Consumer policy research

Our consumer policy research covers a wide range of regulated and unregulated markets - allowing us to identify the problems consumers face in particular markets as well as drawing comparisons and lessons about the policies and practices commonly found in a number of markets.

Overcharging consumers in a cost-of-living crisis: The loyalty penalty 4 years on

01 August 2022

1 in 7 people are still paying the loyalty penalty in the mobile, broadband and mortgage markets. Regulators need to take action.

Citizens Advice consumer advice and advocacy annual report 2021-22

14 June 2022

In a year which has seen us go from pandemic to a cost of living crisis, we’re setting out the ways we’ve helped people across consumer advice and advocacy.

Citizens Advice Consumer Work Plan 2022/23

28 April 2022

This work plan describes how Citizens Advice will discharge our role as the statutory advocate for consumers of energy and postal services in 2022/23.

Discriminatory pricing: Exploring the 'ethnicity penalty' in the insurance market

22 March 2022

People of colour may be paying £250 more than White people for car insurance. We’re calling on the FCA to make sure no one pays an ‘ethnicity penalty’.

Consultation: The Citizens Advice Draft Consumer Work Plan 2022/23

20 January 2022

We are consulting on our annual consumer work plan for 2022/23. Please provide any comments to [email protected] by 15 February 2022.

Citizens Advice Consumer Annual Report 2020-21

15 July 2021

This report sets out the work Citizens Advice carried out in 2020-21 in its statutory role as a consumer advocate in energy and post, and also on wider consumer issues that span more than one market.

Citizens Advice Consumer Work Plan 2021/22

13 July 2021

This work plan describes how Citizens Advice will discharge our role as the statutory advocate for consumers of energy and postal services in 2021/22.

Finishing the job on the loyalty penalty: the mortgage and mobile handset markets

18 April 2021

In 2018, we found that loyal customers were overpaying in five essential markets. Since then, we’ve seen some good progress, but there’s much more to do.

Broadband must be made affordable for everyone

28 January 2021

Citizens Advice calls for all broadband providers to offer an affordable tariff for people on low-income benefits.

Consultation: The Citizens Advice Draft Consumer Work Plan 2021/22

15 January 2021

We are consulting on our annual consumer work plan for 2021/22. Please provide any comments to [email protected] by Friday 12 February 2021.

Getting support to those who need it: How to improve consumer support in essential services

15 October 2020

The COVID-19 crisis has led to an unprecedented fall in household incomes. We need more effective mechanisms to help essential service providers to get support to people who need it, particularly those in vulnerable situations.

The loyalty penalty in essential markets - two years since the super-complaint

05 October 2020

Since we submitted our super-complaint to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in 2018, regulators have made progress. If all proposals are implemented, consumers will save £1bn. But there’s still more to do and in some markets we’re worried not enough action has been taken.

Review of supply side remedies - the role of supply side remedies in improving consumer outcomes

28 September 2020

Supply-side remedies can help to protect customers where markets are not working effectively. However, these approaches will only work if regulators get their design right and frequently monitor their impact.

Citizens Advice Consumer Annual Report 2019-20

20 July 2020

Citizens Advice Consumer Work Plan 2020/21

06 July 2020

This work plan describes how Citizens Advice will discharge our role as the statutory advocate for consumers of energy and postal services in 2020/21.

Proposal to tackle subscription traps

06 March 2020

This proposal outlines measures to tackle the subscription traps in a way that is proportionate to the detriment, but also reflects the positive value of the growing subscription economy.

The loyalty penalty in essential markets: one year since the super-complaint

27 September 2019

This paper sets out what progress we think has been made 1 year after we submitted our super-complaint, what regulators’ have planned, and what measures we expect to be taken by both regulators and government by December 2019 to ensure the loyalty penalty is tackled.