Noticeboard The difference they make Citizens Advice saved government and public services 430m in 2016/17, according to figures published in its recent impact report, The Difference We Make. In total, 2.7 million people were helped face-to-face, by phone, by email or on webchat, and there were 43 million visits to seek advice from the organisations online pages. The charity helps people with issues ranging from managing debt to knowing their consumer rights. It also directs people who need further support to other services such as trading standards and gathers evidence about the underlying causes of issues to advise on changes to policy, such as the ban on letting agents fees. Four out of five people helped by Citizens Advice say the advice improved their lives, and 77 per cent think they would have been unable to solve the problem without its support. The report says that by resolving problems or preventing them escalating, money is saved on public services because people are then less likely to need support from health services or claim financial support such as out-of-work benefits. Also, their productivity and income are more likely to increase following resolution of the problem. Citizens Advice currently has offices in 2,700 locations across England and Wales. gOt aN OpINION? We want to hear it. Email tstoday@ tsi.org.uk to add your voice to the discussion. We reserve the right to edit letters. British Hallmarking Council appoints new chairman CTSI vice-president Noel Hunter OBE has been appointed as chairman of the British Hallmarking Council. He takes over from Christopher Jewitt, who led the Council for six years. Hunters key challenges will be to ensure the integrity and portability of UK hallmarks following Brexit; to help consumers understand the value of hallmarks; to support and protect the UKs jewellery industry through the councils advice to government; and to maintain the reputation of the UKs four Assay Offices. In accepting the appointment, to which he was elected for a three-year period, Hunter said: I am delighted to be elected to lead this prestigious and important body. Hallmarking verifies the integrity of some of the most precious items we possess, both on New theme for National Consumer Week announced CTSI has revealed that the theme for National Consumer Week this year will be on subscriptions. The weeklong event is expected to take place at the end of November/beginning of December. Trading standards teams are advised to look out for further updates from CTSI in the coming weeks. 1 2 a personal and a monetary level. Without the ability to trust these precious items are what they say they are, our jewellery industry would be badly undermined. All that glisters is indeed not gold. Universal Credit is a disaster waiting to happen, says Citizens Advice Consumer chartiy Citizens Advice has warned that the governments plan to accelerate the roll-out of Universal Credit, from five to 50 areas a month, is a disaster waiting to happen, as new findings show it is pushing people further into debt. Citizens Advice says there are many problems with the system that undermine the good intentions behind Universal Credit, and roll-out should be halted until these are fixed. It has urged the government to ensure no one applying for Universal Credit waits longer than six weeks for an income. Meanwhile, a different report by the charity has found that nearly one in five people struggling with debt have had their credit card limit raised without requesting it. It blames poor affordability checks for making peoples financial situation worse. Click numbers for more stories Warwickshire TS shortlisted for award Officers from Warwickshire Trading Standards and Warwickshire Community Safety were shortlisted for the Excellence in Raising Fraud Awareness award one of the Government Counter Fraud Awards for their work in preventing cybercrime. Together they deliver Warwickshires Tackling Cybercrime Programme, which led to a 115 per cent increase in the monthly reporting of cybercrime offences between April 2016 and June 2017. A spokesperson for the council said: The teams were pipped at the post by HM Land Registrys Fraud Awareness Campaign at the awards ceremony in September, but the national recognition of the programme by the judges and parliamentary secretary, Chris Skidmore, is an excellent achievement. EU withdrawal bill has Commons victory On 12 September, the EU withdrawal bill passed its first vote in the House of Commons by 326 votes to 290. The bill will end the supremacy of EU law and will overturn the 1972 European Communities Act. Seven Labour MPs supported the bill and no Conservatives voted against it. The bills committee stage will take place after this years party conferences. 1 Click numbers for more stories 2 From left: Award winners Sam Slemensek, Alex Gloster, Louise Williams, Crispin Steele, James Greenaway, Paul McCabe and Simon Cripwell