Citizens Advice response to Ken Clarke’s announcement on funding for advice services

Citizens Advice Chief Executive Gillian Guy said:

“As a charity that helps more than two million people every year we welcome the government’s recognition of the vital role advice agencies play in resolving problems that put people’s homes, jobs and livelihoods at risk.

“Ken Clarke deserves real praise for this extra money for free, independent advice services. It will go some way towards ensuring that vulnerable people can continue to get the advice they need.

“However, Citizens Advice remains very concerned about the legal aid bill being debated today.  The problem is not just that the cuts are so deep – what’s left of civil legal aid will be inaccessible for too many people and unworkable for too many advice providers.”

She added:

“The government has at least listened to the representations that we and others have made about the importance of access to early advice. We look forward to hearing in more detail about the proposals announced by Ken Clarke.”

Last year more than 300 specialist Citizens Advice Bureau case workers – who depend on legal aid  - helped solve more than 40,000 welfare benefit cases, almost 60,000 debt cases, over 9,000 housing case and 3,000 employment cases.