Our history
85 years of free, confidential, independent and impartial advice.
1939
4th September 1939 - The day after World War II begins, Citizens Advice opens in 200 locations to help people with the impact. The first example of a Citizens Advice outreach service is known as ‘the horsebox’.
1942
The recorded number of local enquiries for 1942 reaches 48,733 as the people of Manchester become more aware of the Citizens Advice Bureau and the services that it offers.
1956
Citizens Advice Manchester reports seeing an increased number of applications for help with electricity costs - “sometimes, when there has been insufficient money to obtain coal or other fuel, people turn the electric cooker on and use it as a spare heater”.
1958
The re-organisation of the service brings improved publicity, including shop windows displays, new signs and selective advertising, which results in the number of enquiries being more than doubled.
1962
The Medical Officer of Health arranges for an experienced Bureau worker to attend a number of local Health Survey sessions. Medical officers appreciate the services which are made available to people whose worries extend beyond health problems.
1970
BBC Radio Manchester is founded, and Citizens Advice Manchester begins a regular slot, offering local and national information to listeners.
1970s
This "portable Citizen Advice Bureau" from the 1970s enables advisers to use the organisation's comprehensive in-house information system when providing an outreach service in community centres and in people's homes.
1977
The Office of Fair Trading funds the first specialist policy role at Citizens Advice to establish the true extent of consumer problems. This marks the start of Citizens Advice becoming a crucial voice for consumers for decades to come.
1981
Grants and donations allow for the purchase and running of two computers, programmed to calculate entitlement to over 40 different non-contributory benefits.
1990
The introduction of the Community Charge (better known as the ‘Poll Tax’) sees the service inundated with requests for information as the system proved to be ‘even more chaotic than our worst fears’.
1992
On 13th March 1992, Citizens Advice Manchester became an incorporated company, “providing a free, confidential and impartial service of advice and counsel for the people of Manchester.”
1996
The service supports those affected by the June 1996 IRA bombing which saw large areas of the city centre destroyed, distributing leaflets about insurance and contacting the Benefits Agency regarding crisis loans for employees.
2006
New funding grant allows work to begin on fighting fuel poverty across the city. The Financial Inclusion Fund employs 6 caseworkers to increase the provision of debt advice and further tackle financial exclusion.
2010
The Community Legal Advice Service enables new bureaus to be opened in Moss Side (opened by HRH Princess Royal), Moston Ben Brierley (opened by local band Elbow) and Wythenshawe, alongside existing offices in Longsight, Withington and Swan Street in the city centre.
2011
The first telephone contact centre, funded by Royal Bank of Scotland, is piloted in Manchester, allowing people to access information and advice over the phone. 15 advisers provide advice to around 2,000 people each week.
2012
The introduction of a new operating system incorporating Gateway Assessments to triage clients results in a 200% increase in the number of people the service is able to support.
2013
The Advice Service Transition project funded by The Big Lottery enables Citizens Advice to develop partnerships with other advice providers across the city, supporting Manchester residents to access information online.
2015
Citizens Advice Manchester moves all of its operations to one single city centre office. Albert House is located on Bloom Street, in the heart of the city’s Gay Village.
2017
The Consumer Service is launched in Manchester, providing advice to consumers in England and Wales. This includes a scams advice service, funded by Martin Lewis. The Debt Management Unit is also launched to provide end-to-end debt support.
2020
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown sees the service adapt to remote-working overnight. Video advice is launched and telephone capacity is extended to help deal with unprecedented demand as a result of the pandemic
2021
The campaign to maintain the Universal Credit uplift ensures a vital lifeline is not lost for thousands of Manchester residents. The service became the face of the network with media with appearances on Channel 4 Dispatches, BBC Breakfast News, Panorama and North West Tonight.
2022
The Mobile Advice Van hits the road, allowing advice to be taken into the heart of local communities in a similar way to how we started in 1939 - from the back of a horsebox.
2023
The cost of living crisis sees energy enquiries reach 7,000 a day as people struggle to afford rising energy costs. Significant investment from the energy sector allows specialist advice to be delivered to help people navigate the crisis.
2024
Citizens Advice Manchester celebrates its 85th birthday and moves to its new home at Barlow House. The service becomes the largest charity in the network, employing over 200 staff.