Following a series of cuts made in recent years, the civic centre’s trading standards team now employs just 1.4 staff, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

Enfield has the smallest trading standards team in Britain, according to research by a consumer champion.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request by Which? revealed that among 187 council-run trading standards services in England, Wales and Scotland, Enfield had the smallest with just 0.43 staff members per 100,000 people.

The function of trading standards services is to protect consumers and safeguard legitimate businesses by enforcing laws related to fair trading and product safety.

Following a series of cuts made in recent years, Enfield Civic Centre’s trading standards team now employs just 1.4 members of staff. This is down from four in 2023.

This is comprised of one full-time officer, a one-day-a-week admin assistant and a one-day-a-week contractor responsible for enforcing “more than 290 pieces of legislation”.

According to the FOI data, Lambeth had the second smallest team at 0.63 members of staff per 100,000 people and Redbridge the third smallest at 0.64.

Neighbouring borough Barnet, which has the fourth smallest team, employs 0.96 staff members for every 100,000 people.

Which? explained that in some areas services were “severely stretched” and in “urgent need” of reform.

But, because of financial pressures, local authorities were facing a “constant battle in choosing where to focus resources”.

Enfield’s trading standards oversaw one prosecution and six product seizures across the borough in 2023/24, but no routine inspections, test purchases or cautions. By comparison, in the year before the staff cuts, it investigated 1,200 complaints and enquiries.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said that spending on trading standards services nationally had been cut by 50%.

Council leader Ergin Erbil said: “Enfield Council’s trading standards team works hard to protect local residents and businesses by making sure trading is fair and safe. We had some big wins and legal actions in 2024 and early 2025, and we continue to do important purchasing exercises. Nevertheless, we are always working hard to improve our services.

“We take a strong approach to making sure all business rules are followed including building and planning rules. This includes looking into unauthorised building work, violations of planning rules, and illegal changes to how buildings are used.

“In relation to housing, Enfield ranked sixth in the country between 2021 and 2023 for using fines to deal with problems in houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

“We are committed to dealing with serious violations of laws about licensing, planning, and consumer protection. We will always enforce laws that protect residents and legitimate businesses.

“We’re also working closely with the government to secure additional funding needed to keep providing these essential services for our community.”

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