Which?

Taking a tax-free lump sum from your pension is a popular way of accessing money in your pot, but there’s plenty to consider before doing so.
Once you reach the age of 55 - rising to 57 in April 2028 - you can take up to 25% of your defined contribution pension as a tax-free payment.
In this episode presented by James Rowe, Which? Money’s Ruby Flanagan outlines the basics of pension commencement lump sums, and what you should consider before accessing your cash.
Plus, AJ Bell’s director of public policy Tom Selby tells us about the different approaches to taking the money, including using phased drawdown and uncrystallised pension lump sums (UFPLS).
Read more about lump sums on our website & sign up for our free Retirement Planning newsletter
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Language barriers are an age-old hindrance, but Apple claims to have found a neat solution.
In this episode of Which? Shorts, we reveal the results of our test of Apple’s Live Translation feature which the tech giant says bridges the gap between foreign languages in real time.
We worked with four bilingual speakers, who judged how accurately it translates French, German, Italian and Spanish. The tests were split between a quiet and noisy room to assess how well Live Translation would work in a loud airport terminal or busy railway station.
This episode is read by James Rowe and is based on an article written by our headphones expert Humairaa Habib, originally published in the November/December 2026 issue of Which? Travel.
Read our full review of the Apple Airpods Pro 3 on our website & sign up for our free monthly Travel newsletter
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Too many of us put off a task that should be done sooner rather than later: making a power of attorney (POA).
This legal document lets you give at least one other person the right to make decisions on your behalf about your health and/or finances. Having a power of attorney in place is useful if you become unable to make decisions yourself – for example, due to illness.
In this episode presented by James Rowe, Which? senior researcher Megan Thomas shares some new Which? data showing that just 1% of those surveyed created their POA before the age of 50.
Megan is joined by James Buchan from the Which? legal team, who explains what can go wrong if you don’t have a POA set up, including how costs can spiral due to ongoing court fees and how it can lead to fractured relationships between family members and loved ones.
Read more about Megan’s research on our website & sign up for our free weekly Money newsletter
Read more about what a power of attorney is on our website & prepare your own POA with Which? Wills
Get in touch with us via email - podcasts@which.co.uk
Podcast listeners can get 50% off an annual Which? membership
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You might think that British Airways' status as the UK’s national flag carrier means it offers a superior flying experience, but our research suggests otherwise.
In this episode of Which? Shorts, we compare British Airways with its main long-haul competitor, Virgin Atlantic, to see whether BA still deserves to represent the UK in the skies. From seat width and fleet age to food quality and business class lounges, we reveal how both airlines perform in our extensive customer surveys.
Our results show that British Airways is outclassed by Virgin on almost every passenger metric from value for money to airport lounges, leaving its massive global route network as its only clear advantage.
This episode is read by Erica McKoy and is based on an article written by travel expert Trevor Baker, originally published in the October/November issue of Which? Travel magazine.
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You might think that the only difference between drinks bought at high street coffee shops is the taste and the flavour, but our research suggests otherwise.
In this episode of Which? Shorts, we bring you the results of our investigation into caffeinated drinks bought at some of the UK’s favourite coffee shops, which reveals varying caffeine levels between Caffè Nero, Costa, Greggs, Pret and Starbucks.
Our results show that where you buy your coffee from could make a big difference to your daily caffeine intake, with some high street coffees containing nearly four times as much caffeine as others.
This episode is read by Shefalee Loth and is based on an article she wrote with Ayesha Muttucumaru, originally published in the October 2026 issue of Which? magazine.
Read more about the investigation on our website & sign up for our free fortnightly Healthy Living newsletter
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