Cost of Living

The Consumer Council has returned over £1 million to consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland since 1 April 2020. With the COVID-19 pandemic changing how consumers spend, socialise, work, live and travel, the consumer rights body has said this has led to an increased need for its free service.

Fashion retail group Arcadia has entered administration today (Monday 30 November 2020) and has appointed Deloitte as an administrator. The group owns high street brands such as Topshop, Topman, Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Outfit and Wallis.

The Consumer Council welcomes the publication of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Market Study on General Insurance and its proposed measures to tackle unfair pricing practices.

The Consumer Council is urging Danske Bank customers to review their banking needs ahead of the upcoming closure of four local branches later this year. The branches in Ballycastle, Comber, Kilrea and Strabane are due to close on 4 December 2020.

Progressive Building Society has partnered with Action Mental Health and The Consumer Council NI to launch its third annual Northern Ireland Savings Week, from 7-11 September. Savings Week was developed with the aim of instilling a savings culture across Northern Ireland. This year, the coronavirus pandemic has encouraged Progressive to shift the initiative’s focus to encouraging people across Northern Ireland to ‘open up’ about our finances, savings and how they impact on our mental health.

Today (31 August 2020) marks the start of The Consumer Council’s ‘True Cost’ campaign, which is raising awareness of the practical help available to Northern Ireland households that are struggling financially during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The Consumer Council is encouraging individual consumers or local organisations to take part in a new initiative to help improve access to cash within Northern Ireland.

Trading Standards and The Consumer Council are warning unscrupulous traders to stop exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic to profiteer, or face action.

The Council Consumer is advising consumers in Northern Ireland to review how they are spending, as household outgoings are changing with many of us spending more time at home.

Consumers in Northern Ireland will welcome the news that home heating oil prices are on track to hit a record low, according to The Consumer Council’s weekly survey of home heating oil prices.

Fashion retailers Oasis and Warehouse have both entered administration. The announcement may have left many of their customers with gift vouchers wondering what their rights are now.

Cath Kidston and Debenhams have both announced plans to enter administration. The announcements may have left many of their customers with gift vouchers wondering what their rights are now.

The Consumer Council has launched a dedicated website that provides a variety of helpful information for consumers in Northern Ireland who may have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic

Laura Ashley announced on Monday 23 March that it has permanently closed half of its stores and appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers as administrators.

The Consumer Council and the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium have come together in an unprecedented joint plea to ask consumers to "be considerate" and stop over-buying food and other products as unfortunately means others are going without. This call is in response to the rise in over-buying in the past few weeks fuelled by Corona Virus worries.

Highlights video of our fourth annual Consumer Parliament and summary video of issues raised at our four regional parliaments. 

The Council Consumer has launched a new free online interactive budgeting tool to help households take control of their spending and identify areas where they can potentially save money.

The Consumer Council welcomes the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) announcement that Currys is to adopt a range of measures to improve the sales process for extended warranties following feedback from mystery shops at 100 of its stores.

The Consumer Council is renewing its call for drivers to shop around for car insurance as the confused.com car insurance price index reveals another significant increase in the average annual renewal cost for Northern Ireland drivers - up 8% to £942 per year.

The Consumer Council and Radius Housing have teamed up to host a Friday Funday on 23 August 2019 from 10am to 1pm.

The Consumer Council is reminding consumers to think about their banking needs ahead of the Antrim branch closure on 30 May 2019.

Debenhams announced on Tuesday 9 April that it has officially gone into administration, appointing FTI Consulting as the administrator. 

The Consumer Council is urging drivers to shop around for better deals on their car insurance, as the latest figures from confused.com reveal Northern Ireland motorists pay more than the UK average. 

Second-hand cars top complaint in Northern Ireland

The Consumer Council is encouraging consumers to check their homes for old round £1 coins, following the announcement that 169 million of the coins remain unreturned.

The Consumer Council is encouraging consumers to shop around for better deals on their food and groceries, as the latest figures from The Office for National Statistics show that while more than 2,500 products have shrunk in size over the past five years, they are still being sold at the same price.

Consumer Council's New Energy Price Comparison Site to Save Consumers Money!

The Consumer Council is currently inviting views on its draft Corporate Plan 2016-21 and Forward Work Programme 2016-17.

The Consumer Council has welcomed Power NI’s 10.3% tariff reduction. The Consumer Council’s Head of Energy, Richard Williams said: “This is good news for Power NI customers. Domestic consumers will see prices reduce by around £54 per year and £200 for regulated business customers.

The Consumer Council in partnership with Advice NI, Citizens Advice Bureau Northern Ireland and the Law Centre NI yesterday (07 October 2015) signed the ‘Consumer Rights Initiative’ Memorandum of Understanding.

It’s World Consumer Rights Day on 15 March and the Consumer Council is joining with many other consumer bodies around the world to highlight this year’s theme of healthy, affordable diets.

The Consumer Council has warned that nearly half of consumers here struggle to keep up with bills and financial commitments. Today’s announcement comes as the Consumer Council launches its second wave of ‘Consumer Outlook’ research.

The Consumer Council has today revealed that despite positive signs emerging in the wider economy, these are not filtering through to consumers, with 70 per cent not yet feeling the green shoots of economic recovery.

Almost £500,000 has made its way back to consumers' pockets over the last year after they turned to the Consumer Council for help with their complaint.

The Consumer Council has welcomed the Competition Commission’s final determination which sets the cost to be paid for electricity by consumers over the next three years.

Making information consumers want clearer and easier to access has been the key aim of the new updated Consumer Council website, which has gone live.

The recent Budget revealed measures that will bring changes for Northern Ireland consumers across a range of issues including the price of a pint, pensions, savings limits and tax allowances.

The Consumer Council will be watching with keen interest what the 2014 Budget will deliver for consumers in Northern Ireland. Consumers have told us that almost half of them (49 per cent) are worried about their ability to make ends meet currently, but even more consumers (56 per cent) are worried about their ability to make ends meet in the future.