Information Advice and Advocacy Service

Citizen Advice Exeter were appointed by the Council in October 2019 to provide a city wide Independent Information Advice and Advocacy Service.

The purpose of the service is to:

– Ensure free, independent, confidential and impartial advice, information and advocacy is available to help people resolve the problems they face.
– Help address the widening inequality gap for Exeter communities in terms of health, income, employment and access to services.
– Work alongside the Council’s Housing Needs Team to support customers who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are experiencing financial and budgeting difficulties

Below is a quarterly comparison of client enquiry areas:

Q1
2022/23
Q2 2022/23
Q3 2022/23
Q4
2022/23
% Change Q3 to Q4
Clients
2239
2278
2103
2406
+14.4%
Benefit enquiries
2407
2749
2850
2819
-1.08%
Debt enquiries
392
523
419
466
+11.2%
Housing enquiries
370
411
401
351
-12.4%
Employment enquiries
174
175
175
169
-3.4%

 

Citizens Advice Exeter April 2022 – March 2023 Advice Trends

Please note that the trends data below relates to the enquiries we have dealt with, and that we have a reduced number of volunteers since the Coronavirus pandemic which may impact some of the trend data.

Client enquiries

  • We helped 9,026 clients directly with their advice and information needs.

Welfare benefits

Overall, we have seen a 24% decrease in welfare benefit enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 17.5% decrease about tax credits
  • 7.1% decrease about employment support allowance
  • 5.6% decrease about income support

We also dealt with 2,043 new enquires about Universal Credit.

Debt

Overall, we have seen a 20.8% decrease in debt enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 19.9% decrease about bankruptcy / DRO
  • 11.4% decrease about water debt
  • 8.4% decrease about unsecured loans

Employment

Overall, we have seen an 8.7% decrease in employment enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 28.5% decrease about employment tribunals and appeals
  • 26.8% decrease about terms and conditions
  • 13.5% decrease about dispute resolution

Housing

Overall, we have seen a 12.4% increase in housing enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 55.4% increase about private sector property
  • 31.8% increase about threatened homelessness
  • 11% increase about housing association property

 

Annual report for each City Ward Click to view

Alphington
Duryard + St James
Exwick
Heavitree
Mincinglake + Whipton
Newtown + St Leonards
Pennsylvania
Pinhoe
Priory
St Davids
St Loyes
St Thomas
Topsham