As well as giving advice, we campaign for changes in policies and services where improvements are needed – solving problems for people who may never even use our services. We talk to Government, local councils and other policy makers to help them improve the laws and services that affect ordinary people.

Citizens Advice collects evidence of clients' problems and uses this to campaign for changes in national and local policies and services. We have a key role in speaking up for clients, raising issues brought into bureaux, contributing to public debate and informing legislation.
Our policy/campaign work covers a huge range of issues including consumer, debt, housing, benefits, immigration, employment, legal matters and health.We work with policymakers, regulators, MPs, Assembly Members and service providers.

Citizens Advice regularly publish evidence reports, briefings, responses to consultations and parliamentary briefings. These documents can be viewed on our national website www.citizensadvice.org.uk, or click the links above to go directly to the section.

 

CAB helps with Debt Problems Nationwide

The CAB service is the largest provider of free, impartial, confidential and holistic debt advice in the UK. Money is the CAB service’s number 1 problem. Last year 1.7 million debt problems were dealt with by over 400 bureaux across England and Wales. You may find useful the information about debt on the online CAB service website:

www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/debt.htm

The information on the site gives you basic advice about debt and simple guidelines for dealing with money problems. It is important not to panic about debt problems - but at the same time, you shouldn't ignore them - they won't go away.
If you are worried about how to deal with your debts, there is free, confidential advice available.
Your local Citizens Advice Bureau in Slough can give you advice about debt problems.

Tenancy Deposit Protection
From 6 April 2007, all deposits taken by landlords for Assured Shorthold Tenancies (the vast majority of tenancies) must be protected by a tenancy deposit protection scheme.

Tenancy Deposit Protection in summary:

• Landlords will be required to join a statutory tenancy deposit scheme, if they take deposits.
• This will mean that deposits are safeguarded.
• Tenants will get all or part of their deposit back, if they have kept the property in good condition and are entitled to get their deposit back.
• The scheme offers alternative ways of resolving disputes which aims to be faster and cheaper than taking court action.

Click here for for details on the Direct Gov wesbsite: www.direct.gov.uk/tenancydeposit
Click to download a leaflet describing the changes

Click here to read about the Tenancy Deposit Protection scheme on the adviceguide website.

Post Office Closures

The Government has announced its plans to close 2,500 post offices over the next 18 months. Citizens Advice say that essential services must be maintained for the most vulnerable in some form. The CAB's recent survey about Post office services found that more than 90% of respondents said they would be personally affected if their local post office were to close. Three-quarters said their community would be significantly affected.

Click here to read the CAB press release.
Click here to read about PO closures and CAB in the media.

You'll find more about our current national campaigns at Citizens Advice service campaigns for change .

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