EAST STAFFORDSHIRE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

What do Citizens Advice Bureaux do?

The CAB Service is independent and provides free,confidential and impartial advice to everybody regardless of race, sex, disability, sexuality or nationality. It is the largest advice-giving network in the UK, with over 2,000 outlets and around 20,000 volunteers. We help people deal with nearly six million problems every year, in bureau, by phone and email, at outreach sessions in places like GP surgeries and courts—even in people’s homes.

Our clients and volunteers come from all walks of life. We are committed to providing an independent advice service, and volunteering opportunities, to the whole community.

Bureaux act as a one-stop-shop for clients. Advisers provide up to date advice and information using our unique electronic information system, link clients up with other services and agencies, help write letters and complete forms, negotiate with creditors, make phone calls on clients’ behalf and represent them at tribunals.

The problems we are most often asked about concern employment, debt, housing or benefits, and we will help people who come to us with any enquiry including consumer rights, legal matters, and immigration (level 1 only).

Advisers don’t tell clients what to do, but explain their options and make possible outcomes of different courses of action. Clients are encouraged to make their own decisions and act on their own behalf. We enable clients to manage their own problems by focusing on their needs as individuals.

At East Staffordshire Citizens Advice Bureau we can:

• Listen supportively
• Work with you to explore your options for action to achieve what you want to happen
• We can, where appropriate, complete forms, calculate benefit entitlement, write letters, make telephone calls, negotiate with third parties and make submissions for appeals
• We give specialist debt advice
• We give advice face to face, by telephone and by letter
• We can only do home visits if you qualify for legal help and have a debt or benefit appeal problem.