Our teams

Company Performance and Consumer Experience

The Company Performance and Consumer Experience team deals with price comparisons, tariff information and the Confidence Code. They look at issues of billing, mis-selling, compliance and enforcement of industry licence and other obligations across the corporate supplier spectrum. The team examines meter accuracy issues, and, using statistical information from Consumer Direct, the Energy Ombudsman, Extra Help Unit and other agencies, monitors company performance, and the interface between suppliers, distributors, transporters and the Citizen’s Energy Forum and European Consumer Consultative Group (ECCG). Recent work has included the mobile phone industry consultation paper.

Disadvantage Advocacy

Playing a pivotal role in championing the rights of vulnerable consumers, the Disadvantage Advocacy programme team promote and protect the needs of consumers who are disadvantaged by health, disability, income, age or geography – with a principal focus on fuel poverty but also encompassing social tariffs. The team works to ensure that consumers have satisfactory and equal access to services, and to ensure that businesses do all they can to look after the needs of all of their customers regardless of impediment caused by circumstance.

International Advocacy

With much consumer policy and impact now decided at EU and international level, international advocacy is an important part of Consumer Focus strategy. The International Advocacy team aims to influence international consumer policy and feed back best practice to inform UK-based activity. The work takes in the EU Consumer Law Acquis and includes considerable interaction with a number of European stakeholders. The International Advocacy programme is by definition integral to the work of Consumer Focus across all programme areas from telecommunications to energy, and as such the team works closely with the other programme units to drive and advise on policy. The International Advocacy team will influence EU telecommunications legislation.

Fair Markets

The Fair Markets team exists to work on open markets – tackling failing markets that cause serious consumer detriment, plus competition, competitiveness, regulation and redress to examine issues of sustainability and green tariffs and address consumer detriment across markets. This includes consumer Law Reviews, regulators, Access for All and consumer ‘digital rights’ in the modern, information society. The Sustainability team works to increase the number of people who benefit from initiatives for sustainable lifestyles, and examine in detail the market for sustainable energy and carbon-conscious consumers. They look at adaptation to climate change and encourage responsible, sustainable retailing, with a particular focus upon supermarkets.

Community & Public Services

The Public & Community Services team promotes innovative models for sustainable community services and amenities, including post. This encapsulates the Post Office closure programme and the government’s decision on the future of the Post Office Card Account, and looks at the role and accessibility of essential public services, which naturally dovetails with the Regulated Industries team. The Public & Community Services team seeks to improve services for citizens, advocating the need for public services to be more consumer-focussed.

Regulated Industries

The Regulated Industries team examine energy prices – both retail and wholesale; price controls – including the Distribution Price Control Review; the Transmission Access Review; competition issues; industry governance, including Consumer Focus representation upon industry Codes and governance groups; the Ofgem review of industry governance and the 3rd energy package – single market gas and electricity directives. They aim to win a more effective and responsive energy market that recognises consumers’ needs. This includes working on market reviews by Ofgem and the BERR Select Committee, the structure, pricing and transparency of energy tariffs. They are working on a strategic plan for Consumer Focus’s involvement in the improvement of the working of energy markets at UK, EU and international levels and the representation of those outside mainstream regulation.

They also represent postal consumers’ views and ensure that these views are properly considered and incorporated in policies or regulatory changes made by the postal regulator. This is done by undertaking research and holding consumer forums to ascertain the postal consumers needs from a sustainable universal service obligation. They monitor the Universal Service Provider to ensure that price, quality of service, mail integrity and complaints are at the required level.