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Welcome to the August 2026 issue of the UK Consumer Policy Monitor. This month's coverage reflects continued activity across the regulatory landscape, with notable developments in energy markets and financial services drawing attention from both policymakers and consumer bodies. Readers will find analysis spanning our full range of sectors, from housing and water to AI governance and personal finance.
Energy
Energy UK's Chief Executive Dhara Vyas welcomed the government's decision to cut VAT on electricity bills, describing it as a meaningful step on energy costs. [Energy UK]
Residents in a new-build housing development report being billed for each other's energy following a meter mix-up by British Gas, with one household's tariff rising by 19% once the error was corrected. [The Guardian]
*****
Monthly quiz
What name did the singer-songwriter Cat Stevens adopt when he converted to Islam in 1977?
What year was the first automated checkout system introduced?
What is the largest Greek island by population?
What meter is the Odyssey composed in?
Who re-designed the gardens at Wimpole Estate in C18th?
See end for answers.
*****
DESNZ has reminded eligible households that they must be named on their energy bill by 23 August to receive the £150 Warm Home Discount automatically this winter. [DESNZ]
Ofgem published its annual report and accounts for 2025–26, covering activities and progress against its objectives for the year to 31 March 2026. [Ofgem]
The Energy Ombudsman published a report examining how a 'warm transfer' model could reduce barriers between debt and energy advice services and the formal complaints and redress process. [Energy Ombudsman]
DESNZ has opened Phase 1 of the Warm Homes Loan Scheme, inviting lenders to apply to participate in a programme designed to unlock private lending for home retrofit at scale. [DESNZ]
Energy UK's Deputy Director of Policy Ned Hammond noted that conflict in Iran and its effects on energy markets had influenced the level of the price cap for the July to September 2026 quarter. [Energy UK]
The government announced that the first wave of schools to receive publicly funded solar installations is projected to save £220 million on energy bills, which schools may reinvest in education. [DESNZ]
DESNZ published an update on the design of a bill discount scheme for households located closest to new or substantially upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure. [DESNZ]
Financial Services & Banking
The UK's Open Banking ecosystem recorded more than one billion payments and 100 billion API calls across the CMA9 banks since the initiative launched, marking two milestones in the system's growth. [Credit-Connect]
The FCA launched a nationwide advertising campaign on 27 July 2026 to inform car finance customers that they can make a complaint and claim potential compensation at no cost, without using a claims management company. [FCA]
HM Treasury opened a consultation on modernising the regulatory framework for payment services, inviting views on how existing rules should be updated to reflect changes in the payments landscape. [HM Treasury]
The BBC reported on the Bank of England's interest rate and its effect on mortgage, loan, and savings rates for consumers across the UK. [BBC News]
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme published its Annual Report and Accounts and Class Statements on 2 July 2026, detailing its compensation and protection activities over the 2025/26 financial year. [HM Treasury]
The Payment Systems Regulator confirmed new transparency requirements on Mastercard and Visa, requiring both networks to disclose card fee information to give businesses greater visibility over the charges they pay. [Credit-Connect]
Buy Now, Pay Later products came under FCA regulation on 15 July 2026, introducing stronger consumer protections for the sector for the first time. [Credit-Connect]
Bank of England data showed UK credit card defaults rose to their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, indicating an increase in the number of borrowers failing to meet repayments. [Credit-Connect]
The FCA suspended elements of its £9.1 billion car finance compensation scheme, delaying payouts to motorists who were owed redress under the programme. [Credit-Connect]
Debt & Personal Finance
Citizens Advice has warned that hundreds of thousands of households on heat networks may face debt enforcement action, including loss of their home, because heating charges can be treated as rent arrears rather than utility debt. [Citizens Advice]
The Timms Review found that the Personal Independence Payment is no longer fit for purpose, concluding that the benefit has failed to keep pace with changes in disability, health and work over the past decade. [DWP]
The Insolvency Service returned £42.7 million to the economy in its latest annual period, according to its annual report, which also records increased enforcement activity and continued investment in service modernisation. [Insolvency Service]
A £900,000 technology investment by the Insolvency Service is expected to reduce processing times for Debt Relief Order applications, with the changes due to benefit thousands of people in financial difficulty. [Credit-Connect]
A review by the Insolvency Service found that recent reforms to Debt Relief Orders have expanded access to debt relief, with more people in financial difficulty now able to use the scheme to resolve their debts. [Insolvency Service]
The Insolvency Service published its monthly individual insolvency statistics for June 2026, covering bankruptcies, Debt Relief Orders and Individual Voluntary Arrangements in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. [Insolvency Service]
Data from Money Wellness shows Buy Now Pay Later debt has reached record levels ahead of incoming regulation, with June recording 4,520 customers seeking help with BNPL obligations — a rise over the preceding four years. [Credit-Connect]
StepChange reports that one in six people find credit card repayments a large burden, and the charity has called for stronger consumer protections in the credit card market. [StepChange]
A Centre for Social Justice report finds that a single mother in the UK is nearly £10,000 a year worse off financially if she marries, a penalty the report argues undermines marriage prospects for low-income couples and that poorer married parents show greater stability than wealthier unmarried ones. [Centre for Social Justice]
The DWP published an effectiveness assessment of its Universal Credit advances machine learning model for the year to 31 March 2026, including analysis of its impact on claimants with protected characteristics. [DWP]
AI & Innovation
HM Treasury's appointed AI Champions for financial services, Harriet Rees and Dr Rohit Dhawan, published an AI adoption plan setting out a framework for increasing the use of artificial intelligence across the UK financial services sector. [HM Treasury]
The FCA called for tighter oversight of AI in financial services, warning that the technology is likely to have a material impact on retail finance over the next decade. [Credit-Connect]
Which? tested leading AI chatbots on financial advice questions and assessed the reliability of their responses, finding variation in accuracy across platforms. [Which?]
