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The cost of living crisis: making consumer communications even more important.
With very high inflation and many people struggling to meet the cost of living, it’s more important than ever that people feel able to make informed decisions with their money. Those decisions will now come with an extra layer of anxiety and stress for many who are trying to make ends meet.
A Plain Numbers Approach is vital for allowing consumers to make decisions that work best for them.
Plain Numbers join the debate on a New Consumer Duty at BSA Conference
We were delighted to join this years Building Societies Association Annual Conference in Liverpool on May 5th for a panel discussion on a New Consumer Duty.
Ben Perkins our Head of Operations joined the panel to give insights to members on how they can meet their obligations around communications and consumer comprehension.
How the Bank of England uses layered communication to improve comprehension
We are pleased to support Plain Numbers and we have been a partner since the campaign was launched in December 2020. It’s important for organisations to communicate numerical information as clearly and accessibly as they can. It allows people to make more informed choices and to participate confidently in the wider economy.
Maths Anxiety. What is it and how does it impact consumers?
Ben Perkins, our Head of Operations, has years of experience working with people with low confidence in their numeracy skills and maths anxiety. In this blog he sheds light on what that means and how it can impact consumers.
ABI becomes a Plain Numbers Advisory Partner
We are delighted that The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has announced that they have joined forces with Plain Numbers as an Advisory Partner
New Plain Numbers Champions Training Launched
This January we launched a brand-new programme of workshops to help people become Plain Numbers Champions.
Reflecting on 2021 at Plain Numbers
2021 was a great year for Plain Numbers. Find out more about our highlights.
Plain Numbers welcomes FCA’s latest update on a new Consumer Duty
On December 7th 2021, the Financial Conduct Authority published an update to its plans for a new consumer duty. The new proposals set a higher expectation for the care firms provide for their customers, including around their communications
Plain Numbers announce partnership with BSA.
We are excited to be working in partnership with the Building Societies Association to ensure numbers are communicated more clearly
Why did we create Plain Numbers?
Plain Numbers is a social enterprise; we exist to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Phase 1 Project Report. Now Published
New research released at the Bank of England today reveals that adopting a ‘Plain Numbers Approach’ doubled the number of people who understood customer information
FCA Vulnerable Customers Guidance response
Mike’s response to the FCA Vulnerable Customer Guidance Consultation in September 2020.
Input to CMA Vulnerable Customers team
A paper prepared for discussion with members of the CMA team interested in Consumer Vulnerability, which led to a presentation as part of the CMA Vulnerability Awareness Week in October 2019
Maths anxiety, using numbers and data in daily life - and wellbeing
Sometimes, when faced with a maths problem, people experience an emotive response. It’s not unusual to feel a sense of panic or fear when we are trying to work with numbers.
Maths anxiety has been defined in research as the “the panic, helplessness, paralysis, and mental disorganization that arises among some people when they are required to solve a mathematical problem”. (Tobias and Weissbrod. 1980).
Data obesity?
A brief thinkpiece drawing the potential parallel between our collective inability to cope with the abundance of calories in the past two decades and our seeming inability to cope with the growing abundance of data…
We helped Aviva to ensure their customers can make informed decisions
“It has been particularly beneficial to work with Plain Numbers, taking their advice and guidance to achieve an outcome we are sure will be well received by our customers.””
Numbers shape what people understand, how they make decisions, and who they trust.
Get them right, and you can unlock a whole new level of clarity, confidence, and connection with your customers. We can show you how.