The Pension Confident Podcast

• E42: Should you pay for your kids to go to university? With Tom Allingham, Kia Commodore, and Stewart Twynham

  Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].   University has never been more expensive. A 2025 report from the Higher Education Policy Institute found that students need £61,000 to have a minimum socially acceptable standard of living over a three-year degree. But even the maximum annual Maintenance Loan available to students from the lowest income households would only cover half this. So who’s expected to plug the gap: the students or their parents? Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss the financial realities new students are facing and how parents can support their children through university. Communications Director at Save the Student, Tom Allingham;  Founder of Pennies to Pounds, Kia Commodore; and Engineering Manager at PensionBee, Stewart Twynham.   Episode Breakdown: 04:10 What are Tuition and Maintenance Loans? 07:11 How families can navigate university costs 10:54 The impact of household income 15:18 Is university good value for money? 18:15 Price of a pint across the UK 20:28 Can students supplement costs with part-time jobs? 22:00 Should parents pay for their kids to go to university? 23:51 Financial health check for parents 28:04 How can student finance be improved?   Further reading, listening and watching: To learn more about supporting students at university, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee: Episode 42 transcript (Blog) E41: How can multi-generational living save you money? (Podcast) E28: The Bank of Mum and Dad - what’s the impact on your pension? (Podcast) 5 tips for parents paying for university (Blog) Building your family’s financial resilience (Video) Is it better to pay off your student loan or top up your pension? (Blog) Retirement planning in your 50s (Article) Should you pay off your child’s student loan? (Blog) Starting a pension at 50 (Blog)   Other useful resources: Changes to tuition fees: 2025 to 2026 academic year (GOV.UK) Mapped: The price of a pint across the UK (The Independent) Parents’ guide to university 2025 (Save the Student) Student finance for undergraduates (GOV.UK) Student living costs in the UK 2025 (Save the Student) Student Money Survey 2024 Results (Save the Student) The impact of undergraduate degrees on lifetime earnings (IFS) The UK Pension Landscape (PensionBee)   Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube: The Pension Confident Podcast The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube   Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads. Follow Save The Student (@SaveTheStudent) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X. Follow the Pennies To Pounds (@penniestopound) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.  

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• BONUS EPISODE: Why do we need a ‘Pension Switch Guarantee’?

  Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].   For this Pension Awareness Week bonus episode, we’re looking at how the pension transfer process works and why it should be improved to give savers more control of their money. We’re spotlighting the need for reform in the pensions industry, specifically with a ‘Pension Switch Guarantee’ to make pension transfers as simple as switching banks. Only the government has the power to change this, so if you’d like to see a 10-day Pension Switch Guarantee, you can sign the government petition running until 24 January 2026.   Pension switching is a subject close to the heart of PensionBee’s Founder and CEO, Romi Savova. Join our host, Philippa Lamb, as we rewind to episode 34 where Romi unpacked 10 years of pension changes.   Episode breakdown: 00:48 What inspired Romi to create PensionBee? 02:00 More jobs means more lost pensions 02:37 Take an interest in your retirement 03:45 It should be simpler to switch pension providers 04:56 Sign the petition for a ‘Pension Switch Guarantee’   Further reading   To learn more about pension transfers and personal finances, check out these articles from PensionBee: Episode transcript (Blog) Annual benefit statements are destroying the planet (Press) Pension transfers: part two - why consumers need a 10-day pension switch guarantee (Report) How can I transfer pensions? (Article) Over £50 billion in pension savings at risk of being lost in the UK (Press) The 10-day Pension Switch Guarantee (Press) What is the pension age? (Article) What’s the Pension Switch Guarantee? (Blog)   Other useful resources: How long should you stay in one job? (BBC) Legislate to mandate offer of electronic pension transfers and higher standards (Petition)   Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube: The Pension Confident Podcast The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

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• TRAILER: Catch up on Series 4 of The Pension Confident Podcast (so far)

  Enjoying the podcast? Then don’t forget to rate and give us a review! As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].   We’re taking a short break over August, but we’ll be back in September with brand new Series Four episodes and bonus content.   We’ve covered a lot of ground already this year, everything from relationships, to AI and tech, the economy and - clue’s in the title - pensions.   If you missed one earlier in the year, don’t worry, you can catch up on every single episode so far wherever you get your podcasts: E35: The cost of divorce E36: Is my pension funding climate change? E37: The easiest way to retire with more money E38: How to shift careers E39: Trump, tariffs and what it all means for your pension E40: The ADHD tax - how much is it costing you? E41: How can multi-generational living save you money? So join us as we bust industry jargon, dispel myths and challenge the stereotypes that can make it so hard for us to feel really financially confident.   Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube: The Pension Confident Podcast; and The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube. Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

