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Fair By Design

@fairbydesign.bsky.social
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Ending the #PovertyPremium: the extra costs people on low incomes pay for essential products & services.

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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Our Head of Policy, Maria Booker, explains why we're organising our People Power conference. Registration is open now → buytickets.at/fairbydesign...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Join us for People Power, our energy conference with JRF, on 16 November in London. We're bringing policy makers, industry, academics and people with lived experience of energy poverty together to imagine an energy system that works for everyone. Book your place 👇 buytickets.at/fairbydesign...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Brilliant to have some words in the HuffPost UK today from our Head of Policy, Maria Booker, and a member of our Lived Experience Panel, Colin, reflecting on yesterday's energy bill increases. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/why-an...
huffingtonpost.co.uk
Why Andy Burnham’s Next Move Must Be An Energy Social Tariff
Writing for HuffPost UK, Maria Booker and Colin Saunders of Fair By Design say the PM must act as bills go up again.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Jo needed £1,200 for childcare. Her bank said no, the only loan she could get was at over 50% interest. Her story, and why the FCA's "have regard" duty to financial inclusion matters, in this piece for LabourList by our public affairs manager Laura. labourlist.org/2026/08/its-...
labourlist.org
'It's people on low incomes who'll pay for financial services deregulation' - LabourList
If we are serious about the cost of living must look at how financial markets are ripping people off. Or those who can least afford it will continue to pay.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Six months ago, the FCA's Premium Finance Market Study confirmed what we already knew: charges are significant, the market is highly profitable, and low-income customers pay the most. Read our latest blog from Rebecca, our Director, on what must happen next 🔗 fairbydesign.com/fca-premium-...
fairbydesign.com
FCA's premium finance approach: progress or drift? A blog from Rebecca, our Director.
FCA's premium finance approach: progress or drift? A blog from Rebecca, our Director.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
The Treasury Committee has published its inquiry into the Financial Inclusion Strategy. Our verdict echoes theirs: a welcome first step, but not yet a complete plan. fairbydesign.com/response-tsc...
fairbydesign.com
Treasury Committee report on Financial Inclusion Strategy: a welcome step, but gaps remain
Read our response to the TSC's inquiry into the Financial Inclusion Strategy.
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The Fair Banking for All Campaign @fbfacampaign.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
@fairbydesign.bsky.social @fair4allfinance.bsky.social @fininclusionscot.bsky.social @callumandersonmp.bsky.social @thefinancelab.bsky.social
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
In the latest episode of the Vulnerability Matters Podcast our Director Rebecca Deegan discusses our new research on the poverty premium. Thank you to Money Advice Trust and Chris for having us on, it was a pleasure. 🎧 Listen to the episode: open.spotify.com/show/2oI3irS...
open.spotify.com
Money Advice Trust
Podcast · Money Advice Trust · Welcome to the Vulnerability Matters podcast from the Money Advice Trust. A series that examines from a range of perspectives how firms are supporting consumers in vulne...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Today we've launched new research Paying More for Less: The Poverty Premium in 2026. To mark the launch our Director, Rebecca Deegan, has written an article in The New Statesman on what a bolder approach to the poverty premium could look like. www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/ec...
newstatesman.com
Andy Burnham must redress the balance between markets, fairness and poverty
Tackling the "poverty premium" - the extra charges incurred by those on lower incomes - could help millions with the cost-of-living
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
Premium finance is still a poverty premium. New Which? research shows APRs close to 30% for those paying car insurance monthly, hitting lower income households hardest. uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/motoris...
uk.finance.yahoo.com
Some motorists who pay monthly for insurance ‘charged annual rates close to 30%’
Paying monthly is often the only realistic option for households facing financial pressure, creating a ‘poverty premium’, Which? said.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
We set up our Lived Experience Panel so people facing the poverty premium shape our strategy, not just comment on it. As Sam steps down after a year, she reflects on the panel and her own story where she was refused credit when she needed it most. Read it here: fairbydesign.com/sam-reflecti...
fairbydesign.com
What being on a low income really feels like: Sam’s reflections on her time as a Lived Experience Panel Member.
