An independent organisation which offers free information and advice to hard-pressed Fifers has helped put a record £12.3 million into local people’s pockets in the past year.
Citizens Advice and Rights Fife (CARF) chalked up the incredible sum in 2019/20 in spite of disruption to services due to Covid-19, managing to unlock around £800,000 more in cash for people seeking their help than in the previous year.
The sum includes money gained through social security payments, employment entitlements, savings on utility costs and reductions in debt payments, and comes at a time when more and more Fifers are in dire need of support.
Figures from CARF suggest that around half of clients had worried about food running out before there was money to buy more, while more than a third had cut down meal sizes or skipped meals because there wasn’t enough money to buy food.
Half of those surveyed were in employment, but over a third of those in work said they still couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.
David Redpath, CARF chief executive, said: “I’m extremely proud of the work that our team does every day.
“Our advisers concentrate on individual cases day by day, but when you see the total amount that we gained for people it really is quite breathtaking.
“And I would expect that a lot of that money will be spent in local shops and businesses, so helping to boost them too.”
In response to lockdown, the local bureau had to suspend face-to-face advice in March 2020 but adapted quickly to circumstances and remained contactable for advice by phone and email.
Indeed, since April, CARF has issued 45,890 pieces of advice, and managed to reopen offices in Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes, Leven and Dunfermline for face-to-face advice in essential circumstances for vulnerable clients in August.
Across Scotland as a whole, the Citizens Advice network unlocked a staggering £170 million for people – £40million more than the previous year.
That means that for every £1 invested in core advice funding, the network unlocked £16 in client gains.
“That’s a great return on investment that makes a real difference for people,” Mr Redpath continued.
“This has been a year like no other, and the pandemic changed the way of life for so many of us, but our amazing advisers didn’t miss a beat and ensured people in Fife got the advice they needed.
“It just goes to show that, if you are struggling financially, our advice really can help you.”