The DWP published research providing guidance and case studies to help employers build AI workforce capability, with a focus on inclusive and safe approaches to AI upskilling in the UK. [DWP]
Amazon and Apple disclosed further details of their AI development strategies, with both companies committing billions of dollars to the next phase of AI technology amid ongoing uncertainty over financial returns. [BBC News]
Dun & Bradstreet's AI Momentum Index reports that business adoption of AI is reaching an inflection point, with UK firms beginning to record more tangible returns on their AI investments. [Credit-Connect]
Housing & Rental
The National Housing Federation has called on the government to withdraw proposals that would remove the requirement for medium-sized development sites of 10–49 homes to deliver affordable housing on site, warning that the change would put half of future rural affordable homes at risk. [National Housing Federation]
Property guardians in the UK pay discounted rents — in one case £580 per month — to occupy disused buildings such as former care homes, living communally in exchange for maintaining the property. [BBC News]
UK house prices rose by just 0.1% in July, with the average home valued at £277,542 compared with £277,484 the previous month and below May's level, according to Nationwide, which attributed the slowdown to economic uncertainty and caution among buyers over interest rates. [The Guardian]
Several local councils have announced plans to move tenants out of Britannia Point, a glass-fronted London tower owned by a billionaire landlord, after residents experienced periods without air conditioning during heatwaves. [The Guardian]
The Housing Ombudsman has published a revised Scheme and its response to the Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) consultation, updating the framework governing tenants' access to information held by landlords. [Housing Ombudsman]
The Housing Ombudsman has released its first report drawing on insights from its duty to monitor landlord compliance with the Complaint Handling Code, setting out lessons identified during the monitoring process. [Housing Ombudsman]
Housing association starts and completions reached a record high in the year to July 2026, according to the National Housing Federation's annual supply survey, with the acceleration occurring within one year of the Spending Review. [National Housing Federation]
The Housing Ombudsman has published a 'learning from severe maladministration' report focusing on roof leaks, identifying early lessons from cases brought under Awaab's Law as an emerging issue in its casework. [Housing Ombudsman]
The Association of British Insurers projects that one in three pensioners will be renting their home by 2044, reflecting a shift in housing tenure among older age groups. [Association of British Insurers]
Regulatory & Competition
The CMA has recommended that UK and devolved governments introduce stronger consumer protections for the 1.5 million households that rely on heating oil, following a market study that identified gaps in the existing regulatory framework. [CMA]
The Payment Systems Regulator published its Annual Report and Accounts for 2025 to 2026, as required under Schedule 4 of the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act, summarising its regulatory activities over the year. [PSR]
The CMA has opened a merger inquiry into E.ON SE's anticipated acquisition of OVO Energy Ltd and is inviting views from interested parties. [CMA]
Citizens Advice warned that energy network companies stand to receive up to £7bn through an inflation loophole in their regulatory settlements, with the charity calling on Ofgem to recover the excess revenue from firms. [Citizens Advice]
The CMA has opened an investigation into Microsoft to determine whether the company misled customers about Microsoft 365 subscription options in ways that led them to pay more than necessary. [CMA]
Ofcom has indicated it is minded to block a new commercial offer from Openreach, finding that the proposal could distort competition in the broadband wholesale market and put upward pressure on long-term consumer prices. [Ofcom]
The Court of Appeal upheld CMA findings that pharmaceutical firms broke competition law by charging excessive and unfair prices for hydrocortisone tablets supplied to the NHS over a period of approximately a decade. [CMA]
The CMA investigated Marks Electrical over suspected consumer law infringements relating to the addition of optional charges at the point of purchase, resulting in an enforcement case against the online electrical retailer. [CMA]
Which? identified five text message scams currently circulating, including fake parking fine notifications and a renewed version of the 'Hi Mum and Dad' impersonation scam. [Which?]
Water
Thames Water's chief executive Chris Weston has said that some of the company's leakage targets are not achievable, while acknowledging that it wanted to improve its performance. [BBC News]
Complaints escalated to the Consumer Council for Water by business customers rose by 30% in the latest year, according to CCW's annual Business Customer Complaints report. [Credit-Connect]
*****
Quiz answers
Yusuf Islam.
1986.
Crete.
Dactylic Hexameter.
Lancelot “Capability” Brown.
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Welcome to the July 2026 issue of the UK Consumer Policy Monitor. This month's edition examines developments across the energy and financial services sectors, where regulatory activity and market conditions have continued to shape the terms on which consumers access essential goods and services. Across the five areas covered in this issue, the policy landscape reflects an ongoing process of adjustment between established frameworks and the conditions under which those frameworks are now operating.
