Recommendation 6

There are gaps in the broader consumer protection landscape in water and broadband. In the water sector, there is currently no statutorily approved ombudsman in the manner of the other regulated sectors. The Consumer Council for Water recently stopped carrying out alternative dispute resolution service, in April 2026. In its White Paper responding to the Independent Water Commission review of the water sector chaired by Sir John Cunliffe, Defra has committed to establishing an 6 independent ombudsman. Ofwat told us that Defra is currently consulting on establishing statutory water ombudsman to support customers with complaints, but it is not clear when the ombudsman will be introduced. In the telecoms sector, on which the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) leads within government, there is no organisation with statutory responsibility for providing free advice to telecoms consumers. This leaves consumers in vulnerable circumstances with limited support when navigating the complexities of the broadband market. It is not clear why such provision exists for water and energy customers, but not broadband customers, given the role that broadband services play in allowing citizens to participate actively in the modern economy. recommendation a. Defra should set out its current position on the introduction of an independent ombudsman in the water sector, and a timeline for its introduction. b. DCMS should write to the Committee setting out its position on the introduction of a statutory consumer advocate in the telecoms sector. 7 1 Regulatory approaches to protecting consumers in vulnerable circumstances Introduction