Research and Campaigns

At Citizens Advice Staffordshire South West, our work doesn’t stop at helping individuals - we also campaign for change to make things better for everyone.

Every day, people come to us for help with issues like debt, housing, benefits, employment, and consumer problems. The evidence we gather from these real-life experiences helps us identify where systems aren’t working as they should. Our teams analyse this information to highlight unfair policies, gaps in services, and practices that cause hardship in our communities.

By sharing this evidence with local councils, MPs, regulators, and national government, we influence decision-making and help shape policies that improve lives. We also work with local partners to raise awareness of key issues affecting our area - such as fuel poverty, the cost of living, access to benefits, and housing insecurity.

Everyone’s story matters. When you seek advice from us, your experience (shared anonymously) contributes to this wider work, helping us push for lasting change.

Together, we’re not only solving individual problems - we’re working to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Notable campaigns we’re currently working on are listed below:

Simple Changes Around the Home

You can make a difference in your energy usage by looking at how you manage different areas of your household:

• In the Bathroom: * Keep your shower time to just 4 minutes by using a timer or a short song.

  • Reduce the water temperature for cooler showers, which use less energy.

  • Keep the bathroom ventilated during and for 15 minutes after your shower to prevent damp and mould.
• Doing the Washing: * Use your washing machine's 'eco' cycle (often called 'Eco 40-60') for dirty laundry.
  • Swap the tumble dryer for a heated clothes airer, which is cheaper to run and faster than a standard airer.
  • If you are on a smart tariff, schedule your appliances to run during lower price times when you are home and awake.
• In the Kitchen: * Use smaller appliances like air fryers, microwaves, or slow cookers for single meals instead of the oven.

  • Always put lids on pans and use the correct size pan for your food to retain heat.

  • Only boil the amount of water you actually need in the kettle rather than overfilling it.
• Managing Your Heating: * Set your thermostat between 18°C and 21°C, which is comfortable for most people.
  • Adjust thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to a lower number in rooms you want cooler (like bedrooms) and higher for rooms you want warmer.
  • Close curtains and blinds as soon as it gets dark to trap heat inside.

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Available Financial Support and Grants

There are several schemes available that may help with the cost of home improvements, such as insulation or new heating systems. Eligibility criteria vary for each:

• Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.
• Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS).
• Warm Homes: Local Grant scheme (available in England only).
• Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).

We can support you to find out if you're eligible for any of these schemes. Just visit one of our drop-in services at your nearest local office or call us on: 0808 278 7874 or call the consumer service on: 0808 223 1133

Alternatively, you can discover more about this campaign at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/information/Energy-Savers-Week/