Latest news with #Friel
Business Mayor
10-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Ten UK energy firms to pay £7m in compensation after overcharging error
Ten UK energy suppliers including EDF, and Octopus are to pay £7m in compensation and refunds after overcharging customers, after a review by the energy regulator for Great Britain. Ofgem said the suppliers had agreed to pay more than 34,000 customers compensation and refunds because of erroneously billing them more for standing charges than is allowed under the regulator's price cap. Standing charges are daily fees added regardless of how much energy is used. The affected customers all had restricted meter infrastructure, meaning more than one electricity meter point recording usage at their property, and were erroneously overcharged between January 2019 and September 2024. While energy suppliers are allowed to apply multiple standing charges for homes with multiple electricity meters, companies are not allowed to break Ofgem's price cap, which limits the maximum amount that can be charged in each unit of electricity or gas used. . Charlotte Friel, the director of retail and pricing systems at Ofgem, said: 'Our duty is to protect energy consumers, and we set the price cap for that very reason so customers don't pay a higher amount for their energy than they should. 'We expect all suppliers to have robust processes in place so they can bill their customers accurately. While it's clear that on this occasion errors were made, thankfully, the issues were promptly resolved, and customers are being refunded.' The 10 suppliers have agreed to pay out £5.6m in refunds and almost £1.4m in goodwill payments. Ofgem found that Octopus had the most customers affected by the error in overcharging, at 20,862 of the 34,048. The other suppliers to give refunds were Next, Ecotricity, EDF, Outfox the Market, Ovo Energy, Rebel Energy, So Energy, TruEnergy and Utility Warehouse. A spokesperson for Octopus apologised but added that it occurred on a 'particularly rare' type of meter, affecting only 0.3% of its customer base. 'Mistakes happen, and we're sorry when they do,' a spokesperson said. 'We were following one piece of Ofgem regulation but in doing so accidentally infringed another. We are glad to have now made it right for them.' Friel said the ruling served as a reminder to all energy suppliers that they must implement the price cap properly and 'do their due diligence'. She added: 'It also shows that, where appropriate, Ofgem is prepared to work with suppliers that fail to comply with our rules.' skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion Miatta Fahnbulleh, the minister for energy consumers, said: 'No family should suffer the experience of being overcharged on their energy bills, and companies have an obligation to be accurate in their billing. This government is fighting for working people by driving up protections for consumers in the energy system. It is very important that Ofgem has today taken swift action to fine companies that overcharge consumers.' On Wednesday, Ofgem ordered Good Energy to pay £150,000 in total to former prepayment-meter customers because of a failure to issue final bills. Since 2014, Good Energy failed to send final bills to customers within six weeks of customers leaving the company, as is required under energy supplier licences. Ofgem found that 2,284 customers were affected and the average sum paid per customer was £66.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Students would 'bear the brunt' of proposed tuition fee rises
Students in Northern Ireland would "bear the brunt" of a rise in tuition fees of over £1,000, called for by university leaders. That is according to Ben Friel, the president of the National Union of Students and Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI). Leaders of Northern Ireland's five universities and university colleges have called for student tuition fees to rise by more than £1,000 a year. They have written to the leaders of the five main political parties asking for tuition fees to rise to £5,831 a year from the current £4,750. The joint letter is signed by the heads of Queen's University Belfast (QUB), Ulster University (UU) and the Open University in Ireland (OU). It has been supported by a separate letter from the principals of St Mary's University College and Stranmillis University College. The leaders' letter said that about a third of young people leave Northern Ireland to study elsewhere "due to the continued Northern Ireland Executive policy on funding". The letter said there has been a "real-terms loss caused by a legacy of sub-inflationary uplifts" in funding for higher education. "Applying an inflation increase from a 2021 baseline alone, which part-recovers the hitherto unallocated inflationary uplifts to the current Northern Ireland fee, would see an inflation-corrected fee of £5,831," the letter stated. It added that the pressure was "compounded by the reduction in international student numbers and associated income". "Without urgent intervention, the region's skills pipeline, research capacity, and innovation-led growth are at serious risk-undermining productivity and long-term economic recovery," the letter said. In an accompanying statement to BBC News NI, the leaders urged the Executive "to acknowledge that tuition fees have not kept pace with inflation, and to rectify this position." Why are university tuition fees going up? The letter also pointed out that fees in Northern Ireland are lower than those in England and Wales, where students currently pay £9,250. This