Website Development for Citizens Advice

Liverpool Citizens Advice Partnership (LCAP), a consortium representing all Citizens Advice Bureaux in Liverpool, was recently awarded the role of main provider under the Lottery Funded Improving Financial Capability (IFC) scheme. This project required the development of a fully functional website integrated with a referral system to streamline the process of referring tenants moving into social housing to the appropriate services across Merseyside.

Previously, inter-agency referrals were handled manually, which was resource-intensive and did not offer the best experience for the customers receiving advice. In conjunction with this project, LCAP was also undergoing a rebrand and needed a marketing partner to guide them through the entire process.

One of the challenges we faced was the need to remain flexible with our build process, as some features and functionalities had to be phased in due to internal constraints within LCAP. 

However, we successfully navigated these challenges and developed a comprehensive referral system that included:

• A Drupal-based content management system
• A fully featured referral system with data collection, calendars, and email & SMS notifications
• Advanced permissions to enable tiered access for all partner organisations
• A built-in intranet with a document management facility for handling inter-organisation documents

We were thrilled to be awarded this project, not only because it allowed us to assist LCAP—a well-respected and established third-sector agency in Liverpool—but also because we were able to design and deliver a referral system for the IFC project that would significantly improve the accessibility and delivery of financial advice to those in need.

Our successful web design and development of such a complex system has led to further opportunities, as we’ve been invited to bid on additional similar third-sector projects and have secured several of them.

Today, the LCAP referral system is being used by all Citizens Advice agencies and other smaller advice partners to streamline case management and referrals. The website is fully accessible across desktop, mobile, and tablet formats, ensuring that the services are available to everyone, everywhere.