Publications
If you require any of our publications in Braille, large print or on audio CD please contact us.
Annual Plan 2012/13
11 April 2012
This Annual Plan is published as Government announces its long-awaited proposals to reform publicly funded consumer advice, advocacy and enforcement. Over the coming year it shows how we will work with colleagues from the Citizens Advice service and others to manage a successful transition of our general advocacy responsibilities. It also outlines how we, in [...]
Collecting and sharing credit reference information: The impact on energy consumer behaviour
4 April 2012
Research commissioned to inform our understanding of current consumer attitudes and feelings toward credit scoring and explore whether consumers think that they would behave differently if they knew that a company has moved to using more credit reference data.
Hands up and hands on – Understanding the new opportunities for localism
15 March 2012
Much of what has been written on the opportunities and challenges of implementing the ‘big society’ has been from the perspective of local authority providers or community development organisations. This new research gives voice to the regular users of services, investigating their attitudes towards greater localism and the appetite for greater participation in both local decision making and service delivery.
Off-grid fuels – An investigation of the off-grid energy market
29 February 2012
The report draws upon research Consumer Focus commissioned to investigate the off-grid market and considers the potential for Government policy initiatives to address the problems in the market.
What do consumers want, need and expect from online public services
25 January 2012
As we accelerate towards a world of public services that are ‘digital by default’, will consumer needs, hopes and expectations be met? To address this question, Consumer Focus commissioned social design agency thinkpublic to undertake detailed research in 2011 into what really matters to consumers. An online public services website was launched in January 2012 and [...]
Filling the gaps – Accuracy of Green Deal advice for cavity-walled homes
13 January 2012
Consumer Focus is asking Government to take swift action to make changes to the way energy efficiency assessments treats cavity wall insulation. Consumer Focus has found that RdSAP, the Government’s energy efficiency assessment method, will never recommend cavity wall insulation for homes built after 1983, despite up to 2.3 million homes being built after this date with clear, unfilled cavity walls.
Draft annual plan – Help us to make a difference in 2012/13
20 December 2011
We are asking our stakeholders what we should be doing on behalf of consumers in 2012/13. Consumer Focus Scotland and Consumer Focus Wales will be consulting on Scotland and Wales specific work areas. Consumer Focus works with a large number of stakeholders including other consumer bodies, campaigning charities, industry, regulators, governments, and the European Commission. [...]
Keeping FiT – Consumers’ attitudes and experiences of microgeneration
12 December 2011
The type of consumers who have installed renewable technologies, and the obstacles to installation, show that there is still a significant way to go to make microgeneration accessible to all. But most consumers with installed systems have had a positive experience, which is encouraging others to invest. This report brings together complementary consumer research by [...]
Devon knows – Long-term impacts and lessons from the Post Office Closure Programme
7 December 2011
In May 2007, the Government embarked on the Network Change, or Post Office Closure Programme, which resulted in Post Office Ltd (POL) closing nearly 2,500 post offices, including 500 branches, which were replaced with Outreach services. The Post Office Closure Programme was necessary to help get the Post Office network on a more stable footing [...]
Guaranteed Standards of electricity distribution
6 December 2011
This report reviews the guaranteed standards of performance for electricity distributors. The regulations were put in place by Ofgem, the energy regulator. The report shows the number of payments made by Distribution Network Operators against the Guaranteed Standards.