will go up to £9,535 in the next academic year. However, students in the Republic of Ireland pay a maximum of €2,000 (£1,695) a year in fees, while Scottish students who remain in Scotland to study do not pay tuition fees. In Northern Ireland tuition fees have risen from £3,685 a decade ago to £4,750 in 2024/25. The vast majority of students take out a loan to cover their annual tuition fees and living costs, which they then pay back when they begin working after graduation. Mr Friel, of the NUS-USI, said the rise in fees called for by the universities meant "asking students to bear the brunt of a broken system". "It's the fundamental principle of how we fund education and treat it as a country," he told BBC News NI. "Education is seen as a burden to the budget at the moment, but it needs to be seen as an investment for our future and our young people." Mr Friel said that students were already facing financial pressures, and skipping meals. "Nearly one in five students are using a foodbank," he said. "We can't be putting more burden on students at a time like this." He said he empathised with some of the universities' concerns about funding. "They want and need to raise revenues and the only way they have to do that at the minute is off the back of students," he said. "We can't keep throwing money at a broken system, we're wasting students money, we're wasting public money." Mr Friel said that any rise in tuition fees could deter students from lower-income backgrounds, especially, from going to university. He said that while the end of fees should be a "long-term" goal, he was a "realist". "I know it's not going to happen in the next two, three, four years," he said. "Long-term I think we should always be aiming for that." The university letter has gone to the leaders of Sinn Féin, the DUP, UUP, SDLP and Alliance Party. A tuition fee rise of the amount wanted by the universities would have to be approved by the Stormont Executive. Higher education is the responsibility of Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald. The university letter has received support from a number of business leaders, who said "a tipping point" had been reached. "We believe that it is time for the funding model to be refreshed, so that it continues to reflect Northern Ireland's distinctive needs, protects access for local students, and enhances the region's economic attractiveness to both domestic and global investment," their statement said. Raising NI tuition fees could generate £98m Increasing student loan borrowing will 'change lives'
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Landlord who evicted family-of-seven so his daughter could ‘move in' ordered to pay €15k damages
Claire Friel, her partner and kids had been renting a four-bed house in Termon, Letterkenny, Co Donegal from Declan Breslin since 2015. She told a Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) tribunal hearing that there were some issues throughout the tenancy. Ms Friel previously took a separate RTB case against Mr Breslin, where she was awarded €3,400 due to the 'overpayment of taxes and charges'. Another dispute arose when Ms Friel was issued with a notice of termination in October 2022, a few days before an eviction ban was introduced by the Government. This ban lasted between October 30 and March 31. Mr Breslin said the grounds for the notice of termination was that he wanted the house for his daughter. The notice gave the tenants until May 12, 2023 to move out. They struggled to find alternative accommodation and asked the landlord if they could have more time. Ms Friel alleged that the landlord 'began to engage in intimidating behaviour, such as blocking her car on the road', calling her on the phone without saying anything, and threatening them with legal action. She tried to source rental accommodation through the local authority, but this was unsuccessful. In November 2023, Ms Friel and her family left the property. They spent around €35,000 buying two mobile homes after 'draining' their savings and securing credit union loans. When she moved out, Mr Breslin claimed there were issues with receiving the Housing Assistant Payment (HAP). He stated he would return her deposit of €500 once that was resolved. However, she never received it. After they vacated the property, Ms Friel alleged there was no evidence anybody else moved into the house. She said the property could be seen from the road and that there were no lights on. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more Ms Friel told the RTB that the landlord 'showed no empathy' towards their situation. She claimed they carried out maintenance and repairs on the garden, but never asked for money. She sought for the return of her deposit and also €15,000 in compensation so she could pay off the loans they took out for the mobile homes. In his evidence, Mr Breslin said that his daughter worked all over the world and got married in April 2023. He asked the tribunal why he would expect his daughter to spend €1,500 per month on rent when he had a 'free house to give to her'. His daughter moved in with some furniture before Christmas 2023 and stayed for about a week after Christmas, before she went travelling. He said he started to renovate the house but soon after a boiler had burst and that he had been working on the house on-and-off since February 2024. He said that his daughter had not stayed full-time in the house, but came and went for weekends. He submitted that his daughter had planned to move in in May 2023, but that her plans had had to change because the tenants did