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Citizens Advice comments on the Queen’s Speech

4 June 2014

Responding to Government policies announced in today’s Queen’s Speech, the Chief Executive of national charity Citizens Advice, Gillian Guy, said:

“The Government has today laid the foundations for more radical changes which need to follow. Extra help announced today for workers, parents and those approaching retirement must be used as building blocks for even more ambitious reforms which should be put in place by the next Government.

“The new Guidance Guarantee on pensions is vital and also highlights how important it is for free, impartial advice to be available to help people overcome problems and make important decisions. Alongside delivering on today’s pledges, we want ministers to provide strong protection for shoppers through the Consumer Rights Bill, and tackle the big problems in Employment Support Allowance, which is now the single biggest issue for Citizens Advice clients.”

On pension freedoms and the Guidance Guarantee:

“Access to advice on pensions and savings can make or break someone’s retirement. Letting people manage their own pension pot is a positive move, but availability of advice will be vital in making this policy work for people.

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to advising people on their pension. Ministers need to ensure the delivery of the Guidance Guarantee allows people to access advice in a way that suits them and their circumstances, whether that is online, over the phone or in person.

“The Guidance Guarantee needs to take account of the different factors which affect how people make decisions about their money. The competing pressures of ensuring a decent standard of living, perhaps providing for children and planning for possible social care costs mean decisions on pension spending are complex."

On support for childcare costs:

“Childcare and housing are the biggest financial burdens facing families. Ministers have rightly made incentivising work one of their top priorities, but if parents cannot afford their childcare bills then they won’t be able to afford to work. Access to flexible and affordable childcare is vital if all parents are going to be able to afford to go out to work and contribute to the economic recovery.

“It’s welcome that Government has followed our recommendations and increased childcare help for parents on Universal Credit, but ministers’ failure to align sensible reforms to Free School Meals and welfare will leave many parents unable to make every hour of work pay. Going further and extending Free School Meals to children of every parent receiving Universal Credit would ensure that in its final year, the Government can realise its goals of making work pay and helping parents on low incomes.”

On the National Minimum Wage and Zero-Hours Contracts:

“Years of high inflation and low wages have left millions of families struggling to stay afloat as their pay packet has failed to cover their bills. It is totally unacceptable for employers to ignore the Minimum Wage and any business found to have fallen foul of their responsibility should face tough penalties.       

“Flexibility in our labour market is helpful, but it must not come at the expense of basic rights for workers. Ending the exploitative practice of employers preventing people on a Zero-Hours Contract from working elsewhere is long-overdue. Ministers must use legislation on Zero-Hours Contracts to enforce stronger protections for employees and ensure that anyone who is employed on a Zero-Hours Contract is clear about their rights and guaranteed protections like redundancy and holiday pay.”

On housing and infrastructure investment:

“Urgent investment in house-building needs to be a top priority to help families make ends meet. The cost of buying a house has gone up 11 per cent in the past year whilst Citizens Advice has seen a 16 per cent rise in social housing arrears problems in 2013. Help to Buy and a new Garden City may help some people get a foot on the housing ladder, but these measures are far from the major increase in supply we need to get costs down.

“Government needs to take into account the cumulative cost to consumers of the many levy-funded infrastructure projects that are underway or being considered.  People are picking up the tab for this investment through things like their energy and transport bills, so making sure the total cost is affordable for users is essential.

“Homes that keep the heat in help people reduce their energy bills.  Diluting the standard for zero carbon homes does not address the needs of consumers, who will end up paying for measures offsite but will not receive the benefit in terms of reduced energy costs.”

Notes to editors:

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, the Citizens Advice consumer service and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more see the Citizens Advice website.
  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. To find your local bureau in England and Wales, visit citizensadvice.org.uk. You can also get advice online at adviceguide.org.uk
  4. You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh language speakers
  5. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.3 million clients on 5.4 million problems from October 2013 to September 2014. For full 2013/2014  service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
  6. Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 21,000 trained volunteers, working at over 3,000 service outlets across England and Wales.