Housing tenure changes. Evidence keeps coming that housing causes many of society’s problems and divisions. This week Resolution Foundation show how far owner-occupation has fallen and why a settled home life can be so hard for low and middle income workers. Many people we see at CA Reigate & Banstead are particularly affected by the shortage of affordable houses to rent. As the foundation points out: Private […]
Policy change call. Good timing. “The current focus of Jobcentre Plus on reducing the overall number of people claiming benefits will need to shift towards helping people into secure and sustainable employment.” A Citizens Advice call for change in the direction of welfare policy must not be lost in a crowded summer news agenda. Plans to change how benefits are calculated for […]
Community alert. Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead is joining Surrey media to warn residents about the risks of online and other scams. The alert is based on CA research showing Redhill 4th highest in a national league table of reported fraud cases. Elaine Parr, Chief Executive Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead, said “Getting scammed can cost you dearly. Fraudsters have plenty of tricks up their sleeves […]
Surge continues. The rise in self-employment goes on. Latest official figures (March-May 2016) showed 176,000 more people in work than the previous 3 months. 119,000 (67%) were self-employed. There are now nearly 4.8 million self-employed people in a working population of 31.7 million. The number of self-employed has risen by 800,000 since 2008. This would be good news […]
Alarming estimates. There were an estimated 3.8 million fraud and 2.0 million computer misuse offences in England and Wales in the year to March 2016. The figures were released yesterday in the latest Crime Survey for England Wales. They are a new addition to the survey and account for as many offences as all other […]
No longer enough. Housing has always been a common problem for clients at Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead. This summer in our Redhill office it’s the most common. Our job is to help with the immediate difficulty but also to advise on policy change. For example by supporting the Citizens Advice campaign to reform private rentals. We highlight local housing problems […]
Early advice confirmed. Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead confirms advice issued after the referendum: The vote to leave the EU doesn’t mean immediate changes to consumer rights, employment law or rules around immigration. Analysis of national Citizens Advice* website and social media since the referendum reveals around half a million Brexit enquiries mainly about immigration, citizenship and which laws […]
Listen to your instincts. This month Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead is working with the CAB network and Trading Standards to help people protect themselves against scams. Everyday fraudsters are persuading people to hand over personal or financial information, or spend hundreds or even thousands of pounds seeking jobs, homes, holidays and investments that never materialise. So the motto […]
Some of what we did…. CARBS June Community Liaison: NHS, Surrey CC, Volunteering, Charity Trust Research and Campaigns: Brexit, Banks, Tribunals, Job Insecurity, Health and Income Social Media: Links, Topics