Dumfries and Galloway residents more than £8 million better off thanks to Citizens Advice Service

dailyrecord.co.uk:

People in Dumfries and Galloway are more than £8 million better off thanks to the region’s Citizens Advice Service. The organisation’s team helped nearly 8,500 people with almost 40,000 issues last year – including debt totalling £6.5 million.

The figures are revealed in Dumfries and Galloway Citizens Advice Service’s annual report for 2022/23. Chief executive officer, Phil Stewart, said: “We are tremendously proud to have put more than £8 million back into the pockets of local people and into the economy of Dumfries and Galloway. “Last year marked our 25th anniversary and the report shows what a busy year it was for us. “It demonstrates how the demand for our services continues to grow, as the cost-of-living crisis really begins to bite for many local people and how we are evolving to meet those demands, especially for rural communities. “We’ve extended our outreach services and continue to expand methods of remote access for clients, so they don’t need to visit our bureaux in person.” The report shows that in 2022/23, Citizens Advice Service volunteers provided more than 8,200 hours of support to 8,493 clients.

There were 38,895 issues dealt with and benefits was the main area where advice was offered, ahead of utilities and debt. Clients are now £8.11 million better off and were helped with more than £6.5 million of debt.

Chairwoman, Marsali Caig, said: “I am delighted with our annual report as it showcases the work of our service. It is a testament to our staff, volunteers and partners how we continually meet these challenges. “We must ensure, however, that we keep up with the demand and pace of change, finding new ways of engaging with communities, funders and partners to increase our reach, ensuring we