Featured research

View our featured research on important topics impacting Northern Ireland consumers at the moment.

  • Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker

    A quarterly publication that shows what households in Northern Ireland are experiencing financially, including changes to their income, expenditure and in which areas they are spending most of their money. 

  • Cost of living pulse surveys

    Quarterly pulse surveys which gathers consumer perceptions and experiences of the cost of living crisis in Northern Ireland. 

  • Consumer attitudes to energy transition

    As Northern Ireland works towards achieving net zero targets by 2050, we are carrying out ongoing research into what consumers think about this and how they are impacted.

  • Financial Services in Northern Ireland

    We carry out research to quantify the lived experience in Northern Ireland relating to financial services, focusing on financial exclusion, access to cash and borrowing, and levels of lending, savings and debt.

Consultation responses

In our consultation responses, we use evidence-based insights to promote and safeguard the interests of consumers in Northern Ireland, advocating on their behalf.

View our consultation responses below.

Our recent insights

Northern Ireland Consumers & the Cost of Living- Pulse Survey February 2024

Findings from our Pulse Survey February 2024.

Northern Ireland Consumers & the Cost of Living- Pulse Survey February 2024 Pulse_Survey_ Feb_2024.pdf

Q4 2023 - Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker

The Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker showing data from October to December 2023.

Q4 2023 - Northern Ireland Household Expenditure Tracker Household_ Expenditure_ Tracker_2023_Q4_AV.pdf

Consumer views on water

A research project regarding the following: consumer views of NI Water; consumer perspectives on NI Water policy priorities; and consumer attitudes to environmental and climate change issues relating to water and sewerage services.

Consumer views on water Consumer_views_ on_water.pdf
Topic
108 research reports available

Research Report: Older Persons, Public Transport and COVID-19

Read the summary report on Older Persons, Public Transport and COVID-19

Research Report: Older Persons, Public Transport and COVID-19 Older_Persons_Public_Transport_Insight_Report.PDF

Consumer friendly report: consumer experiences of installing renewable technology

We recently carried out research to explore the consumer journey with renewable technologies using qualitative research.

This consumer friendly report lays out the key findings and final recommendations.

Consumer friendly report: consumer experiences of installing renewable technology Consumer_Experiences_of_Installing Renewable Technology in NI_R.pdf

Brexit transition: NI Consumers

Brexit transition: NI Consumers (April 2020)

A report prepared by Ipsos MORI for The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland.

Brexit transition: NI Consumers Brexit_Transition_NI_Consumers.pdf

Electricity Suppliers: Customer Satisfaction Survey Over 3 Years

Electricity Suppliers: Customer Satisfaction Survey Over 3 Years 

Electricity Suppliers: Customer Satisfaction Survey Over 3 Years Customer_Satisfaction_with_electricity_suppliers_over_three_years.pdf

A review of the Utility Regulator’s Draft Determination of SONI’s price control 2020-2025 - SGL

The Utility Regulator (UR) published its Draft Determination (DD) of SONI’s price control 2020-2025 on 6 July 2020.

A review of the Utility Regulator’s Draft Determination of SONI’s price control 2020-2025 - SGL SLG_Economics_Report_on_Review_of_SONI_Draft_Determination.pdf

Electricity Suppliers: Customer Satisfaction Survey September 2020

Electricity Suppliers: Customer Satisfaction Survey September 2020

Electricity Suppliers: Customer Satisfaction Survey September 2020 Electricity_Suppliers_Satisfaction_Survey-September_2020.pdf

The Universal Postal Service and Northern Ireland Consumers

The Universal Postal Service and Northern Ireland Consumers 

The Universal Postal Service and Northern Ireland Consumers The_Universal_Postal_Service_and_Northern_Ireland_consumers.PDF

Consumer Insight Survey 2020

Consumer Insight Survey 2020

Discretionary income and living cost changes in Northern Ireland

In this report Cebr analyses data on household income, taxes and spending to understand how increases in cost of essential products and services impact the discretionary income of households in Northern Ireland.

Discretionary income and living cost changes in Northern Ireland Discretionary_income_and_living_cost_changes_in_Northern_Ireland.pdf

Christians Against Poverty research into illegal lending in Northern Ireland

The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, as part of its Stop the Loan Sharks campaign and to obtain information to inform future discussion and the direction of any future policy in this area, commissioned Christians Against Poverty (CAP) to help, with others, to provide a clearer picture of the position in Northern Ireland – firstly, to help establish if illegal lending is going on and, if it is, the extent of such lending, the areas in which it is happening and any patterns or fluctuations in lending and borrowing behaviours which can be ascertained.

Christians Against Poverty research into illegal lending in Northern Ireland Christians_Against_Poverty_research_into_illegal lending_in_Northern_Ireland.PDF

Research notice

Sometimes research companies conduct research on our behalf. Read our Research notice here.