Advice that makes the difference
The Citizens Advice service has been helping people to resolve their money, legal and other problems since 1939.
- It is the largest advice-giving network in the UK, regularly providing advice from 3,300 locations.
- We help people deal with over 5.7 million new problems every year, in bureaux, by phone and email, at outreach sessions in places like GP surgeries and courts – even in people’s homes.
- CAB advice is free, impartial, independent, confidential and provided by trained volunteers.
- The CAB service is known by 95 (MORI 2005).
- The advice we give is the first in the advice sector to be audited for the quality of the advice given to clients.
- CAB advice is available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or nationality.
- Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to continue providing this vital service to local communities.
The principles of CAB advice
Independent – we will always act in the interests of our clients, without influence from any outside bodies
Impartial – we don’t judge our clients or make assumptions about them. Our service is open to everyone, and we treat everyone equally
Confidential – we won’t pass on anything a client tells us – or even the fact that they’ve visited us – without their permission
Free – no-one has to pay for any part of the service we provide
Top five CAB client problems in 2006/07 (England and Wales)
- Debt (1,720,000 new problems)
- Benefits (1,607,000 new problems)
- Employment (505,000 new problems)
- Housing (424,000 new problems)
- Legal (306,000 new problems)
How CAB advisers can help
There are a number of different ways that CAB advisers can help people to resolve a problem. Advisers don’t tell clients what to do, but explain their options and the possible outcomes of different courses of action. Clients are encouraged to make their own decisions and act on their own behalf. We enable clients to manage their own problems by focusing on their needs as individuals.
CAB advisers, most of whom are trained volunteers can:
- interview clients face-to-face and by phone to find out what the problem(s) are
- access our regularly updated electronic information database for up to the minute information
- help clients to negotiate with companies or service providers such as creditors or to appeal against decisions, for example, social security benefit claims
- write letters or phone companies and service providers on behalf of clients
- help clients to prioritise their problems, for example, to sort out which debts are most important
- help clients with form filling, for example, to claim for social security benefits
- represent clients in court and at tribunals
- refer clients to CAB specialist caseworkers for complex problems or to other agencies when appropriate.
Where advice is provided
- CAB advice is provided from 3,300 locations through Citizens Advice Bureaux, online, by email, by telephone, in community venues such as GP surgeries and in courts, prisons, schools and leisure centres.
- the majority of bureaux provide home visits
- some bureaux provide email advice
- people can also access CAB information online at
 www.adviceguide.org.uk, including frequently asked questions (FAQs) in English, Welsh, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Punjabi and Urdu and factsheets to download
- our Citizens Advice Handbook published by Penguin also provides CAB information - the ultimate survival guidebook to life in Britain today
More information
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