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Citizens Advice

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.

Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.

Citizens Advice impact report cover


Fair Welfare campaign

Fair Welfare campaign logo

Do you want to live in a society with a just, efficient welfare benefit system that supports those who need it, when they need it most? So does Citizens Advice. The Fair Welfare campaign is calling for a welfare benefits and tax credits system which:

  • acts as a safety net to prevent anyone in the UK living in poverty
  • is transparent and flexible, so that everyone can understand what they’re entitled to and how to claim it
  • features good decision-making and administration to ensure people get the money they’re entitled to quickly and efficiently
  • supports people to move into appropriate work, and makes work pay
  • ensures more people receive the benefits and tax credits to which they are entitled
  • provides housing benefit that helps give everyone access to affordable, secure homes
  • allows for the write-off of old tax credit overpayment debt
  • has a social fund that is accessible to all who need it.

How you can help

This is an ambitious vision, so we’re breaking it down into stages. Right now, we're looking for your support to call for improvements to the way medical reports are conducted for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) claims.

Almost all ESA claimants must attend a medical assessment, after which a medical report is produced. This report is used to decide whether or not the benefit will be awarded. Bureaux regularly report gross inaccuracies in many of the medical reports they see in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) appeal papers. This can impact on people’s chances of receiving ESA. We want to monitor this problem in order to lobby for improvements. If you are in the process of applying for ESA, or are about to apply, you can help us by taking part in a survey to assess the accuracy of your medical report. This process may also help support your claim. To take part, please visit your local CAB, where an adviser can explain the survey and allow you to take part.

For more information on what the survey will entail, please see Download filethis briefing (Microsoft Word 26kb).

For more information about the campaign, please email the Citizens Advice campaigns team.