More people are turning to Citizens Advice Cornwall for help with benefits, debt, housing, employment, foodbank vouchers and relationship breakdown issues according to new statistics published recently.

Claire from Liskeard was among those seeking support. She came to Citizens Advice Cornwall with a notice to quit from her landlord — he told her he wanted to ‘rent the house as a holiday home for tourists’ instead.

Claire had a serious heart condition and had poor mental health because she’d been in an abusive relationship - she was feeling very low and felt she was now losing her home - she said she was feeling desperate when she contacted Citizens Advice.

Her CA adviser was able to check the notice and found that the landlord had not followed the correct procedure.

When the case went to court, the application was thrown out and Claire has been able to stay in her home giving her more time to find new accommodation. Because her landlord did not protect her deposit in a recognised scheme, she has been able to ask him to return her deposit and also ask for compensation which will help her with the costs of moving when she finds a new home.

Claire now knows how to check any future notices she receives and knows where she can get help.

The charity’s new Annual Report shows 9,000 people approached the organisation for help in the county in 2021/22, an increase of 400 on the previous year.

Income gained for people who came to us increased from a total of £5.3-million to £8.2-million while the amount of debt written-off was £1.1-million.

The new figures, which cover the year to April 2022, come in the middle of the most turbulent years in living memory for people’s finances and do not include the full extent of the energy price rise and cost of living crisis.

For information on volunteering or making a donation to Citizens Advice Cornwall please visit the website at citizensadvicecornwall.org.uk