Citizens Advice Chesterfield releases details of support given to local people during pandemic
Citizens Advice Chesterfield have released a report including details of the support they have provided to local residents during the Coronavirus pandemic.
From the start of lockdown in March to the end of April, Citizens Advice Chesterfield supported 942 people with 3078 problems.
Staff and volunteers adapted the delivery of their services once the pandemic began, adding extra advisers to their telephone lines and also introducing a webchat feature to their website in order to meet the increase in demand.
The report shows people needing help to access emergency food, cash or vital essentials was 5 times higher than in the same period last year. There were also 4 times the amount of employment issues then in the same period in 2019.
The top four areas where advice was issued, in order, were:
- Universal Credit
- Benefits and Tax Credits
- Debt and Money Issues
- Employment
The proportion of people seeking advice under 30 years of age was double that in the same period in 2019.
Linda Moore, Chair of Trustees, commented: “Trustees are constantly in awe of what our staff and volunteers do for local residents on a daily basis and we feel privileged to be a part of such a vital, life-saving service. Recently though, what has been done is nothing short of miraculous. We are proud of their work and achievements. We want to thank them publicly for their tireless dedication.”
As one of their clients said: “You were amazing and listened to what I said. I don’t know what I would have done without your help and support. Thank you.”
Advice Appointments are available throughout each weekday between 9am and 5pm. To access help, please contact the triage and advice line on 0300 4568437, open from 10am to 2pm Monday to Friday.
Click here to find out more about Citizens Advice Chesterfield
