Citizens Advice (CA) is a national charity with a network of local charities offering free, confidential advice online, over the phone and in person. Last year, aware of their wish to work with partners able to help them reach consumers unable to access the internet, or who are at risk of fuel poverty, we approached their national office.
In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, in which fuel and food poverty often come hand in hand, and with our regular contact with 64 food banks and community groups, we thought that an EFA/CA partnership could be of mutual benefit.
Not everyone is aware of potential support available, as evidenced by a report last year by Policy in Practice, a social policy software and analytics company working with councils, government, housing providers and community organisations. They estimate that unclaimed benefits worth £19 billion are available to millions of UK households struggling with the financial burden of rising expenses as the cost-of-living crisis continues.
With research indicating that 11 million people, over 16% of the population, can’t afford their bills or credit card repayments, and with so many not knowing where to turn, what to do, or what support is available, we thought that a partnership with CA made sense. For as long as there’s a need we’ll always be there for the organisations to which we deliver but, if we can play a small part in maximising people’s income so that fewer people need to use food banks, it’s a part we’d like to play.
Starting this year, thanks to our partnership agreed with CA, as well as food, we’ll be distributing information about potential sources of support to all the organisations to which we deliver. CA have provided us with 16,000 postcards in bundles of 100, which will enable us to provide each organisation with 250.
Although some will need more or fewer depending on their size, and they certainly won’t need them all at once, this will enable us to provide just the right number to each one and continue to do so periodically for as long as they last or are needed.
All CAs in Devon are listed below, information that we’ll be sharing with every food bank and community group, and there’ll be regular updates in our newsletter and here on our website.
- Citizens Advice East Devon
- Citizens Advice Exeter
- Citizens Advice Plymouth
- Citizens Advice South Hams
- Citizens Advice Teignbridge
- Citizens Advice Torbay
- Citizens Advice Torridge, North, Mid & West Devon
Anyone can find their nearest CA via this link.