Portsmouth Citizens Advice Bureau consists of offices at Portsmouth City Centre, North End and an outreach in Cosham.

We can work with you to sort out debt problems and to claim benefits to which you may be entitled. We can also help with housing and employment problems, consumer or tax issues, plus advise on legal matters, answer questions about immigration , and have lots of experience on family and personal matters.

As well as giving information and advice we can often give practical help, for instance with filling in forms and help in courts and tribunals.

We are a charity, dependent on a workforce of trained volunteers and paid staff. Much of our funding comes from Portsmouth City Council.

We speak up for change in social policies; from our clients' experiences we can see where services and policies are failing. We call this work "Campaigning for Change".

We are a member of the national Citizens Advice service, which provides the extensive information system we use to advise clients and sets standards for advice, training, equal opportunities and accessibility in the bureau.

We also take part in the Citizens Advice service's Advice Week.

You can find out more about the Citizens Advice service's aims and principles and the work of Portsmouth District CAB in our annual report. If you would like a copy, please send a S.A.E. to the Portsmouth office.

Portsmouth Bureau started operation on 4th September 1939 and was one of the initial 20 bureaux, set up to give an emergency service at the beginning of the Second World War. By 1942 there were over 1000 bureaux staffed entirely by volunteers and supported by local councils. A government grant was made to individual bureaux via the Ministry of Health which also funded travelling officers who worked from the national council of social service and a central office.

After the end of the War national funding for individual bureaux was cut and in 1950 all central government help was stopped, 3 years later the number of bureaux had fallen to a half of the 1948 figure. A central support service was able to continue with grants from charitable trusts, such as the Joseph Rowntree foundation.

In 1957 the rent act greatly increased the number of enquiries at CABx and in 1960 government funding was re-introduced. In 1973 the government gave a grant to help with the increasing number of consumer enquiries, as a result more bureaux were opened and the DTI funded the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB).

Since the 1980s the number of enquiries has increased dramatically, with debt, employment and social security being major areas of concern. Total membership of NACAB is now just over 700, with a further 1,054 outlets.

Cosham Bureau opened it's doors in 1963 and operated separately from Portsmouth bureau until the district was formed in the nineties.

Each CAB is an autonomous independent Charity, but we are a member of the association, subscribing to the National Policies and Principles. Portsmouth CAB became a Company Limited by Guarantee in 1994

Unemployment, debt and home repossession are just some of the problems faced by millions of people every day. The Portsmouth CAB helps people to tackle their problems head on with advice, information and practical support. As well as working with clients to sort out their individual problems, the CAB service works to change services and policies which are failing.

• Free and confidential advice and information on any subject
• Trained volunteers and paid staff who all use a national CAB information system
• Practical help, for instance with drafting letters
• Advocacy and negotiation with third parties such as creditors
• We may also be able to offer free sessions with local solicitors or accountants