Sam was part of our Lived Experience Advisory Panel during its first year. In this blog, she shares her personal experience of living on a low income and what the panel meant to her.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
"Sometimes the issue isn't the person, it's the system they're stuck in." In our latest blog Charlotte, a member of our Lived Experience Panel, and Barbara Hughes from the FCA reflect on what it means to bring lived experience into regulatory policy. fairbydesign.com/why-regulato...
fairbydesign.com
"There is a person at the end of the process": A joint blog by Barbara Hughes, Financial Conduct Authority, and Charlotte, a member of Fair By Design's Lived Experience Advisory Panel.
In May Charlotte, one of Fair By Design's lived experience advisory panel members, spoke at the FCA internal event: Understanding the Power of Lived Experience. This blog is a reflection from Charlott...
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Simon Francis @sifrancis.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Thanks @lbc.co.uk for letting me have my say on the price cap rise today. The next energy bill crisis starts on 1 July and households need short and long-term support to be ready. www.lbc.co.uk/article/ener...
lbc.co.uk
This is why your energy bill just went up – and why Government needs to act now | LBC
Waiting until September to confirm support promises a summer of suspense that vulnerable households cannot afford, writes fuel poverty campaigner Simon Francis
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
We’re delighted to welcome Yvonne Fovargue CBE as Chair of our steering group. To mark her arrival in LabourList, Yvonne reflects on her 14 years as an MP fighting the poverty premium, and why tackling it is essential to rebuilding trust and securing public support for the Government.
labourlist.org
'If Labour wants to take on populism, it must start with the cost of living' - LabourList
Politicians with divisive rhetoric come and go but to voters, putting money in their pockets determines if they feel Labour is on their side
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Finance Innovation Lab @thefinancelab.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
It's been a year since @mchshe.bsky.social's documentary was shown - find out what has happened in the #FairBankingForAll campaign since then.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Ending the poverty premium isn’t niche, it’s a popular idea with the public. Our latest blog turns our polling with YouGov into a set of data visualisations to tell the story of political attitudes on the poverty premium. Read the article 👉 fairbydesign.com/public-attit...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 07/04/2026
While global shocks push prices up, they aren’t the only reason for the cost of living crisis. We rely on poorly regulated markets for essentials, driving a poverty premium. From loyalty premiums to higher monthly charges, millions overpay. Ben Cooper on why Gov must step in @labourlist.bsky.social.
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End Fuel Poverty Coalition @endfuelpoverty.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
📉Today's price cap news: “Brief relief for some. A real worry for millions.” For households already in energy debt, April's fall offers little comfort. [1/4]
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
“𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞.” Our Director, Rebecca Deegan, has a new article in the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ Think series, looking at whether pricing models should reflect the world as it is, or help to build a fairer one. actuaries.org.uk/think-editio...
actuaries.org.uk
‘think’ edition 17: Unfair by design: Should pricing models reflect the world as it is, or contribute to a more equitable society? | Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
Why recent initiatives have failed to improve motor insurance affordability, and reimagining a transport and insurance system designed around social equity.
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Fuel Poverty Action @fuelpovertyaction.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
💥 Today we’re joining forces with 50+ orgs who’ve signed our open letter You can tell the government to stop July bill hikes and give us our fair share of cheap, clean energy #MakeGreenFair 🖊️ Sign the petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/ma...
