Cost of living: funding boost for Citizens Advice Sheffield as demand rockets

The one-off grant from the public health reserve will be used to increase capacity at the organisation which provides confidential, independent, impartial and free support to people on a range of issues including housing, money, work and health.

Council officers said: “The cost-of-living crisis is beginning to have a significant impact on people in every part of our city. Poverty was already increasing in Sheffield before Covid hit and the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities and disproportionately affected the city’s poorest communities.

“We are seeing real incomes reducing, costs increasing with inflation which is affecting energy, food, and rent. We are also seeing an increase in illegal money lending, with people increasingly using them for essentials.”

Nationally, Citizens Advice reported the highest number of people accessing support on record near the end of last year.

In Sheffield, the number of people supported by the organisation increased by 35 per cent over the past three years.

Most of those accessing the service are from the most deprived parts of the city such as Burngreave, Manor, Firth Park and Darnall.

Councillor Douglas Johnson, member of the finance committee, said: “I welcome this. It’s absolutely what we should be doing. If we are serious about dealing with the cost of living, then putting more money into the front line of people who actually sort out people’s cost of living crisis is a very good thing.”

To find out more about Citizens Advice Sheffield and access support, visit: https://citizensadvicesheffield.org.uk/.