For 82 years, Citizens Advice Manchester has been dedicated to getting the people of Manchester the help they need. Founded in 1939, we’ve been at the heart of our local community since the beginning of World War Two. To mark Local History Month, we’re taking a look at how our service has evolved over the years to continue providing advice to anyone who needs it.  

On September 4th 1939, we became one of the first Citizens Advice bureaux set up in Britain, in response to the outbreak of World War Two, in order to help the population with issues such as rations, evacuation and missing persons. By September, there were already 23 bureaux across Manchester, including 10 based in libraries. The service continued to grow throughout the war and by 1942, our Citizens Advice volunteers in Salford and Manchester were dealing with over 48,000 enquiries a year. 

After the war was over, it was clear that Citizens Advice was still needed. Our service had become a part of people’s communities, providing valuable advice on issues such as welfare, homelessness and debt. In 1940, there were six bureaux operating across the city, run entirely by volunteers. Being an adviser was said to “require a combination of warm, human friendliness and ability to give clear and accurate information, which is not easily obtained” - a statement which still rings true to this day!

Over the decades, we’ve continued to support the people of Manchester when they need us most. From helping those struggling with fuel costs in the 1950s, introducing our consumer advice service in the 1970s, helping communities impacted by the Poll Tax in the 1990s, and supporting those who lost income as a result of the IRA bombing in 1996. We’ve been fighting fuel poverty across Manchester since 2006, and our Advice on Prescription service has seen us deliver improved physical and mental health outcomes for our clients. 

Today whilst the issues we help people with might have changed, our service is still more needed than ever. From providing vital advice to people throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, to those struggling with their energy bills and the ongoing cost of living crisis, our staff and volunteers continue to work hard to make sure we’re here for anyone who needs us. Whoever you are, whatever the problem.