Frequently Asked Questions About Our Services

1. What services does the Bureau provide?
2. Who are CAB Advisers?
3. How is the Bureau run?
4. What if you can’t sort out my problem?
5. What if I have a complaint?
6. Key facts about CAB

1   Most of the work we do is about:

1. Welfare benefits
2. Debt/money
3. Consumer
4. Housing and homelessness
5. Relationship and family problems
6. Employment

There are many other issues such as tax, immigration and law that we also advise on.

Detailed information about these & others topics may be found on our national web site at   www.adviceguide.org.uk

During our opening hours advice is given by face to face, and telephone by fully trained advisers.   The limited amount of space and numbers of staff available will affect how quickly you can get access to our services.   A referral is needed for some types of work, e.g. in-house specialist advisers and solicitors.   Normally you will need to be referred by a generalist adviser.   Appointments are normally needed, but can be made at specified times. Advice is also given by letter and in special circumstances we may be able to arrange a home visit.

All advisers are trained to deal with all subjects although we have specialist advisers on Debt.

Specialists will usually help by supporting the adviser you are seeing and following up advice where needed.   You may be referred to an outside specialist if required.

Our aim is to give you the advice and support you need to help you manage.   In some cases this may involve negotiating and writing letters on your behalf.   We can sometimes represent at court or tribunal.   In all cases the help we give will depend on:-

• your own ability to manage
• the complexity or seriousness of the case
• bureau resources/staff availability
   

2.    Who are CAB advisers?

CAB advisers come from all sorts of backgrounds, and many of them are volunteers. All of them undergo thorough training, and all their work has to meet nationally set standards.   Most volunteers are in the Bureau for only one or two days per week, so it is not always possible to see the same adviser.   All cases are recorded, (and kept confidentially within the bureau) so any adviser can follow up a case from an earlier.
 date.

3   How is the CAB run?

The CAB service is completely confidential and independent and is run by a voluntary Trustee Board, elected every year.   They administer the funding to pay the core staff for the day to day running of the Bureau, as well as for the various specialist posts.   Funding comes from Gosport Borough Council, with extra money for specialist services from the Housing Dept of GBC and SureStart, Rowner  Trustee Board members come from a wide background and meet regularly to ensure the bureau is running properly.   Members of the Trustee Board do not have any access to confidential case records.
 

4   What if you can't sort out my problem?

If we can't help you, we can usually refer you on to someone who can!   In some cases, where it is a law or policy that is causing the difficulty, we can take up the issue and work to change things.   We do this locally as well as through our national Citizens Advice network.   Sometimes this work can be very successful in improving things for everyone.
 

5   What if I have a complaint?

All complaints are taken seriously and we are always keen to know of any problems so that we can improve our service.   In the first instance, complaints should be addressed to the Bureau Manager.   We also have a leaflet explaining our complaints procedure in full which may be sent to you on request. If you would like to make any suggestions about how we can improve our service, write or e-mail to the Bureau Manager or alternatively use the suggestion box in the waiting room.
 

6   Key facts about the Citizens Advice service 2004/05

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing free advice and information, and by influencing policymakers. The work of the Citizens Advice service impacts on people’s lives in thousands of different ways. The service is:

• one of the UK's largest voluntary organisations. Citizens Advice and all bureaux are registered charities
• made up of a network of Citizens Advice Bureaux. There are 475 members in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (at 31 March 2005)
• a provider of free, independent and impartial information and advice from nearly 3,400 locations – helping people resolve nearly 5.3 million new problems a year
• a respected source of influence on local and national policy
• the largest provider of free money advice in the UK
• an employer and skills training agency with a workforce of over 28,000 people, the majority of these volunteers
• well known by the public - a Mori poll in 2001 showed that 96 per cent of the public has heard of us and 41 per cent have used us at some time in their lives.
   

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