Why do people cite Citizens Advise as the holy grail?

[sillyonehetpes]

The advisors are on a low wage and no formal legal qualifications.

AIBU to think they aren't the holy grail

They’re not the holy grail, but they’re a good free access first point of reference.

In the same way that calling 111 won’t get you a specialist healthcare diagnosis right there and then, but will be staffed by people qualified to signpost you to the right doctor, Citizen’s Advice offers that invaluable first point of contact for lots of issues that people find themselves unqualified to know where to start.

Thank you for your time and expertise. It is an invaluable service. Anyone who thinks it can be replicated by googling is lucky enough not to understand the challenges some people face.

Aren't they recommended on the assumption that everyone no matter where you are in the UK there will be one near you .

"Anyone who thinks it can be replicated by googling is lucky enough not to understand the challenges some people face."

Absolutely. Well said.

We issue food and fuel vouchers and help people apply for charitable grants - you can't get that from Google. Grants for things like a cooker or washing machine for a single parent or disabled person on benefits who can't afford to replace theirs when it breaks.

We help people who are too confused and overwhelmed to sort out serious problems (things like facing eviction, all benefits being stopped - issues that leave people homeless or penniless). We read their letters, explain things clearly, make calls or send emails on their behalf, when they are not able to do it themselves.

We help people who are feeling suicidal because of their debts.

I could go on.

If you think that kind of service isn't necessary because Google, frankly you can take your privilege and fuck off.

Thank you too, for your time and expertise.

I don’t know if Citizens Advice or similar exists in other countries but I feel the same way about it as I do about the NHS. It might not be perfect by a long shot, but it’s crucial it exists and is free to access.

Local CAB office only accepts phone calls to make appointments and no longer offer a face to face option to book an appointment, which would be fine if they actually answered the phone. I spent 2 full days with a colleague (who moved from overseas, English is a second language and was really struggling to access simple, easy to digest information and help for the situation they were in) trying to get through, in the end we went in my car to the office itself. Door was locked, intercom system in place.

I rang the intercom and was told I had to call, I explained I had been calling but no answer, to be told tough keep trying. So I rang there and then, I could see the person sitting next to the ringing phone through the door not answering it. I could hear it! I rang the intercom whilst doing so only to be told again, phone calls only, I asked why they weren't answering and was told I had to leave.

It was just an absolute shit show. Colleague managed to get advice elsewhere but it was a ridiculously stressful situation and I certainly don't feel I could trust them to assist me now.

It takes about a year to train a debt advisor, as the job involves knowing the intricacies of welfare benefits, insolvency (IVA DRO bankruptcyetc) , council tax law , CCJ, magistrates fines, mortgage and rent arrears, hire purchase, unsecured loans,. The list goes on.
First point of contact is usually with a member of staff who may not be an advisor - like a receptionist/call handler or trainee /volunteer , who isn't allowed to advise, just triage.

I havent had to use them but my dad was a frequent user and big fan. They helped him with successful outcomes for complaints to various companies over the years and in the later years helped find out what DLA/carers he and mum were entitled to and helped him fill in the forms.

Agree with this. It's like the NHS or any organisation. Just because some advisers are not good (inevitable) doesn't mean you need to write off the whole thing. It is an invaluable service, free at the point of access, which has helped a lot of people.

People who work there are highly trained and have to pass all the training and tests and that can take up to 6months and there is always ongoing training.

It's free - I'm sure you could advise people see a solicitor but need lots of dosh for that.

ACAS is not a charity. They are a government body. They are definitely not well paid or well trained, certainly when it comes to the advice side of things.

CAB is not "one" organisation (by contrast with ACAS); they are various independent charities all adhering to a membership body. Some Bureaux are great and some less so because it depends on management and the advisers there.

I worked for a CAB for a number of years at the start of my (legal) career and a number of advisers were like me legally trained but starting up. Mostly though advisers, paid or volunteer, are extremely dedicated individuals wanting to make a difference. You don't work at the CAB for the money. You work there because you want to make a difference. All the more so for the volunteers. It seems ridiculous for anyone to expect the advisers to be legally qualified, it doesn't suggest that anywhere. Let's be realistic, it's free advice on pretty much anything. It's not like you can find loads of solicitors wanting to earn 25k only....

Fwiw as a CAB adviser I would always have signposted to Shelter for housing issues as they are a specialist housing charity.

Absolutely.
Even more so when it is not even one organisation... It is multiple independent organisations, all charities, not funded by the government. One adviser can be crap. One Bureau may also be rubbish possibly. But there are loads of Bureaux all different all across the country. Writing them off (and slagging them off) for one poor interaction (or even a number of poor interactions with one Bureau) is completely ridiculous. Unless someone has gone round the country trying the various Bureaux, expressing that view that they are crap globally is unfair and dangerous for those who need that advice, can't afford alternatives and will now not get that advice...

I volunteered for two days a month while working as a newly qualified civil litigation solicitor. The firm where I worked encouraged us as it helped their reputation. The only difference between the advice I gave people at the law firm and the advice I gave at citizens advice was it didn't cost hundreds of pounds per hour. A lot of volunteers were law students from the local university. They had the paid advisors, qualified volunteers and their tutors to rely on for advice and very quickly became experts on the more common issues we saw.

In my brief single brush with CAB they did no more than I could have done armed with Google and a decent pen. I think they may be useful for those who don't have great literacy skills, and assist with form filling and information gathering, but those who feel confident with a computer can probably manage alone.

An ex went to work for them as a volunteer before going into teacher training. He was - not great, shall we say, with talking to strangers, breaking advice into small chunks, being authoratitive (he failed his PGCE for those reasons) so wasn't really suited to the CAB either, but they took him on anyway. So I have no faith in their selection of volunteers either.