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Focus Autumn 2017

Citizens Advice Suffolk West are keen to help Clare residents
save money on their energy bills. The cost of energy is
continuing to rise and many people face increasingly large bills
for their gas and electricity this winter. “Keeping your home
warm over the winter is really important for your health and
wellbeing”, says Michelina Partridge, Citizens Advice Financial
Capability worker. “We want to show people how easy it is to
shop around to get the best deal, or change the tariff that they
are on with their existing company to make sure that they
don’t pay more than they have to”.

At the Energy Clinics residents can also find out if they are
entitled to any extra help from their energy companies, be it
practical help to manage their bills, grants for home insulation
or discounts off their bills. Many people do not realise that if
they are over 65, they can register for extra support should
there be a power cut and Citizens Advice can help them to
access this free service.

Mary Evans, Suffolk’s County Councillor for Clare, is backing the
energy clinics. “I am sure we all like finding a bargain in the
sales or making a saving by shopping around at the supermar-
ket but very few of us shop around for our energy bills. Yet
heating our homes can be so expensive. Do come along to the
energy clinic in the library and Citizens Advice can help you
switch to a cheaper supplier or onto a better priced tariff.”

The Clare library, in the High Street, will be hosting the Energy
Clinics on Wednesdays from 11am to 12.30pm, on the follow-
ing dates: 23

August, 20

September, 18

October, 15

November and 20

December 2017. Residents are asked to

bring along their latest gas and electricity bills to the Clinic to
get the most benefit.

Introduction to the Citizens Advice service

The Citizens Advice service provides free, confidential and
independent advice to help people overcome their problems.
They operate from a network of around 300 independent local
charities across England and Wales. Each local Citizens Advice
charity is a member of the National Citizens Advice charity. All
together they form the Citizens Advice service.

Their services are provided by 23,000 trained volunteers and
7000 paid staff. They have helped 2.7 million people face to
face, over the phone, by email and webchat in 2016-17.
They also received 43 million visits to online advice pages.

The Citizens Advice service can help with everything from
money issues to problems at work, housing or consumer
rights. Sometimes a person has more than one problem, and
often they are linked. CAB tackle these issues in the round
making sure people get all of the support they need.

A voice for our clients and consumers

The Citizens Advice service have real time data from millions of
clients. This evidence helps them identify emerging issues, un-
derstand what is causing them and make recommendations on
how to fix the problems.
They are also the statutory consumer watchdog for the energy
and post industries, meaning they advocate on behalf of
consumers in these markets. Last year 2 in every 3 people who
sought their help had their problem solved. Helping people
solve their problems can stop issues getting worse which can
save money further down the line. In 2015-16 they saved
government and public services at least £360 million.

Suffolk West Citizen Advice Haverhill
Citizen Advice help people to resolve their legal, money and a
huge variety of other issues by providing free, independent
and confidential advice. Suffolk West have offices in
Brandon, Mildenhall, Bury St. Edmunds and Haverhill.

Haverhill Contact : Haverhill House, Lower Downs Slade,
Haverhill CB9 9HB Tel: 01440 762194

Citizens Advice offering free Energy Advice
Clinics in Clare library.

By Michelina Partridge

Entrance to Citizens Advice service, Haverhill