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Adam Cox is joined by Gemma Bourne from Big Society Capital to discuss why the government should reallocate a larger proportion of its existing spend to further scale initiatives that tackle the UK's homelessness and temporary accommodation crisis. With new research showing that these house funds are already having a major impact, it could help us combat homelessness. https://bigsocietycapital.com/

We all contain a wide variety of characteristics and capabilities, and weaknesses. The metaphor of a bungalow is used here to sort them into different scales of usage: the ground floor containing those in everyday use, less frequently used ones in the basement, and a motley collection of those we'd rather not admit to stored in the bunker. Adam Cox uses ego-state therapy to help us make peace between these disassociated parts so that they don't catch us unawares.

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University assesses the report of The Commission on the Centre of Government and its main proposals. To him, its suggestions point to running things more in the way a business is managed, with proper budgets for projects and making ministers accountable. He looks at why so many people in the UK aren't working, the effects of Covid, high taxes and healthcare problems. And he believes that the PM's U-turn on gas plants recognises that wind and solar can't do it all. But, on the horizon, nuclear fusion suddenly looks an imminent reality, which will have profound implications, not just for energy but also for geopolitics.

James Cameron-Wilson reports on box office down 29% with Dune 2 now up to £19.3m at #1. At #5 is horror film Imaginary, which James found boring, bloated, clichéd and not particularly scary. He hoped for better from the philosophical sci-fi drama Spaceman on Netflix. However, despite Paul Dano and Carey Mulligan, it proved one of the weirdest films he had seen for a long time and suffered from the miscasting of Adam Sandler in the main role. He was far happier with the Oscars, which he felt were wonderfully hosted and both entertaining and compelling, even if he did – for once – get one of his main predictions wrong.

Steve Caplin and Simon Rose marvel at new search engine Perplexity which they both feel knocks Google for six in its usefulness. You can try it at Perplexity.ai for free on the web and through apps. Google have other problems too, with their new campus a wifi black spot. A helium balloon could be the answer if you're lost in the wilderness. A watch could show you your actual blood flow. Bionic eyes could be powered by solar panels on the iris. A replica of the Titanic is due to sail in 2027. And there's a sweet crowdfunded robot powered by your smartphone.

Russ Mould looks at the bid activity in the UK market with an increased bid for Direct Line and the offer for Curry's being withdrawn. The forty-plus bids last year returned about 1.5% to investors, making a total yield with cashbacks and dividends of over 7%. Should investors look for stocks that might receive a bid or should they heed the words of Warren Buffett? And if so many predators see value in the UK stock market, why aren't international investors buying?

Jeremy Hunt's focus on young working people, by making a further significant reduction in employees' NI, is welcome; but his overall strategy is cloaked in disguise. As Michael Gove made clear in February, young people need direct economic encouragement: for example, the omission of any mention of unclaimed adult-owned CTFs indicates more of a studied indifference from HM Treasury. Background music: 'Hidden Agenda' by Kevin MacLeod - http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200102

The full unabridged UK Budget speech as delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the House of Commons on Wednesday 6th March 2024, without additional comment.

Jeremy Hunt bounced around delivering his Budget on Wednesday, proudly declaring his commitment to tax cuts and supporting working families. Another 2% was chopped off National Insurance and the threshold at which child benefit is removed was raised from £50,000 to £60,000. But you don’t need to be a financial expert to know that the Chancellor’s version of events isn’t quite the whole story. Because Mr Hunt is also presiding over a long-term stealth tax freeze to thresholds that is costing workers dear and his child benefit move merely kicked sky-high marginal tax rates down the road, rather than getting rid of them altogether. Nonetheless, a tax cut and an extra £5,000 Isa allowance – even if it’s a slightly iffy, limited one – is not to be sniffed at. So, was this an escape velocity Budget that puts Britain back on the path to growth? Or was it too little, too late, from a Tory party that has sported successive Chancellors who have been keener to raise our taxes by hook or by crook rather than cut them – or even just keep thresholds in line with inflation? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at the winners and losers and go searching for the devils in the detail. What is the National Insurance cut worth to you? Will you get some child benefit back? Did pensioners deserve a tax cut too? With a failure to reverse his capital gains and dividend tax raid, what has the Chancellor got against small investors? And will the British ISA be any good? All that and more – plus a look at why Nationwide is buying Virgin Money, and whether that’s good or bad for us all.

Simon Lambert is joined by Charles Stanley Direct’s Lisa Caplan and Garry White for a quick run through what was in the Budget. Investment experts Lisa and Garry talk us through the main Budget points and what they mean for people.