Crisis advice for 70 years; ANNIVERSARY: Bureau celebrates a milestone in city.Byline: Christina Christina (krĭstē`nə), 1626–89, queen of Sweden (1632–54), daughter and successor of Gustavus II. From her father's death (1632) until 1644 she was under a regency headed by Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. Savvas FROM rations to the recession - the Birmingham Citizens' Advice Bureau is celebrating its 70th birthday. New figures reveal that what started out as an emergency service during wartime Britain is needed more than ever, as people turn to the service in record numbers for help with recessionrelated problems. In the year to April 2009, the city's five bureaux helped more than 47,000 clients with 77,000 enquiries relating to relating to relate prep → concernant relating to relate prep → bezüglich +gen, mit Bezug auf +acc debt and benefits. Birmingham CAB head of operations Anne Limbert said: "From rationing rationing, allotment of scarce supplies, usually by governmental decree, to provide equitable distribution. It may be employed also to conserve economic resources and to reinforce price and production controls. to recession, the CAB has been there for people in times of crisis. "People's problems may have changed over the decades but the need for our service has not." The CAB has assisted clients in claiming more than pounds 14.5 million in additional benefits and the charity successfully assisted the renegotiation of pounds 64 million worth of debt through its open door service. The specialist debt team have seen a total of 4,321 clients, with more than pounds 9 million in council tax, mortgage and rent arrears A sum of money that has not been paid or has only been paid in part at the time it is due. A person who is "in arrears" is behind in payments due and thus has outstanding debts or liabilities. . But it wasn't always debt problems that dominated. After the war, the CAB began by helping people trace missing relatives and helping them get back on their feet after being bombed out of their homes. By the 1960s, the consumer boom brought new problems as people realised they could "buy now, pay later", and housing problems and divorce dominated CAB caseloads. Now the charity's work is centred around helping people to cope with recession, mass unemployment, a repossessions crisis and unprecedented access to easy credit. Ms Limbert added: "We have a history to be proud of, and the reason we have survived so long is that we have constantly adapted to meet changing advice needs." Branches across Birmingham are holding special sessions as part of National Advice Week. CAPTION(S): Good advice: Trevor Weir, financial administrator and Anne Limbert, head of operations, celebrate 70 years of Birmingham Citizens Advice Bureau. |
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