- — some of those up. matt is looking at the weather. yes, _ some of those up. matt is looking at the weather. yes, it _ some of those up. matt is looking at the weather. yes, it is _ some of those up. matt is looking at the weather. yes, it is very - some of those up. matt is looking at the weather. yes, it is very cold, - the weather. yes, it is very cold, it will