Citizens advice in north Highland helped clients access almost £4m during lockdown
The citizens advice service in the north Highlands helped clients access a total of nearly £4 million in benefits and other income during lockdown, it has emerged.
Four advice bureaux operate in the area, covering Caithness, Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty.
Their offices were shut down during the coronavirus lockdown with face-to-face interviews suspended, but advisers continued to operate from home by phone and online.
Caithness bureau manager Isobel Mackay and her counterparts Joan MacKay (North and West Sutherland CAB), Rachel MacDonell (East and Central Sutherland CAB) and Mary MacDonald (Ross and Cromarty CAB) issued a joint statement saying the service had been needed more than ever during this period.
“Many people have been hit hard by the pandemic, not just in terms of their health but through the impact it has had on their work situation and their income," they said.
“Some have already lost their jobs or seen a cut in income, and others are fearful they might do so when the furlough scheme is withdrawn entirely.
“For these and other reasons, it was vital that we offered our service throughout this period.”
Some 2430 people have been helped in the area since the onset of lockdown in early March and £3,908,905 has been put back into the community.
The managers explained: “The sorts of cases we have seen have included lots of questions about work, redundancy, debt and money worries as well as housing, Universal Credit and consumer problems.
“We have helped clients obtain welfare benefits, wages, compensation and other sources of income.
“We are proud of how our advisers have kept the service going, making sure these 2430 people had the expert help they needed in the first few months of the crisis.
“We want all local people in north Highlands to know that we are still here, still offering free, confidential and impartial advice and support.”
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