Wakefield District Citizens Advice Bureaux

free

confidential

impartial

independent

General Overview

The CAB service in the Wakefield Metropolitan District consists of three centres at Pontefract, South Elmsall, and Wakefield and various outreach sessions throughout the Wakefield Metropolitan District. There is also a District Office. Together they serve a population of some 315,000 people.

Since October 1996, the offices have been organised into a district structure with overall management being provided by a district management team and one district trustee board.

The three main offices are set up as "Information Centres" where anyone can drop in and access information. You are free to browse. Assistants are on hand to help people find the appropriate leaflets and factsheets and to use the self help internet kiosk (Pontefract only). See our opening hours page.

Generalist advice is accessed via the telephone service during the opening hours specified. An assessment of the problem is made which could lead to a call back or a face to face appointment, as appropriate.

In addition, advice can be obtained via a home visit. Home visits are restricted to certain clients and their circumstances. If you think you need such a visit, please enquire at a main office.

The bureau runs a specialist money advice unit. People requiring this service can either drop into an Information Centre and fill in a referral form or ring the telephone service. Appointments for face to face interviews can be made at any of the main offices or at designated outreach locations.

The service is FREE to all comers and the advice given is totally confidential. Bureaux can give advice and information on all topics including:

the benefit system

disability issues

employment

consumer problems

housing and homelessness

relationship problems and family matters

immigration

legal issues

At any one time, up to 50 volunteer advisors and 24 part-time and full-time staff (managers, senior supervisors, specialists and clerical/administrative staff).

All advisers are trained to a high level in generalist advice culminating in a certificate accredited by the Open College Network (OCN).

The District is now a holder of the Community Legal Services Quality Mark in generalist advice (Quality Mark 3) and in specialist debt advice (Quality Mark 5) which means that all centres comply with a set of minimum requirements set out in the Membership Scheme of Citizens Advice. These relate to accessibility, accountability, effectiveness and integrity.

In addition to an equal opportunities policy, the CAB service has specific anti-discrimination policies. There are policy statements on disability; black people and ethnic minorities; lesbians and gay men; women; people who are HIV positive or living with AIDS; and Irish people in Britain. All these policies require active support from all bureaux and all workers.

Hate Reporting Centre

The CAB centres are part of a network of reporting centres where victims of hate crimes can report incidents at locations other than police stations. These cover both racist and homophobic incidents (harassment against gay men and lesbians). All incidents reported are treated in the strictest confidence.

To report hate crime call the STOP HATE LINE
0800 138 1625.