ombudsman and parents with young children
With the average cost of bringing up a child estimated at £186,000, becoming a parent can involve real financial challenges and difficulties. So it's important that parents know about their rights as consumers to use the free independent ombudsman service – in the event of a dispute with a bank, insurance company or finance firm.
our work with the media
- Jump! magazine
the ombudsman continues its partnership with the parenting magazine Jump, distributed to over half a million households in the UK through Bounty (the packs of information and trial products for parents with a new baby) - Every Child Matters
the ombudsman features in Every Child Matters [PDF format] – the official consumer publication of the National Association of Head Teachers – sent every year to all parents with children in key-stage one education - Family Life
the ombudsman contributes a regular money-matters column to Family Life [PDF format] – the lifestyle magazine that provides practical tips and information for parents in Scotland [see previous column in Family Life] - The One Show
the ombudsman regularly takes part in television programmes aimed at a family audience, like The One Show, which recently featured an interview with our chief ombudsman - Moneywise/Moneywise TV
the ombudsman regularly contributes to family-finance magazine Moneywise – including a feature on the top ten complaints and how to resolve them and an interview on getting your financial dispute fixed - Money Saving Expert
the ombudsman service is regularly name-checked by consumer-champion Martin Lewis in his weekly newspaper columns and on ITV's GMTV. An indepth guide to the service also features on the Money Saving Expert website - moneysupermarket.com
interviews chief ombudsman, Natalie Ceeney, on how to make a financial complaint
- You and Yours
the ombudsman service contributes regularly to consumer-interest radio programmes, including a recent interview about boiler insurance for BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours
out and about
Each year the ombudsman takes part in a range of family-focused activities across the UK – from multi-cultural melas and carnivals to careers days and community events. These include:
- taking part in the Caravan & Motorhome show at Birmingham NEC – attracting younger families who are increasingly taking camping and caravanning holidays
- meeting consumers in a Leeds shopping centre as part of Leeds City Council's Money Matters week
- meeting families at the Belfast multi-cultural mela, the Coventry Caribbean festival and the Black History Month celebrations on London's South Bank
- taking part in The Gadget Show Live (following coverage on the popular TV show – highlighting how the ombudsman can help with gadget insurance problems).
This is part of the ombudsman's commitment to outreach work with specific groups of consumers who use the ombudsman less and have lower levels of awareness of the service.