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| The
Citizens Advice service is an organization that helps
people resolve their problems in two ways – through
advice work and through bringing about policy change.
We use your experiences to campaign for change. We keep
the details on special forms, then use the information
locally and nationally to press for improvements in services
and in the law. We don’t pass on your name and address
to anyone and your personal details always remain confidential. |
| The
CAB Service is independent and provides free, confidential
and impartial advice to everyone regardless of race, ethnicity,
gender, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation.
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| Help
us to help you |
| If
you would like an issue or problem such as
difficulties with benefits or employment,
recorded as bureau evidence and used to campaign
for change, please talk to a CAB adviser. |
| If
you are willing to share your story with a
wider audience via the media, please tell
a CAB adviser. |
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| What
happens next? |
| The
information you give us is used to campaign
for change either locally or through our central
organization, Citizens Advice. This might
include: |
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Lobbying
MPs and councillors. We regularly feedback
information to MP’s regarding local issues. |
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Trying
to influence the Government when they are planning
new laws. |
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Talking
to local councils about their services. |
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Discussing
problems with companies to persuade them to improve
their services. |
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Running
local campaigns such as improving local transport,
pressing for better banking facilities or calling
for more NHS dentists. |
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| The
social policy work carried out by Citizens Advice is successful
because it is based on the real experiences of clients. |
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| Recent
Campaigning Successes |
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In
2005 Chancellor Gordon Brown announced changes to
the tax credit system which reflected many of the
key recommendations made by Citizens Advice. In
particular it welcomed the introduction of a limit
to the cuts that can be made to ongoing payments,
a move that Citizens Advice had argued for over
two years to happen. A cap on the recovery of overpayments
should end the sudden drops in payments that have
plunged thousands of families below the breadline
and into mounting debt. |
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Citizens
Advice have campaigned to keep job centres open
in rural areas where many people find it difficult
to get to their local job centre due to poor public
transport. |
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In
recent years the number of people eligible for help
towards their legal costs had been reduced. Alongside
a Government minister the CAB campaigned to change
the rules as to who should be able to claim their
legal costs and from April 2005 thousands more people
became eligible for legal aid. |
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| Get
Involved |
| If
you are interested in giving us your views on one of our
campaign topics or wish to volunteer for your local CAB
and help us to campaign for change, please telephone your
nearest bureau. |
Contact Crowborough CAB
>>
Contact Hailsham CAB >>
Contact Uckfield CAB >>
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