The ‘Cost of Living Advisor Service’ is delivered by Citizens Advice Mid Mercia, and will help individuals or families in need, those on low incomes and those who are experiencing a financial emergency or crisis. The Advisor will be a helping hand, assisting with applications or advice, and referring onto specialist services such as debt advice where necessary.

Key areas of direct support from the Advisor include:

• Income maximisation, including assistance to make suitable benefit applications.
• Support to apply for other useful grants or services as may be available at the correct time.
• Accurate advice on matters such as saving energy, or unnecessary expenditure. 
• Coordinating use of the personal budget facility to support families, where a specific purchase or payment for the household accessing the service would have a meaningful impact.

The service can be accessed by emailing the name of the person / household needing support,  their phone number and a brief note of the type of help they are looking for to: gateway@citizensadvicemidmercia.org.uk