Citizens Advice Leek Announces a New Telephone Helpline Service

Citizens advice Leek have announced a new local helpline while face to face appointments at Moorlands House are still suspended for the foreseeable future due to coronavirus restrictions.

The new helpline, which launches on Monday will operate three days a week purely for local residents and has been made possible by funding from the Community Foundation for Staffordshire.

The additional telephone helpline service which will be available from Monday 1st June 2020. This is a local Adviceline for local residents. To seek free, independent, and confidential advice please ring 0300 330 2164 (Mondays and Wednesdays 9.00am – 11.30am and Tuesdays 9.30am – 12.00pm). Calls are charged at local rate. Citizens Advice Leek will continue to help with claims for Universal Credit by calling 0800 144 8444 and will respond to email requests at advice@leekcab.cabnet.org.uk   People can also call Citizens Advice Cheadle on their Adviceline number 0300 330 9061 and requests will be forwarded to Citizens Advice Leek.  This service is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. They can also text 07800 005037 at any time, giving their name, contact details and postcode and we will get in touch and help with any problems. There are several other ways people can continue to get advice via national Citizens Advice during this time. ● General advice will be given via the national Adviceline service which people can reach by calling 03444 111 444. This is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. ● People can chat online to an advisor by visiting the national website at citizensadvice.org.uk/contact-us. ● People looking for advice on consumer issues (e.g. issues related to products or services you’ve purchased) can contact the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or chat online to an advisor on our website. ● Anyone seeking to make a new claim for Universal Credit should call the Universal Credit Help to Claim line on 0800 1448444. ● You can find frequently updated advice on a range of issues related to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak at citizensadvice.org.uk/coronavirus. Waiting times for these services may be slightly longer than usual as we adapt to our new patterns of working. Philip Haddock the Chair of Citizens Advice Leek said: “Citizens Advice is here to give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward in these extremely difficult times. Our available staff and volunteers are now working from home, where it is possible to do so, and I continue to be amazed by their dedication and commitment.” “Last year we helped 1,200 people with 6,900 problems and it’s extremely frustrating that we can’t operate a normal service during this extremely difficult time when so many more people are desperate for advice.” “We are urgently looking into other ways in which we can help people to get the advice that they need during this extremely difficult period.”