Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

While the rate of inflation is coming down, it is still above the UK Government’s 2% target. October’s official figure was 4.6%.

This ultimately means that costs are still increasing and people are finding their incomes squeezed – but there is one organisation that managed to collectively increase residents’ income by a staggering £1.2 million between July and September.

Step forward the Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent branch of charity Citizens Advice.

In just three months, the charity, which has offices in Caerphilly and Bargoed, helped 2,628 people in Caerphilly County Borough with 12,939 issues and also helped to write-off £438,801 worth of debt.

The figures are sizable – especially when you consider the population of the county borough being around 175,900 – and go some way in dispelling the old fashioned image that the name Citizens Advice may conjure up (the ‘Bureau’ was dropped in 2018 as part of a rebrand).

The Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent branch is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing more than 200 staff.

Heading this up is chief executive Simon Ellington who has overseen the branch’s transformation.

He told Caerphilly Observer: “We started in March 2000. There were about six or seven employees. There was an income of just under £200,000 to run four offices.

“One of the things that has made a huge difference is we run a lot of contracts [for the national Citizens Advice].”

It is those contracts that have seen the charity grow – securing the local help it provides to residents of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.

Debt specialists, consumer advice, help with energy costs, people called as witnesses to criminal cases, and relationships; the charity covers a wide range of topics.

Simon continued: “All of our different services have developed over the years from half a dozen people on the phone. It has really changed the organisation.

“Most of the people who work here are under 35 and 60% of them live in Caerphilly.”

Visiting the charity’s call centre on Pontygwindy Industrial Estate, it is clear Citizens Advice places a great deal of emphasis on staff development.

Stephanie Carroll is a specialist debt team leader and has been with the charity for four-and-a-half years, after starting in consumer advice. She used to work in sales for a mobile phone company.

She said: “I wanted to be on the ‘light side’ [instead of the ‘dark side’]. I went from putting contracts together to letting people know what their contract rights are.

“Working here is amazing. We’ve got a really good team here and it’s been nice to see us get bigger.”

Overseeing the busy call centre is Martin Flye. Joining from British Gas on secondment in 2014, he never returned to the utility company.

Instead, he helped set-up the contact centre with head of digital operations Lisa McLain helping it win those vital national contracts.

Described by colleagues as the ‘glue’ that holds the centre together, he told Caerphilly Observer: “It is the staff here that drive the centre.”

The charity also has an office in Bargoed where 65 staff and volunteers provide advice on debt, benefits, energy and many other areas.

Some staff work mainly in the office, others travel around Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent providing advice in libraries, community centres and even making home visits to people who are unable to access advice any other way. The local office is supported by Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent councils along with other funders.

So why do people contact Citizens Advice?

Sophie Cooper, is a consumer team leader, heading up around 40 advisors. Sophie has worked for Citizens Advice for two-and-a-half years.

She said: “We deal with any goods people purchase or services they receive from a trader, any misleading advertising, scams, and unfair business practices.

“The most common problem we have is someone buying a car a month or so ago, it no longer works, and the seller is not providing them with a remedy and they’ve tried to do everything already.”

Help with benefits and energy costs are also some of the top reasons people contact the charity.

Leah from Caerphilly is 33 and lives with her five-year-old daughter.

Unemployed and receiving Universal Credit, Child Benefit and a full council tax reduction, some unexpected costs meant she couldn’t top up her gas meter and was using the emergency credit. Once that had run out, the gas would be cut off.

Citizens Advice completed a full assessment and discovered she was eligible for a fuel voucher. The charity also gave her advice on what other support she was entitled to and advice on managing money.

As a result of its work, Leah did not have her gas cut off and she is currently receiving help to identify what the underlying issues are causing her to struggle financially.

Leah’s case is not an isolated one, but it is the impact of the charity’s work that motivates staff.

Chief executive Simon said: “Our staff and volunteers are helping people. Making a difference to people’s lives. They are all really conscious of that. What they say to people on the phone really makes a difference.”

• Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent Citizens Advice contributes a monthly column to Caerphilly Observer helping people navigate a range of consumer issues. Its latest can be read here.