POUND NOTES
■ “Robust enforcement action” will be taken if energy companies are found to have treated consumers unfairly when increasing direct debit payments, officials from the regulator Ofgem say.
It follows concerns raised by Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert website, which said at least 30% of customers with British Gas, Octopus Energy and Shell Energy had their direct debits increased by 100%.
Neil Lawrence, Ofgem’s director of retail, spoke to the Scottish Parliament’s Net Zero Committee on Tuesday.
Market compliance reviews are currently under way across the industry, he said, which will look into direct debits and whether increases are fair.
Said Neil: “Martin (Lewis) has conducted some independent analysis and we absolutely welcome that.”
He added: “Rest assured, where I find and where my colleagues find that suppliers have not treated customers fairly we will take robust enforcement action over that.”
Artist Michael Armitage will design a new £1 coin which will enter circulation next year, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced.
The new design for the reverse or “tails” side of the coin will mark its 40th anniversary and it will be revealed later this year.
The chancellor said the design will celebrate the culture, creativity, and heritage and history of the UK in the 21st century.
“It is a great privilege to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Royal Mint on the design of the new £1 coin,” said Michael.
“It is an honour to be part of the lineage of coin-making in the United Kingdom.”
The artist was born in 1984 in Nairobi, Kenya, and lives and works between London and Nairobi.
Earlier this year, the Royal Academy of Arts, London, elected him a Royal Academician in the category of painting.