Our aims and principles - Citizens Advice

1 Our aims and principles The CAB Service aims: to ensure that individuals do not suffer through lack of knowledge of their rights and responsibilities or of the services available to them, or through an inability to express their needs effectively and equally: to exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services both locally and nationally. The CAB Service is independent and provides free, confidential and impartial Advice to everybody regardless of race, sex, disability, sexuality or nationality. Working together, NACAB and bureaux will: make our services more accessible provide a quality service represent our clients' interests raise our profile obtain the human and financial resources we need to achieve these goals National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux 115-123 Pentonville Road London N1 9LZ.

2 Telephone 020 7833 2181. Fax 020 7833 4371. Bridging communities National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux Annual report 2001/2002. National Association of Citizens Message from Message from HRH The Princess Royal Sir Graham Hart Patron of NACAB Chair of NACAB. I was delighted to be invited to speak at the CAB The whole ethos of the CAB Service is about Service's Annual Conference in York, where I was helping people no matter who they are to able to meet the winners of the 2001 CAB exercise their rights and to obtain fair treatment Volunteer of the Year award. This award recognises under the law and thereby improve their lives.

3 The vital contribution of the 19,716 volunteers to We have long aspired to promote equality, an the CAB Service. objective that is central to our values. In January, I visited Wrexham CAB to unveil the We believe in forging partnerships with new Welsh language logo for the CAB Service, other bodies, statutory and voluntary, to benefit Cyngor Ar Bopeth Advice on everything a truly our clients and our potential clients. This report literal translation for a Service which has gives many examples of such working together continually developed and expanded its scope to and we are always searching for new meet the challenges of the day.

4 Every year I also opportunities for partnerships. visit many bureaux to see their work in action. Simply by doing our own job well, we not I am always impressed by the innovative services only help many individuals in need, but we also they provide in their communities , often with very make a vital contribution to the communities restricted resources. we serve: for example, our work promotes I would like to thank all of the Service's donors economic regeneration, helps individuals to and I hope others will be able to lend their support develop their potential and encourages in the future. active citizenship.

5 Citizens Advice Bureaux deliver high quality Advice and information from over 2000 service outlets across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as by telephone, via the internet , by email and through the media. Advice provided by Citizens Advice Bureaux is free, confidential and impartial, and open to everybody regardless of race, sex, disability, sexuality or nationality. Each Citizens Advice Bureau is a charity, and bureaux are run by a total of 5,135 paid staff and 19,716 volunteers. Bureaux belong to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB), which sets standards for Advice and equal opportunities and supports bureaux with an information system, training and other services.

6 NACAB also co-ordinates social policy, media, publicity and parliamentary work. Bureaux are supported by a central office in London, a national office in Wales, a network of field offices in England and Wales, and the Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. Bureaux in Scotland belong to a separate organisation, Citizens Advice Scotland. Advice Bureaux 2001/2002. Bridging communities 2. Key achievements 2-3. Improving people's ability to cope 4-5. Promoting equality, tackling discrimination 6-7. Helping deal with illness and disability 8-9. CAB Service at a glance 10 -11. CAB client problems social security 12.

7 Consumer and debt 12. Employment 13. Housing 13. Legal systems 14. Immigration/Asylum 14. Providing training and promoting active citizenship 15. How we are funded 16 -17. Help us bridge communities 18 -19. Contact us 20. Thank you 21. Photo credits: All photos Justin Piperger except inside front cover Mark McKenzie, top back cover Joanne O'Brien, bottom left page 11, Crown Copyright, page 14, Fleet CAB. David Harker Chief Executive Bridging In every area I visit, Increasing incomes, reducing poverty Citizens Advice Bureaux Problems with social security remain high for CAB clients. play an integral part of Welfare benefit take-up campaigns bring new money into virtually every new a local community.

8 CAB Advice and support helps people partnership initiative. Though the CAB Service is best assert their rights and ensures that unclaimed benefits known for the help it provides to individuals, our work are paid. [p12]. in fact brings about change for whole sections of society. This is to some extent cumulative the more Improving financial literacy individuals we help to claim their benefit entitlements, There is no doubt that the UK faces a problem of the more money comes into a local economy. And of financial literacy. Our report Summing up: bridging the course, our evidence-based social policy work uses financial literacy divide, (November 2001) highlighted individual CAB client experiences to build up a picture the profound effects of low levels of financial literacy of problems affecting particular groups and aims to right across the socio-economic spectrum.

9 Over 70 CABx resolve them by influencing changes in policy are already engaged in projects delivering community or legislation. based personal finance education. [p4]. But our impact goes even deeper than this. While we rightly focus on the individual client, we never Improving health forget that he or she may share common experiences Poverty causes ill health and vice versa. In recognition of and concerns with others. Citizens Advice Bureaux look this, many CABx are being funded by primary care trusts at the make-up of communities , identify those in and others to provide Advice in health settings.

10 [p8]. particular need and reach out to them. This year's work We commissioned MORI research which showed that to encourage the reporting of racist incidents is just 750,000 people experiencing ill health fail to afford all one example. We are also determined to provide our their prescriptions. We highlighted the extent of the services to people who may be excluded in other ways, problem for CAB clients in our evidence report, for example, through lack of access to IT and the Unhealthy Charges (July 2001). services that can be accessed through it. Just as much as providing help to the individual who Winning justice for clients walks through the door, our work ensures that the Citizens Advice Bureaux support clients through both CAB Service is a force for social regeneration, building formal and informal channels, to help them assert their stronger , more cohesive communities .