Energy
Households in England and Wales that rely on heating oil will become eligible for a £9,000 grant toward a heat pump under an expansion of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, intended to reduce energy bills for those off the gas grid. [DESNZ]
The UK Competition Network, comprising the CMA and sector regulators including Ofgem, publishes guidance on how competition law is applied across regulated sectors including retail energy. [Ofgem]
*****
Monthly quiz
What is Andy Burnham’s middle name?
What was the name of the first ship to successfully circumnavigate the globe?
Who released the album Electric Landlady?
Why are traditional London bricks yellow?
What is the capital of Cape Verde?
See end for answers.
*****
Ofgem's latest energy price cap, which took effect recently, has resulted in household energy prices rising by 13% year on year, prompting calls for consumers to submit meter readings. [BBC News]
The government announced measures to strengthen consumer protections in the home energy upgrade market, including steps to hold the retrofit industry to account for substandard installations. [DESNZ]
Several retailers have joined a government initiative to make plug-in solar panels more widely available in UK homes, with the aim of reducing household energy bills without the need for professional installation. [DESNZ]
Energy UK estimates that around 250,000 low-income households could save up to £620 on annual energy bills if part of the existing Warm Homes Plan funding were directed towards solar panel installations. [Energy UK]
DESNZ has set out proposals to expand the use of community batteries, through which households and businesses could access cheaper energy by sharing locally stored electricity. [DESNZ]
Which? has published consumer guidance identifying common practices that its energy researchers say lead to higher bills and poor service, based on the organisation's own research. [Which?]
DESNZ has launched a consultation on reforming the consumer protection framework for home upgrade schemes, seeking views on how the system should be restructured to support delivery of the Warm Homes Plan. [DESNZ]
Financial Services & Banking
The FCA is consulting on elements of the Consumer Duty to provide greater clarity for wholesale firms. [FCA]
HM Treasury has opened a consultation on a new First Time Buyer ISA, designed as a simpler savings product to help prospective homeowners accumulate a deposit. [HM Treasury]
The independent Access to Banking Review has entered an intensive evidence-gathering phase, inviting submissions from businesses, organisations, and members of the public on how banking services are accessed across the UK. [HM Treasury]
The Money and Pensions Service will receive £4 million in government funding to strengthen debt advice services for small businesses facing financial difficulty. [HM Treasury]
The government has established a taskforce to encourage young people to claim an estimated £1.6 billion held in unclaimed Child Trust Fund accounts. [HM Treasury]
A government counter-fraud squad has launched investigations targeting individuals and entities that fraudulently obtained Covid-era loans from public funds. [HM Treasury]
Debt & Personal Finance
StepChange Debt Charity has called for action on social tariffs, citing a rise in the number of clients in arrears on energy and water bills; the charity reports that energy arrears among its clients increased by 32% and water arrears by 22% in the past year. [StepChange]
Martin Lewis has described how his name and likeness are routinely used in fraudulent online investment promotions, and has stated that government intervention to prevent such scams would be straightforward to implement. [The Guardian]
The Department for Work and Pensions announced on 9 June 2026 that all face-to-face and telephone health assessments for disability and sickness benefits will be audio recorded as standard, a measure the government described as a transparency improvement. [DWP]
Criminals are operating fake websites that offer to recover lost cryptocurrency access codes, using the process to harvest victims' personal data and funds. [The Guardian]
The Centre for Social Justice reports that record numbers of households are borrowing from illegal lenders as pressures on household finances persist, pointing to a growing illegal lending crisis in Britain. [Centre for Social Justice]
The Insolvency Service's latest 'Confidence in the Regime' report, drawing on views from insolvency practitioners, creditors, debtors and academics, found that the service is making meaningful improvements to the insolvency system. [Insolvency Service]
StepChange reports that council tax debt among its clients has reached a record level, adding to a pattern of rising household debt across multiple categories. [StepChange]
New DWP powers came into force allowing driving bans to be imposed on people who have stopped receiving benefits but refuse to repay outstanding debts owed to the department, extending enforcement options beyond those receiving ongoing payments. [DWP]
The government published its response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's investigation into communications about the rise in women's State Pension age, addressing findings related to how affected women were informed of changes to their retirement age. [DWP]
The DWP published research based on a large-scale survey and qualitative interviews with people who owe overpaid benefits to the department, examining the composition of that debt population and their perceptions of the repayment process. [DWP]
The Insolvency Service published the first large-scale analysis of Members' Voluntary Liquidation outcomes in England and Wales, finding that MVLs are operating effectively. [Insolvency Service]
Two men were sentenced following an insolvency fraud and money laundering conspiracy totalling £3 million, with one disqualified director having used proceeds to fund a lifestyle including a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce. [Insolvency Service]
Financier Lex Greensill is to be disqualified from acting as a company director in the UK for nine years, with the ban running until June 2035. [Insolvency Service]
AI & Innovation
An AI Adoption Insights agreement was reached at the AI Adoption Summit on 8 June 2026, setting out commitments related to tracking and sharing data on artificial intelligence adoption. [HM Treasury]
The CMA has introduced two new conduct requirements on Google to ensure that its search rankings — including AI Overviews — are fair, and that users can benefit from sharing their data with third-party services. [CMA]
