http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk The latest news from Consumer Focus Copyright 2009 consumerfocus.org.uk. All rights reserved 5 Tue, 6 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus Director of International Policy and Advocacy Jill Johnstone received an OBE for her service to consumers in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. Consumer Focus Chief Executive Ed Mayo said: “Jill has devoted virtually her wh... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus__Jill/Consumer_Focus__Jill.aspx Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Ofgem announced on 16 December that it would strip £500m in unfair pricing from energy bills and consult on bringing an end to unfair premiums through changes to regulation. Consumer Focus renewed calls for the end of unjustified pre... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_respo/Consumer_Focus_respo.aspx Mon, 22 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Commenting on Ofgem’s £1.8 million fining of Npower for misselling of energy contracts, Robert Hammond, Head of Regulated Industries at Consumer Focus, said: “Npower and the code of practice on energy selling (EnergySure) have failed consumers... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_fines/Consumer_Focus_fines.aspx Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Commenting on today’s Hooper Review announcement, Rick Hill Chairman, Consumer Focus Post, said “With such a complex change, including private capital, it will be important to monitor services to the Northern Ireland postal consumer. We would ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_Post_/Consumer_Focus_Post_.aspx Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) “With such a complex change, including private capital, it will be important to keep an eye on services to the public. We would only want to see a partner with a proven track record in customer service. “We believe that there will be a need fo... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Ed_Mayo_comments_on_/Ed_Mayo_comments_on_.aspx Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Nine campaigning organisations  are rallying support among MPs for a bill that will put an end to the shame of fuel poverty.   The government has now admitted it will not be able to hit its targets to eradica... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Radical_plan_to_end_/Radical_plan_to_end_.aspx Mon, 8 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) A unique guide to the rights of parents of school-age children in Scotland is being launched today by Scotland’s foremost consumer organisation. Consumer Focus Scotland has produced a third edition of the highly popular reference book on Scots... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/New_Education_Guide/New_Education_Guide.aspx Mon, 8 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Comment on OFT Inquiry into UK Housing Market A spokesman for the leading Scottish watchdog, Consumer Focus Scotland, welcomed the announcement by the Office of Fair Trading that it is consulting on an inquiry into the UK housing market and ur... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/OFT_Inquiry_Comment/OFT_Inquiry_Comment.aspx Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Response to Ofgem’s “Energy Supply Probe – Initial Findings” ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Energy_probe/Energy_probe.aspx Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) This submission sets out Consumer Focus’s views on the effectiveness of competition in the GB gas and electricity markets. We believe there are a number of features that are not working effectively and without action these will undermine consumer... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Response_to_Ofgem_en/Response_to_Ofgem_en.aspx Tue, 2 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) From 1 December 2008, everyone selling a house in Scotland will be required by law to provide a Home Report to prospective buyers. The new home report is clearly in the consumer interest: it will help protect buyers of property and give confidenc... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Home_Reports/Home_Reports.aspx Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus is calling on independent garages to sign up to a code of practice aimed at protecting consumers, to avert a super complaint going to the Office of Fair Trading.   Consumer Focus Chief Executive Ed ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Call_on_independent_/Call_on_independent_.aspx Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) The Scottish Government is being asked to step in to end confusion over tartanised meat labelling.   The leading consumer watchdog, Consumer Focus Scotland, is publishing research showing that a wide variety of labels... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Call_to_end_misleadi/Call_to_end_misleadi.aspx Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Nearly a quarter of customers (22 per cent) in Crown post offices are spending 10 minutes or more queuing, and over one in three (38 per cent) wait for more than 5 minutes, according to new research released by the new super watchdog Consum... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Time_to_end_queuing_/Time_to_end_queuing_.aspx Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus welcomes the decision to award the Post Office Card Account (POCA) to Post Office Ltd. You can read the press release here. Consumer Focus Scotland has also welcomed the move which it believes will help secure the future of... