On Your Behalf

We help out listeners struggling with tourist visas and broadband connections, and find out how many people could be missing out on cheaper broadband packages. Ofcom says people on some benefits could make “significant savings” if they knew social tariffs were available.

Cliftonville Hall of Famer, Walter Mills, shares his experience of having prostate cancer and urges more men to speak to their GPs about it as Prostate Cancer UK reveals there could be more than 14,000 undiagnosed cases in the UK.

Continuing our discussion on travel, the Consumer Council’s expert Richard Williams talks us through a new platform where people can compare the cost of travel. The Transport Hub allows users to compare the cost of their commute, work out when is best to book a flight or ferry, and find out how transport costs in Northern Ireland compare to other jurisdictions.

Translink CEO Chris Conway explains how the new tap on tap off ticketing system will work. It will be introduced from March and allows people to use their debit cards across the public transport network. He also discusses how to improve accessibility on buses and trains, and whether there’s enough room for everyone on our roads.

Jimmy Hughes tackles your consumer issues. This week a listener was sent ovens that didn’t fit. The retailer refunded the cost of the ovens but not the fitting fee. Are they entitled to a refund on that, too?

Helplines are a vital source of support for many people at difficult times. In 2021 alone they received more than 500,000 calls. Clodagh Crowe explains how they offer a listening ear for people, and are able to point them in the right direction for more help if its needed.

Linda is joined by Sustrans NI’s Caroline Bloomfield, driving instructor Neil McLaren and infrastructure expert Steve Bradley to discuss getting around Northern Ireland.

Whether you walk, wheel, drive or get the bus or train, Northern Ireland’s transport system has an impact on how you get around. We ask is there enough room for everyone on our roads. With new Highway Code changes in force in the rest of the UK and an increasingly toxic atmosphere between road users Linda and the panel explore how we can better share the space we have.

We also hear from SeeSense how data is informing infrastructure decisions and the creators of a car sharing platform based in Oxford explain how its helping reduce car use there. We also hear from Nichola Mallon on her achievements and frustrations following two years as Infrastructure Minister.

We also solve consumer transport issues from listeners – from bus passes to driving licences – and hear how some of you get around Northern Ireland.

Jemma and Lolly got in touch as they were having trouble renewing their passports. Jemma got a new passport, but her name was spelled incorrectly and she didn’t know what to do. Lolly had been struggling for months to renew her British passport, and at one point thought she’d lose her Irish passport in the process.

Are you one of the 134,000 pensioners who missed out on their full state pension? The error has been branded a shameful shambles by a committee of MPs. Baroness Altmann, former pensions minister, explains what you can do if you think you’re affected.

A new online resource has been developed to help carers make informed decisions around end of life care. We hear what difference it’ll make from Professor Brazil from Queen’s University, Belfast and Christine Redall whose daughter Anna was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 37.

Tommy got in touch when he had some difficulties using the self-scanning app for his shopping. He asked if there’s a mistake, do supermarkets hold on to or share that data? Aodhán Connolly of the NI Retail Consortium talks us through how the system works and whether it pays to be loyal to one retailer. We also explore access to cash with LINK and using VISA cards online with Resolver.

Does your area have a community fridge? There are just three in Northern Ireland so far, but organisers want more groups to sign up. We ask how they work and how to get support if you want to start one.

We can’t control fuel prices but we can control how much we use – The Consumer Council offer top tips on how to keep your fuel usage down as prices soar.

People are still struggling to access the application process for the £100 Emergency Fuel payment, but this week the Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey announced an additional support package of £55million which would help 280,000 people. We discuss how this fits into the overall welfare package with Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick.

There’s a week left to contribute to a public consultation on welfare. Les Allamby, Chair of the Welfare Mitigations panel, explains why it’s important to share your experience of it.

Joanna Toner contacted On Your Behalf several years ago about difficulties she was having in Lisburn City Centre. Joanna is blind and struggles to navigate the city centre after the development of a new public realm. She’s taken the council to tribunals over the design, and won, but says nothing has been changed. Linda met Joanna in Lisburn to get the latest on the story.

The Department for Communities, working with Bryson Charitable Group and the Consumer Council, has made a pot of £2 million available to support people struggling to cope with rising energy costs.

Within minutes of opening the online application portal had crashed, leaving many frustrated. We hear from one person who did manage to get an application in and we’ll ask Pat Austin from the Fuel Poverty Coalition is it enough?

We find out why it’s vital to bring have your credit card PIN handy when you pick up a hire car, after one visitor to Northern Ireland was marked as a “no show” by the hire company.

A tribunal recently found that fear of catching coronavirus cannot be used as a reason not go back to the office – we speak to Mark McAllister from the Labour Relations Agency about the ruling, and about tattoos in the workplace.

What will 2022 have in store for the worlds of retail, work and travel? Aodhán Connolly, Tina McKenzie and Sandra Corkin offer their analysis and predictions.

Jimmy Hughes takes us through post-Christmas consumer rights. If you got a gift voucher, do you know the terms and conditions?

Independent financial advisor Alice Gavin offers tips on how you can give yourself a New Year’s financial MOT.

Consumer guru Jimmy Hughes guides listeners through their rights. One listener included payment protection when she bought event tickets, but was refused a refund when she contracted Covid and couldn’t attend. Another wanted tickets posted, but was told they’d need a smart phone to get in to their event.

Christmas can be a difficult time for some people. Age NI tell us how their Check In & Chat programme is helping people reconnect and tackle loneliness.

Community Foundations has a new scheme to match charitable giving in wills. We find out how it works.

MOT tests in Northern Ireland - Is there an end in sight