Consumers are losing money to fraudulent online retailers after AI tools including ChatGPT recommend cloned shopping sites that mimic legitimate brands. The Guardian reports that scammers are creating counterfeit storefronts designed to appear in AI-generated recommendations, with buyers receiving no goods or having payment details stolen. [The Guardian]
techUK launched an AI Adoption Coalition and an AI Assurance Consortium in June, as part of a busy period of industry-level coordination on AI governance and deployment. [techUK]
Ofcom has published its strategic approach to artificial intelligence, setting out how it intends to apply its regulatory responsibilities to AI over the coming year. The document provides an update on Ofcom's work across the sectors it oversees where AI use is growing. [Ofcom]
The Resolution Foundation hosted the launch of Sarah O'Connor's book 'We Are Not Machines', which draws on her Financial Times column and AI newsletter to examine the relationship between workers and automated systems. The event forms part of the Foundation's broader programme of work on labour market change and technology. [Resolution Foundation]
Housing & Rental
Shelter research found that 40% of workers reported losing sleep due to concerns about housing costs, pointing to the financial pressure tenants and homeowners face across the workforce. [Shelter]
The Housing Ombudsman has published findings from two wider orders against separate landlords relating to pest infestations, describing the cases as a 'significant learning opportunity' for the social housing sector. [Housing Ombudsman]
Shelter calculated that at the current rate of social home construction, it would take 119 years to clear existing housing waiting lists in England. [Shelter]
Regulatory & Competition
The CMA has ordered StubHub UK to refund more than 50,000 customers and pay a fine of close to £900,000 following an investigation into the presentation of mandatory fees that were not shown upfront in ticket prices. [CMA]
Citizens Advice has found that almost half of private renters have encountered letting agents breaching the rules, pointing to persistent non-compliance in the private rental sector. [Citizens Advice]
The CMA has opened an investigation into Ryanair over fees charged to parents who wish to sit with their children on flights, including children with disabilities. [CMA]
The Housing Ombudsman has published an Insight report drawing on root cause analysis from its further investigation reports, identifying common themes intended to inform landlords' and providers' responses to emerging issues. [Housing Ombudsman]
The CMA has published guidance explaining how consumers can claim refunds or compensation when the authority orders a business to make payments to affected customers. [CMA]
The CMA has designated Google as holding strategic market status (SMS) in the provision of general search and search advertising services in the UK, a classification that brings it within the scope of the digital markets regime. [CMA]
The CMA is inviting public comments on proposed conduct requirements that would apply to Google's general search services following its designation of Google as holding strategic market status. [CMA]
The CMA has designated Apple as holding strategic market status (SMS) in the provision of its mobile platform, subjecting it to potential conduct requirements under the digital markets regime. [CMA]
The CMA is investigating suspected consumer law infringements by viagogo Entertainment Inc. relating to how mandatory fees are presented to consumers during the ticket-purchasing process. [CMA]
The CMA has imposed a conduct requirement on Google relating to its general search services, aimed at ensuring that search rankings are fair and transparent. [CMA]
Quiz answers
Murray.
The Victoria.
The wonderful Kirsty MacColl.
Like Trevor Morgan, they have a high iron content.
Praia.
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Welcome to the June 2026 issue of the policythinking.co.uk Consumer Policy Monitor. This month's edition covers developments across energy markets and financial services regulation as policymakers and regulators advance a range of measures affecting household costs and consumer protections. Readers will find analysis across our seven standing sections, from housing and water to debt, AI, and competition policy.
Energy
The UK government announced upgrades to heat networks intended to reduce energy bills for families, hospitals, and charities through improvements in energy efficiency. [DESNZ]
Ofgem has been appointed as administrator for the bill discount scheme, replacing the previous arrangements. [DESNZ]
*****
Monthly quiz
Name one of the US presidents described by The Simpsons as “adequate, forgettable…occasionally regrettable.”?
What is the nickname of Northampton Town FC?
In which London borough was singer-songwriter Raye born?
What is the longest river in Asia?
Whose catchphrase was, “Your bullets cannot harm me - my wings are like a shield of steel.”
See end for answers.
*****
DESNZ published official statistics in development on sub-regional fuel poverty, using 2024 data, as part of the 2026 sub-regional fuel poverty report series. [DESNZ]
DESNZ published guidance setting out the exemptions available under the Private Rented Sector minimum energy efficiency standard, along with the evidence requirements landlords must meet to qualify. [DESNZ]
Power NI and Firmus Energy announced price increases for their customers in Northern Ireland, attributing the rises to higher global energy and gas prices. [BBC News]
Household energy bills in Great Britain are set to rise by 13% from July 2026, with wholesale cost increases linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran feeding through to consumer prices for the first time. [BBC News]
Ofgem announced a 13% increase in the energy price cap for the period 1 July to 30 September 2026, applying to customers on default tariffs. [Credit-Connect]
Cornwall Insight's final forecast for the July–September 2026 Default Tariff Cap projected that bills for a typical dual-fuel household would rise by £209 to £1,850 a year. [Credit-Connect]
Ofgem closed its investigation into British Gas over the force-fitting of prepayment meters without customer consent, with the company set to pay a settlement to affected consumers. [Credit-Connect]
Energy UK's Deputy Director of Policy, Ned Hammond, noted that the July–September price cap announcement confirmed an anticipated rise in customer bills following Ofgem's decision. [Energy UK]
Christians Against Poverty published an explainer for its clients on the 2026 energy price cap changes and their implications for household energy costs. [Christians Against Poverty]
Which? published consumer guidance advising households to review their tariff and take steps to reduce gas and electricity bills ahead of the July 2026 price cap rise. [Which?]
