Citizens Advice and Rights Fife looking to expand services across Kingdom

Citizens Advice and Rights Fife (CARF) is a voluntary organisation with charitable status which provides free, independent advice and support across a wide spectrum of advice areas including welfare benefits, money advice and appeal work.

Last year, it saw an increase of 18 per cent in calls dealt with and recently celebrated a return to its face to face service.

With bases now open in Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline – and one due to open very soon in Cupar – a search is now on for suitable premises in South West Fife.

CARF Chief Executive Officer, David Redpath, provided an update to Fife Council’s People and Communities Scrutiny this week.

He said there had been “a little bit of a gap” in terms of their frontline offering to South West Fife.

“We have taken the opportunity to restructure the organisation with the view to delivering services at a more local level than before,” he explained.

“As part of the restructure, we look at where the demand was coming from in terms of postcodes.

“About 14 per cent of demand came from South West Fife area yet we don’t have a local presence. That was a bit of a driver to say maybe we need to look at how we can do something a bit different.”

“We have looked at various premises in South West Fife. We have also taken into consideration the slightly different make up of South West Fife in terms of its urban and rural distinction.

The committee heard that as well as increases in client numbers and calls dealt with in 2024/25, the organisation has continued to grow its numbers this year.

“Our up to date figures to the end of October 2025 show our active clients increased by almost 15 per cent, issues dealt with increased by 17 per cent, the number of calls dealt with was up by 10 per cent,” said Mr Redpath.

“The client financial gain stands at £6.4m which is an increase of six per cent. Volunteer hours have increased by over 3000 while absence had a 64 per cent reduction.”

A report to councillor’s revealed that CARF’S client financial gain figure for 2024/25 was £9.4m which was down on the previous year but still represented a “significant impact” for those who have used the service.

“The reduction may in part be due to the work on benefit uptake campaigns which has seen people self-supporting and using the Fife Benefit Checker to identify the benefits they are entitled to,” it stated.

“It may also reflect broader economic pressures: the ongoing cost of living crisis means that many clients already have maximised incomes but are still unable to meet basic needs.

“During 2024/25, 12 targeted campaigns were conducted to promote a range of benefits. As a result, a combined total of £1.96m in benefit entitlement was awarded to unpaid carers, while 360 families opened tax-free childcare accounts, saving 20 per cent each month on childcare costs.

“There was a £443k increase in annual income for pension age households following a targeted campaign using data from the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT) and, since 2022, the amount of unclaimed pension credit in Fife has reduced by £1.2m.”

Cowdenbeath Councillor Alex Campbell praised the efforts but expressed concern that not enough people know about the services provided.

“The Fife benefit checker – I am aware of that as a councillor and if I get people coming to me suffering poverty, I would guide them to the benefit checker. For me it is not sign posted enough,” he said.

“Until you are given the information, they probably don’t know it exists. That is quite alarming for me because it could help so many people.

“If we could try and get some more signposting for constituents in need to find out about CARF, it would be a huge step forward.”

Committee convener, councillor Gary Holt, added that the work carried out by CARF was “invaluable” to the people of Fife.