Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau

What Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau does

Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau is a local independent charity registered in Scotland (Charity No. SC0004900, Company No. 397950) that has delivered free, impartial, and confidential advice to the public since 1939. Operating from Chambers Institution on Peebles High Street, the bureau is a member of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) and adheres to the national quality standards, training, IT infrastructure, and management frameworks set by the CAS network. It is operationally autonomous but financially and technically supported through CAS membership.

The organisation provides advice across nine core service areas — Benefits, Debt and Money, Work, Housing, Family, Law and Courts, Consumer, Health, and Immigration — supplemented by specialist government-backed services including Pension Wise (pension guidance for over-50s), Welfare Rights (benefit appeals representation), the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) for NHS Scotland, and the Energy Best Deal programme. Immigration advice is delivered under OISC Level 1 accreditation. Delivery is multi-channel: in-person appointments at the bureau, telephone (01721 721722), email, NearMe video chat, outreach locations across Walkerburn, Innerleithen, Broughton, Newlands, Tweedsmuit, and West Linton, and a bi-weekly evening legal advice clinic. The technology base is a Drupal website with Google Analytics and LivePerson chat, layered on CAS shared IT infrastructure.

The business model is non-commercial: all services are free at point of use, and the bureau is funded through a mix of Citizens Advice Scotland allocations, UK and Scottish Government grants, and charitable donations. Customers are the general public of Peebles and the surrounding Scottish Borders, with no revenue concentration risk on the demand side. The value proposition rests on local accessibility, regulatory-grade advice quality, and integration into the national CAS brand and standards framework.

Name

Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau

Legal name

Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau

Website

https://peeblescab.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau is a Scottish Borders-based local independent charity, founded in 1939, providing free, impartial, confidential advice on benefits, debt, housing, employment, family, and legal matters to Peebles residents and surrounding communities as a member of Citizens Advice Scotland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Advice and Advocacy Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

Keywords

• Citizens advice services
• Free legal advice
• Debt counselling
• Welfare benefits guidance
• Community advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottish Borders

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Funding: As a local independent charity and member of Citizens Advice Scotland, the bureau receives funding through CAS management, fundraising expertise, and resources including IT, tools and training. Specific funding sources include Citizens Advice Scotland, government grants, and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau is a local, independent charity providing free, impartial, and confidential advice to residents of Peebles and surrounding Scottish Borders communities. It delivers guidance across benefits, debt and money, work, housing, family, law and courts, consumer, health, and immigration, along with specialist government-backed services such as Pension Wise, Welfare Rights, Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS), and Energy Best Deal.

Product overview

Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau is a local, independent charity providing free, impartial, and confidential advice services. The organization operates as a single integrated advice service offering multiple specialist areas including Benefits, Debt and Money, Work, Housing, Family, Law and Courts, Consumer, Health, and Immigration. They also deliver specialist government-backed services such as Pension Wise, Welfare Rights, Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS), and Energy Best Deal. The service is accessible in-person at their bureau, via telephone, email, NearMe video chat, and through outreach locations across the Scottish Borders area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Benefits Advice Service Provides advice on benefits, tax credits, child benefit, and eligibility for various government support programs including Universal Credit. Target audience: residents seeking help with welfare benefits.
• Debt and Money Service Offers guidance on managing debt, credit cards, mortgages, bankruptcy, budgeting, and financial planning. Target audience: individuals facing debt or money management difficulties.
• Work Service Provides advice on workplace rights, discrimination, redundancy, employment tribunal, and other employment-related issues. Target audience: employees and job seekers.
• Housing Service Offers guidance on renting, mortgage difficulties, private sector tenancies, eviction, and neighbour disputes. Target audience: tenants and homeowners.
• Family Service Provides advice on family issues including divorce, child maintenance, domestic abuse, wills, and civil partnerships. Target audience: families facing personal and legal challenges.
• Law and Courts Service Offers guidance on legal matters including civil court procedure, legal aid, human rights, and personal injury claims. Target audience: individuals navigating the legal system.
• Consumer Service Provides guidance on consumer issues including faulty goods complaints, holiday compensation, and trading standards matters. Target audience: consumers with disputes.
• Health Service Offers advice on NHS patient rights, healthcare complaints, and private healthcare options. Target audience: NHS patients and healthcare users.
• Immigration Service Provides advice on immigration issues including EU settled status, visas, British citizenship, and refugee support, accredited at OISC Level 1. Target audience: immigrants and EU nationals.
• Pension Wise UK Government scheme providing free, impartial guidance about pension options for people aged 50+ with defined contribution pensions. Target audience: individuals approaching retirement.
• Welfare Rights Service Specialist assistance with benefit claims, appeals, and challenging benefit decisions, including representation at appeal hearings. Target audience: individuals disputing benefit decisions.
• Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) Free, impartial advice to NHS Scotland patients on complaint procedures, patient rights, and healthcare concerns. Target audience: NHS Scotland patients, carers, and families.
• Energy Best Deal Consumer education programme developed with Ofgem and Citizens Advice to help vulnerable consumers reduce energy costs and access fuel poverty support. Target audience: vulnerable energy consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42% of Citizens Advice Bureau volunteers go on to further education or employment

