Crunch Time In Campaign to Save Citizens Advice Exeter

The battle to secure the future of Citizens Advice Exeter is reaching a climax as a key Exeter City Council committee considers several recommendations made by the charity.

The battle to secure the future of Citizens Advice Exeter is reaching a climax as a key Exeter City Council committee considers several recommendations made by the charity.

The authority’s Customer Focus Scrutiny Committee will consider whether the decision to cut funding should be reconsidered at a meeting on 28 November and comes after a public appeal raised £26,000 from the people of Exeter.

Citizens Advice Exeter Chief Executive, Sue Julyan, said:

“We’ve had a magnificent response from the public, but now we need to convince the council to review their decision.

“We continue to have a good relationship with Exeter City Council and know the pressures local authority finances are under, but we can demonstrate how Citizens Advice is value for money by bringing £17 million in new money to the city in the last five years through benefits claims and debt written-off.

“We helped over 20,000 local people in that time reducing pressure on public services and helping people find a way out of their problems.”

Lending their backing to the public fundraising campaign, former Exeter MP, Sir Ben Bradshaw, said: “Over 27 years as Exeter’s MP, I saw what a vital service Citizens Advice provides... Please give them support."

The Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Rev’d Mike Harrison, added: “Citizens Advice Exeter offers a brilliant service... Please support this campaign."

 Exeter MP, Steve Race, said: “Exeter Citizen’s Advice offers an important service for people across the city. Their advice offers help that can and does change lives. I very much hope that the charity can develop a sustainable model with partners and funders to enable it to continue to deliver these services for the benefit of Exeter people.”

A contract with the council providing funding of £200k per year ended in March 2024.  A one-off grant of £75k was provided for 2024/25. Despite the fundraising appeal, cutting staff and volunteer hours, helping fewer people and moving to smaller office space, the charity needs around £175k to close its funding deficit, which would allow it to reinstate the drop-in service to three mornings a week, keep the telephone advice line going and maintain its community outreach projects in the city.

 What other Exeter organisations say about Citizens Advice Exeter:

● “What foodbanks do is often 'firefighting’. What Citizens Advice does is 'fire prevention.'” – Exeter Foodbank

 ● “Exeter CA provides a valuable service allowing us to signpost and refer our clients that are over 50 but need advice on Debt, Universal Credit and Family issues.” - Age UK Exeter

 ● “Citizens Advice Exeter is a key service provision, and I am very concerned about changes to the service. As a Wellbeing and Support Lead at a community centre, my role is to connect people with organisations that have the knowledge and experience to best support individuals. By reducing this service, I feel that the hugely valuable knowledge held at Citizens Advice will become even harder to access and disseminate to the wider community.” - St Sidwell’s Community Centre.

 Some of the comments members of the public have left on our Crowdfunder page:

“If you have ever needed advice from someone you trust, you'll know how vital the support of Citizens Advice Exeter is for the people who need it.”

“Thank you for the wonderful work you do on behalf of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Exeter.”

 “Many thanks for the amazing work that CA do for the city of Exeter. We, and many others, would be lost without you and we are proud to support and stand with you.”

The charity is also seeking support from the business community, in the form of donations, sponsorship or free or low-cost premises.

Anyone able to help is asked to contact Chief Executive, Sue Julyan, at sue.julyan@citizensadviceexeter.org.uk or 07498-129716.