Ofgem published a cyber security strategy setting out a roadmap for government, regulators, and industry to strengthen cyber resilience across the Great British energy sector in support of the Clean Power 2030 target. [Ofgem]
DESNZ reported that solar panel adoption among UK households continued to rise as the government advanced its clean power programme. [DESNZ]
Financial Services & Banking
The FCA has warned young drivers that fraudsters are selling fake motor insurance through social media platforms, leaving buyers unknowingly uninsured and at risk of prosecution. [FCA]
The government introduced a Financial Services Bill to Parliament, designed to unlock investment, reduce regulatory burdens, and strengthen consumer protections across financial markets. [HM Treasury]
The Chancellor announced plans to grant consumer watchdogs new investigatory powers to tackle profiteering by firms in markets where prices are judged to be unjustifiably high. [HM Treasury]
HM Treasury commissioned an independent review to assess how reductions in in-person banking services are affecting consumers' access to banking, with findings expected to inform future policy. [HM Treasury]
Fraudsters are exploiting uncertainty over new inheritance tax rules on pensions, contacting savers and offering to move pension funds into purportedly tax-efficient schemes that are, in practice, scams. [The Guardian]
Consumers who subscribed to the Claude AI chatbot have reported unexplained additional charges appearing on their credit card statements, with one family's experience pointing to wider billing irregularities. [The Guardian]
The government confirmed plans to modernise the Consumer Credit Act for the first time in over 50 years, aiming to update disclosure requirements and give lenders more flexibility to develop new products. [Credit-Connect]
Mortgage repayments in the UK reached 21.3% of gross income, their highest level in nearly 20 years, according to UK Finance, with 723,000 households completing house purchases in the period covered by the data. [Credit-Connect]
An FCA review of firms authorised to approve financial promotions found that some are not meeting required standards, and the regulator has indicated that further action may follow where shortcomings persist. [FCA]
The FCA published a review examining whether the claims management market is functioning effectively for consumers, assessing firm conduct, pricing practices, and outcomes for claimants. [FCA]
The government announced reforms to the bank ring-fencing regime intended to free up capital and enable banks to extend billions of pounds in additional financing to British businesses. [HM Treasury]
HM Treasury published its conclusions from the Ring-Fencing Review, setting out proposals to reform the regime that has required large retail banks to separate core consumer banking from investment banking activities since 2019. [HM Treasury]
Water
Public trust in water companies in England has reached a new low, according to a recent report, with customer concerns centred on the fairness and affordability of bills. [Credit-Connect]
Debt & Personal Finance
The Insolvency Service published its monthly individual insolvency statistics for April 2026, covering bankruptcies, debt relief orders, and individual voluntary arrangements in England and Wales and Northern Ireland. [Insolvency Service]
Citizens Advice reports that 4.6 million people are worried about affording energy bills, with rising costs affecting households that have not recovered financially from the previous energy price crisis. [Citizens Advice]
Research from Which? found that three million households are skipping meals and cutting back on family visits, with its Consumer Insight Tracker also recording a fall in confidence in the economy. [Credit-Connect]
Barclays has announced an additional investment of almost £4 million in debt charity StepChange, building on an existing long-term partnership and a history of regular financial contributions. [Credit-Connect]
StepChange has warned that a rise in the energy price cap of over £200 is likely to deepen existing energy debt among households, with the charity projecting an increase in the number of clients presenting with energy arrears. [StepChange]
The Pensions Commission published its interim report on 19 May, finding that Britain is undersaving for retirement and setting out the principal challenges facing the current system ahead of further work on potential reforms. [DWP]
The Department for Work and Pensions has appointed Joanne Segars OBE as the new Chair of the Pension Protection Fund, with her tenure beginning on 1 July 2026. [DWP]
DWP has issued a call for evidence on behalf of the Timms Review steering group, seeking feedback on the Personal Independence Payment system in line with the review's published terms of reference. [DWP]
DWP has published a draft Code of Practice covering the direct deduction and disqualification from driving order powers introduced under the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Act 2025. [DWP]
DWP published its latest estimates of fraud and error levels in the Great Britain benefit system, presenting figures on the scale and composition of overpayments and underpayments. [DWP]
DWP has published guidance for claimants who received a lower level of benefit following migration to Universal Credit because of an incorrect decision to end a legacy benefit, explaining how to apply for a one-off payment under the Successful Legacy Appeals Compensation Scheme. [DWP]
DWP has updated its guidance on Universal Credit for homeless people and those at risk of homelessness, including information for the organisations that support them. [DWP]
DWP has published guidance explaining how Universal Credit operates for self-employed claimants, including requirements to report income and expenses on a monthly basis. [DWP]
The Insolvency Service has published guidance for directors on personal guarantees, explaining how such arrangements work and their implications for individuals who sign them. [Insolvency Service]
AI & Innovation
More than half of UK businesses plan to increase investment in AI over the next year, according to a Barclays survey of 900,000 firms. The report also found that 68% of companies intend to invest in cybersecurity, with geopolitical tensions cited as a factor driving both trends. [Credit-Connect]
Housing & Rental
ONS data show that renters are experiencing a higher rate of household cost inflation than mortgagors or outright owner-occupiers, whose inflation rates remain lower by comparison. [Credit-Connect]
