Haringey Council has approved a two-year contract extension for the Haringey Citizens Advice Bureaux's Information, Advice and Guidance Service, ensuring the continuation of vital support for residents facing complex issues.

The decision, made by Councillor Sarah Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, will see the service receive an annual funding of £726,536. This amount is funded through a partnership between the Council's Adults, Housing and Health Directorate and North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB), with the NCL ICB contributing £133,000 annually, of which £55,000 is from the Better Care Fund (BCF). The remaining £538,536 is funded by the Public Health Grant. A renegotiation in November 2024 led to a 5% saving, amounting to £38,239 per annum, resulting in the current annual value.

The extension, effective from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028, also includes a provision for a further one-year extension, delegated to the Corporate Director for Adult, Housing and Health. This is to ensure operational flexibility during a full competitive tender process, which will accommodate any timeline slippage while guaranteeing uninterrupted support for residents during the transition. The total value of the contract, including the proposed extensions, amounts to £4,473,933.

The service plays a crucial role in providing early intervention to prevent crises such as eviction, unemployment, and hospitalisation. Without this service, this would be highly likely to increase the human and financial pressure on key Council and statutory services, i.e. without access to advice and guidance there would be an increase in number of residents at risk of eviction, which would place further burden on statutory services such as Temporary Accommodation and would have a further detrimental impact on the residents affected. This early intervention directly supports the Council's Corporate Delivery Plan 2024-2026, contributing to homelessness prevention and improved health and wellbeing.

Between April 2024 and December 2025, the service assisted 12,601 residents. Of these, 32.4% were supported due to threatened eviction, 23.1% due to homelessness, and 54.2% with tenancy-related issues. Residents also received support with disrepair, rent increases, and deposit matters. Notably, half of all residents disclosed a disability or long-term health condition.

Measurable financial outcomes for these residents totalled £555,159. This figure includes Discretionary Housing Payments, cleared rent arrears, sustained tenancies, and successful benefit claims. The service also helped write off £133,732 in debt and secured £2,254,078 in income for residents during the 2024/2025 period.

Alternative options, such as ceasing the service or insourcing it, were considered and rejected. Insourcing was deemed unsuitable as it would compromise the independence and trust essential for the service. Citizens Advice is also Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated to deliver Debt Advice, and insourcing would jeopardise this accreditation and reduce resident trust, particularly when residents seek to review or appeal decisions made by the Council or its partners.

The decision was documented in the minutes of the Cabinet Member Signing meeting held on Monday, March 16, 2026. Further details can be found in the Printed minutes 16th-Mar-2026 12.30 Cabinet Member Signing.