Community Advice - previously Citizens Advice - dealt with more than 33,000 issues from the public in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon area in just one year

Community Advice ABC senior advisor, Lisa McKernan, and colleague Caroline Caesar, briefed members of ABC Borough Council’s Community & Wellbeing committee on the invaluable advocacy role their team plays in assisting local residents struggling with debts and other issues.

The not-for-profit organisation provides free, independent, confidential and impartial advice throughout the ABC area, and is funded by the Department for Communities, the Southern Health & Social Care Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support and the ABC Council.

Addressing ABC Community & Wellbeing committee members at their June 9 meeting, Lisa McKernan outlined the range of services being offered by Community Advice ABC, saying: “We’ve been operating across the ABC council area for more than 50 years. You may know us as formerly Citizens Advice.

“We became an amalgamated single service in December 2024. We work out of our main offices in the Armagh, Banbridge, Lurgan and Portadown areas, and we have a range of outreach venues as well.

“The main issues that we deal with are education, pensions, family issues, health, housing, immigration, tax, crisis referrals, welfare benefits, consumer, employment and debt, but there are many other things that we deal with as well, and we encourage the public to contact us about any issues that they may have.

“If we can’t deal with it ourselves, we can always find an organisation that we can signpost you to.

“We have a couple of projects running at the minute. We have a specialised debt project which gives advice and assistance on debts; we have a Macmillan benefits project which also offers advice and assistance for people experiencing cancer as well as their family members; we have both a regional helpline and a hospital-based service; we have the Southern Health project as well, which is advice and assistance for hospital in-patients with mental ill health at Craigavon Area Hospital; and we have a weekly inreach clinic at the Bluestone unit; plus other outreach services across the area as well.

“We also have a pension guidance service; we do form-filling for people for benefits; we deal with complaints; we give advice on a [wide range] of areas; we help to challenge decisions; we give specialist debt advice; and we also take people through monetary reconsiderations and the appeal process, providing tribunal representation.”

Caroline Caesar was next to address committee members, and she was keen to point out that Community Advice ABC does outreach work throughout the borough: “In Lurgan we are directly next to the town hall, in the little annex building.

“In Armagh, we are in the location next to Sainsbury’s in McCrum’s Court.

“In Portadown we are in the health centre (Portadown Health Centre). There’s a turning revolving door and we’re just inside on the right-hand-side.

“And in Banbridge we’re actually in the Old Town Hall.

“We’ve developed an integrated advice model that operates in community outreach locations.

“Each week, our team provides on-site advice in places like social supermarkets, Women’s Aid, one-stop shops, libraries, community centres, and also Craigavon Area Hospital’s Bluestone Unit.

“This approach is vital for vulnerable individuals asking for help.

“Every person receives advice tailored to their own circumstances.

“We are thankful for the support of the Department of Communities and ABC Council who fund us and help us stay independent and continue this vital work.

“Our outreach projects are delivered across the whole of the ABC council area, ensuring that it is accessible for all.”

Outreach clinics are rolled out as follows:

• Via Wings, Dromore, Monday, 9.30am to 12.30pm (drop-in) and on Fridays by appointment
• Bridge Pantry, Banbridge, Thursday, 10am to 12pm
• Salvation Army, Lurgan, Tuesday and Thursday, 9.30am to 12.30pm
• Markethill, first and third Wednesday of the month, 10am to 12.30pm
• Women’s Aid, Portadown, second and last Wednesday of the month, 9.30am to 12.30pm
• Keady, on Thursdays by appointment, 9.30am to 12.30am
• Bluestone Unit, by appointment pre-booked by the Southern HSC Trust, 9am to 1pm
• Rathfriland, Friday by appointment, 2pm to 4pm
• Stepping Stones Pantry, Armagh, Tuesday, 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Caroline Caesar continued: “In 2024/25, we received a total of 20,112 calls; our generalist service handled over 33,000 issues; we maximised income across the ABC area by £3.8m; the Macmillan Welfare Benefits Team gave an additional income of £976,835 worth of money to vulnerable families; our specialist debt team managed £2.4m worth of debt within the ABC area; we represented 149 people at hearings and generated from those appeal cases £651,000.

“Ultimately, we know from the feedback we receive that what we are doing is making a difference to our community.”

Committee members were clearly impressed with the above figures, and with the work of Community Advice ABC in general.

Ald Margaret Tinsley (DUP, Craigavon DEA) had warm words for the Community Advice ABC representatives, stating: “We all probably do mean [to say] the same thing, and that is to thank you for the job that you do.

“I know that all the staff do go above and beyond to help those that are in need, and it’s very much appreciated .

“You’re covering such a vast area. I know of individuals that have availed of your advice and support, and I genuinely thank you for that.”

Councillor Bróna Haughey (SF, Cusher DEA) was equally appreciative: “It’s a service that I probably haven’t used before, but I will certainly be directing people towards it in the future, and probably using it myself with my constituency work.”

To contact Community Advice ABC, phone 0330 135 9733 or visit their social media pages.

Alternatively, visit adviceabc.co.uk for more information. A private message can be sent via the website.