The Citizens Advice service Every CAB is a registered charity

We provide the advice people need for the problems they face Accessible to all, in person, on line and by telephone Targeted services for hard to reach groups Our advice is free, independent, confidential and impartial. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. Advice Provision

Reaching more people in 2011/ million 2 million 13.4 million advice issues dealt with in UK individual clients advised visits to our self-help website Over 3,500 locations

Citizens Advice in Hampshire In Hampshire & Southampton there are 24 main bureau and 26 outreaches Citizens Advice Bureaux help solve problems by providing advice and influencing policymakers. Hampshire and Southampton CABx assisted 63,000 people in 2011/12 Total of 235,000 issues covered, 4722 consumer goods and services enquiries 2958 utilities enquiries

Changing lives – 97% of people have heard of the Citizens Advice service (BMRB, 2009) 41% of people say they have used a Citizens Advice Bureau at some point in their lives (BMRB, 2009) 96% client satisfaction (Citizens Advice, Bureau characteristics survey 2010/11) Rated 1 st of 22 national charities on being helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective, reputable and accountable (nfpSynergy Brand Attributes survey, 2010)

Contribution of volunteers Of the 28,500 people who work across the Citizens Advice service, 21,500 are volunteers. Trained volunteers perform a wide variety of roles from giving advice to fundraising, IT, administration, publicity, campaigning and trusteeship.

Online advice 24 hours a day “An amazing amount of information on one website. A great self-help service.”

Advice process – client journey Access by phone, , face to face, website Information in reception areas – self help Gateway interviews – triage process information, signposting Full advice interview Casework Advocacy Representation

Common standards but different local service delivery National membership requirements and Quality of Advice Audits Varying funding levels for local bureaux from district and borough councils Locally resourced bureau projects to meet local needs: e.g. Royal British Legion, Housing Associations, Financial Inclusion and Capability, Mental Health, Fuel Poverty

Citizens Advice Hampshire Consortium of Hampshire CABx and the unitary authorities HCC funding for training and specialist support for volunteers, plus consortium development work Enables co-ordination and collaboration between the local bureaux and partnership working with statutory authorities

Current service challenges Charity status, not part of government or councils Funding cuts to local bureaux Commissioning of services Changes to service delivery – modernisation, new technology, accessibility Consumer advice changes at national level has not brought funding to local bureaux (yet!)

Campaigning for change Citizens Advice Bureaux help solve problems by providing advice and influencing policymakers. We estimate that our policy work positively impacted on 6.8 million people in 2010/11. Collecting anonymous evidence from client cases to effect change for whole community, not just CAB clients. Used locally and sent to national HQ for media campaigns, evidence reports, responses to consultations and briefings on Bills. Leading All Party Parliamentary Group on Debt.

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