About Us
The Citizens Advice Service is an independent service providing free, confidential and impartial advice to everybody regardless of race, sex, disability, sexuality, nationality, ethnicity, religion and belief.
We are the largest advice-giving network in the UK with over 2,000 outlets and 22,000 volunteers and deals with almost 6 million problems every year.
South Tyneside Citizens Advice was established in October 1966 in South Shields and opened in Jarrow in 1974. Last year we dealt with over 42,000 issues on behalf of the residents of South Tyneside with the vast majority being related to Debt and Welfare Benefits.
Our service provides ‘Generalist’ and ‘Specialist’ advice and information across a wide range of subjects, including Debt, Finance, Welfare Benefits, Housing, Employment, Immigration, Consumer, Taxes, Family, Utilities, Education, Health and Community Care.
South Tyneside Citizens Advice engages paid and volunteer staff to provide our services who come from all sections of our communities. We are committed to providing an independent service and volunteering opportunities to all.
Advice and Information Services
All our ‘Generalist’ advisors receive full certificated training and are able to explain options and the possible outcomes of different actions, so people can make their own informed decisions and act on their own behalf. Our Generalist advisors are also trained in empowering and supporting people in drafting letters, making phone calls etc. to bring a satisfactory conclusion to their problem.
Our ‘Specialist’ advisors are fully trained in specific areas of Social Welfare Law and are able to support and advocate for people who have more complex problems and / or disputes with a 3rd party.
All of our services are delivered with a commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices and all our advisors must be non-judgemental and maintain confidentiality at all times.
Demand for our service
Demand for our free service outstrips resources and during busy times there may be delays in being seen by an advisor. Your patience at these times is greatly appreciated.
Donations
As a charity we rely on grants and donations from organisations and individuals who support our work. All donations are gratefully accepted and used to help us provide our free service to others.
If you would like to make a donation please use the collection boxes provided or speak to a staff member.
Service aims and Mission Statement
To have a positive effect on the quality of people’s lives in South Tyneside by ensuring they have equality of access to an effective advice, information and advocacy service. To empower people so they are better able to deal with problems or queries which may arise in their lives and to continually improve our services to them.
Campaigning for Change
We record and monitor every enquiry brought to us by our service users. We use this extensive information to influence policies both locally and nationally to try to prevent similar problems happening to other people. The information is always anonymous unless clients give permission for their names to be used.
