Getting behind with the rent or facing other housing problems can lead to a court summons. If this happens to you, or someone you know, there are 2 basic rules: 1) do attend at the required time and place, and 2) do get advice on how to present your case. Following these rules doesn’t guarantee a good outcome but gives you a better chance. It could even […]
Benefit delivery is causing financial hardship. Citizens Advice is calling on the government to pause the rollout of Universal Credit. The application system requires claimants to wait 6 weeks for payment leading to financial insecurity and debt. Many are falling behind with regular payments including rent and some are even at risk of losing their homes. In Surrey Universal Credit is at currently available to just a small group. Full […]
Service now in place. Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead court desk is up and running again. Our advisers can now help local people facing action in the Guildford County Court sitting at Crawley Magistrates Court. For years the service supported people in local courts, particularly those defending housing cases. However in March the Redhill and Reigate courts closed and it looked as if such people would have to attend court […]
Ofgem proposes extra help for vulnerable customers. Energy regulator Ofgem today published proposals* for a safeguard tariff for vulnerable customers “to protect them from overpaying for their energy”. It had been expected that the government would tell Ofgem to cap prices for all customers. The growing call for such a cap followed the Competition and Markets Authority’s report in 2016 […]
New Citizens Advice information on workplace rights. Moving on can be great but also a time of great anxiety. Citizens Advice online has published new information on Leaving a job. It deals with all aspects of the most asked-about issues – resigning, references, dismissal and redundancy. At one time or another most of us need good information […]
Play your part. Be scam aware. July is Scams Awareness Month promoted by Citizens Advice and Trading Standards. At Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead we’re be playing a full part and asking everyone to be scam aware. Here’s some things to be VERY aware of: a call, letter, email or text that’s come out of the blue […]
How to do it. It can easily happen. You’ve paid your money but the goods or service aren’t up to standard. You may have complained but you don’t take it further because you’re not sure anyone will listen. In fact if you think a company has broken the law or acted unfairly, you might be […]
Eligibility for free treatment. Dental patients themselves are responsible for claiming eligibility for free treatment. Dental practice staff are not expected to advise patients on the matter and mustn’t do so. This is the advice of NHS Business Services Authority in response to a client query raised earlier this year by Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead and […]
Still not working. Chronic arthritis led to our client* Katy’s redundancy on health grounds in July 2015. In her mid-40s, she had been employed without a break from age 17. She has pain in her neck, back, shoulders and arms and numbness that extends to her fingers. She wears a back and neck brace and walks with […]
Fastest growth since before the crash. In April outstanding credit card debt in the UK was £68bn. This is 9.7% up on the previous year and means the fastest growth since 2006. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimates 3.3m people have “persistent” credit card debt. In an 18 month period they pay more in interest and charges than in actual […]