Record numbers turning to charity for recession help

As the Citizens Advice Bureau service turns 70 today, it has revealed that record numbers of people are turning to the charity for help with recession-linked problems of job loss and debt.

The new figures show that Citizens Advice Bureaux across England and Wales are dealing with an average of 9,300 new debt problems and 8,000 new benefit problems every working day. Looking at three months to June 2009, debt problems have increased by 27% and enquiries about welfare benefits have leapt by 22%, when compared with the same period last year.

The total problem count for the three months April – June 2009 was 1,671,183 – a 17% increase on the same period last year.

Enquiries about job seekers allowance doubled (up 99%) and redundancy-related problems went up by three-quarters (74%), while problems with mortgage arrears were up 44% and fuel debts up 53% compared with the same period last year.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive David Harker said:

“From rationing to recession, the CAB has been there for people in times of crisis throughout all the past 70 years. Dipping into the decades of our history shows that some of the problems people have may have changed but the need for our service certainly has not.”

“As we celebrate our 70th birthday our new figures show that what started out as an emergency service in wartime is now needed more than ever as the recession continues to take its toll on people’s lives.”

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