Our Campaigns
Citizens Advice helped 24,500 people across Oxfordshire last year. There were also thousands of visits to our online advice pages.
We use this unparalleled evidence to campaign for changes in policies and services. We regularly publish evidence reports, responses to consultations and parliamentary briefings on a huge range of issues.
Rising Rents: is the increase in the Local Housing Allowance enough?
The Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines how much help households can receive towards their rent if they are on a low income. Low LHA rates are a principal cause of poverty for tenants in the private rental sector. The government has restored LHA to cover the cheapest 30% of market rents to the level it was at in 2011. However, with the severe economic impact of Coronavirus, there are now large numbers of people needing to claim housing benefit for the first time.
See the latest update, Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire’s Settled and Safe Report and the Citizens Advice Oxford LHA report.
Brexit readiness: our Settled Status advice
Citizens Advice is encouraging people to apply for Settled Status as soon as they can. The aim is to avoid any complications near the 31 December 2020 deadline.
See our Settled Status advice to help people through the process and follow our Brexit pages which will be updated with the latest developments.
Citizens Advice across Oxfordshire have helped over 1600 people with 4000 Universal Credit benefit issues since the launch of our Help to Claim service in April 2019.
“Help to Claim” is for people who need help to apply for Universal Credit in Oxfordshire. The service gives people the support they need to submit their Universal Credit application to get a correct first full payment. Find out how we can help.
Across Oxfordshire many people suffer ill-health or are at risk of becoming ill due to living in cold, damp homes. It is estimated that 30% of excess winter deaths are due to health problems associated with cold homes . Low income, poorly insulated housing, and expensive, inadequate heating systems contribute to fuel poverty. See the impact cold homes have on the most vulnerable people in our community. Read more
If you need energy saving advice, get in touch with your local Citizens Advice office.
Citizens Advice Oxfordshire and Trading Standards are encouraging people to talk about their experiences and look out for others, particularly more vulnerable people.
64% of people in the South East of England have been approached by a scammer in the last two years finds Citizens Advice Oxfordshire. Worryingly, of those targeted, only 46% of people spoke to anyone about it. Read more.
If you know of an issue where you think Citizens Advice, should be taking action, or if you’re interested in helping with our research and campaigns work, please email communications@caox.org.uk
