Featured Cause – Citizen Advice Bureau
There are thousands of charities and good causes out there. Most of the time, we don’t engage with them, especially if what they have never featured in our lives or the lives of our family members or relatives. Occasionally however, through an awareness campaign, threats of closure or other means, a charity, cause or organisation we have never given much thought to comes to our attention. For me, the organisation that got my attention and got me to shake off my ‘bloggers block’ is non other than the Citizen Advice Bureau.
What does the Citizen Advice Bureau do?
I have never used the services of a Citizen Advice Bureau in the past and I do not know anyone who has, however I know that legal advice/services are quite expensive. The last legal service I used cost £250 per hour + VAT. Given that legal aid is being cut severely, one of the only option left to people on low income to access legal services is their local Citizen Advice Bureau. What happens if funding to them is cut and they cannot raise enough money to continue their work, will legal services and justice be available only to those who can buy it?
That is where the important question as to what the citizen advice bureau do comes in. The simple answer to that is that they are an organisation where the public can receive free legal advice and information on civil matters such as debt, housing and other issues. Here is how the umbrella organisation for the Citizen Advice Bureaux describe the services they provide: ”
We provide free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination.”
So, why are you telling me about the Citizen Advice Bureau?
Well, I am telling you this just in case you are like me, clueless about the importance of the Citizen Advice Bureau. But you know that it is important that every one has access to an organisations that can advise people about their rights; how to deal with debt, housing and other day to day issues facing vulnerable members of our society. You should check out the fantastic work your local Citizen Advice Bureau is doing and perhaps how you can support them with a donation or in other ways.
This blog was mainly inspired by the funding cut the Citizen Advice Bureau in Hereford is facing at the moment.