Web Links
We have listed below organisations that are relevant to the work of the Consumer Panel or that may be of interest to visitors to this website.
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is a one-stop shop for advertising complaints related to broadcast advertising.
British and Irish Ombudsman Association publishes a directory of ombudsman schemes and complaint handling bodies in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
CISAS is an independent dispute resolution service for communications providers and their customers.
Consumers' Association of Ireland is an independent, non-profit organisation working on behalf of Irish consumers.
Department of Culture, Media and Sport has a wide range of responsibilities relating to culture, media and sport.
Department of Trade and Industry is responsible for economic development and competitiveness in the UK. Areas of responsibility include telecommunications and consumer affairs.
Digital TV Group is the industry association for digital television in the UK. The site has a consumer information section.
Digital Switchover Programme - the Government’s website about digital switchover and with information about why the Government wants everyone to switch to digital television. It details work being carried out by the Government, Ofcom and Digital UK under the Digital Switchover Programme.
Digital UK is an independent, not-for-profit organisation established by the broadcasting industry to lead the digital switchover programme.
Disability Rights Commission (DRC) has been set up to work towards the elimination of discrimination against disabled people.
Energywatch is the independent gas and electricity consumer watchdog.
Fax Preference Service (FPS) can help to ensure that consumers’ fax numbers are not available to companies who want to fax them with promotional material that they do not wish to receive.
Financial Services Consumer Panel works to ensure that the FSA (Financial Services Authority) regulates the financial services industry in the UK in the interests of consumers.
General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland is a statutory body whose aims are to promote and safeguard the interests of all consumers in Northern Ireland.
Home Office works to build a safe, just and tolerant society, by putting protection of the public at the heart of everything it does. This extends to policy on child safety and the internet.
Internet Watch Foundation addresses through its Hotline the problem of illegal material on the internet, with particular reference to child pornography.
National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux - the Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free information and advice from over 3,000 locations, and by influencing policymakers.
National Consumer Council seeks to make all consumers matter. It does this by researching, campaigning and working with those who can make a difference to achieve beneficial change for consumers. It has a particular responsibility to address the needs of disadvantaged consumers.
Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services.
Office of Fair Trading is responsible for making markets work well for consumers. It achieves this by promoting and protecting consumer interests throughout the UK, while ensuring that businesses are fair and competitive.
Office of the Information Commissioner is the UK's independent authority set up to promote access to official information and to protect personal information.
Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman (Otelo) sorts out disagreements between public communications providers and their customers. It investigates complaints fairly by listening to both sides of the story and looking at the facts.
PhonepayPlus is the industry-funded regulatory body for all premium rate charged telecommunications services.
Postwatch is an independent organisation, not attached to the Royal Mail Group or part of the Government. Postwatch was set up to ensure that post offices, Parcelforce, Royal Mail and any competing postal providers, give the best service possible to their customers.
Scottish Consumer Council’s (SCC) purpose is to make all consumers matter. It is an independent policy organisation with a solid foundation in consumer research.
Telecoms Advice is an independent website for small UK businesses, SMEs, remote and Small Office Home Office (SOHO) workers. It covers the practical applications, benefits and costs of using UK business telecommunications.
Telephone Preference Service (TPS) helps to make sure consumers’ telephone numbers are no longer available to companies who may telephone them with offers and information they do not wish to receive.
Topcomm is a service designed to help fixed line telecoms customers to make informed decisions on which supplier to use.
TopNetUK allows you to compare the geographic network performance and voice call quality of each of the GSM mobile network operators: O2, Orange, Vodafone and T-Mobile.
Trading Standards Central is a one stop shop for consumer protection information in the UK. The site is supported and maintained by TSI, the Trading Standards Institute. The site provides a wealth of information for consumers and businesses, schools, advice and information centres, community organisations, local councils, business support agencies and trade associations.
Welsh Consumer Council is the national consumer body for Wales. It aims to bring about change by championing the consumer interest, especially the interest of those who are disadvantaged.
Which? is a not-for-profit organisation which researches and campaigns on behalf of consumers. Its aim is to empower consumers with the knowledge that enables them to make informed decisions, and lobby for change where consumers are getting a raw deal.
