Millions of pounds have been put into the pockets of people in Glasgow they could have missed out on with the help of Citizens Advice Bureaux according to a new report.

Advisors at the eight bureaux in Glasgow last year helped fill out 7000 Universal Credit forms with clients struggling to apply for the new all-in-one benefit, helped with claiming other benefits and appealing benefit refusals.

Citizens Advice Scotland has offices in Bridgeton, Castlemilk, Central Glasgow, Drumchapel, Easterhouse, Maryhill, Pollok and Parkhead.

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A CAS report for Glasgow showed In 2018/19 more than 27,000 people were helped to resolve 83,000 issues.

The organisation said that the work also helps economies in the poorest areas as it means cash that would otherwise be lost is being spent.

Records show that the previous year, 72% of people receiving help from Citizens Advice were living in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland.

The report was released ahead of the budget day in Glasgow and the eight CAS Bureaux in the city are calling on the city council to continue to fund their service, which they say provides a good return for the city.

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Rob Gallagher, Chief Executive, Glasgow North West Citizens Advice Bureau, Maryhill, said “As independent charities serving our communities, we are dependent on the support of our funders, including Glasgow City Council, without whom we would be unable to achieve these outcomes in future.”

“Across Glasgow the Citizens Advice network is delivering real outcomes for people with almost £24million in financial gains in the last year. That’s a return of almost £14 for every £1 invested in bureaux across the city.

“What’s more, our advice overwhelmingly supports the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities, such as people on low or insecure incomes or facing financial crisis.”

The core funding for the Glasgow bureaux comes form the council, which has to save £50m to balance it’s budget for next year.

The report acknowledged public services are under financial pressure. It stated: “Glasgow City Council faces a period of unprecedented financial pressure.”

However it added: “The Glasgow Citizens Advice Bureaux model lessens the effects of these savings by leveraging additional resources and funding into Glasgow’s local services while at the same time helping some of the most vulnerable within our communities.”

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: “Every organisation that received funding through the Integrated Grant Fund was made aware it ends 31 March 2020. Organisations were advised of the brand new Glasgow Communities Fund, how to apply and the importance of submitting all required documentation in time. An extension was granted to allow the organisations who failed to provide us with the necessary documents time to do so and this has had a knock-on effect for the new fund timescale.”