HomePublicationsAnnual reportsCitizens Advice annual report 2005/2006Making information available

Meeting the information and advice needs of as many people as possible is a major aspiration for the Citizens Advice service. In 2005/06, Citizens Advice spent £1,695,000 on producing accurate information for bureaux to use to advise clients and for the public to access directly.

CAB advisers rely on relevant, accessible and practical information to help 2.75 million clients a year with more than five million problems. Over 16,000 trained CAB advisers regularly use AdviserNet, a unique, comprehensive internet-based information system that is kept up-to-date by 20 information officers at national Citizens Advice.

The public can also access our information directly to help them resolve their own problems, through our multi award-winning website, adviceguide.org.uk. Available 24 hours a day, it has content in 11 minority languages.

Last year, Citizens Advice piloted a number of alternative ways for people to access quality CAB information including email, spoken word technology and interactive kiosks within community settings. By enabling clients to resolve their own problems in new ways, much-needed capacity is released in bureaux to provide face-to-face advice to those that really need it.

During 2005/06 we said that we would:

• launch AdviserNet online to improve access to information for CAB advisers
• look at new ways for the public to access CAB information
• maximise opportunities for the Citizens Advice service to work effectively with other information and advice providers.

During this year we have:

• moved our comprehensive information system used by advisers from a CD, updated monthly, to a more frequently updated accessible and cost effective website
• launched a pilot project to deliver public information via digital TV in selected television areas as part of the National DigiTV Project funded by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
• seen an 83 per cent increase in visits to adviceguide.org.uk which provides self help information direct to the public. The site also won a national e-government award for outstanding success in reaching its audience and being an invaluable online service
• published the Citizens Advice Handbook, pulling together practical information and advice in a handy paperback reference book. The book sold over 38,000 copies in the first six months.

Next year we will:

• identify groups that are currently unable to or do not use Citizens Advice Bureaux and plan regional and national initiatives to address this
• help bureaux to identify and provide services to those in greatest need within their communities
• promote more use of online public information channels
• improve the levels of advice in areas suffering from discrimination.

Over 16,000 volunteer and paid advisers delivered 9.72 million hours of advice.

Our award winning website, adviceguide.org.uk received 4.3 million visits.

Our Citizens Advice Handbook published with Penguin sold 38,000 copies in the first six months.

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