Salford Citizens Advice

What Salford Citizens Advice does

Salford Citizens Advice (legal entity: Citizens Advice Bureaux (Salford)) is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, founded in 1939, that delivers free, independent, and confidential advice to residents of the City of Salford in Greater Manchester. Its service scope spans debt and money management, welfare benefits (including Help to Claim for Universal Credit), housing, employment, immigration, and consumer issues, delivered by approximately 35 paid staff and around 70 trained volunteers across multiple access points including a central bureau, outreach locations, and partner sites such as NHS facilities and libraries. The organization is FCA-authorized for regulated debt and credit advice and holds the Advice Quality Standard, with trustee oversight including a dedicated Consumer Duty trustee aligned to FCA Consumer Duty requirements that took effect in July 2024.

The business model is non-commercial: services are provided free of charge at the point of use, and operating income is derived from a mix of public-sector contracts (notably Salford City Council and national Citizens Advice / DWP programmes such as Help to Claim and the Macmillan Cancer Project), grants from charitable trusts (Hamilton Davies Trust, National Lottery Fund), and minor donation income via JustGiving. Core technology is the shared national Citizens Advice Casebook case management platform; supplementary channels include a website and the Beat the Crisis Podcast launched in 2024. Q1 2024/25 data show roughly an 18,000-client quarterly footprint with a 3% year-on-year increase in client numbers, and the organization has reported £6.2 million in client financial gains, a social-outcome metric rather than revenue.

Strategically, Salford Citizens Advice is sharpening its perimeter: in October 2024 it transferred the Salford Food Share network to Salford CVS, and it has subsequently pursued targeted outreach expansion (Cadishead Library, Christie's unit at Salford Royal), a leadership refresh with a new Chair of Trustees, and a low-cost audio channel via the National Lottery-funded podcast. The organization also participates in the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter as a delivery partner, embedding it within regional skills and employment infrastructure.

Name

Salford Citizens Advice

Legal name

Citizens Advice Bureaux (Salford)

Website

https://salfordcab.org.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Salford Citizens Advice is a UK charity founded in 1939 that provides free, independent advice on debt, benefits, housing, and employment to Salford residents, funded by public-sector contracts and charitable grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Salford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Contracts and Grants: Financially supported through a range of contracts with public bodies including Salford City Council, along with various grants and funding for specific projects. This constitutes the primary funding source for operational activities.
2. Donations: Voluntary donations from the public to support advice services. Accepts donations through JustGiving platform and direct channels.
3. Grants: Specific project grants from trusts and foundations such as Hamilton Davies Trust (£450 grant for equipment), National Lottery Fund (podcast investment), and government cost of living funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Salford Citizens Advice delivers free, confidential, and impartial advice to Salford residents on money, benefits, housing, employment, and a wide range of consumer and welfare issues. Services are delivered through telephone, face-to-face bureaux, online self-help, and partner referrals, supplemented by specialist projects such as the Macmillan Cancer Project, Help to Claim (Universal Credit), and Cost of Living support.

Product overview

Salford Citizens Advice provides a portfolio of free advice services to approximately 18,000 residents annually. The core service delivery combines Phone Advice and Face to Face Advice channels alongside Self Help online resources. Supplementary services include the Beat the Crisis Podcast for cost of living guidance, a comprehensive Cost of Living Support hub, Research & Campaigns for policy advocacy, Health & Wellbeing Service, and the Macmillan Cancer Project partnership. Services are delivered primarily through face-to-face contact, telephone advice, web access, with exploration of new digital approaches including AI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beat the Crisis Podcast: Podcast series backed by National Lottery Fund investment to help with cost of living crisis struggles, providing information about rights and entitlements.

