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
2021/22
Q2 2021/22
Q3 2021/22
Q4
2021/22
% Change Q3 to Q4
Clients
2229
2005
1960
2406
+22.75%
Benefit enquiries
3478
3504
3641
3747
+2.90%
Debt enquiries
669
541
626
564
-9.90%
Housing enquiries
302
329
309
396
+28.1%
Employment enquiries
216
176
195
170
-12.8%

 

Citizens Advice Exeter April 2021 – March 2022 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 Coronavirus restrictions were put in place which may impact some of the trend data.

Client enquiries

  • We helped 8,870 clients directly with their advice and information needs.
  • We dealt with 87 enquiries relating to Coronavirus.

Welfare benefits

Overall, we have seen a 21.9% increase in welfare benefit enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 16.1% increase about Employment Support Allowance
  • 14.3% increase about Income Support
  • 11.6% increase about DLA/Personal Independence Payment

We also dealt with 2,888 new enquires about Universal Credit.

Debt

Overall, we have seen a 9.7% decrease in debt enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 17% decrease about Housing Association rent arrears
  • 11.6% decrease about bank overdrafts
  • 5.2% decrease about water arrears

Employment

Overall, we have seen a 39.8% decrease in employment enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 30.2% decrease about dispute resolution
  • 28.5% decrease about terms and conditions
  • 13.4% decrease about apy and entitlements

Housing

Overall, we have seen a 34.2% increase in housing enquiries. The main changes being:

  • 43.3% increase about threatened homelessness
  • 39.4% increase about housing association property
  • 18.8% increase about private sector 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