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You and Yours: Nuisance calls, Child fares, School uniforms

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02/09/2016

Nuisance calls, Child fares, School uniforms

BBC Radio 4 - You and Yours, Nuisance calls, Child fares, School uniforms

Why have only four out of 22 companies issued with fines for nuisance calls paid up?

Consumer news and issues. The teenagers who say they should only pay full price at 18 - and the cost of school uniforms.

The Government promised to crack down on cold-calling by lowering the bar for what constitutes a 'nuisance' and banning companies from using withheld numbers. So have things got any better? Figures show that of 22 companies fined by the Information Commissioner since April 2015, only four had paid up. They say they are being frustrated by companies that go into liquidation to avoid the fine then reappear under a different guise. Consumer groups want the rules tightening so that individual company directors to be held responsible.

When does adulthood truly begin? At 18 we can vote, drink alcohol and buy a house. But in the eyes of some companies and attractions it starts much earlier than that. Some theme parks start charging full-price tickets from the age of 12. Now a pair of teenagers are campaigning to change that.

And when schools become academies or a new headteacher takes over they often change their uniform - and the Local Government Association say that's costing parents too much. They've unearthed examples of one academy charging £120 for a blazer and another demanding a specific navy science lab-coat. They're calling for a "common sense" approach with schools permitting sew on badges , plain sports kit, and the use of a range of suppliers to give parents best value. What are you spending on school uniforms this year?

Presenter: Melanie Abbott
Producer: Simon Hoban.

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