Our Research and Campaigns work

  • We seek to recognise unfairness and injustice in individual situations
  • We are committed to campaigning for change when policies and practices are adversely affecting people’s lives
  • We collect evidence to support our campaign work
  • We contribute to National policy work

As well as giving advice and information, we are equally committed to campaigning for change when policies and practices are adversely affecting people’s lives. We use our clients’ experiences, stories and evidence to influence positive change and tackle the root causes of problems and issues. Long term changes benefit everyone.

As part of our Research and Campaigns work, our advisers are trained to recognise unfairness and injustice in individual situations which may also affect others in a similar position. The evidence is collected and is then used in our campaigning work, both locally and nationally.

We work across Central Dorset and with colleagues in other Dorset offices, and contribute to national policy work. Raising issues is done in various ways, including writing reports, setting up surveys  on specific issues, or writing to relevant parties including MPs.  More information on our national Policy work is available here.

If you are interested in finding out more, get in touch!

Autumn 2023: We are currently working on several hot topics:

  • Access to banking services and cash, especially in the face of more local branch closures.
  • Housing issues, including affordability for private tenants, especially  those facing rent  increases but getting insufficient help through the  benefit system because the ‘Local Housing Allowance’ rates are frozen.
  • Personal Independence Payment: long delays by the DWP processing claims and also long delays from the Tribunal Service if people need to appeal a decision.
  • Energy issues: struggling to pay debts, problems contacting suppliers, and forced fitting of PrePayment Meters.

Our Research and Campaigns Reports

The Employment Unit Dorset was set up in December 2020 by local Citizens Advice offices to provide high quality, specialist employment advice and representation to the residents of Dorset Council area who are served by the Dorset Council LCA’s (Bridport, Central, East Dorset and Purbeck).

Over the past two years the EUD has dealt with more than 410 cases of which 50+ (15%) were clients working in the care sector (employees working in care homes, and those providing domiciliary care to people living at home).

Our report looks into the issues faced by those working in the care sector.

Citizens Advice Dorset is concerned that local communities will suffer as a result of the recent bank closures, which has left people in rural Dorset with limited access to banking services.

A survey by Citizens Advice Dorset Research & Campaigns Group found that over a third (37%) of people said their ability to manage their finances have been impacted by bank closures, resulting in limited access and longer travel times for many. It also highlighted that over half of the people questioned didn’t use Post Office banking services.

As a result of the survey, Citizens Advice Dorset is calling for Post Offices to increase their range of available banking services at local Post Offices and for greater awareness of the range of services available.

Citizens Advice is a supporter of digital services and committed to ensuring that they can be fully exploited by the majority of the population. However, we are concerned that there will be a minority who, through no fault of their own are never able to, do not want to or need support to use online services. We are therefore committed to ensuring that those in greatest need can receive the most appropriate service quickly, efficiently and in the way that best meets their needs.

The Way we work – how low pay and irregular hours affects people’s lives.

Not a Good Time to be Disabled. An investigation into the experiences of disabled people who need to claim benefits.

A Place to Call Home? An investigation into the availability and
cost of rented accommodation in Dorset.