About our services

Every local Citizens Advice is a registered charity; we rely on trained volunteers to help provide our wide range of services.

The service is composed of the national membership organisation, Citizens Advice, and individual independent members of the network. We have the commitment and initiative to respond to the community needs of the local community, whilst benefitting from being part of a national network.

Quality assurance through the Citizens Advice Membership Scheme

  • The Membership Scheme sets out the quality assurance standards to which all members are required to operate. Citizens Advice undertakes performance quality assessments on an annual basis and reviews quality of advice on a quarterly basis.

  • The auditors are qualified and authorised to assess local Citizens Advice for the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) certification.

The Competencies Programme

  • Local Citizens Advice advisers undertake structured training and assessment programmes to ensure that their work is to prescribed professional standards - the Citizens Advice Certificate in Advice work.

  • We hold the Advice Quality Standard (AQS) for Advice with Casework in Debt, and also hold the Telephone Advice Standard.