Deep in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and with bills mounting up, it can be difficult for those with money worries to find a way forward.
Soaring food prices and sharp rises in charges for the likes of gas and electricity have left many East Renfrewshire residents struggling to make ends meet.
It all means the role being played by East Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau has never been more vital.
Staff at the charity’s base in Main Street, Barrhead, have revealed a record number of local people are experiencing a cash crisis.
In the space of just six weeks, around 900 residents have contacted the local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) for help because they cannot pay their bills or meet mortgage, rent or council tax payments.
And it isn’t just those who are without work or in low-paid jobs who are finding times tough.
These days, the likes of teachers, nurses and council workers are seeking help from the CAB team as they try to get their finances back on track.
In the first five months of this year, a total of 2,471 people contacted East Renfrewshire CAB for support, compared to 1,828 last year.
This represents an increase of 35%.
Much of the rise in demand for help is being blamed on unmanageable mortgage payments, with ever-increasing interest rates hitting many homeowners hard.
East Renfrewshire CAB now employs a record total of 20 full-time advisers to help people with their money and debt worries.
Bureau manager Teresa O’Hara told the Barrhead News: “We are busier than ever before.
“We’re getting people from all walks of life to access our services which we did not see in the past.
“The cost-of-living crisis is impacting for the first time on homeowners and a wider section of society, as mortgage interest payments increase.
“We have families where the parents are both working who can no longer afford to make ends meet.”
The Barrhead hub offers debt management and can help contact mortgage companies in a bid to get payment breaks or holidays.
Staff also check if people are eligible for benefit payments or grants to help their dwindling finances.
In the last year, they have obtained more than £4million for clients through such checks.
They also have an 80% success rate in appealing Department of Work and Pension decisions to refuse benefits.
Teresa added: “We cover the whole of East Renfrewshire, where there are people with some really high mortgages who can no longer afford to make the payments.
“Sometimes it is hard for people to admit that they need help.”
East Renfrewshire CAB has also set up eight support clinics across the local area, at locations such as libraries, where people can access the charity’s much-needed services.
The team has encountered cases of couples earning up to £6,000 a month – £72,000 a year – between them who are unable to pay their bills due to the cost of living.
Some even choose to make themselves bankrupt because they can no longer afford to pay their debts.
Julie Brown, a money advisor with East Renfrewshire CAB, handles between two and three bankruptcies each week.
She said: “This cost-of-living crisis is affecting everybody.
“Where clients have previously had an income surplus at the end of the month, that is no longer the case.
“A lot are choosing the bankruptcy option.
“It is a very worrying time. There is no quick or easy solution.”
Staff at East Renfrewshire CAB have recorded an increase in the number of people they have been able to help financially in the last year.
In the first five months of 2023, they were able to claim £1.1million on behalf of clients, compared to £530,000 in the same period last year – an increase of 116%.
The number they have helped with benefit appeals rose from 93 to 122.
One of the successful initiatives run by the charity is the Older People’s Project.
The main aim of this project, which is funded by East Renfrewshire Council, is to encourage older people within the local community to make sure they are claiming all of the benefits they may be entitled to.
These can include Pension Credit, Council Tax Reduction, Attendance Allowance and Carers Allowance.
In the last year, there has also been a 9% rise in the number of people setting up payment plans to keep creditors off their back.
Teresa added: “Clients are trying to stay in the family home and cutting back on day-to-day essentials.
“At the moment, they are keeping on top of their mortgage payments but are unsure how much longer this will last if interest rates rise any further.
“Rent arrears have increased as clients – especially single adults living alone – struggle to cope.”
East Renfrewshire CAB has experienced an increase in the number of people who are unable to pay their council tax, with total arrears up from £89,893 to £90,384 in the last year.
Teresa said: “Through no fault of their own, people are taking on debt to afford food, shelter and energy because their income simply can’t keep up with rising costs.
“This means a personal debt crisis for many, even if inflation returns to something that is considered to be a manageable level.
“People who are worried about money and bills can seek advice from us, either via telephone or in person.
“Our advice is free, impartial and confidential and can get real results.”
Anyone who would like support from East Renfrewshire CAB can make an appointment with an expert advisor by calling 0141 881 2032 or sending an email to bureau@eastrenfrewshirecab.casonline.org.uk.
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