Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the current regulatory framework for protecting vulnerable customers in the telecommunications sector from inappropriate upselling and mis-selling of telecommunications services.

Government wants to ensure that all telecoms consumers feel empowered and confident that they are getting a fair deal.

Ofcom requires all providers to comply with standards of transparency and fair treatment of customers and have policies in place to identify and support vulnerable consumers. Ofcom have also produced a best practice vulnerability guide, including expectations that providers offer a range of communication channels for customers to raise concerns or queries and that they implement specialist teams to support vulnerable customers. The Telecoms Consumer Charter, published February 2026, further commits providers to strengthen transparency measures to ensure that customers know exactly what they are paying for and why.