Published: 7 February 2012
Audrey Gallacher, Director of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘We welcome the move by E.ON to change its Direct Debit policy. It is a victory for common sense and hopefully the first of many steps the company will take in its Reset Review programme to improve the experience of its customers. ‘With this in mind [...]
Published: 17 March 2011
Sustainable choices conference Challenging behaviours: making sustainable choices everyday choices Consumer Focus and National Social Marketing Centre Conference Tuesday 19 April 2011, 10am–4pm Cavendish Conference Centre, Duchess Mews, London W1G 9DT Changing consumer behaviour is vital to achieving a sustainable society. Some sustainable behaviours, like recycling, have become mainstream, but more far reaching change is [...]
Published: 16 March 2011
Consumer Focus today identifies ten key questions for Government if the Green Deal is to realise its ambition to ‘revolutionise’ the energy efficiency of UK homes1. The consumer watchdog welcomes the Green Deal‘s aim to cut our carbon emissions, lower customer bills and keep consumers’ homes warm. However, it raises a number of challenges which [...]
Published: 15 March 2011
Welcoming the announcement that the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to undertake a market study on energy supplies to people who are off the main gas grids, Andrew Hallett, energy expert at Consumer Focus said: “This issue affects millions of people living in rural areas who rely on heating oil and liquid petroleum gas [...]
Published: 15 March 2011
Consumer Focus welcomes this new code as a first step in the direction of improving information given to broadband customers. The watchdog hopes this initiative will decrease the technical gobbledygook which is often hidden away in broadband contracts and help consumers to make more informed choices. Consumer Focus is keen to work with BSG to [...]
Published: 11 March 2011
Consumer Focus and GB’s six largest energy suppliers have reached a new agreement that could bring benefits to customers with prepayment meters (PPMs). The ‘5 Key Principles’ suppliers have signed up to are a step towards providing better service for pre-pay customers. They should help to improve the way pre-payment works, provide extra support for [...]
Published: 11 March 2011
The second quarterly energy complaints league table compiled by Consumer Focus is published today. These figures are regularly updated by the watchdog, based on the most comprehensive energy complaints data available, and are published every three months. Greater volumes of complaints and problems experienced over the winter have led to changes in the league table. [...]
Published: 10 March 2011
Welcoming the Government’s announcement today on the Renewable Heat Incentive, Liz Lainé, energy expert at Consumer Focus, said: ‘It is particularly good news that consumers living off the gas grid, who often have much higher energy bills, will be a key target in the roll-out of this scheme. Energy efficiency and renewable heating systems could [...]
Published: 5 March 2011
Consumers could face significant bill increases as the UK’s infrastructure for essential services goes through a major modernisation programme over the next decade. Large scale investment programmes in energy, water, post, rail, airports and communications could have significant implications for consumers for a generation. Consumer Focus today published a paper making the case for the [...]
Published: 4 March 2011
Andy Burrows, postal services expert at Consumer Focus said: ‘Today’s announcement of strike action by CWU is an issue for management and unions to resolve. But consumers will want it resolved quickly and will want talks to avoid the risk of future strike action. ‘Although the Crown post office network accounts for just 373 out [...]
Published: 4 March 2011
Consumer Focus has written to Clydesdale Bank calling on it to stop asking customers to meet the costs of its mistakes. The call comes after the bank miscalculated repayments for 18,000 mortgage holders and then raised monthly payments to recover the resulting shortfall. The consumer watchdog estimates that the cost of the error will be [...]
Published: 3 March 2011
The Department for Work and Pensions has today announced it will award the contract for paying out benefits cheques to Paypoint instead of Post Office Limited. The contract is worth £20million a year to the Post Office and 250,000 vulnerable people collect their benefits in this way. Responding to the announcement, Andy Burrows, post expert [...]
Published: 3 March 2011
Supporting Ofcom’s announcement on consulting on banning rollover contracts, Robert Hammond, Head of Telecommunications at Consumer Focus said: ‘This move to make sure that consumers actively opt-in to renewing a contract is very welcome. Rollover contracts are unfair and confusing for customers. They have also hindered competition by making it harder for people to shop [...]
Published: 2 March 2011
Energy Performance Certificates that should help people cut their bills are having no influence on four out of five homebuyers who see them, according to new research by Consumer Focus.1 The consumer watchdog, carried out a survey to find out how useful prospective buyers and tenants found the certificates, which landlords and homeowners are legally [...]
Published: 28 February 2011
In response to the Financial Ombudsman Service complaints figures announced today, Oliver Morgans, financial services expert at Consumer Focus said: ‘Rising complaints and the unacceptably high number of cases upheld by the Ombudsman show that banks need to pull their socks up when it comes to complaint handling. ‘Consumers will be asking how the big [...]
