Citizens Advice Surrey Heath is a charity and we depend on funding from local authorities, local charitable trusts, project work and private donations. Our highly trained volunteer force, who give their free time to help local people, enable us to keep our overheads to an absolute minimum.

• Donations help us to continue providing free independent advice and to develop our services in line with local needs.
• Donating online is a safe and easy way to help us to keep our vital work going.

We are keen to work closely with other organisations wherever this helps us to offer a better service to our clients and to maximise the positive impact we make on people lives.

• Surrey Heath Borough Council to ensure that appropriate information and advice is available to local people on a range of issues including debt, benefits entitlements and housing
• Local Housing Associations to provide advice and support to tenants in financial difficulties and at the risk of homelessness
• Surrey Heath Primary Care Network as part of the Social Prescribing offer in Surrey Heath to improve people’s wellbeing and reduce pressure on our health systems.
• Other charities with whom we share mutual clients in order to offer holistic support.

Citizens Advice has provided free, confidential and independent advice for  85 years. Adapting to the ever changing needs of society has made Citizens Advice the most recognised and trusted provider of information and advice in the country.

As an established part of many local communities we are in almost every town and city in the country. Our service is very well known, with 95% of the public aware of it (MORI 2019).

We have been helping local people in Surrey Heath since 1960, when Citizens Advice opened the advice centre in Camberley. Our name was changed to Citizens Advice Surrey Heath in 2014 to reflect the fact that we help people throughout the borough and not just in Camberley.

Every year our highly-skilled volunteers give many hours of their time to supporting our communicty and their work is estimated to be worth well over £280,000.

We have a positive financial impact locally of over £1.8 million by:

• helping clients secure financial entitlements
• saving families from homelessness
• rescheduling debt

We have over 40 volunteers working with us in a wide range of roles, including advisers, receptionists and campaigners.

As well as the direct benefits to our clients volunteering helps people to build relationships, networks and bonds of trust. It is widely recognised as having a positive impact on local communities, and is often described as “the glue that holds communities together.” It also raised individual’s aspirations, encourages community participation and is part of the Government’s vision for strong, active and empowered communities.

Tom contacted Citizens Advice as he was struggling financially due to his Pension Credit having stopped unexpectedly.  He was in his 80s and his only income was his state pension.

Action/Outcome: We discovered that his bank account had been frozen by The Halifax. The bank had confused Tom’s identity with another person of the same name who had recently died.  The bank apologised for the error and awarded compensation of £200.

We then helped Tom contact the correct department at the DWP to explain the situation.  Tom’s Pension Credit was reinstated and backdated.  Additionally he was awarded a £300 Cost of Living payment that he should have received which helped put him back on a more stable financial footing.  Tom was very relieved and confident that he could now manage financially.

Caitlyn contacted us for support with food and during discussions it was identified that she also needed energy support and advice.  She was struggling financial due to the increase in cost of living and having to use  more energy in the colder weather.  She only had a few pounds left on both her meters 

Action/Outcome:

We carried out a benefit check which showed that Caitlyn would be over £62 better off changing from her existing Child Tax Credit and Employment Support Allowance to Universal Credit.  We then helped her complete an application to the Household Support Fund, applied for a fuel bank voucher to top up her meters  and used the Warm Home Discount eligibility tool to identify that she was entitled to the warm home discount.

We gave Caitlyn advice on how to improve her energy efficiency by turning down the thermostat and the one on her boiler, draught proofing and switching off appliances to save approximately £300 per year

Caitlyn was pleased to have a better understanding of how she could make savings on her energy and of how to monitor her energy usage via her smart meter.  The increase in benefits would help her financially going forwards and The HSF voucher and fuel bank vouchers meant she could top up her energy meters and the fridge so she felt more in control of her finances.

 contacted us in distress. She had been ill in recent months and was no longer able to work, meaning her and her partner were reliant on his state pension.  At the time of call, the client had no money available so could not top up her gas meter.  She had run out of gas four days earlier and had very little food left.

Elizabeth had received a notice seeking possession of her home as she had £3000 in debt arrears.  She was self-employed but had not been able to work full time for a while due to a health issue so her debts had been building up.

Action/Outcome:  We were able to put Elizabeth’s debts into Breathing Space, giving her time to find more work and address the debt.  We arranged payment plans for her two priority debts at an affordable and sustainable rate, based on the budget planner we had put together with her, and offered her other creditors £1 token weekly payments for the short term.  By dealing with her debts, making the ongoing rent payments regularly and agreed arrears payments Elizabth has managed to avoid eviction.  She is now starting to build up her working hours so she can avoid further debt.

Craig  was referred to us by the local housing association.  He was trying to rebuild his life following a traumatic time over the last year. He lost his mother (who he lived with) and two close friends. He was then in an abusive relationship and his partner took his money and destroyed items in his home. He suffered physically and mentally and was on a very low income from Universal Credit as he had rent and debt deductions.

Action/Outcome: We applied for over £4300 of grants with 6 different organisations to reduce, or in some cases, clear Craig’s debts. We also helped him access practical help including a new phone, furniture, washing machine and food. Finally, we worked with Craig to complete his PIP form and gave him energy advice as part of our Energy Advice Project.  As a result Craig’s living conditions have improved, as has his confidence and he is able to start to look to the future.