Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • The Actuary Issues
  • April 2016
04

Nuisance callers required to display numbers under revised legislation

Open-access content Monday 25th April 2016 — updated 5.50pm, Wednesday 29th April 2020

Cold callers will no longer be able to hide or disguise their numbers following new rules to crack down on nuisance calls.

2


According to Neville Rolfe, minister responsible for data protections, direct marketing companies registered in the UK will need to display their phone numbers when making unsolicited calls, even if their centres are based abroad.

The move is an amendment to existing legislation, where changes will take place from 16 May.

The change follows news that a substantial number of fines totalling £895,000 have been issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). 

Rolfe said: "We're sending a clear message to rogue direct marketing companies. Nuisance calls are unacceptable and we will not hesitate to take action against the companies behind them."

The UK government said companies could risk fines of up to £2m from Ofcom and a further £500,000 from the ICO if they continued to "bombard consumers with unwanted calls".

ICO head of enforcement Steve Eckersley said: "We do investigate unscrupulous companies who hide their identities, and we can track them down, but it certainly makes our job more difficult. 

"And when people are able to identify the number behind the call they've received, they're more likely to complain to us and that means we're more able to take action."

Commenting on the move, Richard Lloyd, executive director at Which?, said: "This is another important victory in the fight against nuisance calls. With marketing firms now being forced to display their numbers when making calls, it will make it much easier for people to report them and enforcement action to be taken when companies break the law."

Earlier this year the Ministry of Justice proposed placing restrictions on the level of fees that claims management companies (CMCs) could earn, and said some of these firms were pursuing a "high level of speculative claims and nuisance calls" to consumers. 

Ben Howarth, policy adviser for motor and liability at the Association of British Insurers, said: "This is great news for millions of people who will appreciate tougher regulation of firms who bombard them with nuisance calls and texts, including those CMCs who drive up the costs of motor insurance by encouraging frivolous and exaggerated personal injury claims. 

"CMCs continue to fuel a compensation culture through nuisance calls, misleading adverts and high charges. Tougher regulation should ensure that honest customers do not end up footing the bill for the activities of the rogue firms."

This article appeared in our April 2016 issue of The Actuary .
Click here to view this issue

You may also be interested in...

2

Customer satisfaction in insurance tops ranking in UK

The UK has the highest level of customer satisfaction in the insurance industry, according to a report published by the Institute of Customer Service.
Thursday 28th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Churchill unveils drivers' excuses for not having car insurance

Motorists who are caught without cover use a range of excuses to avoid being prosecuted, according to Churchill Car Insurance.
Friday 29th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Demand for transactional risk insurance grows by 32% in 2015

The use of transactional risk insurance for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continued to increase globally during 2015, according to a report published by Marsh.
Friday 8th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Birmingham capital for 'crash for cash'

Birmingham has the highest number of motor fraudulent claims, according to Aviva.
Tuesday 5th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Fewer than one in five likely to cash in their annuity, says IFoA

While most pensioners are aware of the UK government’s plans for a secondary annuity market, only 18% are likely to take advantage, according to a study commissioned by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA).
Tuesday 26th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Workplace ISA should be included in auto-enrolment, says think tank

The Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) proposes the introduction of a workplace ISA to complement the new lifetime ISA, and both should be included in auto-enrolment.
Friday 22nd April 2016
Open-access content

Latest from General Insurance

td

Brain power

The latest microchips mimic cerebral function. Smaller, faster and more efficient than their predecessors, they have the potential to save lives and help insurers, argues Amarnath Suggu
Wednesday 1st March 2023
Open-access content
bl

'Takaful' models of Islamic insurance

Ethical, varied and a growing market – ‘takaful’ Islamic insurance is worth knowing about, wherever you’re from and whatever your beliefs, says Ali Asghar Bhuriwala
Wednesday 1st February 2023
Open-access content
il

When 'human' isn't female

It was only last year that the first anatomically correct female crash test dummy was created. With so much data still based on the male perspective, are we truly meeting all consumer needs? Adél Drew discusses her thoughts, based on the book Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez
Wednesday 1st February 2023
Open-access content

Latest from April 2016

2

Actuary warns lifetime ISA will 'progressively choke off' pension saving

Lifetime ISAs ‘sit uncomfortably’ with auto-enrolment, according to the chairman of the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA).
Friday 29th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Active management helps investors gain extra returns, says actuarial firm

Greater reliance on active managers could help grow investment funds, according to Spence and Partners.
Friday 29th April 2016
Open-access content
2

TPR to list group personal pensions open to all employers

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is to publish a list of group personal pensions (GPPs) open to any employers seeking to comply with their automatic enrolment duties.
Wednesday 27th April 2016
Open-access content

Latest from small_opening_image

2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Grim economic forecasts made as countries lockdown

A sharp recession is imminent in the vast majority of developed and emerging economies as the deadly coronavirus forces businesses to shut down across the world.
Tuesday 24th March 2020
Open-access content

Latest from inline_local_link

2

COVID-19 forum for actuaries launched

A forum for actuaries has been launched to help the profession come together and learn how best to respond to the deadly coronavirus sweeping the world.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Travel insurers expect record payouts this year

UK travel insurers expect to pay a record £275m to customers this year as coronavirus grounds flights across the world, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has revealed.
Wednesday 25th March 2020
Open-access content
2

Grim economic forecasts made as countries lockdown

A sharp recession is imminent in the vast majority of developed and emerging economies as the deadly coronavirus forces businesses to shut down across the world.
Tuesday 24th March 2020
Open-access content

Latest from 04

2

Actuary warns lifetime ISA will 'progressively choke off' pension saving

Lifetime ISAs ‘sit uncomfortably’ with auto-enrolment, according to the chairman of the Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA).
Friday 29th April 2016
Open-access content
2

Active management helps investors gain extra returns, says actuarial firm

Greater reliance on active managers could help grow investment funds, according to Spence and Partners.
Friday 29th April 2016
Open-access content
2

TPR to list group personal pensions open to all employers

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is to publish a list of group personal pensions (GPPs) open to any employers seeking to comply with their automatic enrolment duties.
Wednesday 27th April 2016
Open-access content
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Investment Consultant

Scotland / Scotland, Edinburgh / London, England
Up to £70000.00 per annum
Reference
148689

Market Risk Capital Actuary/Quant

London (Central)
£65,000 - £115,000 plus bonus and package
Reference
148688

Experience Analysis Contractor

England
Negotiable
Reference
148687
See all jobs »
 
 
 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2023 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