It’s remarkable how much of modern life can seem designed to wear us down. Every “sale” seems to come with an asterisk. Consumer contracts often find a way of costing more than you expected. And too many companies want you to sign up in seconds, but then make it feel impossible to leave. It’s exhausting.

They might not be the issues that keep you up at night. But they’re often the reason you go to bed ticked off. Westminster has got used to telling people that these everyday hassles are just part of life. The response has too often been a shrug of the shoulders or just calling it bad luck.

I don’t think that’s right. Because these everyday hassles affect millions of people. And they add up. Every single one is an unnecessary cost. And when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives, we need to be pulling every single lever we can to help ease that.

But they add up in another way too. Every single unexpected payment, rip off or hidden catch chips away at hope. That might sound dramatic – but it’s true. Every single one is another........

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