Published: 28 February 2011
More than bad weather to blame for poor postal performance In response to Royal Mail’s performance statistics published today, Robert Hammond, Head of Post and Digital Communications at Consumer Focus, said: ‘While bad weather clearly had a big impact, Royal Mail cannot entirely blame the cold for these dismal results.1 ‘Many consumers continued to get [...]
Published: 2 February 2012
Responding to Ofcom’s new research on UK broadband speeds, Annie McGovern, Digital Expert at Consumer Focus Scotland, said: ‘It’s good news that the Ofcom research shows customers are getting faster broadband speeds but many people across Scotland will take some convincing. There is still a digital divide in Scotland between the speeds people can get [...]
Published: 31 January 2012
Annie McGovern, digital expert at Consumer Focus Scotland said: “Consumers in Scotland want fast and reliable broadband services and to be able to keep pace with all the new fantastic technology developments the 21st century will offer. Having the right infrastructure in place is absolutely critical to doing this. “These commitments by the Scottish [...]
Published: 25 January 2012
More work needed to make Green Deal right for consumers The success of the UK government’s Green Deal – the new scheme intended to transform the energy efficiency of homes and businesses and lower fuel bills – needs more work for consumers in Scotland to be convinced. In response to the UK government’s ‘Green Deal [...]
Published: 24 January 2012
Consumer watchdog response to post office deal Responding to the UK government’s announcement that Royal Mail and Post Office Limited (POL) have agreed a commercial arrangement that will provide a significant amount of security for the network over the next ten years, Sarah O’Neill, Director of Policy at Consumer Focus Scotland said: “This ten year [...]
Published: 24 January 2012
Trisha McAuley, Deputy Director at Consumer Focus Scotland said: “It is good news that water charges are not going up. Households budgets are under a lot of pressure with the high cost of basic items such as energy and food so consumers need to see value for money from their public services and will expect [...]
Published: 6 February 2012
In a report Staying Local: the Future of the Post Office Network, the consumer watchdog found that while there are clear benefits for customers in PO Locals, consumers also have concerns.
Published: 2 February 2012
Consumer Focus Wales is calling on consumers to back their campaign to make changes to food law in Wales.
Published: 31 January 2012
Consumer Focus Wales has asked AMs to support action to protect people who live in park homes from financial abuse by rogue site owners.
Published: 18 January 2012
“More than two in every five Welsh consumers have never switched their energy supplier. Many of those who have switched have done so just once, switching from separate gas and electricity suppliers to a dual fuel deal. That means as many as eight out of ten households in Wales could be paying more than they need to heat their homes." - Lindsey Kearton, Consumer Focus Wales.
Published: 9 January 2012
We believe that these goals, which have been drawn from our major consultation exercise with consumers in all corners of Wales – will provide a fitting legacy for all the hard work undertaken by Consumer Focus Wales.
Published: 5 February 2012
A new report published today by Consumer Focus Post – called ‘Consumer Friendly Post Offices?’1 – examines how well the Post Office network is meeting the needs of Northern Ireland consumers. The new findings show that post offices are well-used and valued, with four in 10 consumers visiting the post office once a week, increasing [...]
Published: 24 January 2012
Responding to the news that Royal Mail and Post Office Limited (POL) have agreed a commercial arrangement that will provide a significant amount of security for the network over the next ten years, Kellin McCloskey, Head of Postal Policy at Consumer Focus Post said: ‘We welcome this announcement by Edward Davey – a ten year [...]
Published: 5 December 2011
Consumer Focus Post is calling for people to think about posting cards and presents and ordering online Christmas shopping earlier this year. Many people may be risking Christmas disappointment by posting their Christmas mail and doing their online Christmas shopping at the last minute. Kellin McCloskey, Head of Postal Policy at Consumer Focus Post said: [...]
Published: 24 October 2011
Responding to Simon Hamilton MLA’s call today for drivers in Northern Ireland to be allowed to renew their car tax online, Kellin McCloskey, Head of Postal Policy at Consumer Focus Post, ‘Consumers in Northern Ireland need a range of options for renewing their car tax, or indeed accessing any government service. Access both online and [...]
Published: 20 October 2011
Responding to Ofcom proposals on regulation of the postal service, Kellin McCloskey, Head of Postal Policy, Consumer Focus Post, said: ‘The proposals made by Ofcom today suggest major change for the future of Northern Ireland’s postal service. We must ensure the right balance between putting Royal Mail on a stable footing and ensuring value and [...]
