Policy Research and Campaigns
With advice, we help people solve a particular problem. But beyond that, we work to tackle the root cause of the problem and stop it from happening to others.
No one else sees so many people with so many different kinds of problems, and that gives us a unique insight into the challenges people are facing today. We use our clients’ experiences and stories to campaign for positive change, speaking up about the policies and services that cause people problems.
With the right evidence, we can show organisations – from companies right up to the government – how they can make things better for people.
Sounds interesting? Get involved ⤵️
- volunteer with us
- follow us on Facebook or Instagram and share our content to help us reach more people
- get involved in our campaigns
- get involved in local policy work
- become our storyteller
Campaigns
Keeping Warm: Photography Project
Keeping Warm is a persistent and indiscriminate struggle for Shropshire residents. In response, Citizens Advice Shropshire in partnership with Dr Alexis Paton from Aston University is launching the Keeping Warm: Photo Project exploring how Shropshire residents keep themselves warm and healthy when it is hard to pay energy bills, otherwise known as ‘fuel poverty’.
The project seeks to use photos and videos to help more people understand what it is like for participants experiencing fuel poverty. By working with participants, the project partners and artists, we want to showcase the experiences of living in fuel poverty at an art exhibit of our participants photographs and videos. Pictures and videos showcased at these exhibitions will be anonymised to ensure sensitivity to participating individuals. These exhibitions will be hosted at Aston University, The Hive in Shrewsbury and potentially other parts of Shropshire. Alongside each exhibition there will be additional information available on where people can get support when struggling to pay their energy bills.
Camera equipment will be provided to all participants, but contributors are also welcome to use their own devices if they wish. There is no right or wrong way to take photos or videos, as for every person what you feel is important and relevant to the idea of fuel poverty will be different. The purpose is to help the wider public understand what fuel poverty is through the lens of these captured experiences.
We are inviting participants who would like to share their stories and lived experiences of fuel poverty. If you are currently living in Shropshire, 18 years old or over and feel that you are experiencing fuel poverty, we would love to hear from you. We are hosting 3 Welcome to the Project Introduction Meetings on:
- Tuesday, 20 January from 10:00am-12:00pm
- Saturday, 7 February from 2:00pm-4:00pm
- Tuesday, 24 February from 12:00pm-2:00pm
Sessions will be held at The Hive in Shrewsbury located at The Hive, 5 Belmont, Shrewsbury, SY1 1TE, and offer an opportunity to learn more about the project, sign-up to take part, and meet us and your fellow participants.
Want to know more or decided to participate? Please email contact@cabshropshire.org.uk and we look forward to welcoming you to the Keeping Warm: Photo Project.
Policy work
Health& Care and Skilled Worker Visa
In 2023 we have seen cases in Shropshire of people on Skilled Worker Visas working in care homes who due to their visa conditions were vulnerable to exploitation.
The trends we observed locally were part of large-scale issues and were reported in the news: the Guardian and BBC.
We provided evidence to Citizens Advice, Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration and are working with Shropshire Council to create a local safety net for displaced workers.
In November 2023 we created an information pack for people working in Shropshire on a Health and Care Visa and Skilled Worker Visa.
There is more work happening in the coming months and we will update you in due course.
When the safety net fails: Experiences of navigating local support services during the cost of living crisis
In this 2023 report, we share lived experiences and explore learnings from conversations we had on the support system in Shropshire, along with recommendations for how we can work together to best support residents facing financial crisis.
Shaping Places for Healthier Lives
In 2021, Citizens Advice Shropshire took part in a project with Shropshire Council- Public Health, Healthwatch Shropshire and Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance to research food insecurity in South West Shropshire. The result is a three-year programme funded by the Health Foundation in partnership with the Local Government Association.
You can find out more about the project here.
Council Tax Support Scheme
In April 2018 Shropshire Council changed the way its Council Tax Support Scheme works.
Previously if you received Income Support, Universal Credit or income-based Jobseekers Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance (work-related activity group) you received 100% Council Tax Support and didn’t pay anything towards your annual bill. From 1st April 2018, people on these benefits have had to pay 20% of their Council Tax bill for the first time.
In 2018/19 we talked to people affected by this change to understand the impact of having to pay this new bill. You can read about our findings in our November 2019 report here.
In 2019 we used anonymous evidence and welfare benefit expertise to influence Shropshire Council to make some changes to their Council Tax Support scheme for 2019/20 so that there is parity between legacy benefit Council Tax exemptions and those for Universal Credit. Now more sick or disabled people are protected from paying Council Tax, and the scheme is improved and fairer.
In March 2020 Citizens Advice also produced a report on Council Tax (Wrong Side of the Tax: Council Tax debt collection needs to change). This research finds that many people in council tax arrears can’t afford to pay it. They are often struggling with multiple debts, and don’t have the money to cover essential living costs. Currently, the debt collection process doesn’t account for this.
Financial capability
In 2016/17 CAS helped Citizens Advice conduct financial capability research. Citizens Advice used our data (along with that of 37 other Local Citizens Advice) and created the ‘Understanding Money Skills’ research report.
The impact of the Care Act in Shropshire
In 2015 Healthwatch Shropshire awarded us with a research grant, to investigate the impact the Care Act had had on people accessing social care in Shropshire: The Impact of the Care Act In Shropshire
Welfare reform and working people
When people start making the transition from Tax Credits to Universal Credit they are likely to see significant falls in the money they receive. In February and March 2016, we conducted research with local residents to help us understand the options available to them: Welfare reform and working people key findings Report July 2016
Universal Credit
Citizens Advice Shropshire joined 15 other offices to research the impact of the delivery of Universal Credit on Citizens Advice clients. Download the report: Waiting for Credit
