The services that we deliver to the community
Below are brief details about the services that we offer locally and across England and Wales.
Services based in Bargoed
The Core Service
There are three main offices in Bargoed, Risca and Brynmawr town centres, they offer a range of service delivery channels including open door sessions, appointments, telephone, letter and home visits when feasible. Funding for the core service comes from Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent Borough Councils.
Advicelink Cymru (Single Advice Fund)
Advicelink Cymru is a Welsh Government funded service designed to help people who are most in need of advice services, particularly those who would not usually seek advice. The service started in January 2020.
Advicelink Cymru offers advice on welfare benefits, debt, employment, education, housing, immigration and discrimination. The service aims to help people access the right advice, at the right time and make it easier for them to access services again if they need further help—whether that’s about the same issue or something new.
Confident With Cash
Confident with Cash works with Families First service users and support workers to help families with multiple issues resolve their debt and welfare benefits problems and develop financial skills to help them make informed choices in the future.
The service also provides a home visiting debt advice service to Supporting People agencies and their service users. Involving support workers in the advice process improves the likelihood of the client following the advice through to a successful outcome.
Fuel Poverty Projects
We run a number of small projects focussed on identifying and assisting clients who fall within the definition of ‘fuel poor’.
Big Energy Saving Network delivers a programme of outreach to vulnerable consumers, focussing on helping them reduce their energy costs through assisting with actions such as choosing tariffs, switching suppliers and the take up of energy efficiency offers.
The Utilities Project aims to raise the awareness of all clients about ways of limiting household energy costs and consumption. It enables the identification of ‘fuel poor’ customers and helps them access assistance to better manage their fuel costs.
Big Energy Saving Week funds events and publicity to spread information on how to save energy and thus achieve cheaper bills.
Energy Best Deal funds the provision of energy advice in small group sessions.
Pension Wise
CACBG works in partnership with Citizens Advice Cardiff & Vale and Citizens Advice Ynys Mon to deliver the Wales-wide Pension Wise service to help people understand what they can do with their pension pot money. We offer guidance appointments where clients can talk through their options, ensuring they have the information they need to make the right decision.
Help to Claim
Help to Claim gives people the support they need to claim Universal Credit, from starting an application to getting their first full payment. Help to Claim is a multi-channel service delivered in person, over the phone and via web chat. Clients can self-refer, be informally signposted by, for example, their GP or another charity, be referred by DWP staff or by other partners such as local council.
Aneurin Bevan Mental Health Service
This project provides the full range of social welfare law advice, but with a particular focus on welfare benefits to users of ABUHB mental health services. The service may be delivered by in-reach on ABUHB premises, by phone or by home visit. The service is run in partnership with Citizens Advice Newport and Citizens Advice Torfaen.
Litigants in Person Support Strategy (LiPSS)
Funded by the Access to Justice Foundation, the LiPSS project supports individuals faced with having to navigate the First Tier Appeal Tribunal system with advice and practical support in preparing for hearings and by providing representation when necessary.
Services based in the Caerphilly Contact Centre
Our Caerphilly office is a 100 seat contact centre that provides a number of services under contract to national Citizens Advice.
Citizens Advice fund an initial advice service to callers to the national Adviceline helpline.
The Money and Pension Service fund the specialist Debt Advice Project which delivers by telephone, web chat and email to clients from England and Wales.
Citizens Advice fund advice to clients calling the national Consumer Adviceline Service.
The Citizens Advice Witness Service Initial Contact Centre provides support to people giving evidence in the criminal justice system and links them up with volunteers based in their local court.
Welsh Government funds the generalist and specialist Advicelink telephone service through the Single Advice Fund programme. This service is run in partnership with Citizens Advice Cardiff & Vale.
The Help Through Hardship service is funded by the Trussell Trust to help people struggling to afford the basics. Covering England and Wales, the helpline offers personalised advice and support to help address the underlying causes of the hardship, as well as a quick and seamless referral to a food bank for people if required.