Shelter estimates that the Renters' Rights Act, once in force, will protect around 2,000 households per month from homelessness caused by no-fault evictions. [Shelter]
The National Housing Federation has summarised the housing-related announcements from the King's Speech of 14 May 2026, setting out their implications for housing associations and social housing providers. [National Housing Federation]
The National Housing Federation responded to the King's Speech on 13 May 2026, welcoming the Social Housing Renewal Bill as a demonstration of the government's stated commitment to protecting the supply of social housing for future generations. [National Housing Federation]
An L&G survey of 2,000 UK homeowners found that moving house (48%) and buying a home ranked as more stressful life events than divorce or a relationship breakdown. [Credit-Connect]
Equity Release Council data show that total equity release lending fell to £574 million in Q1 2026, down 9% on the previous quarter (£632 million) and 14% year-on-year (£655 million). [Credit-Connect]
Shelter published a response to the King's Speech, addressing the government's housing-related legislative announcements; specific details of the charity's position were not included in the source text provided. [Shelter]
Regulatory & Competition
The CMA's May 2026 enhanced road fuel monitoring update assesses the effect of the Middle East conflict on UK road fuel prices, spreads, and margins. [CMA]
The CMA published guidance for trader recommendation platforms on how to comply with consumer law and protect consumers from misleading or deceptive practices. [CMA]
The CMA is investigating whether to designate Microsoft as having strategic market status in relation to its business software ecosystem. [CMA]
HMRC has launched an AI chatbot covering topics including tax, childcare, and apprenticeships, with Which? examining how and whether consumers should use it. [Which?]
Which? reports that around a third of people face pension poverty in retirement and notes that the government is considering changes to workplace pension rules. [Which?]
HMRC has acknowledged an error in how some state pension income is calculated on self-assessment tax returns, which may have led to incorrect tax payments for affected individuals. [Which?]
Quiz answers
You could have any of Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Rutherford B. Hayes or William Henry Harrison.
The Cobblers.
Wandsworth (more specifically Tooting, the best bit of Wandsworth).
The Yangtze.
The one and only Batfink.
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Welcome to the May 2026 issue of the policythinking.co.uk Consumer Policy Monitor. This month's coverage centres on two areas where regulatory activity has intensified: the energy sector, where revised pricing frameworks are moving through consultation, and financial services, where conduct standards are under active review. Across all areas we track, the pace of policy development remains steady as agencies and government departments respond to shifting market conditions.
Energy
The government announced plans to reform Ofgem, giving the energy regulator stronger powers to ensure consumers are treated fairly by energy suppliers. [DESNZ]
Ofgem data shows total energy debt reached a record £4.55 billion at the end of 2025, an 18% increase year on year, according to figures reported by Credit-Connect. [Credit-Connect]
Energy providers in Great Britain are offering customers the option to receive free electricity at times of high renewable generation through the Demand Flexibility Service, allowing eligible households to run appliances at no cost during qualifying periods. [Which?]
DESNZ published interim evaluation findings for the Warm Home Discount scheme covering 2022 to 2024, assessing the scheme's delivery and outcomes for eligible households. [DESNZ]
Cornwall Insights has forecast that a typical annual gas and electricity bill will rise to £1,929 from July 2026 under Ofgem's quarterly price cap, an increase of £288, or 18%, from the current level. [Credit-Connect]
The government announced measures to decouple electricity prices from gas prices, with the stated aim of reducing household exposure to gas market volatility. [DESNZ]
Energy UK responded to the government's gas and electricity pricing announcement, which also included measures to increase uptake of electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar power. [Energy UK]
The Resolution Foundation published analysis of the government's proposed gas-electricity price de-linking policy, examining its implications for household energy costs. [Resolution Foundation]
The government announced an expansion of low-carbon heat networks in Wales, with the stated aim of reducing energy bills for participating households and businesses. [DESNZ]
Financial Services & Banking
The FCA has launched a review into whether annual percentage rates (APRs) are effectively supporting consumers in making informed financial choices. [FCA]
The government has announced measures to help young people locate Child Trust Funds, accounts set up on their behalf that many holders are unaware of or unable to trace. [HM Treasury]
The government announced a package of measures during London Fintech Week aimed at preparing the UK payments sector for future technological developments in financial services. [HM Treasury]
Leading lenders, in a report published by the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME), have called for an overhaul of UK banking regulation, citing frustrations with the current framework. [Credit-Connect]
Haboo Money, a consumer credit engagement platform, has entered a partnership with Transave Credit Union to modernise how the credit union communicates and engages with its members digitally. [Credit-Connect]
The FCA and PRA have confirmed changes to the senior manager accountability framework, intended to reduce regulatory complexity and support economic growth. [Bank of England]
Debt & Personal Finance
The Insolvency Service has opened a consultation on options to reform the corporate civil enforcement regime, seeking views from stakeholders on how the system should be updated. [Insolvency Service]
The Insolvency Service published its monthly insolvency statistics for March 2026, covering the numbers, rates, and sectors of companies entering formal insolvency procedures in England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. [Insolvency Service]
Turn2us published a summary of benefit rate increases taking effect in April 2026, setting out the revised payment levels across a range of welfare benefits. [Turn2us]
