One of the aims of the Citizens Advice service is:

‘to improve the policies and practises that affect people’s lives’.

This is what’s known as research and campaigns work. Some policies affecting Citizens Advice clients we tackle at a national level. Some are national but administered according to local policies and practices such as housing benefit, community care, housing, health and education and the collection of council tax. Others are local, such as local transport, for example bus routes and timetables. 

All of us are affected by the rules (policies) and ways of working (practices) which shape the services and benefits that we all rely on. Our policy campaigns and research combine insights into the problems that people experience, with analysis of wider social and economic trends to come up with ideas for policy change that will improve services for all.  

Citizens Advice helps people to solve their problems. Advice helps people solve a particular problem, whereas research and campaigns work tackles the cause of the problem and stops it from happening to others. 

Our current areas of work include:

• We made our submission to the Timms Review, based on the first-hand perspectives of our clients and advisors. This was followed up by hosting ‘Workshop in a Box’ sessions as part of the next stage of the review, going out into the community to speak to disabled people and carers about their real experiences.

• We’ve also been monitoring the impact of the Renters Rights Act since its implementation, including the abolition of section 21s.

• We’ve been gathering data on a wide array of campaign issues, including age related benefits, the benefit cap, unaffordable energy bills and local housing allowance rates, amongst many other areas.

• We’re gathering evidence of how our clients and communities are affected by ‘digital exclusion’ – the inability of individuals to access, use, or afford digital technology and the internet, preventing full participation in modern society. We’re looking at a wide range of issues from health issues to resource deficits, lack of skills and confidence, and systemic ‘digital by default’ barriers.

• Another key area has been looking at the council tax system and the potential reforms that could be made with collection methods. As part of this, we made a submission to the government’s consultation, based on the insight of our advisors and clients.

• Following engagement with our local MPs, we’ve introduced new quarterly briefings for MPs, unique to their constituencies. This outlines the issues we’re seeing in their area and highlighting our policy campaigns.

Lived Experience Research

We’re calling for reform of the child maintenance system

Every day, our advisers speak to parents who are doing everything they can to provide stability and security for their children after separation. But too often, the system designed to help – the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) – is falling short. 

We’ve published research that shines a light on the challenges parents face when trying to secure the financial support their children are entitled to, and sets out clear recommendations for change:

• Faster and clearer processes, so parents aren’t left waiting for decisions or chasing updates. 
• Stronger, more consistent enforcement, ensuring arrears are taken seriously and action is timely. 
• Better communication and support, helping both parents understand their rights and responsibilities. 
• A simpler system with fewer administrative hurdles – so children receive the support they’re entitled to without delay. 

How we made a splash with our three key asks of the Government

Our campaigning work ahead of the Government’s Autumn Budget in November attracted media attention as we laid out our three key requests of Chancellor Rachel Reeves, based on the experiences of our clients across Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Our Data & Insights Officer Jessica Smith produced a series of weekly blogs in the run-up to the Budget to highlight how the cost of energy and essentials is affecting our local communities, along with rising rental prices and the double-whammy of the two-child limit and the benefit cap.

Jess then represented Citizens Advice Hull & East Riding in a series of media interviews before and following the Budget, including with BBC Radio Humberside.

We also wrote to local MPs with our requests of the Government. Hull East MP Karl Turner wrote to the Chancellor on our behalf urging the Government to put improving living standards at the heart of the Budget, while Emma Hardy, MP for Hull West and Haltemprice, also shared our concerns.

Following the Budget, Citizens Advice has welcomed the scrapping of the two-child limit and says that moves to address high energy bills will prevent hundreds of thousands of children from growing up in poverty, and help households across the country keep the lights on – but there’s still more to do to ensure every household can live a life free from poverty.

Our work was also in the spotlight after national Citizens Advice released the full Autumn Budget submission.

We provided the foreword to the Bill Affordability section, which was described as making the document “so much more compelling” by Citizens Advice Head of Public Affairs Laura Hutchinson. You can read it here from page 16.

Earlier campaigns

Government’s proposed reforms to health and disability benefits

We’re often the first place people turn to in a crisis. We give people the knowledge and confidence to find a way forward – whoever they are, and whatever the problem.

We’re trusted, accessible and local, and our services improve financial wellbeing, mental health, and housing stability. This means our unique, real-time data gives a ground-level view of what’s happening in communities across Hull and the East Riding.

That’s why we’re working with local MPs including Karl Turner (Labour, Kingston upon Hull East) to share our insights into the effects of the Government’s proposed welfare and benefits reforms on their constituents.

Thanks to the hard work of our staff and volunteers, we’ve been able to provide Mr Turner with data that highlights a forecast £30m reduction in benefits to people in his ward under the proposed reforms. He has written to Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, highlighting the devastating effect the reforms would have on his constituents

Our data has also been presented to East Riding of Yorkshire Council Cabinet members and Jessica Smith, our Data and Insights Officer, was interviewed by BBC Radio Humberside about our findings (listen below).

We continue to work with our local MPs and key decision-makers, using evidence from our clients – and our research in our communities – to highlight local experiences and campaign for change.

Citizens Advice case study: Anita’s story – how cuts to disability benefits could impact millions

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Child Poverty Strategy

In June 2025, we wrote to all our MPs regarding the governments forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy, to ask that they use their voice to ensure that the two-child limit and the benefit cap are scrapped in the strategy.

We are able to use local constituency-level data, and evidence forms completed by our advisers, to provide an even more compelling case to our MPs as to why they should scrap these policies in the strategy.

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