Pioneer Zopa exits peer-to-peer lending

Sixteen years after it appeared as the first of its kind in the world, Zopa has announced it's leaving the peer-to-peer lending business to focus on banking activities. Peer-to-peer matches people who want to lend money with individuals or businesses that need it. What will it mean for Zopa investors, borrowers and the wider industry?A new partnership is set to increase protection for people who are in debt to loan sharks. The collaboration between the Vulnerability Registration Service and the Illegal Money Lending Team will enable utility suppliers, mobile phone firms and other organisations to identify and support more of their vulnerable customers.A married couple have two full state pensions - but one is much higher that the other. We explain why.This week Bank of England Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent warned that inflation in the UK will “comfortably exceed 5 percent” by the spring. Rock bottom interest rates on savings accounts are well below that meaning the spending power of money in them will erode over time. So might investing be the way to protect savings against rising inflation?Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Charmaine Cozier Researcher: Drew Miller Hyndman Editor: Emma Rippon