Some people have faced significant hardship over the past few years because of the cost-of-living crisis – and things are getting worse, according to Citizens Advice.
Speaking at the LGA’s annual conference in Harrogate, Cllr Craig Browne (Ind), Chief Executive of Citizens Advice North Staffordshire, told delegates that the charity was seeing people in full-time work, with mortgages and steady incomes, “living on the edge”.
Cllr Browne, a former Leader of Cheshire East Council, said Citizens Advice’s mission was to prevent people from reaching crisis point – and that the crisis people are currently facing is debt.
“For the overwhelming majority of people we see, it’s hard to see how they can reduce their spending when their income doesn’t cover the basics,” he told delegates.
However, increasingly Citizens Advice’s clients are also the clients of the gaming and gambling sector.
Cllr Browne called for continued partnership working between local government, Citizens Advice and other partners, given all are working for the same group of residents.
Citizens Advice saves both central and local government money, with its advice preventing or reducing pressure on health and housing services and stimulating the economy by helping people back to work, he added.