03 Oct CITIZENS ADVICE FACING INCREASED DEMAND FOR HELP IN CORNWALL AND IoS
Citizens Advice Cornwall helped 8,400 people with their issues in 2023-24, (200 more than last year) and helped them gain income worth £6.5 million as the cost-of-living and housing crises continue to bite.
The latest statistics were revealed at the charity’s Annual Meeting, held at St Erme Community Centre, near Truro.
Chief Executive, Jon Berg, said:
“We are continuing to see a high demand for our services and, with increases in energy costs this winter and the continued lack of affordable housing to rent, we expect to see similar levels of need over the next few years as well.
“Our expert team of staff and volunteers have risen to the challenge, and I’m delighted that our surveys show 85% of people we see would recommend us to other people.”
Despite the increased demand, the charity has been able to expand into new areas, including having advisers present at Trussell Trust foodbanks in the county and launching the Advice First Aid training progamme to help volunteers and staff in other organisations signpost their users and members to services that can help them.
Mr Berg added:
“I’m also delighted that our dedicated Research and Campaign team won the National Citizens Advice Most Influential Campaign Award this year for their work highlighting police failings in investigating domestic abuse and stalking issues which has led to major changes in how these issues are now tackled in our area.
“We were also really pleased to be chosen as one of the Royal Cornwall Show’s two charities of the year, which allowed us to raise our profile with thousands of showgoers as well as raise valuable funds for our services.”
Citizens Advice Cornwall Chair, Fran Keene, said:
“This year, Citizens Advice celebrates its 85th anniversary, but to help us meet the challenges ahead in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, we need the continued support of the community in terms of funding and volunteers.
“We are very grateful for the help from all our funders and fantastic volunteers, but to expand to meet the growing demand in Cornwall we need more grants and donations to help even more people.”
The majority of people came to Citizens Advice Cornwall for help with benefits and tax credits (31%) followed by debt (19%), Universal Credit claims (12%), housing (11%), utilities and communications (3%) and financial capability (3%).
The charity had 60 volunteers last year working from offices in Saltash, Liskeard, Bodmin, Truro, Falmouth, Camborne and Penzance and outreaches in St Austell, Bude, Hayle and St Ives.
For every £1 invested in Citizens Advice Cornwall, the charity generated £14.13 in value to the public.
For information on volunteering or making a donation to Citizens Advice Cornwall please visit the website at citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk
JACK’S STORY:
Jack came to Citizens Advice through a foodbank referral.
He was experiencing severe mental health difficulties and living in a one bed council flat on £118-a-week and was worried about being able to afford a healthy diet on his limited income.
Jack’s extreme social anxiety and volatile behaviour in public made it impossible for him to leave home without his assistance dog. He also suffered PTSD, clinical depression, hyper-vigilance and insomnia and had made several attempts to take his life.
The adviser helped him apply for a Severe Mental Impairment Discount to help cope with his council tax bills. The application succeeded and Jack was exempted from paying council tax and refunded a six year payback on tax he’d already paid of around £1,000.
As he didn’t have a cooker at home, Citizens Advice helped him apply for a grant from the council which helped him buy an air fryer.
He told his adviser he needed help with a Personal Independence Payment application to help with his disabilities, although he had been turned down for this before. Working with his mental health worker, his adviser gathered the evidence needed for the PIP application and completed the paperwork.
Jack contacted us to say he had been awarded PIP and an enhanced rate for living and mobility which was backdated. He received a total of £4,400 in back pay and £250-a-week going forwards.
Jack is also receiving help from the Citizens Advice Debt Team.
Thanks to his Citizens Advice adviser, Jack has tripled his income with money he was entitled to and is in a much better position to be able to manage his life.
(Name changed to protect identity)
Ends.