Demonstrators in London hold banners and placards reading 'Fuel Poverty Action', 'Greenpeace' and 'secure green jobs'. Captions read 'cut energy bills' and '#MakeGreenFair'
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
The Government has announced support for heating oil to help vulnerable households, delivered through the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) from April, this is a welcome and necessary intervention. Our response 📷
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Yesterday’s report by @thecccuk.bsky.social shows that the journey to net zero is an opportunity to reduce energy costs for everyone. We need to unite behind this and make sure it works for people on low incomes.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Our Director, Rebecca Deegan’s, latest article in The Actuary looks at the poverty premium in car insurance - and why actuaries have a key role in making motor cover more inclusive. www.theactuary.com/2026/03/10/r...
theactuary.com
Road worthy: insurers must make motor cover more inclusive
For those on low incomes, having a car can be a vital resource – but they’re often priced out when it comes to insurance.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Too many people on low incomes continue to face a postcode lottery when it comes to getting help with their water bills, forcing them into potential water cutbacks. We're calling for a national social tariff for water in England and Wales to fix this unfair system. Sign the petition ⬇️
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Today’s energy price cap announcement is welcome news, with the typical annual bill dropping by £117 a year. However, the ‘standard credit premium’, the added cost for paying your bill when it arrives, is still £131 a year. Watch @mariacbooker.bsky.social explain the issue.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
We commissioned YouGov to produce nationally representative polling on the British public’s attitudes to the poverty premium and solutions to it. The answers were emphatic: people from across political parties, and regardless of their income, wanted action to end the poverty premium.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Great article from our Director, Rebecca Deegan, in @newstatesman1913.bsky.social today. It covers our new polling with YouGov, which shows the public backs action on the poverty premium. www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/ec...
newstatesman.com
It's official: Labour voters want Starmer to go further on the cost of living
New polling shows that the Labour 2024 voter base want action on the cost of living. Starmer shouldn’t U-turn on this.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Some ICYMI Friday reading for your feeds, our recent blog on what ‘lived experience’ really means and why creating spaces for people to be genuinely valued matters.” Blog: fairbydesign.com/blog-what-li...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 05/02/2026
We’re always keen to highlight local initiatives that successfully tackle the poverty premium, which is why we’ve written a blog about the Soundpound scheme in Greater Manchester. fairbydesign.com/soundpound-r...
fairbydesign.com
Blog: How Soundpound's Partnership is Making Transport Affordable in Greater Manchester
Read our blog which shares good practice on reducing the poverty premium in Manchester.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Our Head of Policy, @mariacbooker.bsky.social, responds to the continuation of the Warm Home Discount, and other recent energy announcements the Warm Homes Plan & Fuel Poverty Strategy. Full response: fairbydesign.com/our-response...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Our latest blog, written by members of our Lived Experience Panel, explores the language we use and asks 'What Does Lived Experience Really Mean?' fairbydesign.com/blog-what-li...
fairbydesign.com
What Does ‘Lived Experience’ Really Mean? Our Panel’s Perspective
Our Lived Experience Panel shares what the term ‘lived experience’ means to them, why language matters, and how genuine inclusion shapes real policy change.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Some words from our Head of Policy, @mariacbooker.bsky.social, looking back at our Give Me Some Credit exhibition. The article is a deep dive on the process we followed and looks at the value of involving people with lived experience in our work. www.civilsociety.co.uk/governance/g...
civilsociety.co.uk
Fair By Design: Give me some credit
Fair By Design teamed up with the Poverty Alliance to document through photography the real-life stories of 14 people who had been denied affordable credit. Maria Booker reports...
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End Fuel Poverty Coalition @endfuelpoverty.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
The Govt’s newly announced Warm Homes Plan sets out a new approach to fixing Britain’s coldest homes. With £15 bn committed, the plan focuses on helping households cut energy waste and reduce their reliance on expensive gas, through a mix of insulation, clean heating and home-grown power. [1/3]
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
Disappointed to see that the Government White Paper on water does not include proposals for a national water social tariff. This means people on low incomes will continue to face a postcode lottery when it comes to getting help with their water bills, forcing them into potential water cutbacks.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 19/01/2026
New research from The Centre for Responsible Credit finds that millions of people are cutting back on essentials like food & heat, and avoiding support in order to preserve their credit scores. Full report👇 www.responsible-credit.org.uk/reports/good...