Products and services

• Phone Advice Free telephone-based advice service available throughout the week, providing confidential guidance on money, benefits, housing, and employment issues for residents of Salford. Includes extended hours and Saturday morning service.
• Face to Face Advice
• Self Help
• Beat the Crisis Podcast Audio podcast series backed by National Lottery Fund investment, providing advice on cost of living challenges including debt, benefits, Section 21, bailiffs, tax, childcare, and health topics. Available on Spotify.
• Cost of Living Support
• Research & Campaigns
• Partner Referral
• Health & Wellbeing Service
• Macmillan Cancer Project
• Help to Claim Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Benefits gains of £6.2 million year to date for clients
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Salford Food SharecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Salford Food Share was established as an independent charity by Citizens Advice Salford to coordinate food crisis and food support services in Salford. Work is being transferred to Salford CVS food forum.
• Salford CVScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Salford CVS (Council for Voluntary Service) is taking over coordination of the food poverty network from Salford Food Share. Citizens Advice will continue to support this vital work.
• Macmillan Cancer SupportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver a Macmillan Cancer project providing support to people affected by cancer. Following the first year, Macmillan judged performance as excellent. Project has recently expanded to include supporting The Christie's outreach at Salford Royal.
• Community Connectors (Social Prescribing)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSocial prescribing project that refers clients to Citizens Advice Salford for advice and support. One of the major referral sources.
• The Christie NHS Foundation TrustmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership expanded to include support for The Christie's outreach services at Salford Royal as part of the Macmillan project.
• Greater Manchester Citizens Advice ServicesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium group working across Greater Manchester with colleague local Citizens Advice services for campaign coordination and policy work.
• National Association of Citizens AdvicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational membership organization providing support, case management systems, policy guidance, and training. Citizens Advice Salford is a full member.
• Wood Street MissionminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCharity partner for school uniform project. Also provides Christmas presents for families through referral.
• Emmaus SalfordminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization running school uniform hub providing free school uniform items for Salford schools.
• Groundwork TrustminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreater Manchester charity that undertakes home visits to help people save money on energy costs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Shelter: National housing advice charity that overlaps with Citizens Advice Salford's housing and tenancy advisory work, particularly relevant given the 955 private sector tenancy cases handled annually. Broad incumbent in the housing advice space.
• StepChange Debt Charity: National debt advice charity that is a direct alternative channel for clients seeking regulated debt advice. Comparable in regulated debt advisory capability but operates nationally across telephone and online channels rather than local bureaux.
• Citizens Advice (national): The national membership body that provides case management systems, policy guidance, training, and brand infrastructure to all local bureaux including Salford. Not a direct competitor but the broad incumbent whose priorities shape local services.

Direct peers

• Citizens Advice Bury: Another Greater Manchester Citizens Advice bureau serving the borough of Bury. Operates the same advice service model and is a member of the same Greater Manchester Citizens Advice consortium.
• Citizens Advice Trafford: Neighbouring Greater Manchester Citizens Advice bureau offering the same free, confidential advice services to Trafford residents. Direct peer by geography, service model, and funding structure.
• Citizens Advice Manchester: Sibling local Citizens Advice bureau serving the neighbouring Greater Manchester borough of Manchester. Operates the same advice service model, uses the same national Casebook system, and is a clear direct peer within the same regional consortium.
• Citizens Advice Bolton: Greater Manchester Citizens Advice bureau serving the borough of Bolton. Direct peer offering identical face-to-face, phone, and online advice services under the national Citizens Advice banner.

Others

• Money Advice Trust: UK charity that operates the National Debtline and provides training and resources to debt advice services. Functionally an enabling/ecosystem peer whose training and quality standards shape how Citizens Advice Salford delivers debt advice.

Regional players

• Citizens Advice Liverpool: Larger Citizens Advice bureau serving Liverpool, also part of the national network. Comparable in service model but operates at greater scale in a different regional city, making it a relevant regional peer for benchmarking.
• Age UK Salford: Local Age UK branch serving Salford, providing information, advice, and support services to older residents. Comparable in targeting Salford residents with similar advice and benefits navigation needs, particularly for the elderly segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citizens-advice-bureaux-salford-

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Salford Citizens Advice