Healthwatch Survey. Can you help? Good communication is vital to make sure a patient’s discharge from hospital is smooth and stress-free. How was it for you or someone in your care? Our friends at Healthwatch Surrey have begun a survey to learn about the experience of older people who have been discharged in the past 18 months. They want to find out what […]
Drop-in makes a good start. Our newest Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead outreach opened in Tadworth today. The weather was drizzly but Merland Rise Church couldn’t have been more welcoming or friendly. Volunteer advisers Helen and Kathryn were ready to begin at 0930. Their first client was waiting when they arrived! Merland Rise Church administrator Ruth was on hand to […]
Outreach begins Tuesday 7 November. When our newest service opens at Merland Rise Church for the first time a warm welcome is guaranteed. Both the church and the Epsom & Ewell Foodbank (which has a centre there) recognise the value of a partnership with Citizens Advice. Senior Pastor Richard said: “I’m delighted that CAB is bringing extra support to the Merland Rise […]
Tadworth Leisure and Community Centre. Citizens Advice is for everyone in the community, whoever they are, whatever their problem. So the team wants people to know what we do and where to find us. Led by our dynamic community links volunteer Helen, they spent this morning at the busy Tadworth Centre. Thanks are due to the Centre for welcoming us – and giving us a prime […]
How we helped, April to September. In the first half of 2017-18 our trained advisers helped fellow citizens tackle more than 5000 different problems. The chart below shows the most frequently raised categories. Among the most problematic Benefit issues were Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit and Personal Independence Payments. Biggest Debt issues linked to housing: rent arrears and unpaid council tax. Citizens Advice Reigate & Banstead offers free support to local […]
Price cap. Safeguard tariff. Default tariff. Energy price announcements fluttered down like the leaves. Government published a draft bill (1) it says “would see rip-off energy prices capped for millions of households”. Citizens Advice said the bill was “an important step towards an energy market that works better for consumers” (2). Ofgem, the energy regulator, has […]
It was all down to you! Our client of several months and her husband dropped by our Banstead office today with a big bunch of flowers and a thank-you note for our lovely volunteer Sue. She said they were really grateful for all the time Sue had spent with them and so delighted they had succeeded in getting her Attendance Allowance and Blue […]
Early signs are the new Citizens Advice Crawley court desk is appreciated by people facing action but also judges, staff and those seeking a court judgement. Desk Officer Brian Fissenden (pictured) is pleased with progress made by the service which began in July following closure of the Redhill and Reigate courts in March. “When the courts closed we made a strong case for access to […]
Financial risk affects 25m people. Large scale research by the Financial Conduct Authority* shows why Citizens Advice is asked to help so many with debt and other money worries. Potentially vulnerable covers “those who may be less able to engage with their finances or with financial services. The reasons for this can vary from low financial resilience to suffering […]