Whoever you are, whatever the problem
Research and Campaigns
Working for change
We are the leading information, advice and guidance organisation across the city region. We help people with tens of thousands of problems each year. This gives us a unique insight into the challenges people are facing across Greater Manchester, and it gives us a wealth of evidence to try and fix the underlying causes of these problems.
We use this insight to change policy and practices at a local, regional and national level.
For regular updates on our policy work, visit our Medium page, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
Current Priorities
Please note that this will be updated throughout the year.
Living Standards
Building on last year’s work highlighting negative budgets, we continue to push for measures such as raising the Local Housing Allowance, reducing Universal Credit deductions, and providing targeted energy bill support. Our goal is stronger action to protect those most affected by the living standards crisis.
More than half of the people we support with debt advice now live in a negative budget — where income doesn’t cover essential costs, even after expert support from our advisers. We use this local evidence to advocate for practical policy changes that help lift people out of negative budgets and into financial security.
Addressing child poverty is a key part of this work. Ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy due this autumn, we are calling on the UK Government to scrap the two-child limit and the benefit cap — two policies that push more children and families into poverty across Greater Manchester. By addressing these structural pressures alongside other living costs, we aim to protect families and children from falling deeper into financial hardship.
Furnished Social Housing in Greater Manchester
We are monitoring and collecting evidence on the impact of unfurnished housing across Greater Manchester, drawing on client experiences and wider data. Working with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and End Furniture Poverty, we aim to increase access to furnished social housing from the current 2% to 10%. By highlighting the barriers faced when moving into unfurnished properties, we make the case for practical solutions that prevent hardship and improve lives.
Temporary Accommodation in Greater Manchester
We are closely monitoring and collecting evidence on the challenges faced by people placed in temporary accommodation outside their local areas. Many lose vital support networks, encounter disputes between local authorities, or are offered housing that is unsuitable and, in some cases, unsafe — situations that can ultimately lead to homelessness. By sharing this evidence with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, we are working in partnership to raise concerns and press for improvements in how temporary accommodation is provided across the region.
Disability Benefits Review
We’re campaigning against the government’s proposed changes to disability benefits, urging the government to scrap the planned cuts, highlighting the serious and harmful impact they would have on disabled people and their families across Greater Manchester.
Child Poverty Strategy
Ahead of the Child Poverty Strategy due this autumn, we’re calling on the UK Government to scrap the two-child limit and the benefit cap-two harmful policies pushing more children and families into poverty across our region. Read our open letter to Mayor Andy Burnham.
Additional Awareness Campaigns
In addition to policy work, we run campaigns to raise awareness of issues like scams, energy saving, and consumer rights.
The national research areas
Welfare benefits is our largest advice area, giving us clear insights into the way the system works and the challenges it poses and Our employment queries give us an understanding of how the labour market is changing and the consequences for workers’ lives.
Covers regulated and unregulated markets allowing us to identify problems and draw comparisons about policies and practices.
Debt and money policy research
Citizens Advice helps hundreds of thousands of people with debt and money problems each year giving us insight into how we can prevent money problems and help people to recover.
Covers all housing tenures, highlighting problems and providing solutions to help everyone have a safe and secure place to live.