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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 service strategy 2008 - 2011 cover


Financial Skills for Life

Financial skills for life, key partner Prudential

About Financial Skills for Life

At Citizens Advice we know that having the financial skills to make informed decisions at key points in life can mean the difference between a secure future and a desperate struggle.

In 2008-9 we handled over 1.9 million debt enquiries and saw a 50% increase in people at risk of losing their homes through mortgage or secured loan arrears.

Through our financial capability work we help people avoid financial crisis.  We want everyone to have the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed decisions around budgeting, borrowing, saving and banking.

      

Cover of Building financially capable communities

Latest publication

Financial Skills for Life: Building financially capable communities
Overview of the financial education work that Citizens Advice Bureaux are doing – including the partnerships we’ve successfully made and the results we get.

Taking control

Jennifer is a lone parent with two dependent children. She was receiving various benefits and paying a total of £70 per week to five doorstep lenders. She never missed a payment to these lenders, but did miss payments on her rent and council tax and was in serious arrears on her utilities.

Jennifer attended a financial capability course run by her local CAB. Afterwards she said,

"I would never use a doorstep lender again, I had no idea credit unions existed. The best thing for me was realising I could do something about my situation."