Thirty jobs at risk at Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau

Third Sector reports that thirty jobs at Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) are at risk because it stands to lose funding worth more than £1m. From 31 March, the CAB loses £650,000 it receives for legal aid and £400,000 it gets from Birmingham Primary Care Trusts to provide outreach advice for people with long-term illnesses and disabilities.

Yvonne Davies, chief executive at the CAB, said the charity, which has 80 staff and about 300 volunteers, will soon launch a consultation on making 30 posts redundant. A further 12 jobs could be at risk in the charity’s three satellite bureaux, which provide open-door advice services in Kingstanding, Northfield and Tyseley, because of an expected £120,000 funding shortfall.

A Birmingham City Council spokeswoman said the council was in discussions about the continuing funding problems at the CAB. “The council is facing significant financial pressures as a result of national budget reductions,” she said. “In 2013/14 alone the council needs to find more than £110m in cuts, and by 2016/17 this figure will total over £625m.

“Despite the severity of the challenge facing the council, we are committed to working with the third sector and acknowledge the important role it plays in the city. We also continue to work with the CAB in delivery of advice services in Birmingham. We are determined to continue to safeguard the most vulnerable in our society and ensure fairness in decision-making.”

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This sort of thing is happening all over the country unfortunately. We secured some funding but went down to part time last August. There will be many other advice projects (that are sorely needed for the local community) completely going under at this difficult time, however they dont get the publicity. This is not a criticism , just an observation!
We need MORE CABs and MORE local community based advice projects, with Benefit caps, UC, DLA/PIP queries, ESA appeals, bedroom tax, abolition of council tax benefits and so on just around the corner.

You’re completely correct that local advice services should be making connections with the local press, at the very least, to try and highlight the combination of funding pressures and increased demand due to welfare reforms. There have been a few good examples from around the country, and we’re always happy to advise on approaches if necessary.

Thanks Paul.

I wasnt having a go at CABs publicity as you rightly deduce, however we do find it frustrating that essential non CAB advice services dont get the publicity (or the funding!).
Maybe its a branding thing?
We still get people ringing us up and asking if we are “Citizens advice” even though we are not and never have been.
The problem we find is that the demonisation of benefit claimants in the media has resulted in local newspapers not wanting to be seen to support those nasty benefit recipients and cheats and shirkers!
Our advice service is important but unfortunately the people we give advice to are no longer seen as important by certain sections of the media and population. C’est la vie and all that