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Research and Campaigns
Research and campaigns is one of the twin aims of our service. It aims to improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.
As a service we have a huge amount of insight and data about the problems our clients and their wider communities face. Through research and campaigns, we use this insight to:
help us research issues further
influence decision makers to change policies and practices
campaign to get decision makers to change policies and practices.
Research and campaigns gives Citizens Advice Copeland the opportunity to widen our impact, particularly at local level. It allows us to help those who may not be able to access our advice service and prevent issues from occurring which in turn should help with demand and capacity issues.
How we use data and insight
Local Citizens Advice offices know the most about what issues our clients are facing and what policies or practices aren’t working.
By completing Evidence Forms the network provides this information to the national Citizens Advice teams to help them monitor what is happening nationally and to aid them with national research and campaigns work. They use this information to lobby the Government and key decision makers to campaign to change.
Citizens Advice Copeland’s Research and Campaigns team work with other local Citizens Advice and Cumberland advice agencies to collect evidence and contribute to policy discussions about how to improve the lives of Cumberland residents.
Our current campaigns and reports can be found below.
Scams Awareness
The Scams Awareness Campaign is a national campaign run by the Consumer Protection Partnership and led by Citizens Advice with key support from partners such as the Trading Standards service.
The campaign aims to create a network of informed, confident consumers who know how to:
- recognise scams they see them
- report scams to the appropriate channels
- talk about their experiences to help raise public awareness of scams
National Consumer Campaign
The National Consumer Campaign is a yearly campaign which aims to raise people’s awareness of specific consumer issues. The campaign runs in close collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership, bringing together key partners in the consumer landscape to identify, prioritise and coordinate collective action to tackle consumer detriment.
The campaign aims to:
- Raise awareness and understanding with consumers on how to shop wisely, what to look out for, and what to do if things go wrong
- Educate consumers on their rights, particularly when shopping from online marketplaces
- Empower consumers to seek a remedy if things go wrong
- Raise awareness of where consumers can go if they need more advice and help with an issue
Brake. Check. Buy.
Our 2024 Consumer Awareness campaign will consist of two weeks of activity focusing on supporting consumers as they purchase second hand cars.
In 2023 our Consumer Service helpline saw almost 30,000 used car complaints from consumers, showcasing the need for consumer support and advice around this topic.
The advice shared throughout this campaign will ensure consumers feel supported and emboldened when shopping within the used car market to help arm consumers with the knowledge to purchase a car safely, from trustworthy sellers and traders.
Our top 3 messages to consumers:
Brake.
Make sure the seller is trustworthy, whether buying from a trader or an individual seller.
Check.
Check the car’s history. There are free tools online which can help you do this.
Buy.
Choose the best payment method for your circumstances, and never buy a car without the log book.
For more information on what checks you need to do before buying a used car click here.
Big Energy Saving Campaign
Our Energy Saving Campaign is a national campaign that runs all year round and helps people to get financial support they’re entitled to, or take action to reduce energy usage. We deliver key energy advice to clients, helping them reduce their bills while keeping warm throughout the year.
Please see our Contact Us page for details on how to access our help.
You can also access help on the Citizens Advice National website.