What should advice services look like in a new central Essex unitary authority?

What should advice services look like in a new central Essex unitary authority?

The proposed reorganisation of local government in Essex (Three council plan for Greater Essex revealed | Essex County Council)  which includes the creation of three new unitary authorities raises an important and timely question: What should advice services look like in this new landscape?

One of the new authorities under consideration is Central Essex, covering Chelmsford, Harlow, Brentwood, Epping Forest, and Maldon. Across this geography, there is already strong practice in place, committed teams, creative solutions, and valued community partnerships. But if local government is to be reshaped, it is right that we ask how we reimagine and embed advice in the heart of these future systems.

At Citizens Advice Harlow, we believe this moment calls for a serious, shared exploration a "think piece" for what an effective, sustainable advice system could look like in Central Essex. Here are some of our early reflections:

• A central Essex advice guarantee:
  Every resident regardless of income or postcode should be able to access free, independent, and impartial advice when they need it. This would be a powerful commitment to fairness and access across the new unitary area.

• Local advice partnerships (LAPs):
  Structured collaborations between councils, the NHS, and community organisations, designed to pool expertise, align services, and ensure no one falls through the cracks.

• Advice as part of the treatment plan:
  We want to scale up our successful model of advice in GP surgeries. At Citizens Advice Harlow, we’ve seen first-hand how embedding advisers within primary care can support people whose mental health is affected by debt, housing insecurity, or benefit problems. In this model, advice isn’t just a referral it’s part of the prescription of treatment.

The case for investment:

Evidence shows that advice is not just a lifeline it’s also a smart investment. Every £1 invested in Citizens Advice services generates:

• £14.60 in direct client benefits, and

• Even more in broader social and economic value.

Yet in some parts of Essex, local authority funding for advice remains under £1 per resident, less than half the national average. A targeted uplift to £2.50 per head would help us shift from a system built around crisis response to one focused on early help and prevention.

 Let’s start the conversation:

These are not final answers but they are a starting point. As the future of local government takes shape, we have an opportunity to build a better, fairer advice system for everyone.

If you're working in local government, health, the legal advice sector, or the wider voluntary sector, and you’d like to help shape that future we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch and be part of the discussion.

This piece was inspired by reflections from Citizens Advice Harlow's leadership on the future of advice in a restructured Essex.

Ayub Khan
Chief Executive
Citizens Advice Harlow