Aims
The Citizens Advice service provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice to everyone on their rights and responsibilities. It values diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination.
The service aims:
•  To provide the advice people need for the problems they face
•  To improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

The Citizens Advice service is based on four principles:

Independent - We will always act in the interests of our clients, without influence from any outside bodies

Impartial - We don’t judge our clients or make assumptions about them. Our service is open to everyone, and we treat everyone equally

Confidential - We won’t pass anything on a client tells us - or even the fact they have visited, without permission

Free - No-one has to pay for any part of the service we provide

Putting these principles into action enables us to provide a vital service to the people who turn to us for help each year.

The service has been strongly committed to justice, fairness and equality since its foundation in 1939.

Each member bureau is an independent charity, responsible for running its own affairs within the agreed policies and standards of the Citizens Advice service. As a member of the service, it is entitled to the services and support provided by national Citizens Advice and to vote in the Citizens Advice service AGM. It is the Members of the National Association (Citizens Advice) who ultimately decide on Citizens Advice policy.

The majority of people involved in the CAB service give their time on a voluntary basis: volunteer advisers, trustee board members, administrators, social policy coordinators and many more enable us to provide a service from over 2,000 outlets. This represents a huge commitment from individuals and local communities to providing information and advice to the public.