The staff and volunteers at Citizens Advice Croydon are getting ready to pause for breath over the Christmas break at the end of what has been probably the organisation’s toughest in its 80-year history.
But, covid-ready, they are lined up to provide advice and help via phone and email over the holiday period for the growing number of clients that have called on them for help.
Over the course of the past nine months, after the first coronavirus lockdown in March saw them having had to close their offices for face-to-face consultations, Citizens Advice Croydon have dealt with more than 4,000 clients and handled nearly 20,000 cases, the majority of which involved welfare benefits.
“Back in March, we closed our doors for the first time in 80 years, but within days of seeing the last client at our Portland Road office, all our services were successfully transferred to telephony and online platforms, and services have been offered that way ever since,” ” Claire Keetch, the chief exec of Croydon Citizens Advice, told Inside Croydon.
According to the bureau’s figures, since the March lockdown, Citizens Advice Croydon has:
- helped 4,044 clients
- advised on 19,353 problems, of which: 10,020 were welfare benefits; 1,867 were employment; 2,678 were housing
- achieved £3.1million in financial outcomes
Claire Keetch: ‘we’re here for everyone’
“The Citizens Advice service is here for everyone, whoever you are, whatever your problem,” Keetch said.
“For our clients, this is about support that enables them to put food on the table and presents under the tree
“I could not be prouder of the staff and volunteer team at Citizens Advice Croydon for what they have achieved for the residents of Croydon at this most difficult of times.”
How to contact Citizens Advice Croydon:
Freephone Adviceline: 0800 144 8848 and Text Phone: 18001 0800 144 8884
Help to Claim line (for Universal Credit): Freephone: 0800 144 8444
By e-mail: Click here
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Inside Croydon is a member of the Independent Community News Network- Inside Croydon works together with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism and BBC London News
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