Policy & Research
Post
Post Office Advisory Group
The Post Office Advisory Group (POAG) is a group hosted by Consumer Focus and chaired by former Consumer Focus Board member Roger Darlington. The group meets on a quarterly basis to identify and consider consumer concerns about issues affecting the Post Office network and the consumer experience.
While the aim of POAG is to promote the views, concerns and interests of all consumers, it gives particular regard to people with disabilities, the elderly, those on low incomes and people who reside in rural areas.
POAG is not a policy making body, but its views make an important contribution towards the development of Consumer Focus policy and it gives advice to key stakeholders, including HM Government, current and future postal services regulators, and all other relevant bodies.
In addition to the quarterly meetings, the Group promotes and protects the interests of post office consumers through information gathering, shared research, seminars, and lobbying government departments and relevant agencies. Where POAG members identify a common cause, the Group will campaign jointly in the interests of Post Office consumers.
POAG comprises some of the UK’s leading consumer organisations including:
- Age UK
- Citizens Advice
- Commission for Rural Communities
- Federation of Small Businesses
- Local Government Association
- National Association of Local Councils
- National Federation of Women’s Institutes
- Postal Services Commission (Postcomm)
- Public Utilities Access Forum
- Royal National Institute of Blind People
- Rural Shops Alliance
- Townswomen’s Guild
- Rural Community Shops (part of the Plunkett Foundation)
- Post Office Ltd and the National Federation of SubPostmasters attend in an advisory capacity