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• E41: How can multi-generational living save you money? With Sam Bartley, Molly Broome, and Simmy Kaur

  Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].   Why are more families choosing to live with two, three, or even four generations under one roof? Rising rent, home prices, and living costs can make sharing a home a smart way to save money. Maybe that’s why multi-generational living is the fastest-growing household type in the UK right now. But not all reasons are financial. For some, it’s a cultural norm or a chance to care for young children and elderly relatives. Join our host, Philippa Lamb, and our expert panel as they discuss the financial impact, cultural motives, and care challenges of multiple generations living under one roof. Comedian of the award-winning duo, BAM! Comedy; Sam Bartley; Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation think-tank, Molly Broome; and Senior Social Media Manager at PensionBee, Simmy Kaur.   Episode Breakdown: 01:55 Rise of the boomerang generation 04:06 Why move back home? 06:52 Grandparents and grandchildren under one roof 08:14 The social stigma of returning 09:02 Transitioning from in-laws to flatmates 10:42 Navigating bills and boundaries 12:19 Springboard or brakes on hitting milestones? 13:51 What age are people buying their first home? 15:38 Childcare subsidised by grandparents 17:15 Savings on eldercare costs 19:25 Findings from Carer’s Pension Gap report 20:52 Staying in everyone’s good books 22:20 Working from the family home   Further reading, listening and watching: To learn more about mixing family and finances, check out these articles, podcasts and videos from PensionBee: Episode 41 transcript (Blog) E4: Should you pay more into your mortgage or pension? (Podcast) E19: Can you afford to have kids? (Podcast) E22: Why is renting so expensive? (Podcast) E28: The Bank of Mum and Dad (Podcast) Childcare options (Pensions Explained) How to sell inherited property (Blog) Inheritance Tax guide (Pensions Explained) Is the rising cost of living impacting pension saving? (Blog) Why has renting got so expensive? (Blog) Estate planning (Video) How to financially prepare for starting a family (Video)   Other useful resources: An intergenerational audit for the UK 2024 (Resolution Foundation) Average childcare costs (MoneyHelper) Housing history and future housing (GOV.UK) Loneliness (Age UK) Paying for your own care (NHS) The Carer’s Pension Gap Report (PensionBee)   Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube: The Pension Confident Podcast The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube   Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads. Follow BAM! Comedy (@bamcomedyuk) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook. Follow the Resolution Foundation (@resolutionfoundation) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and X.  

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• BONUS EPISODE: Six tips for automating your personal finances

  Enjoying the podcast? Tell us what you think below and give us a review or rating. As always we’d love to hear your suggestions and feedback. Send us an email: [email protected].   For this special bonus episode, we’re looking at how automation can help you manage your personal finances. Standing orders, calendar reminders and apps - they can all save us time and make sure we keep our payments and savings on track. We’ve gathered six top tips and insights from our guests to help you get your finances in order.    Join our host, Philippa Lamb and our expert guests to hear the best bits from the following episodes: E13: How does your financial personality impact your relationship with money? With Timi Merriman-Johnson, Emma Maslin and Brooke Day E27: The cost of friendship with Dr. Tara Quinn-Cirillo, Niaz Azad and Brooke Day E31: How can I improve my credit score? With John Webb, Clare Seal and Luis Mejia E32: How to understand your pension balance with Tim Hogg, Faith Archer and Alex Langley E37:The easiest way to retire with more money with Neil Bage, Bola Sol, and Laura Dunn-Sims   Episode breakdown:   00:41 Establishing good financial habits 01:28 Sharing expenses 02:14 Automation and credit scores 04:26 Boosting your credit score 06:00 Stress-free retirement planning 07:22 Financial personalities    Further reading, listening and watching:   To learn more about automation and personal finances, check out these articles and resources from PensionBee: Understanding your money personality (Blog) What are the best mobile apps to save you money? (Blog) Top 10 money apps for your smartphone (Blog) How to talk to friends about money (Blog) How can I improve my credit score? (Blog) How open banking is serving our customers (Blog) How does financial planning change over the course of life? (Blog) Making pension contributions (Pensions Explained) Self-employed pension  Pension Calculator (Tool) Other useful resources: The Money Whisperer personality quiz  Splitwise  How to check your credit report and file disputes (Experian)  Why credit scores matter in retirement (Experian)   Catch up on the latest news, read our transcripts or watch on YouTube: The Pension Confident Podcast The Pension Confident Podcast on YouTube   Follow PensionBee (@PensionBee) on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Threads.

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