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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


Citizens Advice scores high as gay-friendly employer

Citizens Advice has become the second highest scoring charity in Britain’s top 100 employers for lesbian and gay people. In Stonewall’s 2008 Workplace Equality Index published today, Citizens Advice leapt 16 places from its position last year and is now in the top 25 employers at number 24.

The top 100 employers are ranked according to a wide range of criteria which includes implementing good employment practices, effective equality policies, strong support for their lesbian and gay network groups and how they engage with lesbian and gay staff and users of their service.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive David Harker said:

“We feel very proud that our efforts are being recognised and the hard work of staff is being rewarded. In two years we have jumped 40 places to reach position 24 and become the second highest gay-friendly charity. It’s a remarkable achievement and sends out a clear message that Citizens Advice is committed to supporting lesbian and gay people in the workplace.”

Co-chair of Citizens Advice National Lesbian Gay and Bisexual Group Dawn Draper, said:

“Our network group has been very active within Citizens Advice for over 20 years now and has a very high profile within the organisation. We have seen a lot of changes from those early days and Citizens Advice given us a huge amount of support.”

Citizens Advice scored 85% to be placed in the top 100 gay-friendly employers and many of the 1.7 million lesbian and gay people in the UK workforce use Stonewall’s index to see how employers score and compare with others. Participating in the Workplace equality Index has encouraged Citizens Advice to look at best practice and develop quality policies and support that work well and appeal to lesbian and gay people.


Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers.
    For more information in England and Wales www.citizensadvice.org.uk
    For more information and 2008/9 service statistics see Introduction to the service
    For 2008/9 service highlights see the Citizens Advice service impact report
    For 2008/9 social policy campaigning highlights see the Citizens Advice social policy impact report
  2. The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
  3. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at over 3,300 locations across England and Wales.
  4. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2 million clients on 6 million problems from April 2008 to March 2009
  5. Advice and information www.adviceguide.org.uk
  6. Volunteer hotline 08451 264264 (local rate)
  7. Citizens Advice Guide to your rights, second edition: January 2008 - over 600 pages of practical, independent CAB advice. An invaluable resource for any bookshelf - available from all good bookshops; price £11.99; ISBN: 9780141034089
  8. Follow Citizens Advice on Twitter: (New window) twitter.com/CitizensAdvice
  9. Subscribe to Citizens Advice press releases via RSS news feed: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/pressoffice