Happy birthday Consumer Focus
Consumer Focus – the economy-wide consumer voice with particular responsibility in respect of postal and energy consumers – is two years old today. I am proud to be a member of the Board of this organisation which started work almost three years ago, prior to the merger of the National Consumer Council, Energywatch and Postwatch (on whose Council I sat).
Today Consumer Focus celebrates one of our more visible successes with npower’s repayment of £70 million to 1.8 million customers who over-paid for gas in 2007. This result has come about through a year of working closely with npower to ensure overpayments are paid back fairly and that no customer loses out.
Since Consumer Focus was set up, our activity across a range of sectors has translated into real results that have paid out for consumers. It is impossible to calculate an exact figure, but consumers will have felt £500 million of benefit as a direct or indirect result of our work – more than 15 times the grant support we have received. For many, the personal benefit will be small. For those struggling on fixed incomes, it can be very significant.