How do we provide advice

Introduction to the Citizens Advice serviceUK’s largest advice charity*

6.6 million advice issues dealt with*

2.1 million individual clients advised*

338 Citizens Advice Bureaux members in England and Wales*

3,300 locations where the service provides free and independent service*

22,000 people are volunteers who work for the Citizens Advice service*

6,000 people are paid staff*

*Citizens Advice (2014)

We provide free, confidential and impartial advice.

Our goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face.

About Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester

Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester

Need advice?Get advice online

Adviceguide is the Citizens Advice self-help website. For practical and reliable advice visit:

www.citizensadvice.org.ukVisit a centre

3 advice centres and 7 outreach services across West Sussex

EmailYou can use our email advice form to get help on a wide range

of issues: www.arunchichestercab.org.uk/email-advice/

PhoneAdviceline telephone number: 0344 477 1171

Mobile phone Adviceline: 03003 300 650(Monday to Friday 10am - 4pm)

What is a ‘Gateway Assessment’?

Access routes:

Phone Email Face-to-face

Gateway Assessment Interview

(Approximately 15 minutes)

Self-help information Sign-posting /

referral to another agency

Book a full advice

appointment

The difference we madeDuring 2014/2015 we saw 13,611 clients

(11,605 gateways and 2,026 enquiries).

Citizens Advice Arun & ChichesterMain client issues 2014 -15

One year at a glance

(1 st April 2014 – 31st March)

The difference we

made44.5% of our clients are male55.5% of our clients are female27% of our clients are disabled

4725 annual hours open (three centres)80% of our workforce are volunteers47,476 the hours of volunteering£755,694 the estimated value of the hours donated by our volunteers

One independent charity solving problems, changing lives

Interested in volunteering with Citizens Advice?

We have trained volunteers supporting the delivery of our work. They come from all sorts of backgrounds and help with everything we do.

Whatever your skill…Could you join us?

Our volunteering rolesEveryone has something that they are good at. We are looking for people who are good at managing the administrative tasks, maintaining the reception area and collecting evidence from clients’ experiences. Or can you commit to being trained as an adviser? There are many ways that you can use your skills to help others…

Why Volunteer?There are so many different reasons to volunteer, and everyone has their own reasons…

“Volunteering at the Citizens Advice was a life changing experience for me. I gained my Citizens Advice

certificate in generalist advice and this allowed me on to a law course at college. I worked my way up at the office

and am now employed by them full-time…”

“Volunteering locally makes me feel more involved in the community and helping people gives me a great

sense of satisfaction.”

What our volunteers say

Interested in volunteering? For available opportunities contact Debbie on 01243 866233, and to request an application pack speak to the receptionist. www.arunchichestercab.org.uk/volunteer/

Free training, travel expenses paid, min. 3.5 hours per week (depending on role)

 

Campaigning for change –

How and why?

Why Research & Campaigns?The Citizens Advice service provides the advice people

need for the problems they face and improves the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

We respond to the right issues through the right channels, as one service working together.

Activism Advocacy Influencing Voice Lobbying Policy work Effecting change

What do we mean by ‘campaigning’?

A campaign can be as simple as responding to a local consultation or writing a letter to the councillor or MP.

Campaign Successes (Local and National)

Help us make society fairerWe’re an independent charity, and our success depends on support from people like you. There are lots of ways to get involved.

• Sign up. Be a Citizens Advice campaigner and we'll let you know how you can get involved in our current campaigns. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/campaigns/citizens-advice-campaigners/

• Volunteer. Join our 21,600 incredible volunteers who help deliver our work.

• Visit. www.citizensadvice.org.uk or your local Citizens Advice to find out more.

Know your new consumer rightswww.citizensadvice.org.uk/ncw15

The new Consumer Rights Act came into effect in October. It’s worth understanding what your new consumer rights entitle you to.

Be a clever consumer.For further advice call 03454 040506 (Monday-Friday 9am to 5pm)

#cleverconsumer

I noticed they seemed less confident and frightened.

If you think a friend or family member is experiencing domestic abuse: Pay attention to changes in behaviour. Start a conversation. Listen, support and believe. Suggest further help.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/talkaboutabuse/

#talkaboutabuse

On hold & left in the cold?We are collecting evidence about delays and important calls going unanswered.

Has there been trouble getting through to HMRC, DWP, the local authority, utility companies or anyone else?

Please report this to us by completing a survey, so we can convey these problems to the organisations concerned and ask for improvements to their service.

The survey is available as a hard copy from the receptionist or online www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WBRPQ9K

SUPPORT USJust by shopping online

Did you know…Thousands of stores will donate to us a % of every £ you

spend online when you shop through

...and it won’t cost you a penny!Start raising funds for Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester:

www.giveasyoulive.com/join/arunchichestercab

What is Pension Wise? • Free and impartial government service• Defined contribution (DC) pensions only • To help you understand your options • Guidance not advice• Enable you to make the most of your

pension pot

pensionwise.gov.uk

Pension Wise: The Story

• Budget 2014 - pension reforms and freedoms• Pledge of free guidance, including face-to-face, telephone and

via the website • New rules began 6 April 2015• Pension Wise launched end of March 2015

pensionwise.gov.uk

Who is involved?

