More volunteers helping more people, say Exeter CAB
Leading local advice charity, Citizens Advice Exeter, has published its advice trend statistics for January 2016.
The charity has recruited 37 more volunteers over the last 12 months and this is reflected in the January results, with the charity helping 34% more people with their advice and information needs since April 2015.
Chief Executive Steve Barriball said: “I would like to pay tribute to the work that the staff team have done in terms of recruiting and training more volunteers so that we can help more people. And obviously, I congratulate and thank our volunteers for the work they do each and every day. With the introduction of Universal Credit, and other changes, there is more that we can do, and we will.”
Steve continued: “We are holding a volunteer recruitment afternoon on Wednesday, March 9. Potential volunteers will be able to find out more about our work, chat with some current volunteers, and find out about the training programme.
This is an excellent time to join our charity. Last year, the Citizens Advice service was named Charity of the Year in the Charity Times Awards.
This is recognition of the role that our volunteers play each and every day in helping our clients to change their lives for the better. That is an incredible and invaluable thing, and it was this team effort that this award recognised.”
For more information about the volunteering positions available and to register to attend the recruitment afternoon email: victoria.tate@exetercab.org.uk
Steve finished by saying: “In terms of the advice trends, there is a worry here that for the last ten months enquiries about welfare benefits, employment and housing have consistently been well ahead of where they were last year. This highlights the urgent need to address failings in the benefits system, provide more security for those in work, and provide additional assistance to those struggling to get on the property ladder; either as property owners or tenants.”
Anyone wishing to support the work of the charity can donate on-line by going to the Donation Support section of their website (www.exetercab.org.uk). Alternatively, donations can be made in person at the Bureau offices on Dix’s Field in Exeter.
The amount of advice that the charity has been able to provide compared to last year, was as follows:
Welfare benefits
Overall, the charity dealt with 28.0% more welfare benefit enquiries this year. The main increases being:
• 35.7% increase about disability benefits (PIP/DLA)
• 29.5% increase about housing benefit
• 22.6% increase about employment and support allowance
• 20.5% increase about tax credits
Debt
Overall, the charity dealt with 2.2% fewer debt enquiries this year. However, we have seen increases in the following areas:
• 34.2% increase about council tax arrears
• 20.5% increase about housing association rent arrears
• 8.2 % increase about local authority rent arrears
• 4.0% increase about water debts
Employment
Overall, the charity dealt with 31.0% more employment enquiries this year. The main changes being:
• 45.7% increase about dispute resolution
• 28.7% increase about pay and entitlements
• 26.3% increase about dismissal
Housing
Overall, the charity dealt with 40.5% more housing enquiries this year. The main changes being:
• 46.6% increase in enquiries about local authority property
• 36.1% increase in enquiries about housing association property
• 32.0% increase in enquiries about threatened homelessness
Advice and information is available from www.citizensadvice.org.uk
