The ESAN Annual Report and Accounts 2018-19 are now available. 
Prof Cosmo Graham appointed Chair of ESAN
ESAN is delighted to announce the appointment of Prof Cosmo Graham as the new Chair. Cosmo Graham is a Professor of Law at the Leicester Law School, University of Leicester and Director of the Consumer and Essential Services Unit. He is an expert in law and policy research into the regulation of essential services with a focus on the representation of the consumer interest, consumers in vulnerable circumstances and dispute resolution.
Members would like to thank Roger Darlington for his excellent work as Chair of ESAN over the last three years and wish him all the very best for the future.
Toynbee Hall: A Powerhouse for Social Change
ESAN Member, Toynbee Hall has returned to its original East End home after three years of renovation work. The new building hosts a new, free and permanent exhibition. The exhibition showcases Toynbee Hall’s contribution to some of the most defining moments in London’s social history over the last 134 years: from the role of co-founder Henrietta Barnett and former residents William Beveridge and Clement Attlee, up to the involvement of the Bengali Community and local innovators whose ideas still shape its work today. It also pays tribute to the work of Charles Booth and his ‘Inquiry into Life and Labour in London’, with a mural depicting one of the maps.
Toynbee Hall will kindly be hosting the ESAN AGM and members’ meeting on Tuesday, 16 October.
Modernising Consumer Markets
The Government has published a Green Paper setting out three principles for responding to the challenges and opportunities of modern consumer markets. Competition has a central role to play, working with regulation in the consumer interest. Consumers should be able to enjoy the benefits of modern technologies and business models, but with effective protections and redress if things go wrong.
The consultation closes on 4 July 2018.
Ofgem updates retail energy price caps
The Government’s Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Act became law on 19 July 2018. Following consultation, Ofgem set the initial cap at £1,137 per annum for a typical default tariff, dual fuel single rate customer, paying by direct debit and using a ‘typical amount’ of energy annually. The level of the cap has to be updated each April and October to reflect the latest estimated costs of supplying electricity and gas, including wholesale energy costs.
As from April 2019, the cap will rise by £117 per annum to take account of rising wholesale costs. Ofgem analysis found that despite the increase,
default tariff customers could be paying around £75 to £100 a year more on average for their energy had the default tariff cap not been introduced.
Citizens Advice calls for regulation of high interest doorstep loans
Doorway to Debt, a new research publication from Citizens Advice, shows that extending the same rules that cover payday loans to the doorstep lending market could prevent their customers getting into problem debt, and save up to £123 million in interest payments on up to 540,000 loans each year.
Stepchange publishes new data on personal and household debt
StepChange Debt Charity’s latest statistics reveal that demand for debt advice is at its highest ever, with many clients struggling to pay bills for essential services, especially younger and vulnerable consumers.
What would really help consumers of essential services?
The report of the ESAN Conference 2018 with conference slides and videos of the presentations where available have now been published. Thank you to everyone who attended and special thanks for the BT team who hosted the event. Please continue to share your thoughts of what would really help consumers of essential services on #ESANdebate.
Banking Standards Board publishes annual review
The Banking Standards Board (BSB) has published its annual review. The review includes the results of the BSB’s largest ever survey of behaviour, competence and culture in UK banking that together can determine trustworthiness.
Wessex Water launches mental health training video to help staff working with vulnerable customers
To coincide with national mental health awareness week (8 to 14 May 2017) Wessex Water has launched an animated mental health awareness video. The video, developed in partnership with local mental health charity, Wiltshire Mind, highlights common issues associated with 
mental ill health, which affects one in for people in the UK each year. The video is part of a range of training materials developed for Wessex Water employees who deal with customers in vulnerable circumstances.