Our Track Record
Over 85 years of advice, action and impact in Hammersmith & Fulham
For more than eight decades, Citizens Advice Hammersmith & Fulham (CAHF) has been at the heart of the borough, helping people navigate life’s challenges, stand up for their rights, and move forward with confidence.
From our beginnings in 1939 to the complex cost-of-living challenges of today, our work has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of our community.
Our Impact at a Glance
In 2024–25, we:
- Helped 17,031 local residents, workers and students.
- Supported with 68,851 advice issues
- Secured £8.7 million in financial gains for clients
- Delivered specialist advice across debt, housing, benefits, employment, immigration and energy
- Worked with 70 volunteers across 7 roles
- Were recognised nationally for excellence, winning awards for Best Use of Innovation and Debt Team of the Year
A Living History of Impact
Key milestones in our journey
1939–1960s | Foundations
CAHF was established at the outbreak of the Second World War, originally helping residents navigate wartime rationing, displacement and emergency support.
During the Blitz, our service was based on a local housing estate that was directly affected by bombing. Although our office was damaged, the service resumed the very next day, supporting residents who had been displaced and helping families navigate the immediate aftermath of destruction and loss.
As the borough changed in the post-war years, so did our service, expanding advice beyond wartime issues into everyday problems affecting local households, while remaining rooted in the same commitment to being present when people needed help most.
1970s–1990s | Growing with the Community
As Hammersmith & Fulham became more diverse, CAHF broadened its reach:
- Expanding face-to-face advice
- Supporting residents through housing shortages, unemployment and welfare changes
- Strengthening volunteer involvement
By the 1990s, CAHF was firmly established as a trusted, independent advice provider in the borough.
2000–2010 | Professionalisation & Specialist Advice
This period marked a shift toward more specialist, evidence-based advice:
- Dedicated debt, welfare benefits and housing services
- Stronger partnerships with the council and voluntary sector
- Improved data collection to evidence impact and inform policy
Alongside advice delivery, we began expanding our financial capability and community learning offer:
- In 2005, we introduced a Financial Capability project, responding to the growing need for practical financial literacy support and helping residents make informed choices about budgeting and managing money
- In 2007, we delivered the Making Money Matter conference, with keynote speaker Martin Lewis, bringing national attention to the importance of financial education at a local level
- In 2010, we introduced Community Skills, broadening our work beyond advice to empower residents with knowledge, confidence and practical skills
2011–2019 | Adapting in Austerity
Against the backdrop of public sector cuts and welfare reform, demand for advice surged. So CAHF:
- Supported residents affected by Universal Credit and some of the biggest welfare changes in the UK’s history
- Developed targeted projects for people facing multiple disadvantages
- Strengthened volunteer training and supervision
- Took over the running of Avonmore Library in 2012, saving the library from closure and embedding advice services within a trusted community space.
2020–2021 | COVID-19 Response
During the pandemic, CAHF rapidly adapted:
- Almost overnight, we transformed our service model to deliver advice by telephone and email, ensuring residents could continue to access support during an unprecedented and deeply challenging period
- Supported residents facing job loss, debt, housing insecurity and isolation
- Played a key role in emergency local responses
Despite unprecedented demand, services remained accessible and responsive.
2022–2023 | Cost-of-Living Crisis
As energy prices and living costs soared, CAHF became a lifeline for many:
- Expanded debt and energy advice
- Delivered community outreach events
- Helped residents maximise income and manage rising bills
- Strengthened partnerships with libraries, foodbanks and community hubs
2024–2025 | Expanding Access to Advice
Our priority now is to make it easier for residents to get help, when and how they need it.
As demand for advice continued to rise, we focused on strengthening the services people use first, particularly our AdviceLine and digital channels.
Key developments included:
- Expanding our AdviceLine capacity, enabling more residents to access timely, high-quality advice by phone
- Investing in digital advice and communication, making information easier to find and engage with online
- Keeping our office open for information, digital assistance and tailored assistance for more vulnerable clients.
- Working across the borough to embed advice first aid and improve signposting for vulnerable residents.
These changes have helped reduce delays, improve client experience, and ensure support remains accessible for residents facing urgent issues.
Real People, Real Change
“A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders”
— Our client, a refugee, for whom our energy adviser secured a 50% discount on their water bill
More Than Advice
Our track record isn’t just about longevity, it’s about trust, adaptability and impact.
We are proud to:
- Advocate for residents’ rights and influence local and national policy through evidence
- Continue expanding our volunteering offer so people from all walks of life can give back to their community while developing their skills
- Offer services beyond advice to build community resilience and empowerment, from libraries to ESOL classes
Get Involved
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