Citizens Advice reacts to announcement on local government funding

Citizens Advice welcomes the new funding package for local councils announced today. It says the commitment to look at council tax debt in more detail in the forthcoming spending review is an opportunity to help those in financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dame Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“Local councils have seen their incomes drop sharply during the coronavirus pandemic. The government’s new financial support package will no doubt be welcome news.

“Millions of people have also had to cope with a sudden fall in income, and are struggling to pay their council tax and other essential bills. It was good to see this problem recognised in today’s announcement, and a commitment to look at council tax debt in more detail in the forthcoming spending review.

“It’s an opportunity for the government to help lift people out of the financial difficulties caused by three months of coronavirus lockdown, and prevent them becoming entangled in longer term debt problems.”

Notes to editors

  1. Citizens Advice includes the national charity; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.

  2. Citizens Advice is the statutory consumer advocate for energy and post. We provide supplier performance information to consumers and policy analysis to decision makers.

  3. The Citizens Advice Witness Service provides free, independent support for prosecution and defence witnesses in every criminal court in England and Wales.

  4. Citizens Advice offers Pension Wise services at 500 locations in England and Wales.

  5. Citizens Advice’s services are free, independent, confidential and impartial, and available to all regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.

  6. To get advice online or find your local Citizens Advice, visit citizensadvice.org.uk

  7. For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 to talk in Welsh.

  8. We helped 2.6 million people face to face, by phone, email and webchat in 2017-18. For service statistics see our monthly publication Advice trends.

  9. Citizens Advice staff are supported by over 23,000 trained volunteers, working at over 2,500 locations in England and Wales.