Citizens Advice is facing challenges and branches are set to merge.

Citizens Advice provides free, independent, impartial advice confidentially. It aims to help people with the problems they face including housing, employment, debt, benefit issues and mental health.

The organisation faces challenges of a decreasing pool of staff volunteers, the work processes becoming more audited with more training needed for staff.

Gosport's branch will now merge with Solent East, which includes Portsmouth and Havant.

Funders are starting to prefer a model where people are paid a salary because services are more sustainable, said Citizens Advice representatives to members at Gosport Borough Council’s policy and organisation board meeting on November 27.

Members recognised the vital work the Citizens Advice does for residents of Gosport. Leader of the council, Cllr Peter Chewyn (Lib Dem, Forton) said the £127,000 funding would continue from the council and is in line with inflation.

Richard Mackay, chair of trustees at Citizens Advice Gosport, said there will be a 12-month pilot of the two organisations collaborating with advantages including pro bono support for the first two months in HR, IT, fundraising and business development. It means staff will have better job opportunities and development. 

Sandy Bramley, chief executive of Citizens Advice Gosport, told members that it has contributed over £7.2 million (2023/24) to the wider economic and social benefits from the work done in Gosport by improving clients emotional wellbeing, family relationships and positive functioning. 

“Unfortunately 749 clients were helped with charitable support and food bank referrals, an increase on last year,” she added.

She said the volunteer pool has decreased because people are working longer so not as many are retiring. Citizens Advice is asking more of its volunteers in terms of work and training. The volunteers at Citizens Advice contribute an estimated £74,000 a year in reducing the salary bill, she said.

The meeting also heard there used to be over 500 branches of Citizens Advice now down to 240 but still maintaining a presence in each town so there is no difference to the client.