Citizens Advice Bureau Why We Can Help Employers Citizens Advice Facts and Figures There are nearly 400 individual bureau charities that deliver advice from over 3,000 locations in England and Wales. This means we are run by local communities to meet local needs whilst having the national best practice at our finger tips. The Basingstoke Citizen’s Advice Bureau serves the community and nearly 11,000 people received our help during We provide advice on a wide range of issues with the main areas on which advice has been sought being: Benefits and tax credits (27%) Debt (21%) Employment (12.5%) Housing (11%) Relationships and family (10%) Legal (7%) There is great diversity in what we deal with but the benefits are immeasurable include reducing the stress of being in debt, maximising income, and keeping people and families together in their homes. Our clients are often employees and the impact of these issues can effect their productivity and your business. Workplace Facts and Figures Some facts and figures from the workplace today from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Annual Management Survey 2013: The average level of employee absence is 7.6 days per employee per year Annual cost of absence per employee was £595 Stress is one of the most common causes of long term absence Two-fifths of organisations report an increase in stress-related absence over the past year. A similar proportion claim an increase in reported mental problems (such as anxiety and depression)

Citizens Advice Bureau Supporting local business We will raise awareness of what help is available to your staff and give easy access to CAB service, so that employees are helped with an issue before they reach crisis point Reduces time spent with individual employees on personal issues by employers/managers It helps reduces absenteeism (average cost £595 p.a per employee) and improve productivity Enhances employee satisfaction leading to greater employee retention Increases staff morale – caring about employees can boost morale and enhance employee retention and increase staff commitment to their roles We also can provide training on: Financial Capability and budgeting session to minimise debt and reduce stress Tips for saving money Basic consumer tips for “Buyer Beware” and “Know Your Rights” In work benefits Changing energy supplier The cost of borrowing Basingstoke Citizens Advice Bureau can improve employee productivity, reduce management time, retain and attract employees and add value to your company.

Citizens Advice Bureau Supporting Basingstoke Employees Benefits to your employees with CAB support for your business Increasing the awareness that CAB can help them (50% of the adult population use the CAB during their lifetime) Early intervention will help them resolve problems whilst they are still manageable, minimising any stress Empowering them to help themselves so they are more confident to resolve their problems now and in the future Maximising their income through helping with benefit calculators and guidance over welfare reform Provide links to other organisations with further specialised knowledge to support them where appropriate This service will provide advice on a variety of issues, but it is totally confidential and their employer (you) will not know that they have contacted the CAB or anything about the advice that they have sought. We provide a quality service with existing partnerships and resources so we can customise our services to meet their needs. It is a dedicated service, with professional guidance and support from trained CAB advisors and experts. Basingstoke Citizens Advice Bureau can provide free, confidential and professional advice to your employees

Citizens Advice Bureau How it works How our service works Through or a dedicated employee advice line an advisor will do a short assessment, gathering information to identify the problem and the help required. The help can be information, template letters or fact sheets. A follow up appointment may be required in more complex or detailed cases (either by phone or face-to face in our Basingstoke office) How do employees access the service? Access to a dedicated website, CAB Advice Guide, via company intranet/internet for self help guidance to empower, support and advice to employees contact sheet for any questions/concerns. Contact sheet has relevant questions to help provide quality referral and information for advisor to help A dedicated phone advice line – 5 days a week except Wed Confidentiality The service to employees is confidential but we will provide anonymous case studies to show the advantages of our services We will also provide trend analysis for the community as a whole Plus highlight the wider impact of social policy which benefits individuals, the local community and countrywide. Cost As a local company we wish to work in partnership with you to experience this new unique service. We will charge a minimal fee for this new service initially based on the number of employees but with no compromise on quality and tailored to the needs of your organisation and employees. Please contact Jo Cleary.