not move out until November. His daughter last lived in the house full-time in February 2024. She is now based in Athlone. When asked by the tribunal if he wanted to re-offer the house to the tenants, he said he did not want to. Mr Breslin said his other daughter was now engaged and he wants to keep the house for his family to use. He told the tribunal he would return the deposit, he thought he had been very fair to the tenants, and that it wasn't his responsibility to house them. The RTB ruled that the notice of termination was invalid. The reason given in the notice of termination was that Ms Breslin required the dwelling for her own occupation, expecting to occupy it indefinitely. In his evidence the landlord stated that his daughter had never occupied the dwelling full-time as her work took her 'all over'. As Ms Breslin did not attend the hearing, the RTB said she could not give evidence to assist it in determining whether or not her requirement of the dwelling was a bona fide one. The tribunal said the consequences of the termination of the tenancy 'were profound'. Ms Friel was awarded €15,000 damages.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Shocking moment football fans hurl punches in city centre brawl after match
This is the moment three football fans sparked an erruption in violence in the city centre following a cup tie. A 24-year-old man has been jailed, and two others have been handed football banning orders, after violence erupted in Newport city centre following a match. Samuel Grant, 24, Joseph Friel, 22, and Wayne Thomas, 18, all admitted to violent disorder and appeared for sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, April 25. All three have been sentenced for violent disorder as a result (Image: Gwent Police) They were each issued with five-year football banning orders, prohibiting them from attending Newport County matches, both home and away, regulated fixtures in Newport, and Wales national team games. The court was told that the trouble began between a group of men in the city centre following Newport County's 1-1 draw with Eastleigh in January last year. After the FA Cup third-round tie had finished, County fans clashed with supporters from Eastleigh outside a pub on Cambrian Road. The violence continued, with further fighting on the same city centre street as Eastleigh's supporters headed towards the train station. The violence first sparked outside a pub on Cambrian Road (Image: Gwent Police) Grant, from Newport, received a sentence of two years and four months. Friel and Thomas, both from Pontypool, received suspended sentences. A 16-year-old boy, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, received a six-month referral order to the Newport Youth Offender panel when he appeared at Cwmbran Youth Court on Tuesday, January 21. All three have now been sentenced as a result of the incident (Image: Gwent Police) Sergeant Paul Turner, from Gwent Police's neighbourhood team at Newport Central, said: "Our priority is to ensure those attending football matches at Rodney Parade and visiting our city can enjoy the game and do so in safety. "During a thorough investigation, we pieced together the events of the day, starting with clear surveillance footage from inside the stadium to the disorder in the city centre, to bring these three men to justice. "These additional football banning orders, together with the sentencings, highlight a strong stance that the disgraceful behaviour and conduct seen that day in the city centre will not be tolerated. "People run the risk of not attending football matches for a significant period of time should they pose a risk before, during, or after matches and will be dealt with accordingly." Under the terms of the football banning order, Grant, Friel, and Thomas must not enter any premises for the purpose of attending any football matches in the UK which are regulated for the purposes of the Football Spectators Act 1989. They must not be within 1,000 metres of any regulated football match in the UK during the period of five hours before kick-off until five hours after the final whistle on any day on which a regulated football match is being played. They must not enter any town or city in the UK where Newport County FC or the Wales team are playing a regulated match at any away ground for the duration of the day/evening upon which the match is being played. The defendants may also be required to surrender their passports and travel documents and report to a police station when regulated football matches are being played outside the UK. If they breach the conditions of this order, the defendants face being sent to prison for six months. Sergeant Turner added: "The success of this investigation is an example of what can be achieved when partners work together with a common purpose. "While working alongside Newport County, we have reinforced our continued commitment to protecting our communities and keeping them safe from harm." A Newport County spokesperson said: "We welcome today's decision by the court. "There is no place for this abhorrent behaviour and we will continue to work closely with Gwent Police to help identify any incidents of this nature. "The club will maintain its zero-tolerance approach to such incidents, whether that's at Rodney Parade, the city centre, or for away fixtures, and the imposition of banning orders, as a minimum, for anyone found guilty of such behaviour. "Newport County has worked tirelessly to create a reputation as a family-friendly football club and it is an image we will do everything in our powers to maintain."
