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New Citizens Advice phone system: problem for caseworkers?
This post is really just for local Citizens Advice (LCAs in current jargon; CABx in oldspeak) which do casework.
The new phone system, Connect, our managers tell us, does not support any arrangement whereby caseworkers can have a direct line for incoming calls. That means that clients cannot phone their caseworker/representative direct, and nor can third party organisations eg DWP, HMCTS. Apparently all service-related calls are supposed to go through Connect, so mobiles are out. This is potentially woefully inefficient for benefits caseworkers, debt advisers, and indeed all LCA caseworkers. Have we misunderstood? Have others come across this issue? If they have, is there a solution?