More than 19,000 people have turned to us in the last 12 months – seeking specialist housing, benefits, debt, energy and immigration advice in the face of the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Our mission is to ‘increase access to justice, particularly for those in our local community who are disadvantaged or facing hardship’, and this month we have published our Annual Achievements 2023-2024 Report – throwing a spotlight on soaring debt in Northamptonshire and an increased demand for our services.
Sarah Hayle, CEO of Community Law Service, said: “There have been some worrying trends this year, clearly showing the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis. These include the fact that 41% of our clients have dependent children, up from 35% last year, and that 30% are in work and yet are still struggling to make ends meet.
“The level of debt managed and complexity of cases has also been significant, with each case having on average more than three separate matters to resolve. We’ve achieved excellent outcomes as always, but these rarely tell the full story. Terms like ‘lifechanging’ and ‘lifesaver’ are often said by our clients, with 91% rating our service ‘excellent’. I am very proud to be part of such a professional, effective and committed team.”
Here are just a few of the stand-out statistics included in our Annual Achievements Report:
- More than £28.5million debt was managed on behalf of clients
- Over £8.5million of welfare benefit income was claimed for local residents
- We provided representation at 1,116 court hearings in respect of housing repossession and eviction
- 335 people were provided with immigration advice, representing 59 different nationalities
- 1,425 people were given fuel poverty advice and as a result £62,700 was saved through our energy efficiency measures and interventions.
Read our Community Law Service Annual Achievements 2023-2024 Report in full HERE.