Citizens Advice Bureau column: In need of help and advice? CAB may have the answer

By Christine O'Hare of Maidenhead and Windsor CAB

What does your CAB do?

Life has its problems and they are often complex. If you, or friends, want help through well-informed guidance, contact your local Citizens Advice (CA). Besides helping individual people, bureaux work with Citizens Advice nationally to campaign for change to improve people's lives.

So, what can CAB help you with?

Benefits, applications and appeals; employment issues including redundancy;  debt – dealing with creditors; consumer affairs;  housing – private renting and mortgages; legal matters from small Claims to immigration; discrimination including race, sex, religion, disability or age;  healthcare; education; energy costs; wills, birth certificates, living together/marriage/divorce, child custody; tax; and  many other concerns.

To contact Citizens Advice either drop in or telephone during opening hours – see below. Either way you will talk to a trained advisor who will consider the best course of action. They may be able to answer your question immediately, signpost you to an appropriate organisation or arrange an appointment in Maidenhead or Dedworth to see one of our specialists.

Before contacting CA you could look at our website to do some research. Many people now use the internet to make a start on solving their problem.

Only use official sites such as www.adviceguide.org.uk  or www.gov.uk, and don’t pay for anything that can be free. If you need more personally tailored advice please call in and speak to one of our advisers.

Remember to bring any relevant paperwork – it, and any other research, will help us to help you with your problem more quickly.

Maidenhead and Windsor CA is staffed by expert volunteers. They undergo rigorous ongoing training and use independent research sources.

They have a wealth of experience and will always look at relevant wider issues which you may not have considered but could help your situation.

The service is  free, confidential and without judgment – so  nothing you say will be disclosed and no-one will tell you it’s your fault.

For help and advice contact www.maidenheadcab.org.uk or phone 03444 111 444 weekdays 9am to 5pm or www.adviceguide.org.uk