Oldham Council and Citizens Advice launch the Oldham Advice Service to reach residents before crisis hits

Oldham Council has launched the new Oldham Advice Service.

This is a free, confidential, and impartial advice service delivered on behalf of Oldham Council by Citizens Advice and began operating yesterday (Wednesday, July 1). 

It offers support on money, debt, housing, benefits and financial wellbeing and much more all in one place. The service is funded by Oldham Council through the UK Government’s Crisis and Resilience Fund. 

The need to provide timely support has never been more urgent. From the rising cost of energy to food and housing, the service wants to ensure that residents know where to go to get friendly and helpful support for whatever they are going through. 

Nationally, almost half of those who come to Citizens Advice about debt are already at the point of crisis when they first make contact.  By that stage, options are narrower, and the personal toll on mental health, family life and finances are already significant. 

The Oldham Advice Service is built around changing this. Advisers will work with residents at any point, from early worries to urgent need, helping people understand their options and take action before problems become unmanageable. 

Fran Lautman, Assistant Director of Customer Experience, Oldham Council, said: “When a resident calls us about a foodbank, supermarket or energy voucher, this is rarely the only thing going on in their life. 

"One call can often sit alongside a wide range of other pressures they haven’t yet found the words or the confidence to raise. Citizens Advice are experts at building the kind of rapport that helps people open up about the full picture of what they are facing. That is exactly why we chose them as our partner.  

“We want to get to those hidden pressures early without someone feeling embarrassed or overwhelmed before they have the chance to grow into something much harder to resolve. 

"This service is about reaching people before crisis hits and linking them up with friendly local support, not just responding once it has.” 

The service works as a one-stop shop no matter what someone is going through. Citizens Advice will listen, assess their needs properly, and connect them with the right support, whether that sits within Citizens Advice or with one of the wider partner organisations across the borough. 

Support covers the issues that most often weigh on people: 

• Money worries 

• The rising cost of living and household budget pressures 

• Debt and negotiations with creditors 

• Benefits entitlement, making sure residents claim everything they are owed 

• Wider financial wellbeing and building longer-term resilience 

Aly Darwin, Director of Advice and Partnerships, Citizens Advice, added: “We know people often come to us when things feel overwhelming. Our job is to make sure getting help feels straightforward and human. We listen with care and respect and not like yet another system to battle through.” 

There are several ways to access help and support through the Oldham Advice Service delivered by Citizen Advice. 

The service is available on the phone Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm. Those extended evening hours reflect what residents told the council they actually needed.  

Many people in work, or with caring responsibilities throughout the day, simply cannot contact services in standard office hours. 

The service also provides drop-in appointments and booked appointments right across the borough as well as access to information online and via WhatsApp so there is a route in for everyone regardless of how they prefer to get support. 

Residents can find out what support is available by visiting www.oldham.gov.uk/wecanhelp, or by getting in touch directly: 

• Call the Oldham Advice Service: 0800 033 4602 (9am-9pm, Monday-Friday) 

• Visit Citizens Advice at the Customer Service Centre at Spindles Shopping Centre, West Street, Oldham, OL1 1LF (Citizens Advice are available 10am – 4pm weekdays) 

If you’re in a position to help others, then please consider donating to Oldham Foodbank.