Citizens Advice South Hams helped secure £950k for people living in Totnes in 2025 according to new statistics published March 13.

The money came in the form of benefits claims, compensation, tax credits and charitable support that people who came to Citizens Advice were entitled to.

It also includes £211k in debts that have been written off with help from advisers.

In total, the charity helped 648 people in the town, an increase of 618 people helped the previous year.

Citizens Advice South Hams Chief Executive, Janie Moor, said: “These are fantastic figures and a tribute to our superb team of staff and volunteers who have worked tirelessly on behalf of local people.

“Demand for our services continues to be high reflecting the difficult economic circumstances people continue to face.

“We are also incredibly grateful to Totnes Town Council for their continued support and to St John’s Church for hosting our weekly community outreach.”

Although the cost of living crisis has largely faded from the headlines, people are still struggling to make ends meet.

Mrs Moor added: “We continue to help clients with a range of issues including benefits, energy issues and debt. “People’s issues are increasingly complex and interrelated which is where the benefit of the holistic approach we offer helps those who use our services. Although they may approach us with one issue, through careful exploration, we often discover several issues that need to be addressed. One such client was Sue.

Sue lives alone and has severe disabilities. Through Citizens Advice South Hams partnership work with Totnes Caring she was identified as someone who needed help filling in benefit application forms as she has a very low income. Their adviser visited her at home as she was unable to get to the office. After helping her with the forms, Sue was awarded an Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit, and Severe Disability Premium (SDP).

Sue now has an extra £8,631 a year coming in to help her manage. They also established that Sue had storage heaters in her home but wasn’t sure how to use them properly. Their energy team conducted a thorough energy assessment advised her on how to effectively use her heaters, and switched her to a cheaper energy tariff. They also provided her with a hot water bottle to help keep her warm throughout winter and will continue to work with Totnes Caring to see if there is any additional help she needs.

Citizens Advice South Hams provides confidential, impartial and independent advice. Our goal is to help you find a way forward, whatever problem you face. They campaign for change on the issues that affect people’s lives.

They are an independent charity and part of the Citizens Advice network. Most of their 80-plus-strong team are trained volunteers. They are supported by local councils, a variety of specialist funders, and the general public.

They work in partnership with local community organisations and other local Citizens Advice to serve a population of 87,000 across the South Hams and handle thousands of enquiries each year.