A Guide to their services and how to find your local bureau
The Citizens Advice Bureau Service offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice. From its origins in 1939 as an emergency service during World War II, it has evolved into a professional national agency.
Five million people seek help from Citizens Advice Bureau every year. The CAB helps solve problems which are central to people’s lives, including debt and consumer issues, benefits, housing, legal matters, employment, and immigration. Advisers can help fill out forms, write letters, negotiate with creditors and represent clients at court or tribunal.
As well as giving advice, the CAB Service uses its bank of client evidence to find out where local and national services and policies should change. It has built a strong reputation for independent analysis. Click link to find out more about CAB social policy work .
There are 2,000 CAB outlets in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each CAB is an independent charity, relying on funding from the local authority and from local business, charitable trusts and individual donations.
There are now more than 30,000 people working in the Service. Ninety per cent are volunteers. They include CAB advisers, administrators and management committee members. Click link to find out more about volunteering .
Each bureau belongs to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureau (NACAB), which sets standards for advice, training, equal opportunities and accessibility. NACAB also co-ordinates national social policy, media, publicity and parliamentary work. NACAB runs a national Advice Week campaign each September to promote the work of the CAB Service.
NACAB is a registered charity, relying on funding from statutory grants and charitable donations to undertake vital support and service development.
NACAB produces a number of free publications, which can be ordered on-line.
For on-line advice and information, access the CAB Adviceguide website.
To find your local Citizens Advice Bureau visit the CAB directory