TEIGNBRIDGE CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU

Free  Confidential  Independent  Impartial

Advice Available

Teignbridge Citizens Advice Bureau is a generalist advice service. Using the CAB Service’s unique information system we can give you free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects.

If you need advice you may be able to find the information you require on this website by selecting an advice category below and reading the frequently asked questions:

Benefits - advice on what you can claim, help with form filling, what to do if you are refused a benefit, problems with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or Council dealing with your benefits, and advice on dealing with overpayments and fraud. We can also help if you need advice on what might happen to your benefits if your circumstances change, for example if you get a job or move in with a partner.

Consumer - advice on problems with goods and services, package holidays, insurance problems, and problems with credit, including difficulty in obtaining credit.

Debt - all our advisers are trained to deal with debt problems. We can advise on liability for debts, look at ways of increasing your income, help you come up with a financial statement for your creditors, and help you negotiate payment arrangements you can afford. Sometimes, things have been left for some time, so a crisis happens. We can often help you negotiate some time to come up with a payment arrangement, for example if the bailiffs have visited. It is rarely too late to get advice, but the sooner you ask for help, the better. Many people are embarrassed about debts. We don't make judgements about people or their situations - we are simply here to help in any way we can, but we can't give you accurate advice without knowing about the whole situation. If you prefer to deal with the situation yourself, we can provide all the information you need and give you a self-help pack which guides you through the steps you need to take.

Employment - whether you are an employer or employee, we can advise on problems at work, including dismissal, redundancy, wages, working hours, holiday entitlement. We can also advise on discrimination, sickness absence, and self-employment.

Housing - owners, tenants, and landlords all face problems from time to time. We can advise on problems with rent or mortgage payments, finding accommodation, problems with agents, eviction, homelessness, furniture, harassment, poor living conditions and neighbour problems.

Legal - advice on legal proceedings, Legal Aid, court fines, compensation for accidents and injuries, and other legal disputes. We also have details of solicitors in Teignbridge, including whether they offer a free initial interview, and which areas of law they specialise in.

Family and Personal - we can advise you on issues brought about by relationship breakdown, change of name, children, maintenance, and bereavement.

Taxes - Advice on problems with Council Tax, Business Rates, and Income Tax.

Other issues - we provide advice and information on health, community care, education, immigration and nationality. We can also provide local information, for example local self-help or support groups, or contact details for local agencies.

Basic information about all of these topics is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on www.adviceguide.org.uk

If you need further advice or information on any of these issues and you live in the Teignbridge area, you can contact us in person, by phone, in writing, or by email.

If you do not live in Teignbridge, the Citizens Advice website includes a UK-wide directory of local CAB with their contact details and the services they offer.