A DEBT advice service run by the St Helens Citizens Advice Bureau, is to be axed because of a lack of funding.

In the last year, the service, which presently supplies a money advisor and clerical support, has fielded up to 73 clients and 900 enquiries, and dealt with debts of more than £2.5 million.

The bureau's money advisor has also been responsible for attending repossession hearings, to help clients to keep hold of their homes.

For the past year the service has been funded by a £30,000 Lottery grant, but council chiefs have told staff at the CAB branch in Waterloo Street that there isn't enough money to continue funding the posts.

This means that the CAB will also be unable to apply to the Legal Aid service for funding, without support from the council. It also means that the bureau cannot take on any new clients, and any existing clients will have to be taught how to take on their own debts, before the service is phased out in April.

District branch manager Yvonne Fovargue said: "This service is vital for the people of St Helens. A lot has been spoken about how important the service is but unfortunately money does not always follow words. People are just not getting the services they deserve.

"We just hope that enough of our clients will feel strongly enough to complain."

But a spokesperson for St Helens Council told the Star: "We have never funded any debt advice service at the CAB and we have never given any assurances that we would fund any in the future; besides which the council runs its own debt advice service. We presently give the CAB a grant of £78,000 for running costs, so we are already helping them financially."

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