Online helping hand
South Lanarkshire Council has launched a new service to help people with financial struggles.
The new online resource,‘Money is not the only problem,’is available to locals and offers help, support and guidance over finances and wellbeing.
The council has included a wide range of information in the new service as well as relevant contact details on each topic.
The service can be accessed directly or people can select a different topic they need assistance with.
Topics include money, housing, wellbeing, food and healthy eating, funerals, online access, employment and education.
The council has launched the service with aims to support people as inflation continues to rise. There’s been an increase of 250 per cent in the wholesale price of gas which has been passed onto households with an increase in prices for consumers of around 75 per cent in recent months.
The increases in household costs for fuel has been exacerbated by recent increases in mortgage rates, National Insurance contributions, a 20 per cent increase in food costs, higher petrol costs and inflation at a 30-year high.
There are also other council services which can assist people with financial worries. These include the Money Matters Advice Service which is free and confidential and helps people living in South Lanarkshire or working for South Lanarkshire Council claim benefits and deal with debt.
Other local organisations include the Citizens’Advice Bureau which is available in Hamilton, Rutherglen and Cambuslang, East Kilbride and Clydesdale.