responsible-credit.org.uk
Good Score, Empty Cupboard
Many low-to-middle income households see maintaining a “good” credit score as vital, often sacrificing essentials to protect it. Credit score apps and dashboards can amplify this pressure. A survey of...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Brilliant support for the Fair Banking Act from @gareththomasmp.bsky.social, proud to be part of the campaign 👊
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The Fair Banking for All Campaign @fbfacampaign.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
"A Fair Banking Act is a common sense, proportionate measure which could have transformative benefits for businesses and communities across the UK, and I commend this Bill to the House." 👏 @gareththomasmp.bsky.social #FairBankingForAll #FairBankingAct
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Laura Aznar @lauraaznarh.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Fitting that my first post is to celebrate my brilliant colleague @mariacbooker.bsky.social contribution to this piece on interest rate caps on @bigissue.com Affordable credit is crucial - and we know people in poverty pay more to borrow money. But to fix this we need to look at the big picture 👇
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
“If you get the line wrong, firms will simply withdraw products and then people are pushed towards other sources of credit." Our Head of Policy @mariacbooker.bsky.social is quoted in the @bigissue.com discussing why interest rate caps alone aren’t enough to tackle the cost of credit.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Shifting Warm Home Discount costs from standing charges to unit rates is fairer for everyone as it gives people more control over costs. Combined with energy measures in the 2025 Budget it will mean low-income households aren't worse off. Full response: fairbydesign.com/wp-content/u...
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 23/12/2025
We’ll be taking a brief break over the festive period and returning in the new year, ready to continue our work ending the poverty premium. We’re grateful for the partners, collaborators, and advocates who have worked alongside us this year, see you in 2026 ❤️
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Last week the Government launched its Motor Insurance Taskforce's Final Report. Read our full response 👇 fairbydesign.com/motor-insura...
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The Fair Banking for All Campaign @fbfacampaign.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Huge thanks to @guardianheather.bsky.social for highlighting the call for a #FairBankingAct to bring banks together with #creditunions and #CDFIs to ensure people can access #affordablecredit when they need it. bit.ly/44dqFAv @coopparty.party.coop
bit.ly
Forcing UK banks to support credit unions would help keep loan sharks at bay | Heather Stewart
High street banks dodged a windfall tax – now they should invest in growth of local lenders
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Today is the final day at Fair By Design for our amazing colleague Camila, who has been an integral part of our work over the past three years. We’re grateful to Camila for everything she’s contributed to our work and wish her well in her next chapter.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Access to a car can open doors to jobs, education & healthcare, but our latest data snapshot showed that rising insurance costs are shutting people out of the market. We’ve created a one-page explainer that shows the key drivers of why people on low incomes can't access affordable car insurance.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 05/12/2025
Today’s publication of the Child Poverty Strategy reflects a much-needed commitment to improving the lives of children across the UK. Child poverty has a devastating effect on children’s lives today and limits their opportunities for the future.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
We’re very excited to have Laura Aznar Herranz join us as our new Public Affairs Manager. Laura joins us from Chance UK & brings a wealth of experience in public affairs ensuring that the voices and knowledge of people with lived experience at the heart of decision-making 🎉 😀
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Initial thoughts on the #Budget’s impact on the poverty premium 🧵🧵🧵 There are positives on energy bills support and removing the two-child benefit cap, but much more must be done to lift people out of poverty and reduce low-income households’ bills.
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Fair By Design @fairbydesign.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
Everyone deserves a warm home. On #FuelPovertyAwarenessDay, we urge the Government to act by making energy affordable for all with proper bill support and long-term investment in energy efficiency.
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The Fair Banking for All Campaign @fbfacampaign.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
The government has published their Financial Inclusion Strategy. What comes next? #FinancialInclusion #AffordableCredit #FairBankingAct #CommunityFinance #FairBankingForAll @thefinancelab.bsky.social @fairbydesign.bsky.social financeinnovationlab.org/the-governme...
financeinnovationlab.org
The government has published their Financial Inclusion Strategy. What comes next? - Finance Innovation Lab
At the end of October, I sat in a room in Glasgow with seven remarkable people. Each of them has had to ask a bank for help at some point, and each of them has been turned away. I listened as they tal...
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