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Con_Foc_Scot_POCA/Con_Foc_Scot_POCA.aspx Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus Post, the new independent champion for postal consumers in Northern Ireland, welcomed today’s news that Post Office Limited is to retain its contract to pay the pensions and benefits to over four million users of the Post Office Ca... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Con_Foc_Post_POCA/Con_Foc_Post_POCA.aspx Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomed today’s news that Post Office Limited is to retain its contract to pay the pensions and benefits to over four million users of the Post Office Card Account (POCA). Richard Ba... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Con_Foc_Wal_POCA/Con_Foc_Wal_POCA.aspx Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomed today’s news that Post Office Limited is to retain its contract to pay the pensions and benefits to over four million users of the Post Office Card Account (POCA). Richard Ba... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_welco/Consumer_Focus_welco.aspx Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Business funding for additional public sector projects is good if it brings real benefits for consumers, according to new guidelines. Deals involving services to children and sponsorship from alcohol companies should be treated with caution – and... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/New_guidelines_on_co/New_guidelines_on_co.aspx Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomed today the Business and Enterprise Select Committee report on the Post Office Card Account (POCA). The report stresses that the decision by the Department for Work and Pensions (... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/POCA_strategy_leave/POCA_strategy_leave.aspx Mon, 10 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus Post, the new independent champion for postal consumers in Northern Ireland, welcomed today the Business and Enterprise Select Committee report on the Post Office Card Account (POCA). The report recognises that to award the POCA co... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/POCA_strategy_NI/POCA_strategy_NI.aspx Fri, 7 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) On 14 October 2008 Consumer Focus Chief Executive Ed Mayo wrote to Lord Peter Mandelson regarding the proposed merger of HBOS and Lloyds TSB and concerns in relation to the impact of this on consumers.   A copy of the letter can ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Ed_Mayo_letter_to_Lo/Ed_Mayo_letter_to_Lo.aspx Fri, 7 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) As the weather begins to bite, the government could immediately help 1.6 million households cope with this year’s unprecedented rises in energy prices through extending the use of winter fuel payments, Consumer Focus, the new independent champion... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Urgent_support_neede/Urgent_support_neede.aspx Wed, 5 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Commenting on OECD energy inflation figures for September,  Ed Mayo, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Focus said:   “The UK energy consumer is being clobbered faster and harder than those in Europe.  O... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Energy_prices_rise_f/Energy_prices_rise_f.aspx Wed, 5 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) In welcoming the decision, Philip Cullum, Deputy Chief Executive, Consumer Focus, said: “More than a year and a half after millions of households’ TV screens went blank, common sense has finally prevailed. Many customers mus... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/_BSkyB_and_Virgin_Me/_BSkyB_and_Virgin_Me.aspx Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Scotland’s foremost consumer watchdog says it is concerned that although awareness of the first switchover date is very high, some Borders television viewers are not fully prepared for the UK’s first main digital switchover, a week from today. ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Concerns_remain_with/Concerns_remain_with.aspx Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomed today the Government’s decision to mandate smart meters for every home in Britain. Philip Cullum, Deputy Chief Executive of Consumer Focus, said: “Although we are ten years ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_welco/Consumer_Focus_welco.aspx Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Scotland’s councils need to work more closely together and share best practice on listening to customers if they are to achieve their ambition of delivering services that consistently put the customer first. The conclusion comes with the publ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Councils__Working_to/Councils__Working_to.aspx Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomes the Carbon Trust's new carbon footprinting standard - the PAS 2050, launched today.   Lucy Yates, spokesperson for Consumer Focus, said:  “Busine... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/New_standard_to_lead/New_standard_to_lead.aspx Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Commenting on today’s ju dgment on the fuel poverty judicial review, Jonathan Stearn, Consumer Focus campaigner on disadvantage, said:   “This ruling changes nothing for the five million people who will be... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Comment_on_fuel_pove/Comment_on_fuel_pove.aspx Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) 23 October 2008 Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomed today’s Ofgem information campaign to reach vulnerable and low income energy consumers but renewed calls for those in greatest need to get the cheapest deals.... