About Us

Surrey Welfare Rights Unit was set up in 1990 to provide welfare rights advice service within the county of Surrey.

The Unit provides an independent, impartial and confidential service. Our independent status allows membership of Citizens Advice and the Unit abides by the aims and principles of the Citizen Advice service.

Who we are

Surrey Welfare Rights Unit is a small specialist charity providing expert legal advice on benefits and community care. The Unit has been set up as a support organisation which means that we provide services to organisations rather than direct to the public who can initially access one of the many local organisations we provide services to. We ask the organisations we support to subscribe to our services. This will enable us to continue to deliver services in times of decreasing grant funding.

If you would like to help us with our fundraising efforts please contact the Unit directly via bureau@swru.org

Our main purpose is:

  • To provide specialist support and training to volunteers and staff who provide advice to their clients
  • To produce information and publicity on welfare rights issues for both professional staff and, where relevant, members of the public
  • To promote the take-up of welfare benefits especially among the frail and vulnerable
  • To provide a source of expertise on Community Care issues
  • To be a focal point of welfare rights work across the region through support groups, seminars and informal talks, social policy work and networking

Campaigns

As a member of Citizen Advice we have a responsibility along with every other Citizen Advice office to undertake social policy work.

We collect evidence from our clients on the areas where they are experiencing problems. Using this evidence we try to bring about change whether at a local or national level. Sometimes we contribute to national campaigns being run through central Citizens Advice. Other times we approach government and statutory agencies directly with the issues we have identified. All the evidence we collect is kept confidential.