Overview
Citizens Advice works with millions of people each year, many facing complex financial challenges and requiring timely debt, budgeting and financial support. Traditionally, gathering the financial information needed to provide advice was a lengthy and resource-intensive process, often requiring customers to collect bank statements and supporting documents over several weeks.
Through a partnership with AperiData and PayPoint, Citizens Advice has continued to modernise this process using Open Banking technology and the Customer Support Tool, enabling advisers to gain a real-time, accurate view of a customer's financial circumstances in minutes rather than weeks.Since expanding the programme in 2024, the initiative has delivered significant improvements in customer engagement, adviser productivity and operational efficiency across multiple Citizens Advice locations.
The Challenge
Before Open Banking was introduced, advisers often relied on customers supplying paper statements and financial evidence before meaningful support could be provided. This process could take several weeks to complete, creating delays for customers who were often in urgent need of help.
The manual review of documents also placed a substantial administrative burden on advisers, reducing the time available for direct client support and increasing the risk of incomplete or outdated financial information.
The Solution
Using Open Banking integrated within Account Information Services Customer Support Tool, customers can securely consent to share their financial data directly with Citizens Advice advisers.
Once consent is provided, advisers receive an immediate, fully categorised view of income, expenditure and financial commitments. This removes the need for manual document collection and provides a more accurate and comprehensive picture of a customer's financial situation.
The solution enables advisers to spend less time gathering evidence and more time delivering meaningful support and guidance.
Results: Strong customer engagement
Open Banking adoption has continued to demonstrate strong engagement among Citizens Advice customers.
These results show that even customers in potentially vulnerable circumstances are willing and able to engage with secure digital financial data sharing when the benefits are clearly communicated.
a. Faster financial assessments
The introduction of Open Banking has dramatically accelerated the assessment process.
This enables Citizens Advice advisers to provide support significantly sooner, improving the customer experience and reducing delays in accessing help.
b. Increased adviser capacity
By automating the collection and categorisation of financial information, advisers can focus more time on supporting customers.
Key benefits include:
c. Operational savings
The programme has also delivered measurable operational efficiencies.
d. Scaling success
Following successful implementation at Citizens Advice Stevenage, the programme has expanded across multiple Citizens Advice branches throughout the UK.
The impact of the initiative has been recognised across the industry, contributing to the partnership receiving the Business Partnership of the Year award within the Credit & Collections sector.
Conclusion: Looking ahead
The continued success of Open Banking within Citizens Advice demonstrates the transformative impact that secure, real-time financial data can have on customer support services. By replacing lengthy manual processes with instant access to accurate financial information, advisers can focus more time on delivering meaningful support and less time on administration.
Through its partnership with AperiData and PayPoint, Citizens Advice has reduced financial assessments from weeks to minutes, achieved strong customer engagement with Open Banking, and delivered measurable savings in both adviser time and operational costs. These outcomes are helping to create a more efficient, accessible and customer-centric approach to financial support.
As the programme continues to expand throughout 2026, the partnership is well positioned to drive further innovation and adoption, demonstrating how trusted organisations can use Open Banking to modernise service delivery, improve efficiency and deliver better outcomes for the people who need support most.
Open Banking completion rate
Time taken to assess financial circumstances
Average adviser time saved per case
Average operational saving per case