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Ofgem_campaign_step_/Ofgem_campaign_step_.aspx Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Scotland’s leading consumer watchdog is publishing a comprehensive guide to how the Scottish legal system operates to try to help consumers understand how the nation’s courts and the legal profession can work for them. The fourth edition of t... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/New_guide_to_open_up/New_guide_to_open_up.aspx Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, has called on energy suppliers to cut domestic energy prices in light of falling oil prices. Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Consumer Focus said: “We have seen this week that the biggest ... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_champion_as/Consumer_champion_as.aspx Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor)   Consumer Focus Chief Executive, Ed Mayo,spoke at the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), Annual General Meeting on 16 October 2008.The full speech, Marketing to Children and why children's websites should... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Chief_Executive_to_S/Chief_Executive_to_S.aspx Thu, 9 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) October 3 2008 Consumer Focus, the newly created consumer champion, welcomes the Prime Minister’s decision to create a new government department bringing together the energy and climate change agendas. The new Department for Energy and Climate... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_welco/Consumer_Focus_welco.aspx Thu, 9 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) 6 October 2008 Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, welcomed Ofgem’s recognition that millions of energy households have been missing out on the full benefits of competition. Ed Mayo, Chief Executive of Consumer Focus... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Ofgem’s_investigatio/Ofgem’s_investigatio.aspx Tue, 7 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) October 6 2008 Martyn Evans, Director of Consumer Focus Scotland said “Consumers need confidence, no matter what the size of their savings, that their money is safe during these unprecedented times. Consumers need a clear and simple message tha... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Bank_deposit_protect/Bank_deposit_protect.aspx Mon, 6 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) October 6 2008 Justice advisory group fears current mix could disadvantage users There is a need for Scotland’s tribunals, a fundamental component of the justice system, to be more independent of government than at present. The finding com... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Overhaul_Needed_for_/Overhaul_Needed_for_.aspx Mon, 6 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) 6 October 2008 Consumer Focus, the new independent champion for consumers, said today that it believes Ofgem has a major opportunity, through its probe into the energy market to put and end to years of inadequate competition, unfair pricing an... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_await/Consumer_Focus_await.aspx Mon, 6 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) Consumer Focus Scotland is pleased that Ofgem has recognised that there are serious problems in the marketplace and says that the onus is now on the regulator to ensure that there is a step-change in tackling these problems and in taking firm actio... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Regulator_needs_to_a/Regulator_needs_to_a.aspx Wed, 1 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor)   Consumer Focus Scotland works to secure a fair deal for consumers in both private markets and public services, by promoting fairer markets, greater value for money, and improved customer service. While producers of goods and services ar... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Consumer_Focus_Scotl/Consumer_Focus_Scotl.aspx Wed, 1 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor)   A new system that will better protect consumers comes into effect this week: From 1 October: Consumer Focus will be formed through the merger of the National Consumer Council, energywatch and Postwatch. The new body will be a... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Strengthened_Consume/Strengthened_Consume.aspx Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor)   On 1 October a new statutory consumer champion will start work – Consumer Focus Wales. This new organisation has been created through the merger of the Welsh Consumer Council, Postwatch Wales and energywatch Wales and, as stakeholder... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Introduction_to_Cons/Introduction_to_Cons.aspx Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) 26 September 2008   Tackling fuel poverty is Consumer Focus’s number one priority. It is part of a wider set of interconnected concerns – such as sustainability and financial inclusion – that we are working on. More tha... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Fuel_poverty__our_nu/Fuel_poverty__our_nu.aspx Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT contact@consumerfocus.org.uk (News Editor) 26 September 2008   1 October is Day One for us – the 'soft launch' date when Consumer Focus starts working for consumers throughout the UK. And it feels great to start work. The priority over the past few months has of course been the... http://www.consumerfocus.org.uk/en/content/cms/News___Press/Ed_s_Day_One/Ed_s_Day_One.aspx