Consumer Support
The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) does not provide advice on individual consumer or competition problems or complaints, nor can it interpret legislation in individual cases.
Consumers in Britain can telephone Consumer Direct on 08454 040506 for clear, practical advice, or visit their web site to view useful on-line advice, fact sheets and sample letters of complaint. Consumers in Northern Ireland should contact ConsumerLine on 0845 600 6262.
If you live in England or Wales and want free high-quality legal information to help you deal with your legal problems, Community Legal Service Direct (CLS Direct) can help.
Consumer Focus is the new statutory organisation campaigning for a fair deal for consumers replacing the National Consumer Council, energyWatch and Postwatch.
Trading Standards Departments sponsor the Rip-Off Tip-Off website, designed to let consumers report, anonymously, traders who they think are ripping people off.
The Trading Standards Central web site contains a list of product safety notices/recalls.
The Financial Services Authority provides a number of on-line advice tools, including a Financial Healthcheck which aims to help identify financial needs and support decision making, and the Debt Test which helps to assess whether you have - or are likely to have - problems with borrowing.
For information on consumer rights and assistance in resolving cross-border disputes in the EU, consumers in the UK can contact the UK European Consumer Centre through their website or on 08456 04 05 03. This service is co-funded by BERR and the European Commission and operated by the Trading Standards Institute
Use the menu on the left or the links on the right for further information.
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