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPeebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau is a member of Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS). CAS supports the bureau by providing management and fundraising expertise, plus resources like IT, tools and training. The advice service must meet high national standards set by Citizens Advice Scotland. CAS is dedicated to empowering local communities and campaigning for change.
• OfgemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfgem partnered with Citizens Advice to develop the Energy Best Deal and Big Energy Saving Campaign consumer education programme. Ofgem provides funding for the programme which is delivered through local Citizens Advice bureaus including Peebles and District CAB.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Age UK: National charity providing advice on benefits, pensions, and care for older people; overlaps with Peebles' Pension Wise, benefits, and elderly client segments.
• StepChange Debt Charity: National UK debt advice charity offering free debt counselling, debt management plans, and money advice. Closely comparable to Peebles' Debt and Money service line, with broader digital self-service tooling.
• Shelter Scotland: Scottish housing charity and advice provider covering mortgages, tenancies, eviction, and homelessness. Comparable along Peebles' Housing service line, with a Scotland focus and free-advice model.
• Law Centres Network: Federation of local law centres providing free legal advice on welfare, housing, employment, and immigration. Comparable legal-advice service mix and target population, though with a stronger fully-funded legal-aid model.
• Money Advice Trust: UK charity operating National Debtline and Business Debtline; trains and supports debt advisers across the UK. Directly comparable to Peebles' debt advice capability and to its training/standards function via CAS.

Broad incumbents

• Citizens Advice (UK national): UK-wide sister network providing the same breadth of free, impartial advice. Comparable on services, advice taxonomy, and volunteer model, although the UK body operates in England/Wales whereas Peebles operates in Scotland.
• Citizens Advice Scotland: National umbrella body for Citizens Advice bureaux in Scotland; Peebles & District CAB is a member. Directly comparable as the parent network that sets standards, provides IT/training, and coordinates funding across the same advice categories (benefits, debt, housing, employment).

Regional players

• Citizens Advice Edinburgh: Another local CAS-member bureau serving a different Scottish geography. Comparable service taxonomy, funding model, and outreach structure, but peers in Edinburgh rather than in the Scottish Borders.

Emerging players

• Christians Against Poverty (CAP): UK charity offering free debt counselling, money courses, and benefits advice through local churches and community partners. Comparable mission and free-advice model targeting financially vulnerable clients.

Others

• Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO): National umbrella supporting Scottish charities with funding, training, and policy advocacy. Comparable in the third-sector ecosystem and serves as an indirect enabler/funding intermediary for organisations like Peebles CAB.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/peeblescab
• Facebookfacebook.com/peeblescab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Peebles and District Citizens Advice Bureau