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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 Islington scores well in client satisfaction poll

Citizens Advice Islington scores well in client satisfaction poll

In the eight months since the launch of Citizens Advice Islington, the service has become an essential local lifeline. Since April, the dedicated telephone information and advice line has dealt with 5323 enquiries from people who live or work within the borough.

Enquiries to the service provide an insight into the concerns of Islington residents and workers during the recession. The top four issues are:

  • Housing
  • Benefits
  • Debt
  • Employment

Nearly 50% of housing enquiries are related to issues people are having in their privately rented accommodation.

Earlier this week (Tuesday 17th November) Islington Labour Cllr Lucy Watt presented 15 volunteers at the service with certificates to mark over six months on the job. The trained volunteers, who between them speak over 10 different languages, are on hand to answer a large range of enquiries including any money, debt, property, work or legal concerns people may have.

Feedback from clients who have used the service is overwhelmingly positive; in a recent customer feedback survey over 90 per cent of respondents said they would use the service again and 78 per cent said their peace of mind and well being had increased as a result of the support they received.[1]

Comments from respondents were very positive, one man who was recently made redundant said:

“Being made redundant came as a shock, especially as my wife was six months pregnant at the time. By the time my JSA claim was denied neither of us were working so this was very stressful for us both. Citizens Advice Islington helped me challenge their decision successfully and has helped us receive some much needed support at this special but difficult time.”

Jodi Manning service development manager for Citizens Advice Islington said:

“Since the service began we’ve exceeded targets in the number of enquiries we’ve dealt with. As well as enquiries over the phone we’ve also managed to see 146 people for face to face appointments. That over 90% of clients stated they would use us again is testament to the skills of all our volunteers and the hard work they’ve put in over the last few months.”

Cllr Lucy Watt said:

"Citizens Advice Islington have made a very welcome return to the borough. In the current climate, many residents will find their service indispensable which is why we've pumped £150,000 into the helpline this year.

"With both outreach workers and a telephone advice line, Citizens Advice Islington will be helping thousands of residents this year.

"Together with our freephone credit crunch hotline, it's one of the many ways Islington Council is working with local employers, the voluntary and charity sectors to help recession-hit residents in a real and practical way."

Local residents and workers in need of advice or information can call: 0844 856 3537 between 10 am - 5 pm, 5 days a week (Monday - Friday) or visit the website: (New window) www.cabislington.org.uk

The service is funded through an annual grant of £150,000 from Islington Council and managed by Citizens Advice.

ENDS

Photos of Cllr Lucy Watt’s visit with volunteers at Citizens Advice Islington on Tuesday are available


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