Jean Lambert MEP will be one of the key speakers at Enfield Citizens Advice Bureau’s (CAB) conference on social policy today, focussing on the role of advice centres and the voluntary sector in addressing social deprivation in London. The conference aims to bring together people from CAB offices across London and local voluntary organisations to foster relationships to improve their service to people facing difficulties regarding debt, access to benefits, immigration and housing.
The CAB, which operates in over 3000 locations throughout the UK, deals with millions of new cases related to financial and employment problems every year. In London, 41 per cent of children live in poverty (after housing costs), much higher than the UK average of 30 per cent. Unemployment is a major factor contributing to child poverty and London’s high cost of living, including travel, housing and childcare, has an added impact on the incomes of parents. London also has by far the highest percentage of children living in workless households with almost one quarter living in household where no-one works.
Jean Lambert MEP said:
"The Citizen’s Advice Bureaux play a vital role in helping people deal with serious problems such as debt, housing, employment and legal matters. Voluntary organisations often find themselves stepping into the breach, filling gaps in social service provision. Events like the conference today are vital in ensuring that good communication exists between organisations and that those service providers have a louder voice when it comes to influencing decision-makers."
"Many voluntary organisations are dealing first-hand with the most pressing social difficulties, such as immigration and discrimination. I’m proud to be able to support the fantastic work that CAB and other voluntary organisations do to support those people most in need."Notes to editors
The Citizens Advice Bureau
The Citizens Advice service has been helping people to resolve their money, legal and other problems since 1939.It is the largest advice-giving network in the UK, regularly providing advice from over 3,000 locations. CAB help people deal with nearly 5.5 million new problems every year, in bureaux, by phone and email, at outreach sessions in places like GP surgeries and courts – even in people’s homes. CAB advice is free, impartial, independent, confidential and provided by trained volunteers. The CAB service is known by 96 per of the public and 41 per cent has used it at some point in their lives.
The advice CAB gives is the first in the advice sector to be audited for the quality of the advice given to clients. CAB advice is available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or nationality. Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to continue providing this vital service to local communities.
Top five CAB client problems in 2005/06 (England and Wales)
Benefits (1,500,000 new problems) Debt (1,1437,000 new problems) Employment (473,000 new problems) Housing (402,000 new problems) Legal (294,000 new problems)