South Wales Argus
28-04-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Argus
WATCH: Newport County fans jailed over city centre disorder
A 24-year-old man has been jailed, and two others have been handed football banning orders, after violence erupted in Newport city centre following a match. Samuel Grant, 24, Joseph Friel, 22, and Wayne Thomas, 18, all admitted to violent disorder and appeared for sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, April 25. All three have been sentenced for violent disorder as a result (Image: Gwent Police) They were each issued with five-year football banning orders, prohibiting them from attending Newport County matches, both home and away, regulated fixtures in Newport, and Wales national team games. The court was told that the trouble began between a group of men in the city centre following Newport County's 1-1 draw with Eastleigh in January last year. After the FA Cup third-round tie had finished, County fans clashed with supporters from Eastleigh outside a pub on Cambrian Road. The violence continued, with further fighting on the same city centre street as Eastleigh's supporters headed towards the train station. The violence first sparked outside a pub on Cambrian Road (Image: Gwent Police) Grant, from Newport, received a sentence of two years and four months. Friel and Thomas, both from Pontypool, received suspended sentences. A 16-year-old boy, who pleaded guilty to violent disorder, received a six-month referral order to the Newport Youth Offender panel when he appeared at Cwmbran Youth Court on Tuesday, January 21. All three have now been sentenced as a result of the incident (Image: Gwent Police) Sergeant Paul Turner, from Gwent Police's neighbourhood team at Newport Central, said: "Our priority is to ensure those attending football matches at Rodney Parade and visiting our city can enjoy the game and do so in safety. "During a thorough investigation, we pieced together the events of the day, starting with clear surveillance footage from inside the stadium to the disorder in the city centre, to bring these three men to justice. "These additional football banning orders, together with the sentencings, highlight a strong stance that the disgraceful behaviour and conduct seen that day in the city centre will not be tolerated. "People run the risk of not attending football matches for a significant period of time should they pose a risk before, during, or after matches and will be dealt with accordingly." Under the terms of the football banning order, Grant, Friel, and Thomas must not enter any premises for the purpose of attending any football matches in the UK which are regulated for the purposes of the Football Spectators Act 1989. They must not be within 1,000 metres of any regulated football match in the UK during the period of five hours before kick-off until five hours after the final whistle on any day on which a regulated football match is being played. They must not enter any town or city in the UK where Newport County FC or the Wales team are playing a regulated match at any away ground for the duration of the day/evening upon which the match is being played. The defendants may also be required to surrender their passports and travel documents and report to a police station when regulated football matches are being played outside the UK. If they breach the conditions of this order, the defendants face being sent to prison for six months. Sergeant Turner added: "The success of this investigation is an example of what can be achieved when partners work together with a common purpose. "While working alongside Newport County, we have reinforced our continued commitment to protecting our communities and keeping them safe from harm." A Newport County spokesperson said: "We welcome today's decision by the court. "There is no place for this abhorrent behaviour and we will continue to work closely with Gwent Police to help identify any incidents of this nature. "The club will maintain its zero-tolerance approach to such incidents, whether that's at Rodney Parade, the city centre, or for away fixtures, and the imposition of banning orders, as a minimum, for anyone found guilty of such behaviour. "Newport County has worked tirelessly to create a reputation as a family-friendly football club and it is an image we will do everything in our powers to maintain."
