Citizens Advice responds to Which? findings on mobile handset loyalty penalty

Dame Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“We’re concerned that Which? has found mobile phone companies are still penalising customers for their loyalty.

“We were pleased when most providers agreed to reduce or eliminate the handset loyalty penalty earlier this year. But we’re still disappointed some providers didn’t go further and that Three still hasn’t taken any concrete action to address the loyalty penalty.

“Today’s findings show that even two years after our super-complaint was made,  Ofcom still has a lot of work to do to stamp out the mobile loyalty penalty once and for all.”

Notes to editors

  1. Citizens Advice includes the national charity; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.

  2. Citizens Advice is the statutory consumer advocate for energy and post. We provide supplier performance information to consumers and policy analysis to decision makers.

  3. The Citizens Advice Witness Service provides free, independent support for prosecution and defence witnesses in every criminal court in England and Wales.

  4. Citizens Advice offers Pension Wise services at 500 locations in England and Wales.

  5. Citizens Advice’s services are free, independent, confidential and impartial, and available to all regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

  6. To get advice online or find your local Citizens Advice, visit citizensadvice.org.uk

  7. For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 to talk in Welsh.

  8. We helped 2.6 million people face to face, by phone, email and webchat in 2017-18. For service statistics see our monthly publication Advice trends.

  9. Citizens Advice staff are supported by over 23,000 trained volunteers, working at over 2,500 locations in England and Wales.