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Helping Citizens Advice solve the problem of post exclusion with people experiencing homelessness

Helping Citizens Advice solve the problem of post exclusion with people experiencing homelessness

Helping Citizens Advice solve the problem of post exclusion with people experiencing homelessness

Monday, March 29, 2021

Laura Clark, Policy Researcher at Citizens Advice, writes about recent research on the issue of post exclusion and how frontline workers and people experiencing homelessness can share their views to inform a solution.

Citizens Advice has been investigating post exclusion for a few years and has highlighted the continued importance of post to people’s lives and the detriment people can face without it. People who aren’t able to receive letters or use an address to access services are essentially locked out of essential support.

We’ve published a report looking at the issue for people experiencing homelessness (Millions without mail) and also a report looking at how the problem impacts other groups, like survivors of domestic abuse (On the receiving end: How post can enable domestic abuse).

Everyone should have equal access to post, no matter their living situation, and we’re calling on the government to fund an ‘Address & Collect’ service provided for free, at post offices. This would give those who need it a safe place to pick up their post and an address they can use to access services.

Citizens Advice has worked hard to understand the problem and what a solution could look like and will be holding a series of interviews and workshops that can bring different voices together to identify and work through any challenges and test possible solutions collaboratively.

Do you want to get involved?

The interviews are expected to take place over the phone or via video call early April (either the weeks commencing 5th or 12 April). We expect them to take 1 - 1.5 hours to complete and they will be conducted by a specialist interviewer. People taking part will be reimbursed for their time and experience via a high street voucher.

If you think someone you support may have had problems receiving letters or using an address because they’re experiencing homelessness and would like to take part in research about this, please get in touch or pass on contact details (below).

The workshop is taking place remotely, in early May (date TBC) and will be around 3 hours. If you yourself would be interested in taking part in the wider workshop, please email naomi.graves@citizensadvice.org.uk.

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