Christians Against Poverty published a guide to April 2026 cost-of-living changes, covering adjustments to pensions, benefits, energy prices, and related household costs. [Christians Against Poverty]
Policy in Practice issued its April 2026 newsletter covering changes to the benefit system and noted £54 million in oil support, with analysis of how the policy changes translate into practice for claimants. [Policy in Practice]
StepChange reports that almost half of adults in Great Britain are worried about paying their energy bills, according to its latest survey findings. [StepChange]
The DWP announced that tens of thousands of unpaid carers affected by unclear guidance on earnings thresholds for Carer's Allowance are to have their debts reduced, cancelled, or refunded following a government-launched reassessment of cases. [DWP]
The DWP introduced legislation on 9 April 2026 giving disabled benefit claimants the right to try work without immediately losing their benefits, aimed at removing a barrier to employment for this group. [DWP]
The DWP published a summary of the Right to Try regulations under The Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance (Amendment) Regulations 2026, setting out how disabled claimants may attempt work without their benefits being withdrawn. [DWP]
The DWP published impact and process evaluation findings for the PIP Digital Self-Serve application route, examining how the online channel has performed and its effect on claimants applying for Personal Independence Payment. [DWP]
The DWP released estimated figures for Cold Weather Payments made in England and Wales between 1 November 2025 and 31 March 2026, covering the full 2025–26 payment season. [DWP]
The DWP published statistics on the number of Universal Credit claimants with a health condition or disability that restricts their ability to work, covering outcomes from the Work Capability Assessment process. [DWP]
The DWP published the monthly Universal Credit Local Housing Allowance rates for England, Scotland, and Wales covering April 2026 to March 2027, setting the reference rents used to calculate housing support for claimants. [DWP]
AI & Innovation
Ofcom research published in 2025 found that UK adults are increasingly engaging in passive social media consumption, using AI companionship tools, and generating income through online side hustles, reflecting shifts in how people interact with digital platforms. [Ofcom]
Polling organisations are exploring whether AI-assisted data collection, which is faster and cheaper than traditional methods, can match or improve the accuracy of conventional opinion surveys. [BBC News]
Spotify does not offer users the option to filter out AI-generated music, a feature that rival streaming service Deezer has introduced, leaving a difference in how the two platforms handle listener preferences around AI content. [BBC News]
A study by the Money Advice Liaison Group (MALG) and AI firm Wyser found that generative AI, deployed with human oversight, could reshape the UK's regulated debt advice sector by improving the scale and consistency of advice delivery. [Credit-Connect]
Research by accountancy firm BDO found that mid-market businesses hold a broadly positive outlook on near-term AI investment, with the majority expecting returns from their spending on the technology. [Credit-Connect]
Housing & Rental
Government homelessness statistics show child homelessness in England has reached a record high for the 17th consecutive time, according to Shelter. [Shelter]
The Renters' Rights Act, described as the most substantial overhaul of renting rules in England in 30 years, has come into force, affecting the rights and obligations of millions of tenants and landlords. [BBC News]
Solicitors reported a late surge in requests to serve section 21 no-fault eviction notices ahead of the Renters' Rights Act coming into force, with advice charities also handling a rise in tenant enquiries in the same period. [The Guardian]
The Housing Ombudsman has published its Business Plan for 2026–27, incorporating several changes made in response to feedback received during the consultation period. [Housing Ombudsman]
Regulatory & Competition
The CMA has ordered AA Driving School and BSM Driving School — both owned by the AA — to refund more than 80,000 customers and pay a fine of £4.2 million following a finding that the companies engaged in drip pricing by presenting mandatory fees only late in the booking process. [CMA]
The government has announced new rules targeting subscription contracts it describes as unwanted or misleading, with an estimated saving to consumers of around £400 million per year, including measures to make cancellation easier. [Credit-Connect]
Citizens Advice reports that it is supporting more than 200 people a day with issues including housing disrepair, no-fault evictions, and rent increases, as legislation reforming the private rental sector comes into force. [Citizens Advice]
The CMA is consulting on recent developments relating to Apple's and Google's app store rules, inviting views as part of its ongoing oversight of the two platforms. [CMA]
The CMA has launched a market study into the retail supply of heating oil for domestic use in the UK, examining how competition functions in that market. [CMA]
Ofcom has launched an investigation into whether BT complied with formal information requests issued by the regulator. [Ofcom]
The CMA has published a register of measures it has put in place under the digital markets competition regime, providing a reference point for obligations on designated firms. [CMA]
The CMA has published orders and a tank transfer price calculator intended to make it easier for domestic LPG customers to switch supplier. [CMA]
Which? has examined the cost of life insurance for consumers seeking affordable cover, noting that premiums vary according to health status and the type of policy chosen. [Which?]
Which? has gathered accounts from members on their experiences of obtaining professional financial advice for pension planning, as part of broader coverage of retirement decision-making. [Which?]
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Welcome to the April 2026 issue of the policythinking.co.uk Consumer Policy Monitor. This month's edition examines developments across the energy and financial services sectors, where regulatory activity has been particularly concentrated in recent weeks. Readers will also find analysis of emerging debt and personal finance trends alongside updates from the Competition and Markets Authority and associated bodies.
