Staff at Sutton Citizens Advice Bureau are celebrating after winning a prestigious award at the organisation’s national conference last week.

They were recognised with a Social Policy award for their excellent work in raising issues of welfare benefits and legal aid throughout the past year.

Steve Triner, Chief Executive of Sutton Borough CAB, said: “We are delighted to win this award. It is especially pleasing to be recognised by our peers for the work we do.”

In the year ending April 2012, Sutton CAB was visited by 8,200 clients, which represented a rise of more than 100 from the previous year.

Welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment and family issues, including relationship breakdown and access to children, are the top five issues that clients have arrived to discuss in the past 12 months.

Cllr. Simon Wales, Lead Councillor for Finance, Assets and the Voluntary Sector, said: “Sutton CAB provides a valuable service for the community and we are pleased that their good work has been recognised.

“Sutton Council is proud of its record of working closely with voluntary groups and Citizens Advice is just one of the many excellent resources available to residents.”