The stories our clients tell us provide a unique insight into the problems faced by people not only in Charnwood but across the UK.
The number of clients Citizens Advice works with annually makes it possible to spot trends and comment with authority on the strengths and weaknesses of different policies.
When someone seeks advice and help from us the detail of their problem is recorded on a client database – this is the same for anyone using Citizens Advice across the country.
Some problems are specific to the Charnwood area and when that is the case, we will bring the issue to the attention of local politicians and councillors.
When problems are not just local but affect everyone, they are picked up by the Citizens Advice central office from the 7 million or so problems recorded in the client database each year.
They then talk to government and regulators and work with other provider organisations to find ways of avoiding the problems in future.
As well as giving a voice to their clients, Citizens Advice's research and campaign work ensures that new policies are based on evidence rather than assumptions, benefiting many more people than could ever be helped one-to-one.
Read more information about national research and campaigning at
- Citizens Advice helped 2.7 million people last year. There were also 43 million visits to our online advice pages.
- We use this unparalleled evidence from the people we help to try and fix the underlying causes of people's problems.
- We're also the statutory consumer watchdog for the energy and post industries, meaning we advocate on behalf of consumers in these markets.