SOCIAL POLICY

The experience of Citizens Advice Bureaux gives a unique, fresh insight into the problems facing UK citizens.

The Citizens Advice service has always provided free, independent advice and used clients' experiences to influence national and local services and policies. Citizens Advice collects evidence of CAB clients' problems and uses this to campaign for changes in policies and services. We have a key role in speaking up for clients, raising issues brought into bureaux, contributing to public debate and influencing legislation.

We regularly publish evidence reports, briefings, on a huge range of issues including consumer, debt, housing, benefits, immigration, employment, legal matters and health.

In the year 2005/06 we identified 89 clients with issues that needed social policy action, both at a local and national level. Citizens Advice collects all these issues and, with evidence from all other bureaux around the country, forms a powerful force for social change. On a local level, we have worked directly with a number of local organisations to influence change. We also ensure that these issues are shared with our local MP and Local Authority departments, so that together we can identify issues important to this district.

As an example of the type of work involved, we have recently collected evidence and acted on the following issues:

• Problems with dealing with the DWP and claiming Crisis Loans
• Refusal of sickness insurance claims
• Provision of local dental services on the NHS
• Utility supplier errors and overcharging
• Harassment from debt collectors and bailiffs
• High-pressure sales techniques
• Difficulties providing evidence to open a bank account
• Lack of homelessness provision
• Inappropriate lender charges
• Chiropody costs
• Civil Service jargon

We are continually collecting and acting on evidence, and looking for new ways to deliver social policy action.

Working with other Organisations

A further key aspect of our work involves participation and networking with other groups in the area to expand the range of services we can offer to our clients, and also ensure the needs of our clients are expressed. We have worked with a wide variety of groups are actively involved in service development in the local area. Agencies with which we are involved include:

• The Local Strategic Partnership
• Community Banking Partnership
• Local Social Policy cluster group
• SureStart, Rowner
• Hampshire Consortium of Citizens Advice Bureaux
• Gosport Hate Crime Forum
• Fareham & Gosport Domestic Abuse Forum

This year we have continued to develop relationships and work with a wide variety of local statutory and publicly funded organisations to the benefit of our clients, and have continued to look for opportunities to work with others in the future.

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