PSA adopts new Case Prioritisation Principles

The Phone-paid Services Authority (PSA) has established a Case Prioritisation Policy and Principles, in order to best focus its resources and efforts in enforcement cases. 

We need to make decisions about the best use of our resources in order to deliver the best outcomes for consumers. This involves making appropriate decisions about which cases to pursue through formal procedures, and which of those cases to prioritise.

When we have concerns that a phone-paid service provider may be in breach of our Code of Practice, we launch investigations into service providers, with a view to issuing sanctions if appropriate. 

To this end, we’re putting a framework in place to enable us to make those decisions as efficiently and effectively as possible, so that we can best protect consumers from harm with the resources we have. 

These Principles are outcomes-focussed and aim to ensure that our resources and our enforcement approach is targeted to have the greatest regulatory effect. 

Our aim is to pursue all cases which satisfy the criteria for allocation for investigation and to give them all sufficient priority. Where cases are closed, the information we have gathered about such services, including any information provided to us by consumers, will be retained  in line with our archiving policy. This will enable us to identify where any similar issues subsequently arise with the services and/or provider. 

We will prioritise cases under the following Principles: 

1. Impact; and 
2. Strategic considerations/enforcement approach as determined at the relevant time 

This will be balanced against: 
3. the Risks involved; and 
4. the Resources required 

Prioritisation decisions will be taken using a flexible approach by reference to the Principles. The Principles will be used to determine which cases are taken forward to investigation, and which investigations to prioritise. 

You can read the Principles in full here.