Citizens Advice Bureau Annual Report 2023/24

FACTS FROM CORE SERVICES Volunteering is the heart of this service and is themain front-line contact in the bureau. It is challenging, varied and rewarded by the satisfaction of making a difference tomany people’s lives, reaching achievements, vast learning opportunities, training, gaining or improving confidence, use of systems and improving employability. Mostly volunteers engage to become general advisers but some prefer other duties such as reception, administration, IT and social policy. Prospective advisers, if accepted, follow a programme leading to advice giving or other preferences. In some cases qualifications can be awarded. Some go on to become tutors, team leaders or specialists in certain subjects or case checkers. Many past volunteers have succeeded to prominent positions in the city. For those who are retired or otherwise not seeking paid employment volunteering in the CAB provides an interest, comradeship, expansion of knowledge base, further insight into the diversity of life, amelioration of lifestyles and great sense of purpose. DEBT MANAGED TOTAL DEBT MANAGED £972,473.23 TOTAL CLIENT FINANCIAL GAINS (where known) £1,578,484.23 WORKLOAD MEASURES 1. Signposting: 1.2% 2. Listening Ear: 1.8% 3. Information & Advice: 58.1% 4. Negotiations outside: 38.3% 5. Representation: 0.6% (Legal papers only) ENGAGEMENT New clients 5,759 Cases 7,003 Total Contacts 12,762 NEW AND ONGOING ISSUES Number of issues new clients brought to the bureau and its outreaches broken down as Social Security Benefits: 7,483 Immigration, Nationality & Asylum: 330 Consumer Goods & Services: 141 Legal: 225 Debt: 830 Relationships: 124 Employment: 258 Tax: 697 Financial Products: 234 Utilities: 544 Housing: 1,853 Other (Health, Education & Travel) 650 Total 13,369 VOLUNTEERING