Citizen Advice’s Social Policy is a process by which evidence is collected to influence the law and policy makers together with service providers both locally and nationally and thereby bring about policy change. This evidence is collected from the clients’ information covering their experiences and problems. This evidence is then reported to the regional office without identification, but with a client’s profile as to age, race, sexuality, language ability, income, health etc., together with the impact on the client and his/her family. Such evidence will be used when contacting other outside bodies and individuals such as Government Policy Committees and MPs. Local bureaux can used it at liaison meetings with Local Government departments, councillors and other outside bodies.
Campaigning is often used to highlight to the public in general a specific high profile problem, an example of which is the rent deposit scheme.
Go to Citizens Advice campaign 
pages for further details.
The Citizens Advice Fair Welfare campaign is calling for a just, efficient welfare benefits and tax credits system. It is a broad campaign incorporating several separate objectives for change.
For Citizens Advice, a ‘fair welfare’ system would mean:
- Benefits and Tax credits act as a safety net to prevent anyone in the UK living in poverty
- There is transparency and flexibility in the system, so that everyone can understand what they’re entitled to and how to claim it
- There is good decision-making and administration within the system to ensure people get the money they’re entitled to quickly and efficiently
- People are supported to move into appropriate work, and the system makes work pay
- More people receive the benefits and tax credits to which they are entitled
- Housing benefit helps give everyone access to affordable, secure homes
- Unnecessary tax credit overpayment debt is written off
- The social fund is accessible to all who need it
You can help by telling us your story. Simply go to: Fair Welfare Form .
For more details, you can visit: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/fairwelfare.
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Merton & Lambeth CABx are supporting Citizens Advices campaign to highlight that one in three children in Britain live in poverty today. The government has promised to halve child poverty by 2010 and as a member of the End child poverty coalition, Citizens Advice aims to keep them to their promise.
As part of Citizens Advice End child poverty campaign we asked parents who find it difficult to make their money last how this affects their children. This is child poverty gives a new insight into the financial, emotional and physical impact of poverty on children in modern Britain. The report and video give a voice to some of the families behind the statistics.
For more details, please visit CitizensAdvice.org.uk
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Parents shouldn’t have to endure sleepless nights worrying about how they will meet the cost of kitting out their children for school. Children shouldn’t have to face bullying or exclusion because their parents can’t afford the right uniform or pay for expensive residential trips. Adding Up, the Citizens Advice campaign on education costs is your chance to make a real difference to the lives of those experiencing social and financial exclusion in your community.
The campaign objectives are:
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to encourage schools to adopt the best practice initiatives on uniforms, specialist equipment and school trips as outlined in government guidance
- to lobby local and central government for the widespread availability of school uniform grants so that financial assistance is made available and effectively promoted to those in need
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to press for the guidance and good practice that exists to be made enforceable through law and effectively regulated by the appropriate body.
The Government has a commitment ot ending child poverty and improving educational attainment. For the vast majority of children, securing a decent education is a critical factor in determining success in adult life. Yet for a whole host of reasons, children from low income families are less likely to flourish at school. Research has found that for these children, their experience of school can be divisive and contribute to exclusion.
The high costs associated with attending school can have a severe impact on low income families. Families can face hardship and children are at risk of exclusion if they are not in the correct uniform or unable to afford to participate in activities and trips. In 2005 Citizens Advice, children's charities, and the National Union of Teachers formed a coalition to continue to highlight the broader costs associated with attending school.
In February 2007 a new Department for Education and Skills (DfES), now Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), School Admissions Code came into force in England. For the first time the Code makes clear reference to the importance of limiting the costs of school uniform and trips. This will provide advice on ways to reduce the cost of school uniform.
To help raise awareness, print a Campaign postcard and take it to your child's school. These are also available to collect from your nearest CAB.
For more details go to the Citizens Advice Adding up campaign page .
Update: School costs urgently need enforcing press release (03/02/09) .
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This page was last updated on 26/10/09.
