Consumer Council Response To Budget
Wednesday 24 March 2010
- Bank Accounts For All
The Consumer Council has recognised the Government’s objective to address financial exclusion but has said the bank accounts for all proposal will not be successful unless the issue of unfair bank charges is resolved.
Consumer Council Chief Executive, Antoinette McKeown said: “Creating bank accounts for all will essentially push more people into a relationship with businesses which are not yet regulated in the way the Consumer Council feels they need to be. Many consumers still feel the charges they have to pay for slipping into the red are unfair and excessively high. The Consumer Council believes that legislation is the best way to tackle this problem and we continue to lobby the Government to put in place proper protection for consumers.”
- Winter Fuel Allowance
The Consumer Council has welcomed plans to extend Winter Fuel Allowance rates for a further year, but said it continues to be deeply concerned about the increasing levels of fuel poverty in Northern Ireland.
Said Antoinette: “Fuel Poverty levels in Northern Ireland have reached crisis proportions with one-in-two households struggling to heat their homes adequately. Today’s announcement will provide some relief to pensioners who have been struggling through one of the coldest periods on record; unfortunately it will not provide the step-change of ambition that is needed if the Government is to meet its target of eliminating fuel poverty in all households by 2016.”
- Petrol and Diesel
Commenting on the implications for petrol and diesel consumers, Antoinette continued: “Although consumers will not face the full 3 pence per litre increase which was expected, customers filling up at the pumps are still facing an extra 1ppl increase in the rate of duty from the start of April. This adds to the difficulty of already high costs of fuel in Northern Ireland which have soared close to, and in some cases above, 120ppl. In reality the protection from further increases in fuel duty is temporary as additional increases of 1ppl are due to be introduced in October 2010 and January 2011.”
- Consumer Council media contact: Keelin Kelly, telephone, 028 9067 4807 or e-mail, kkelly@consumercouncil.org.uk.
- The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
- For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk
