Share Sounds. presented by Georgie Frost related to Work - Pay & Conditions

First we had the great resignation and now we may be seeing a new trend emerge 'unretirement'. Amid the turmoil of the pandemic, Britain's economy threw up the puzzle of a dramatic rise in economic inactivity - as about 565,000 people dropped out of the workforce to a position where they were neither working nor looking for work. These missing workers aren't claiming unemployment benefits but are somehow getting by under their own steam. The phenonomen is great enough that the ONS and Bank of England have looked into it and an inquiry by a House of Lords committee says that early retirement among those aged 50 to 64 may be the main driver of the trend. But there are also tentative signs of some of these people 'unretiring', so what is going on? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert delve into the issue. Why do people want to take early retirement, why may some now be returning to work — and what would tempt more back to boost productivity and the economy? Plus, the team look at the stock market winners and losers of 2022 — and why the FTSE 100 managed to keep its head while other major markets suffered. Also on the agenda are log burners: can they really be cheaper than your central heating or are they just a feature for the home? And finally, used car prices have continued to defy the usual way of things and rise again this year, is that now coming to an end and what were the models that rose the most in value over 2022?

Welcome to 1984 – the hidden twist in the smart meter saga that could see suppliers take control of your account. Plus, victory for the fans as Ticketmaster takes a significant step to combat 'professional' touts. Also…Can you get on the property ladder with £10 thousand, and how to avoid being a CV cliché!

The government has rejected calls to ban employers from forcing women to wear high heels, arguing that existing laws against sex discrimination already outlaw such dress codes. So what can employees do if they're faced with sexist dress codes?

It's been revealed that the tech industry is the best in the UK at using gender-neutral language when it comes to job adverts. But what effect is this having on the gender balance - or imbalance - in the industry? Share Radio reporter Sara Macham spoke to Becky Barr from Adzuna, the job search engine which commissioned the research, to find out more.

Recently we had another case testing the rights of gig economy workers. Self-employed cycle courier Andrew Boxer took the firm Excel to an employment tribunal arguing that he was a "worker" as defined by the Employment Rights Act - therefore, should get basic rights including holiday pay and the national minimum wage. His claim was backed by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain and the employment tribunal agreed with him. To find out what rulings such as this will mean for the gig economy Georgie Frost was joined by Kevin Charles, Director of Crosslands Employment Solicitors.

Welcome to the This is Money Show on Share Radio, brought to you in partnership with NS&I. After its controversial announcement last week Philip Hammond has finally had to U-turn on national insurance hikes in an attempt to win back public trust. Whilst the Budget provoked considerable backlash less publicised has been changes in road tax coming in April which will see some drivers paying as much as seven times more. Meanwhile across the pond the US Fed has raised interest rates with attention now turning to what the Bank of England will do next. Speculating on where all this leaves our finances Georgie Frost is joined by Editor Simon Lambert and Personal Finance Editor Rachel Rickard Straus. Plus is a castle, a Star Wars themed cinema and beer Fridays really what it takes to be named Britain’s best boss? This is Money is presented by Georgie Frost in partnership with NS&I.

Increasingly people are becoming employed in the so-called gig economy with firms such as Deliveroo and Uber however it leaves a lot of questions over their employment rights. Recently Uber and Deliveroo have appealed for an overhaul of employment laws which they claim prevent them from providing benefits such as insurance and pensions to self-employed staff. This follows last month's legal battle by a plumber- who wanted to reduce his days at Pimlico Plumbers following a heart attack. To give some insight into the law in workers rights Georgie Frost was joined by employment expert Beverley Sunderland from Crossland Employment solicitors.

Welcome to the This is Money and Share Radio Podcast, brought to you in partnership with NS&I. We’ve had a few stats to digest this week with inflation continuing to rise, now up 1.8%, whilst employment remains at record highs according to the ONS. Behind the figures though we’re hearing much of this is based on freelance and zero-hours work with both salaries and interest rates failing to keep pace with the cost of living. With all this spelling disaster for savers there’s been a few interesting additions to Money Mail’s Best Buy table this week. Joining Georgie Frost to go through the options is Editor Simon Lambert and Personal Finance Editor Rachel Rickard Straus. Plus, we take a look at the new rate hikes threatening the future of small businesses and the costs of bereavement.

New figures from disability charity Scope suggest worrying levels of workplace discrimination for Britain's disabled workers. Over half fear they're at risk of losing their job and many are even trying to hide their disability from their employers. To find out more about the scale of the problem and what employers and employees can do Georgie Frost was joined by James Taylor, head of policy and public affairs at Scope.

Welcome to the This is Money and Share Radio podcast, presented in partnership with NS&I. This week of course the top financial story was Philip Hammond’s first, and indeed last, Autumn Statement. Just what state are the country’s post-Brexit finances in, and crucially what would the Chancellor offer to help his much referenced ‘Jams’? In the end those ‘just about managing’ certainly received a few headline policies but with predictions pointing towards low growth, high borrowing and high inflation many argue Jam spending has been spread too thin. There were also some losers with those enjoying salary sacrifice perks and letting agents coming into the crosshairs, as well as in fact the Autumn Statement itself which will now be scrapped. So what will all this mean for the pound in your pocket? Georgie Frost joins editor Simon Lambert and reporter Becky Rutt to answer just that. Also on the agenda this week they discuss Black Friday and for a slightly different purchase the opportunity to buy a road legal Formula 1 car. This is Money is presented by Georgie Frost in partnership with NS&I.