The vital work of Citizens Advice West Berkshire

Whether someone is struggling with energy bills, worried about debt, facing a housing problem, or has fallen victim to a scam, Citizens Advice West Berkshire is there to help.

I recently spent time with the team to hear more about the vital work they are doing across our area, the pressures they are facing, and what they are seeing through the people who turn to them for help.

Demand for their services has risen sharply. The team told me they saw a 75% increase in contacts last year, while funding has seen little increase for many years.

Behind every one of those contacts is someone looking for advice or practical support, often at a very difficult point in their life. That is why having a trusted, independent service like Citizens Advice available locally is so important.

One of the issues we discussed was energy debt. The team wants to see greater targeted support for households on the lowest incomes, as well as progress on the long-awaited Ofgem Debt Relief Scheme for people still carrying debts built up during the energy crisis.

Following the meeting, I have raised the delay directly with the Government with Parliamentary Written Questions, asking when eligible households can expect the scheme to be delivered.

This is one of the reasons working closely with Citizens Advice West Berkshire is so valuable. Their advisers see first-hand where people are struggling and where systems are not working as they should. I can use that experience and evidence to press for change in Westminster.

We also discussed Citizens Advice's Scams Awareness Campaign, which this year is focusing on trader scams. Since our meeting, I have been pleased to support and share the campaign locally, helping to spread the message about rogue traders and how residents can protect themselves.

And the figures show why that work matters. Suspected roofing scams were the most common scam reported to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service over the past year, and one in four roofing complaints was suspected to be a scam. Doorstep selling was involved in 77% of suspected roofing scams.

Our conversation also covered housing, rural communities, and the wider pressures on household finances. I have asked the team for more data specifically covering the Newbury constituency, so I can better understand the issues residents are seeking help with and use that evidence in my work in Parliament.

Citizens Advice West Berkshire does far more than provide information. Its team helps people understand their rights, navigate complicated systems, tackle immediate problems, and find a way forward.

With demand rising so sharply, we should not take that support for granted. I am hugely grateful for everything Citizens Advice West Berkshire does for our community, and I will continue to listen to what they are seeing locally and make sure those experiences are heard in Westminster.