The £53-a-month subscription trap

Massive cost of the services we struggle to axe

CONSUMERS are stuck paying £53 a month on subscriptions they no longer want.

Citizens Advice today warns that many people are being enticed into taking out memberships or services which they then struggle to cancel.

Its research covered everything from gyms and TV to insurances and online streaming services.

The charity analysed 586 cases of people who came to it with subscription problems between June and August.

The average person had paid £160 in that time, or £53 a month, on services no longer wanted. And nine in 10 who tried to cancel were initially told by their provider that they could not. Citizens Advice chief Gillian Guy said: “Subscriptions are very easy to sign up to but can be difficult to get out of. “People are wasting time and energy trying to cancel [them] while paying out of pocket.” The study found firms routinely asking for more notice, up to six months in some cases. And one person told Citizens Advice they had tried to cancel after being made redundant, only to be asked for proof from their employer, including a P45.

As part of National Consumer Week, Citizens Advice and the Consumer Protection Partnership are urging firms to act responsibly – and consumers to be aware of terms and conditions before agreeing to recurring payments.

Most are thought to involve a Continuous Payment Authority, where firms can change payment date or amount without notice.

Consumer Minister Margot James said: “The UK’S consumer protection regime is one of the world’s strongest but there’s always more to do to tackle the issues that could cause the greatest harm.”

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, firms cannot enforce terms on consumers that are unfair.

REGIME Margot James