Help for these troubled times

It is there to advice on avoiding or managing a range of financial issues including money, debt and fuel problems.

The Advice For Tenants and Residents (AFTAR) Project is being overseen by Motherwell and Wishaw Citizen's Advice Bureau.

Abronhill Housing Association is one of five landlords, including the Lanarkshire Housing Association, to have formed a partnership which made the scheme possible. It is supported and funded by the Scottish Government.

And it is building on the success of an earlier partnership tackling fuel poverty, which helped put some 89,747 in residents' pockets.

The AFTAR project aims to help at least 700 residents through income maximisation checks and specialist advice.

Audrey Cuthbertson, of CAB said: "We are absolutely delighted to be addressing the demand for advice coming from the residents of the partner housing associations' properties in Abronhill. The project will run until March 31, 2011, and it is designed to offer easy and flexible access to the CAB service.

"Residents will be offered several options on where their appointment with our advisers will take place. Our advisers will be available for appointments at the Housing Association premises where confidential interview facilities have been made available to us, or appointments can be made in any local CAB offices.

"However, for those residents that would prefer to be seen in the privacy of their own homes our advisers will arrange a home visit appointment. The service also will be available for early evening and Saturday morning appointments.

"A 24-hour telephone messaging service will ensure that people can reach the project at any time.

"The plans for this service began almost two years before the credit crunch and current recession began.

"Since then, of course, more and more people are seeking advice on the range of related issues, such as debt, employment rights and benefits, and services are stretched as they try to cope with the demand. We are confident that this dedicated service will be welcomed and well used by the residents."