Diss Citizens Advice Bureau boosted by Pension Wise service

The Diss, Thetford and District branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau is the only one chosen in Norfolk and Suffolk to offer a new advice service in the wake of changes to how people can access their pension pots.

Pension Wise is the government free and impartial advice service following the change that allows people, from the age of 55 to access their pension money.

Face-to-face appointments are being organised by select Citizens Advice Bureaux across the UK. The Diss and Thetford branch won one of the delivery contracts .

Jane Guy, the chairman of trustees of the branch, said: “It is a very good result for a fairly small bureau located in a rural area.

“We have always been a bureau that prides itself on high quality work and delivering to targets. We are doing some great work in the whole area.”

Mrs Guy said she thought the Diss and Thetford bureau’s strong track record would have been taken into account when its bid to run the service was approved.

The contract has also meant that the bureau has hired eight new staff, which have had to be trained. They will be working across the counties, working in other bureaux, so that people are always within a 30 minute journey of an adviser.

Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said: “Pension Wise is the starting point in helping people to take control of their finances for retirement. Face-to-face guidance will enable people to understand their pension options and how they relate to their own situation, so they can make informed choices.

“The size of the Citizens Advice network means that we can be flexible and respond to demand by providing support in the nearest available locations, giving easy access to Pension Wise.”