Citizens Advice Stroud and Cotswold Districts helped 3,500 people last year with a wide range of issues – from benefit claims, debt, housing or employment problems to relationship breakdowns and more – according to their Impact Report 2024-25. The advice charity generated £1.8m in additional income for their clients and saved government services hundreds of thousands of pounds by preventing homelessness, housing evictions and reducing use of mental health services.
‘Our advice has life-changing effects for the people we help,’ said Chief Executive Elizabeth Hall and the chair of trustees, William Underhill, in a joint introduction. ‘We face the continuing challenge of rising demand for our service,’ they added.
The charity covers the largely rural areas of the Cotswold and Stroud districts. The report points out that while the area may be known for its prosperity, there are pockets of real hardship and exclusion. Last summer, the charity produced a hard-hitting report on Child Poverty which showed that one in five children are affected in this area. Local MPs Roz Savage, Simon Opher and Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown responded positively and pledged to work on the issue.
The Impact Report highlights how much people appreciate the support navigating complex benefit systems to ensure that they and their families can get the help they urgently need. In a survey, 85% of people who had used Citizens Advice’s impartial, independent and confidential advice said they would not have been able to resolve their problems without this help. The majority (73%) said they felt less stressed and anxious, and 44% said that their physical health had also improved as a result.
The report included anonymised case studies such as that of ‘Kate’, a survivor of domestic abuse whose medical conditions left her struggling to afford heating and food. Citizens Advice helped Kate to win her case on appeal after a two-year battle. The case was unusual in severity and length, which was recognised in the settlement of £17,000 in back payments.
Rising costs, low wages and low benefit levels mean that many people today struggle to avoid unmanageable debt. Citizens Advice helped to get £654,723 written off for desperate households where debt was causing severe hardship.
Citizens Advice Stroud and Cotswold Districts is an independent charity and part of a national network across the country. Over fifty volunteers help around twenty paid staff, with trained advisers working also in foodbanks and outreach centres.
In 2025, the charity also launched Advice First Aid in a countywide collaboration with Citizens Advice North and West Gloucestershire. Advice First Aidoffers free training to frontline staff and volunteers from local organisations, such as foodbanks, community hubs and libraries, to help them spot advice needs and provide signposting of services; 150 have been trained so far.
For the full report please visit www.citizensadvice-stroudandcotswold.org.uk or scan:
Helpline: Calls are free on 0808 800 0510 (Mon-Tues 10-4pm Wed-Thurs 10-12.30pm).
For details about our free Advice First Aid training, please visit our website or email training@ca-scd.org.uk
To keep up to date with what´s going on in town, feel free to join our Facebook group by clicking here. To advertise with the magazine check out the Rates & Media Pack – Ciren Scene!
0 comments on “Citizens Advice: Our Impact 2024-25”