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Families are facing unthinkable hardship this winter - but Citizens Advice is here to help. Our network of charities gives people the vital advice and practical support they urgently need.
We're already helping millions of people each year. With your support, we can be there for even more this winter.
Times are tough for everyone right now - but for some they’re unthinkable. Increased food, housing and energy costs affect us all, but for those already facing tough times the effects can be catastrophic. Every day at Citizens Advice we’re seeing people who need emergency support, families relying on food banks, and those who simply can’t afford to make ends meet.
For many this Christmas, it won’t be a matter of deciding which gifts to buy their children, buying new decorations for the Christmas tree or stocking up on all the trimmings for Christmas dinner. Instead, they’ll be deciding whether they can afford to turn the heating on or do their essential weekly food shop, worrying about how to keep a roof over their family’s head.
No one should have to face these problems alone and we know that the right advice, at the right time, can be a lifeline.
contact us seeking crisis support
Our advisers can give people the help and support they need to find a way through unthinkable hardship this winter. But our services are stretched to the limit. Our volunteers and staff are working flat out, answering as many calls and seeing as many people as they can. But we know there are many others struggling to get through to us and many thousands more who need our help.
Chloe's story
My family and I were evicted from our home after I complained about mould in the property
Chloe, her partner and their two young children were forced into homelessness after complaining about poor living conditions in their rented home.
Worried about the impact of leaks, damps and mould on her children’s health (her 4-year-old daughter has type 1 diabetes and needs full-time care), Chloe raised the issues with their landlord, who served them with a Section 21 “no-fault” eviction notice. They spent almost a year in unsuitable temporary accommodation and were street-homeless at times before finding a new home.
Citizens Advice helped us in so many ways. We wouldn't have known where the local children's centres were to do our washing, or how to access food banks or the Household Support Fund. They were a godsend.
Nigel's story
I was nearly in tears when I first spoke with Citizens Advice. But they’ve been over-the-top supportive. I would have crumbled without them
Nigel, 54, had to stop working earlier this year due to serious back problems. He initially received lower benefit payments than he should have, pushing him into rent arrears. When Nigel came to Citizens Advice for help, he was struggling to afford the basics and worried that he could lose his home.
We provided Nigel with food and fuel vouchers and are helping him apply for the benefits he’s entitled to while he can’t work. He’s still anxious about the cost of living, but is reassured by the support he’s received from Citizens Advice.
Without the fuel vouchers, I would have been sitting in darkness, with no hot water. That kind of support is massive when you have nothing.
Will you give the gift of good advice this Christmas?
More families than ever desperately need our help right now – but our services are stretched to the limit. To help everyone who needs us – all those who have nowhere else to turn – it’s vital that we can rely on your support.
By supporting Citizens Advice, you could provide a lifeline for a struggling family and make sure an adviser can give them the support they need to find a way forward.
Your donation will help us answer more calls and help more families facing unthinkable hardship this winter.
This Christmas, please give the gift of good advice.
Citizens Advice provides a range of services and your kind gift will go wherever the need is greatest. Thank you.
*Disclaimer - The stories featured in our fundraising material are based on the stories of Citizens Advice clients. In some of the stories we've changed identifying details and used actors to protect our clients’ privacy.