Renfrewshire South MSP Tom Arthur visited East Renfrewshire Citizen Advice Bureau’s (CAB) in Barrhead this week for an update on the services current activities.

The politician met with local manager Teresa O’Hara when he headed along to CAB’s offices on Main Street.

Following his recent meetings with frontline public sector organisations like Barrhead Housing Association, Mr Arthur heard from Teresa about how the cost-of-living crisis was impacting the service.

He told the Barrhead News: “I have organised a series of engagements with local support providers across Renfrewshire South to facilitate collaborative working between these organisations and my constituency office.

“Through these and my cost-of-living advice surgeries earlier in the year, we are all working together to help our communities through this challenging time.”

Mr Arthur said that Like other support and advice providers within the constituency and across the country, the local CAB are experiencing unprecedented demand for their services.

He was especially concerned to hear that staff have noticed a growing trend emerging in those accessing support that have no history of financial instability, that a large number of these service users are in two-income households and that many have rapidly increasing consumer and utility debts.

“The Scottish Government is wholly committed to protecting our most vulnerable from the worst effects of the cost of living crisis through a range of different supports,” added the SNP politician.

“Your local CAB is one of the resources that you can access for information and assistance with benefits, grants and other funds that you may be entitled to.

“Thank you to Teresa and the team at East Renfrewshire CAB for doing such an incredible job in these very trying circumstances.”