• HM Treasury - overall service design

• Financial Conduct Authority - regulation of service and standards

pensionwise.gov.uk

Delivery• Citizens Advice – face-to-face appointments• • The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) – telephone

appointments

• Website - provided by HMT

pensionwise.gov.uk

Who is the service for?

• Age 50 or over• Have a defined contribution fund(s)• Most benefit if you are about to make a decision about your

pension

pensionwise.gov.uk

Your guidance session

• Around 45 minutes• Explains new freedoms and options • Help you to understand the pros and cons of the options you

have• Shopping around, taxes and scams • Next steps • Summary letter

pensionwise.gov.uk

Benefits of a Face to Face session• Help you to understand your pension options

• At a convenient location

• Opportunity to ask questions

• Inspiring you to plan for your retirement

pensionwise.gov.uk

What our clients say?

“Thank you for your time and patience in explaining my options”

“It gave me a better understanding of what I can do regarding my pension pot”

“Very easy, and clearly explained. It has made my life a lot easier and I would definitely recommend the service”

pensionwise.gov.uk

Over 50 with a personal or

workplacepension?

Call 01243 860516 to book a Pension

Wise appointment to find out how to take your money.

pensionwise.gov.uk

Contacted out of the blue?Sounds too good to be true?

STOP!Pension scams are on the increase in the UK. Scammers will try to

entice people with a ‘free pension review’, ‘one-off investment opportunity’ or ‘legal loophole’.

If you’re under age 55, you cannot release your pension unless you are in ill health. If you are over 55, you can release funds from your

pension from April 2015. You may still be at risk from scammers.

How to spot the warning signs

Some of the most common tactics scammers use to trick members out of their savings:

A cold call, text message, website pop-up or someone coming to the door offering a ‘free pension review’, ‘one-off investment opportunity’ or ‘legal loophole’.

Convincing marketing materials that promise returns of over 8% on the investment

Paperwork delivered to the door by courier that requires immediate signature

Overseas transfer of the funds A proposal to put the money in a single investment. In

most circumstances, financial advisers will suggest diversification of assets.

What to do if you think you’re being targeted by a pension scam

• Never be rushed into making a decision.• Before you sign anything, call TPAS on 0300 123 1047.• If you have already accepted an offer report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.• Before you agree to anything, make sure the adviser is approved by the FCA.

Need benefit advice? But you are elderly, vulnerable or disabled and cannot leave

home? 

We can help.To request a visit or for more information please call 01903 725960 (Monday to

Friday: 10am-4pm)

Our home visiting serviceWho is it aimed at? The home visiting service is suitable if the client is: Disabled and/or housebound Elderly and/or vulnerable Struggling to come to the bureau (mobility issues or lives in a rural area) Having difficulties leaving the house (i.e. taking care of someone else)

What will the appointment cover? The advisor provides information and advice on benefits with the specific tasks as follows: Benefits check Form-filling Sign-posting and referring as necessary

The local independent consumer champion for health and social

care

49This is Jenny.

Jenny recently had a very bad experience of healthcare at a hospital in West Sussex.

She told her family about it. She told her work colleagues about it. She shared her story with her friends…

… and nothing changed.

Healthwatch could capture her story via:

their website their telephone Helpdesk emails, letter post at any Citizens Advice office

and feed them into the Healthwatch West Sussex database.

As a result, changes can be

made and services

improved

Survey Forms completed in our local Citizens Advice offices

for the 6 months ending 31st December 2015, show the following:

Health and Social CareServices

Good Average Not so Good 80% 12% 8%

Do you have a comment about

Health and Social Care Services in West Sussex?Good or Bad … Please ask our receptionist for a short

survey form to complete.

Paying more than you need to for energy?

and / or

 Want to become more financially and digitally smart?

We can help.

Why Digital Money Coach?Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester has been awarded funding by SSE to support clients to embed financially capable habits and behaviours.

Digital money coach can help you to:

• Get online, create an email account and using of search engines

• Save money on energy bills, switching, and explaining your energy bill • Use benefit calculations online, and manage universal credit and universal job match accounts

• Put together a budget sheet, and identify ways to save money

For more information please speak to an adviser/Digital Money Coach.

If we’ve let you down, tell us. We want everyone who uses Citizens Advice to be happy with the service we provide. If you’re not, tell us why, and we’ll do our best to fix it.

Pick up a leaflet about our complaints process.

Citizens Advice Arun & Chichester is an independent charity.

We rely on support from people like you, to ensure we can help the thousands of people in the Districts' of Arun and

Chichester who need us each year.

We are grateful for any donation, big or small.

Keep up to date with usfacebook.com/ArunchiCA

@ArunchiCA

Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice

Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice

www.arunchichestercab.org.uk