West Dunbartonshire CAB news
November 2024
Closed for staff training
Due to staff training, West Dunbartonshire CAB will not be able to address any enquiries on Wednesday 13th November.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Annual General Meeting
Details of our 2024 AGM:
September 2024
Holiday Closures
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau's services will be closed on the following public holidays:
- Monday 30th September
August 2024
Employment Opportunities
We are currently looking to recruit for the paid position of Caseworker.
For more details, please visit our Employment Opportunities page.
June 2024
Service Closures
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau's services will be closed on Thursday 27th June due to staff training.
May 2024
Holiday Closures
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau's services will be closed on the following public holidays:
- Monday 27th May
April 2024
Holiday Closures
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau's services will be closed on the following public holidays:
- Monday 6th May
March 2024
Holiday Closures
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau's services will be closed on the following public holidays:
- Friday 29th March
- Monday 1st April
- Monday 6th May
- Monday 27th May
February 2024
Statement on West Dunbartonshire Council budget proposals
Trustees, staff and volunteers of West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau have expressed their dismay and disappointment at the news that council officers have recommended that West Dunbartonshire Council should cease all funding to the CAB service.
Joe McCormack, CEO of WDCAB: “We understand West Dunbartonshire Council’s financial position and recognise that they have some really tough decisions to make but this proposal from officers makes no sense.
This is the worst Cost of Living crisis we have ever experienced, doubly damaging because it comes so soon after lockdown and all that the pandemic did to damage the resilience of vulnerable people within our communities. Food inflation and energy costs remain high (with no UK Government support this year), mortgage interest rates are higher than they have been in decades and benefit claimants are being forced onto Universal Credit. West Dunbartonshire people need access to a high local independent advice – WDCAB provides that.
Last year we helped over 5000 people. Because people’s lives can be so complicated that help entailed just under 12,000 separate contacts and during those conversations we advised on 36,405 issues.
Before making their decisions we would ask Councillors to consider where would the 5,138 people we helped last year go for assistance if the CAB service is no longer available?
West Dunbartonshire Citizens Advice Bureau is not a statutory service – but it is an essential service for many local people.”
December 2023
Service closure dates for the festive holidays
Our telephone service will close at 4:30pm on Thursday 21st December and reopen Wednesday 3rd January at 8:30am.
If you are contacting us online after 1pm on Friday 22nd December, your enquiry will not be addressed until Friday 5th January at the soonest.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Crisis Support
Due to the end of the Food Insecurity/Cash First pilot scheme, we are no longer in a position to offer any form of financial support - this means we are now unable provide cash vouchers, shopping cards or energy vouchers.
November 2023
Closed for staff training
Due to staff training, West Dunbartonshire CAB will not be able to address any enquiries on Friday 17th November.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
Universal Credit - Managed Migration
In August, we saw the commencement of the “managed” migration of Tax Credits claimants in the West of Scotland to Universal Credit (UC). From 2024, this migration process will commence for people in receipt of other “legacy benefits” (Employment Support Allowance, Housing Benefit, Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance). This could prove to be a challenging process for many people.
Those who have been in receipt of a legacy benefit for a long number of years will receive a “Migration Notice” letter advising their benefit will be stopped and they must apply for UC. There is a period during which legacy benefit claimants who apply for UC will be given transitional protection. This is dependent on them following the instructions outlined in the Migration Notice. Those who apply for UC before receiving their Migration Notice or after a three-month deadline will not receive that transitional protection. Those who do not claim UC will simply lose entitlement which may also affect Social Security Scotland benefits (such as Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Grant).
We want to minimise the impact and hope to run Managed Migration advice clinics throughout the autumn and winter months to offer as much help as possible to anyone affected or concerned about this process. Watch our social media and local press for details. If you want an Adviser to speak to a group you belong to – contact us on 0800 484 0136 or by using the contact us section of the website.
Worried about Winter Campaign
Millions of people across Scotland, including here in West Dunbartonshire are worried about their energy bills, keeping their home warm, and the cost of living this winter.
A lot has been said about how energy bills have increased in the last few years, but it’s important to understand that many households were struggling with their energy costs before then and there’s no doubt the coming months will be very challenging for energy consumers on low incomes. A quarter of Scottish households are now living in fuel poverty.
West Dunbartonshire is taking part in the “Worried this winter?” campaign, a nationwide campaign run by the Citizens Advice network in Scotland encouraging people who are anxious about their bills and keeping their homes warm to seek advice.
WDCAB Advisers are helping people who are struggling with energy bills in the knowledge they are likely to be struggling with other costs and that’s why we have a “wraparound” service. That means when people come to WDCAB we work to help them through all their problems, not just the one they present with. We’re giving advice to people who have self-disconnected from gas and electricity and feel unable to reconnect. In some cases, people are reporting being unable to afford additional energy costs where medical equipment is used in the home. We know that lots of people are struggling with high bills, difficult suppliers and other barriers which stop them saving money on their energy. We worry because we know there’s a real risk people are rationing their energy and their food and sitting in cold, dark homes.
The sickening reality of the cost of living crisis is that people can’t afford their essential bills and start to cut back elsewhere. That’s why we would encourage anyone worried about the cost of energy bills to seek help from the CAB. Contact us on 0800 484 0136 or by using the contact us section of the website.
Annual Reports
Annual Report 2022/23:
Financial Statement for 2022/23:
Annual Report 2021/22:
Financial Statement for 2022/22:
Annual Report 2020/21:
Financial Statement for 2020/21:
Annual Report 2019/20:
Financial Statement for 2019/20:
Annual Report 2018/19:
Financial Statement for 2018/19:
Annual Report 2017/18:
Financial Statement for 2017/18: