Citizens Advice Liverpool leads the UK with digital advice

With over 20,000 people in the city contacting the local Citizens Advice Liverpool (CAL) every year, the charity is responding to the need to be available 24 hours a day.

It is the first Citizens Advice in the country to launch a free mobile app, offering local residents access to free advice services available in the city. The app enables users from across the Liverpool area to search localised information and provides 24 hour advice on a variety of areas, including debt, benefits, tax credits, housing and more.

The local charity is a leader within its sector, by maximising the evolution of digital communications and social networking and now offers advice across numerous platforms, to reach out to vulnerable communities across the city.

CAL offers access to debt advice through Whatsapp messaging, SMS text services and has recently secured funding to be the first city in the UK to trial a Snapchat service. Snapchat is fast becoming the most popular social messaging app for teens and young adults, CAL is reaching out specifically to students in the city offering access to advice via it’s own Snapchat channel and live stories.

CEO at CAL, Heather Brent, said: “Providing multiple platforms to access advice in Liverpool is key, so that residents can choose to reach us digitally, for immediate support and guidance.”

The new app launches this week, simply search Citizens Advice Liverpool in the App Store.

“We’re extremely proud and excited to have created something which is both innovative and helpful to our clients today. It is vital that we communicate via the easiest and most accessible routes to reach our clients.

“We helped over 20,000 people last year alone, with approximately 60,000 problems, highlighting a real demand for our services in Liverpool. With the launch of our new mobile system, we look forward to providing more advice for the local community now and in the years to come.”