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Citizens Advice wins £24m grant to support witnesses in court

15 November 2014

The Ministry of Justice has announced that Citizens Advice has won the first competitive tender to deliver the Witness Service. The service provides practical and emotional support to criminal court witnesses and their families. This includes greeting witnesses, explaining court procedures and giving updates on the progress of the case.

Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, Gillian Guy, said:

“The right support can turn a daunting situation into an empowering one. For 75 years Citizens Advice has equipped people with the skills and confidence they need to get through difficult situations.

“We are pleased to be able to extend our services by offering the practical and emotional support people need to deal with the impact and experience of being a witness in court.

“Citizens Advice has a strong history of supporting staff and volunteers to deliver high quality, independent and impartial advice. We look forward to bringing this expertise and experience to the witness service.”

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.