Fancy a share of £54 billion? The consumer champions tackling dodgy companies – and how to sign up for FREE

Canceled flight? Defective device? Small print of an unreliable insurance policy? For most of us, the thought of having to file a compensation claim against a company for substandard products or services can be daunting at best.

So imagine if there was a company whose sole purpose was to coordinate class action lawsuits, pitting hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people against large corporations, led by experts with decades of consumer rights experience. And at no point are there any charges.

Step forward Nikki Stopford and Alex Neill.

They are both regular presenters of the BBC series Rip Off Britain and have formidable career credentials that can turn the eyes of even the companies with the deepest pockets and the most ruthless legal teams.

The pair launched their groundbreaking start-up in early 2023 Consumer voice. It is the first company of its kind in the UK and operates as an online community connecting individuals with the relevant law firms acting on behalf of a class action.

‘We have spoken to numerous law firms about class actions and the general consensus was that there was a need for a different way of dealing with consumers. Historically, it has been terribly expensive for consumers to work with legal teams on a case-by-case basis. That’s where Alex and I come in,” says Nikki.

“Too many consumers experience problems every day when dealing with businesses in Britain and too often do not get the money back they are entitled to,” explains Alex, who was previously CEO of a consumer dispute resolution platform and director at consumer champion Which?

‘This means that companies that break the rules are owed a staggering amount of money – believed to be around £54 billion – for everything from delayed flights to defective products. However, most people are not aware of the claims process and we want to make access to justice easy for consumers.”

Nikki was previously group director of research and publications at Which?, and is the current chair of the British Standards Institute Consumer Forum, which brings together consumer advocacy organisations, government departments, regulators and enforcement agencies to amplify the voice of the British consumer on standards.

Take them at your own risk.

There are currently 56 class actions against major consumer brands filed in the specialist competition court in London, which could theoretically mean that every adult in Britain is owed money as a result of being eligible for compensation.

These cases have been brought on behalf of British consumers by campaigners – including Alex and Nikki – who accuse major brands such as Amazon, Apple, BT, Facebook, Google, Mastercard and Sony PlayStation of breaking competition law and ripping off customers.

If successful, these claims could result in billions in compensation being owed. Of the twelve claims currently before the courts, consumers alone owe £22 billion.

Still, there’s a good chance that this is news to most people.

“Our extensive research has shown that on average, 74 percent of UK consumers have never heard of most of these big claims and 25 percent have no idea what a class action claim is,” Nikki explains. ‘Only a quarter of the population say they are very familiar with class actions in Britain.

‘We also know from our research that 50 percent of people spend money with six or more of the 30 top brands in key consumer sectors. This means that as more lawsuits are filed, the payout for individual consumers will likely increase.

Alex says companies are owed an eye-watering amount of money – believed to be around £54 billion – for everything from delayed flights to faulty products

“We want to ensure that people who have been defrauded are ready to come forward if these class actions are won. Consumer Voice is independent, unbiased and tells people when the companies they buy from have broken the law, so you can determine if you’re entitled to compensation and how to make a claim. The ultimate goal is to help consumers get the money they deserve.”

If you’re right to wonder: what’s the catch? There isn’t one.

Nikki and Alex earn their income through consulting work and by providing consumer-friendly communications and engagement services to law firms.

“We will make it easy for you to get back what you are entitled to and hold companies accountable when they do something wrong,” Nikki continues.

Alex testifies: ‘I was first involved in this area with my own claim against Sony PlayStation, which will go to trial in March 2026 on behalf of 8.9 million customers. They could be owed a share of up to £5 billion (about £560 each) for being overcharged for digital games or in-app purchases.

‘It became increasingly clear that there was no single stronghold for consumer interests and that people were not making claims because they were convinced it would be too time-consuming and expensive.’

Class action lawsuits are already common and hugely successful in the US, allowing large groups of people to be compensated at once.

For example, more than 17 million people demanded compensation from a £725 million pot following a Facebook settlement over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. This is when the British consultancy began collecting personal data to use in the US for political advertising starting in 2010.

More than 17 million people demanded compensation from a £725 million pot following a Facebook settlement over the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Pictured: Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg

Although regulators such as the Competition and Markets Authority can hold companies to account and produce documentation to prevent further breaches of the law, they do not have the power to impose compensation claims.

The group’s first claim to go to trial in Britain is a £1.3 billion damages claim against BT, with the company being challenged for offering cheap broadband bundles to attract new customers, but keeping prices high for existing customers until Ofcom, the communications watchdog, ordered them to stop.

If successful, three million customers could receive an average of £400 in compensation. The trial ended in March and the court’s long-awaited ruling could happen any day.

‘It is mainly a test case in Great Britain. It is based on existing customers – many of whom were elderly, vulnerable and in no position to shop around – who have suffered financial loss without receiving compensation,” Alex explains. ‘The crux is the legal unmasking of a company that abused its enormous market share by charging too much.’

Similar cases have also arisen in Britain, including a £1.5 billion claim against Apple’s App Store for overcharging and a similar £920 million claim against the Google Play Store.

Both will go to trial next year.

“While it is not against the law for big tech brands to monopolize markets, they must do so fairly and not ask for what they want. That’s why competition laws are in place to prevent this,” adds.

“Many people who join the Consumer Voice community through the website are dealing with digital technology companies that dominate and didn’t need to be competitive, leaving people feeling powerless.

“Nikki and I are on a mission to show consumers that there is a way to get these big companies in trouble, because most of them don’t even know there are even claims out there.

‘During the life of a case – which can last years – we want consumers to know that we will keep them informed of progress so they don’t have to think about it.

‘For class actions to be successful, consumers must come forward and claim the compensation offered. The low acceptance rate of people agreeing to a claim will push the big companies to turn them away on the basis that ‘it’s just a few people and most of them don’t get compensated’.

Nikki and Alex have launched a suitability checker on their website specifically for the BT case, so the average person can log in, enter a few simple details and find out in a few minutes whether they are affected and whether they she is eligible to participate. the class action for damages.

“First, go to our website and join the 20,000 people who have already signed up to our newsletter, the tool we use to direct people to specific claims and make them aware of new claims coming,” says Alex , who emphasizes this again. there is no charge to consumers who handle it. More than 100,000 people have visited their website in the past two months.

‘You don’t have to join a claim. You may just want to use one of our sample letters on topics such as flight delays and car financing to make your own complaint directly to a company, for example. I just used it myself to write to a car finance company.

‘There is little trust among claims management companies and even law firms. That’s why we built the Consumer Voice platform to build trust and help people with their everyday consumer rights challenges. We never send spam emails and our focus is on consumer power, engagement, why a claim exists and how to get back what you’re owed. Who wouldn’t want that?’

Nikki adds: ‘We are not a claims management company, so people know that we are approachable. Our position is that these are your rights. If you are not receiving the standards you are entitled to under the law, this is how we can help you.’