Citizens Advice in Warwickshire - Here for Everyone

PRESS RELEASE

Citizens Advice Offices in Warwickshire are 'Here for Everyone'

Three local Citizens Advice branches in Warwickshire supported nearly 69,000 people with their problems in the last four years - with a financial value worth more than £72 million.

This week sees the three independent charities, linked by the national brand of Citizens Advice, come together to mark this feat. They comprise: North Warwickshire Citizens Advice (NWCA); Citizens Advice South Warwickshire (CASW); and BRANCAB - covering Bedworth, Rugby and Nuneaton.

The Conference for Citizens Advice in Warwickshire, titled ‘Here for Everyone’ - will welcome an audience of more than 200 staff, volunteers, local MPs, and funders at Benn Hall in Rugby on Thursday 5th December.

Key speakers include Dame Clare Moriarty, the Chief Executive Officer of National Citizens Advice, and representatives from Blue Marble Research.

The Conference will also celebrate the commitment of many volunteers who are critical in delivering advice to clients. It will shine a light on the work they do, and how the Cost of Living Crisis has impacted their clients and their work over the past few years.

Tim Cox, the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire will be there to present long service awards to some of those volunteers.

The three chief officers of the local charities - Julie Robinson (CASW), Bill Basra (BRANCAB) and Lorraine Verrall (NWCA) issued this joint statement:

“This Conference showcases the huge efforts our staff and volunteers make every day on behalf of vulnerable people across Warwickshire. Thousands of residents have struggled to make ends meet during the last few years. We have seen a huge impact on people's abilities to pay their energy, rent, and other bills, and many are weighed down by a burden of debt. So many residents need our services - delivering free, confidential and independent advice.

“We are grateful to the commitment of our funders who continue to devote critical funds to us at a time of huge pressure on local authority budgets, trusts and grant makers.

“And we have taken huge steps as a partnership to launch services that increase our accessibility to those who need us: the launch in 2023 of our telephone advice line; dedicated professional advice around debt, pension credits and energy - these have all made an impact.

“We welcome the opportunity to focus minds on how the past few years continue to affect residents, ensuring their experiences inform what we do every day. Our services are under significant pressure, but we hope this Conference will demonstrate our value and impact within and across local Warwickshire communities.”

More details about our collective impact in Warwickshire:

Between January 2020 and March 2024 we helped 68,992 clients address 335,919 issues addressed. Financial outcomes - through debts addressed and/or income maximised - reached £72,764,099.

Issues mainly centred on debt and benefits, but we have seen a rise in advice sought for energy problems, disability benefits, and charitable support - such as food bank vouchers. Half of our clients have a disability or long term health condition.

Every £1 invested in Citizens Advice in Warwickshire this decade generated £11.39 in financial outcomes for clients.

Further help:

To contact our Warwickshire-wide Adviceline you can call 0808 250 5715. Further details about each local branch can be found in the links below.

Website links:

National Citizens Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Rugby Nuneaton & Bedworth Citizens Advice: https://brancab.org.uk/

North Warwickshire Citizens Advice: https://nwcab.org.uk/

Citizens Advice South Warwickshire: https://casouthwarwickshire.org.uk/

Blue Marble Research: https://bluemarbleresearch.co.uk/

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