Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell reports on busy year supporting the local community. Press Release.
As Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell (CAEE) published its Annual Report 2024/25 following its AGM this week, the Board of Trustees looked back on a busy year with increased funding allowing CAEE to help more people in the community. In total, CAEE helped 3,619 people in the Epsom & Ewell borough, addressing 10,625 issues.
Projects such as the Surrey Adviceline, a Surrey-wide phone service, enabled each office in Surrey to recruit a full-time adviser. This meant that more Surrey residents were helped by the ten advisers across the county. During the year, an extra 10% of Epsom & Ewell’s client demand was met across Surrey, and nearly 700 extra clients received help in Epsom & Ewell.
Another key project is the Household Support Fund. Working with Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, CAEE distributed the funds to those clients most in need. During 2024/25, CAEE helped 504 clients, distributing £45,000 in the form of supermarket vouchers, help towards utility debt, buying essential household appliances or other vital family needs.
Fiona’s story
Fiona lived alone and was struggling to meet the ever rising costs of household essentials and cover her bills, especially energy. She found the winter months challenging as her chronic health condition affected her physically and mentally. Her home, where she spent most of her time as she was unable to work due to her health issues, was also in need of new carpets which she had been unable to afford.
With Fiona having applied for support from the Household Support Fund, CAEE established that she could be assisted with a supermarket voucher and help with paying for floor coverings. She was referred to CAEE’s specialist energy advisers who gave her advice on switching energy tariffs, and to a generalist adviser who made an application to Epsom Parochial Charities which awarded her a grant of £1,000 to cover the cost of the carpets.
Fiona said, “Thank you so much, this will really help me. Although I get benefits, I need this for the things to make my health better. When it’s a big purchase, it leaves me so short for the month. All the support I received was a real help in keeping on top of my condition. Getting better is one thing, but staying better is what can be the difficult part, so thanks so much, it means a lot.”
For those wanting to know more about CAEE and the services it offers, read more on the website here.
Media enquiries: please email publicity@caee.org.uk or call 01372 300778
For information and advice, contact Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell on Freephone 0808 278 7963 or visit https://www.caee.org.uk
We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are, and whatever their problem
Notes to editors:
- Please find CAEE Annual Report & Accounts 2024/25 here https://www.caee.org.uk/about-us/annual-reports/
- Citizens Advice is made up of the national charity Citizens Advice; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.
- Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell (CAEE) is a small, local charity offering free advice and information for all who live, work and study in the borough of Epsom & Ewell. All advice is free, confidential, impartial and independent.
- Each year CAEE helps around 3,600 clients with issues such as benefits, housing, debt, fuel poverty, family issues and much more. Our outcomes are extremely positive not only for the clients we serve, but also for the wider community. During 2024/25 we secured income of nearly £1.2m for our clients. Our added value to society totalled £1.6m in fiscal benefits by reducing health service demand and maintaining employment and housing. The wider economic and social benefit of our work during 2024/25 totalled almost £11.4m.
- As a small charity we are responsible for raising our funds. It costs over £100 for each client that we help. To make a donation please visit www.caee.org.uk/donate/ – £10 per month could enable us to help another client this year.
- To get advice please use our Freephone Adviceline 0808 278 7963 or visit our website where you can get advice by email and find details of our drop in service.