Energy
The government has announced that plug-in solar panels will be available in shops within months, allowing households to generate their own electricity without installation by a professional. [DESNZ]
Citizens Advice reports that it is providing crisis support to a consumer every 30 seconds, ahead of forthcoming increases to household energy bills. [Citizens Advice]
Citizens Advice warns that 14 million households are served by energy suppliers rated below average for customer service, based on its annual supplier rating exercise. [Citizens Advice]
The Secretary of State and Ofgem have written jointly to Third Party Intermediaries (TPIs) setting out expectations on how they should support energy consumers. [DESNZ]
DESNZ is consulting on proposed changes to the inflation indexation methodology applied to payments under the Feed-in Tariffs (FiT) scheme. [DESNZ]
DESNZ publishes quarterly and annual estimates of the total number of energy supplier switches made by domestic electricity and gas customers. [DESNZ]
Financial Services & Banking
Millions of consumers may be entitled to compensation following the FCA's confirmation of a redress scheme covering commission arrangements between car finance lenders and dealers. [BBC News]
HM Treasury announced measures targeting food prices, energy bills, and profiteering, framing the package as action on cost-of-living pressures alongside longer-term energy security goals. [HM Treasury]
HM Treasury has announced a package of reforms to the Financial Ombudsman Service, aimed at delivering faster and more impartial complaint resolution. [HM Treasury]
Consumer advocates have warned of a rise in so-called friendship fraud, a scam in which fraudsters exploit the isolation of older people to build false relationships, often with serious financial consequences for victims. [The Guardian]
The government has allocated over £50 million to help households meet rising heating oil costs, targeting families facing pressure from elevated domestic fuel prices. [HM Treasury]
Regulators have launched a joint taskforce to address poor practice in motor finance claims handling, following the confirmation of the FCA's redress scheme on 30 March 2026. [FCA]
The government published plans during Debt Awareness Week to provide clearer and more tailored repayment support for people who owe money to government departments, with the aim of making repayment schedules more proportionate to individual circumstances. [HM Treasury]
The government announced reforms to extend the reach of credit unions, widening access to low-cost borrowing and savings products for households currently underserved by mainstream lenders. [HM Treasury]
Mortgage lenders signed the Mortgage Charter 2026, committing to a set of standards that provide borrowers with additional short-term flexibilities to manage their mortgage payments. [HM Treasury]
HM Treasury published information on the Financial Inclusion Committee, including its terms of reference and membership, setting out the body's role in addressing barriers to financial access. [HM Treasury]
Debt & Personal Finance
The DWP has closed two legacy benefits — Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based) — following the completion of its Move to Universal Credit migration campaign. [DWP]
The Insolvency Service has released February 2026 monthly insolvency figures for England and Wales and Northern Ireland, covering bankruptcies, Debt Relief Orders, and Individual Voluntary Arrangements. [Insolvency Service]
The Insolvency Service has published updated guidance for debt advisers on Debt Relief Orders, covering eligibility and application processes. [Insolvency Service]
StepChange's 2025 data show that arrears in energy, housing, and household bills have continued to rise, with the charity warning of growing pressure on those already in financial difficulty. [StepChange]
The DWP has published guidance for new creditors, including utility suppliers and landlords, on how to apply for direct deductions from a claimant's ESA, JSA, or Pension Credit payments. [DWP]
The DWP has issued a toolkit for local authorities, housing providers, and support organisations covering the operation and implications of the spare room subsidy reduction in the social rented sector. [DWP]
StepChange reports that approximately 1,500 people were threatened with imprisonment for council tax arrears over the five years to 2025, highlighting the use of committal proceedings by local authorities. [StepChange]
StepChange data show that half of victim-survivors who experienced coerced debt — debt taken out under duress by an abusive partner — reported a negative impact on their credit record as a result. [StepChange]
The co-chairs of the Timms Review published a progress update in March 2026, setting out developments in the review of Personal Independence Payment assessment and eligibility. [DWP]
Regulatory & Competition
The CMA has opened investigations into five businesses over alleged use of fake reviews and misleading star ratings, as part of its broader effort to enforce consumer protection standards online. [CMA]
The CMA has published guidance on how agentic AI may affect consumers, how existing law applies to such systems, and what steps businesses should take to manage compliance risk. [CMA]
The CMA has designated Google as having strategic market status (SMS) in general search and search advertising, a finding that triggers obligations under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. [CMA]
The CMA has launched a market study into the UK's private dentistry sector, which it values at £8 billion, to assess whether the market is functioning in consumers' interests. [CMA]
The CMA has opened an investigation into hotel chains to determine whether they used a shared data services provider to exchange commercially sensitive information in ways that may have reduced competition. [CMA]
Citizens Advice has published a response to the government's announcement of reforms to the WaterSure scheme, which provides bill support to eligible low-income and high-use water customers. [Citizens Advice]
The CMA has announced a package of measures on business software and cloud services, with the stated aim of expanding choice for UK businesses and the public sector as AI capabilities develop. [CMA]
Upcoming Deadlines
Open consultation
Social Housing Tenure Standard: Direction to the Regulator of Social Housing
Open consultation
Product regulation: the UK’s new product safety framework
Open consultation
Open consultation
Warm Home Discount Guidance 2026: Draft for comment
Ofgem
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