Torbay Citizens Advice

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 Bureaux 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 and negotiate with creditors.

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.

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.

Each bureau belongs to Citizens Advice, which sets standards for advice, training, equal opportunities and accessibility. Citizens Advice also co-ordinates national social policy, media, publicity and parliamentary work. Citizens Advice runs a national Advice Week campaign each September to promote the work of the CAB Service.

Citizens Advice is a registered charity, relying on funding from statutory grants and charitable donations to undertake vital support and service development.

Citizens Advice Links