Address

5 & 6 Old Post Office Court
Carlisle
CA3 8LE

Telephone

(01228) 633909

AdviceGuide

Online Advice

Campaigning For Change

Press Coverage

Our Trouble Shooters column in the News and Star gives advice on common problems.

The Trouble Shooters Archive contains older articles in the Trouble Shooters series.

We also have an archive of other CAB related press coverage.

Social Policy

The Citizens Advice service has always provided free, independent advice and used clients' experiences to influence national and local services and policies. Citizens Advice collects evidence of our clients' problems and uses this to campaign for changes in policies and services. We have a key role in speaking up for clients, raising issues brought into bureaux, contributing to public debate and influencing legislation.

We regularly publish evidence reports, briefings, on a huge range of issues including consumer, debt, housing, benefits, immigration, employment, legal matters and health. Throughout every year we identify a number of clients with issues that need social policy action, both at local and national levels. Carlisle Citizens Advice collects all these issues and, with evidence from all other bureaux around the country to form a powerful force for social change. Also on a local level, we work directly with a number of local organisations to influence change. We try to ensure that these issues are shared with our MP and Local Authority departments, so that together we can identify issues important to the district.

As an example of the type of work involved, we have recently collected evidence and acted on the following issues:

  • Problems with dealing with the DWP and claiming Crisis Loans
  • Refusal of sickness insurance claims
  • Provision of local dental services on the NHS
  • Utility supplier errors and overcharging
  • Harassment from debt collectors and bailiffs
  • High-pressure sales techniques
  • Difficulties providing evidence to open a bank account
  • Lack of homelessness provision
  • Inappropriate lender charges

We are continually collecting and acting on evidence and looking for new ways to deliver social policy action.