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: 16 December 2010
Responding to concerns about the cost of heating oil, Audrey Gallacher, Head of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘Hundreds of thousands of households across the country rely on heating oil to warm their homes and many people will be shivering at the thought of recent price rises. The price of crude oil has risen far [...]
Published: 16 December 2010
In response to Ofcom’s proposals to end confusion over costs of non-geographic numbers, Hannah Bullivant, telecoms specialist at Consumer Focus said: ‘We welcome moves by Ofcom to simplify and standardise non-geographic numbers such as 0800 and 0845 – these changes are long overdue. ‘For too long consumers have faced a bewildering amount of different phone [...]
Published: 16 December 2010
Consumer Focus welcomes the opportunity to feed into the Government’s consultation and that the Government has identified lower long-term energy bills as a measure of success for electricity reform. However the watchdog is highlighting the risks posed by consumers being asked to write a blank cheque for reforms. In response to Chris Huhne’s comments on [...]
Published: 15 December 2010
Price comparison site switchelectricandgas.com has won accreditation from the Consumer Focus Confidence Code – the scheme that ensures energy price comparison sites display impartial, accurate and up-to-date information. Like all other price comparison sites already accredited by Consumer Focus, switchelectricandgas.com has had to pass a rigorous audit. It will now be monitored regularly to ensure [...]
Published: 15 December 2010
Consumer Focus is warning that today’s announced freeze on applications for the Government’s Warm Front scheme1, and funding cuts for the scheme, could deprive thousands of vulnerable households of the help they need to make their homes warm and cut their energy bills. The consumer watchdog is very concerned that the 50,000 of the poorest [...]
Published: 10 December 2010
In response to price increases of 5.1% on gas and electricity announced today by npower, Audrey Gallacher, Head of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘More bad news for consumers. npower customers will have been bracing themselves for this bad news after the increases from other firms, but that won’t make them any less worried about [...]
Published: 10 December 2010
Consumer Focus is today announcing updates to its Confidence Code and encouraging consumers to shop around for the best energy deal on switching sites accredited by the improved scheme. With customers concerned about recent price rises in a cold winter, and with an increasing array of complex tariffs on the market, it has never been [...]
Published: 9 December 2010
Audrey Gallacher, Head of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘We welcome the aims of the Green Deal and the plan for tough rules for installers. However if the Green Deal is to be the success we all want to see, consumers need to have complete faith that it will work for them, and the Government [...]
Published: 8 December 2010
Consumer Focus has today launched a new complaints league table to help consumers decide which energy supplier will give them the fewest problems or best handle any problems that arise. The new rankings are based on the most comprehensive energy complaints data available and will be published every quarter with energy companies monitored continually and [...]
Published: 7 December 2010
Responding to the appearance by chief executives of five of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies before the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, Audrey Gallacher, Head of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘It is up to the energy industry to show that any price rises are fair. At the moment, consumers have next to no [...]
Published: 5 December 2010
A new online resource launching today will help communities run their own post offices. The launch of the resource is timely, as changes to the network announced recently1, affecting around 2,000 post offices, may see many more communities looking to run their own branch. Consumer Focus and the Social Enterprise Coalition have compiled a directory [...]
Published: 4 December 2010
Consumer Focus has written to request that Ofgem, as part of its recently announced review, opens an investigation into the way that energy suppliers market and sell tariffs. We believe that energy tariffs are often structured in ways that are overly complex and can seem designed to confuse the average consumer. There are problems with [...]
Published: 3 December 2010
Audrey Gallacher, Head of Energy at Consumer Focus, said: ‘It is good news that the Government has recognised the need for energy companies to be told which groups of people they should target for help with lower bills. Older people on low incomes are in desperate need of cheaper energy bills but so too are [...]
Published: 3 December 2010
A range of media and consumer bodies have today written an open letter to Ed Vaizey, Minister for Creative Industries, following his recent comments on net neutrality. Consumer Focus is a signatory to this letter. Robert Hammond, Head of Post and Digital Communications at Consumer Focus, said: ‘If internet providers are allowed to prioritise traffic [...]
Published: 2 December 2010
Prashant Vaze, head of fair markets at Consumer Focus, welcomed the OFT’s announcement saying: ‘The OFT’s new framework will give clarity to businesses on what they can and can’t do when it comes to pricing. Often these practices aren’t illegal but work against the principles of fair and competitive markets working well for consumers. Consumers [...]
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 [...]
