Consumer Focus is the consumer champion for England, Wales, Scotland and (for postal consumers) Northern Ireland.
We operate across the whole of the economy, persuading businesses and public services to put consumers at the heart of what they do. Consumer Focus gives a strong voice to consumers on the issues that matter to them and works to secure a fair deal on their behalf. We work with consumers and a range of organisations to tackle the problems customers face and to achieve creative solutions that make a difference to people’s lives.
Our statutory function
Consumer Focus is an executive non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), created by the Consumers Estate Agents and Redress (CEAR) Act 2007. We receive about a third of our funding from BIS. Funding also comes from licences paid by energy suppliers and the postal industry and we are also able to raise our own funds – for example, through externally funded projects.
We are a statutory body and the CEAR Act identifies our core functions as:
- representation
- research
- information
Our core work consists of:
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securing a fair deal for energy consumers
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securing a fair deal for postal consumers
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areas of private sector markets where available evidence points to consumer detriment
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the Extra Help Unit assisting vulnerable consumers
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complaints of general interest
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Consumer Focus Scotland on behalf of Scottish consumers
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Consumer Focus Wales on behalf of Welsh Consumers
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Consumer Focus Post on behalf of postal consumers in Northern Ireland
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our earned income projects
In addition, we have the key powers of investigation:
- general powers of investigation
- for complaints made by vulnerable designated consumers
- for complaints relating to the disconnection of gas or electricity supply to individual consumers
Helping vulnerable consumers
Our Extra Help Unit works with vulnerable consumers to help resolve individual complaints in energy or post – for example, if someone is facing disconnection. Vulnerable consumers are referred to the Extra Help Unit by Consumer Direct, Ofgem, the Energy Ombudsman, and MPs, Members of the Scottish Parliament and Members of the Welsh Assembly where their constituents have complained about energy or post.
Working with other agencies
Support is also available, for staff at advice agencies, with energy or postal queries via our online Knowledge Base and our telephone based Ask the Adviser service. Through these we provide industry information and help answer queries.
We are not an advice agency nor are we a statutory regulator. Other bodies such as Consumer Direct, Citizens Advice, local authority trading standards and the Office of Fair Trading play these roles.
Download: Who we are what we do leaflet (PDF 1.2MB)
Download: Corporate Plan 2010-13 (PDF 1.7MB)
Download: Annual Plan 2010-11 (PDF 1136KB)