Cash me if you can

Aim: Fundraising for North Lanarkshire Citizens Advice Bureaux

Our team

We will be setting a mix of individual challenges along with mixed challenges, some of which will include walking distances or running numerous times throughout one month.

North Lanarkshire Citizens Advice Bureaux (NLCAB)

North Lanarkshire Citizens Advice Bureaux (NLCAB) provide free, independent, confidential, life changing advice and support in the local community. The cost-of-living crisis is continuing to have a devastating impact on local people, particularly the most vulnerable with complex advice needs. NLCAB are tirelessly finding the best way forward to help them overcome significant challenges.

Paul’s story: ‘Many thanks to the Citizens Advice Bureau. I appreciate their help from the bottom of my heart. It has been truly life changing. I managed to pay my debts off and start afresh. I was feeling suicidal, was at the lowest point in my life and you turned things around for me. I am looking forward to a new chapter ahead. I want to give back and help others. I joined Citizens Advice Training Programme to become a volunteer advisor.’

 NLCAB, comprising of 5 Citizens Advice Bureaux based in Airdrie, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Cumbernauld, Motherwell & Wishaw, is seeing record levels of demand as the North Lanarkshire community is facing higher than average level of unemployment, indebtedness, poverty and high prevalence of mental health issues. 

As many as 80% of our clients experience financial crisis – having to choose between feeding their kids and heating their homes. 21,500 residents in North Lanarkshire live in the 5% most deprived areas in Scotland and 24.8% of children live in poverty. Behind these statistics are individuals and families simply trying get by in the face of multiple barriers.

 Anne’s story: ‘I was really struggling despite working part time, I could not afford to heat my home, pay all the bills and feed my kids. I was relying on pay day loans, food parcels. I was facing eviction and my electricity supply was about to be cut off. I cannot thank CAB adviser enough. They increased my income, reinstated my electricity, stopped the eviction.  They put in place benefits so that I could continue working and looking after my child with health issues. Their specialist money adviser rescheduled my debts and their welfare rights officer won my benefit case at the tribunal. I am very grateful for all their help. It changed my life and restored my dignity.’

 NLCAB provide much needed holistic, person centred, empowering advice to the North Lanarkshire community, and by supporting us, you help us improve local people’s lives.

 Your support will allow us to strengthen our omni-channel advice offering with much needed face-to-face provision, extend our reach in the most deprived community settings, and upskill local people to become volunteer advisers, providing a lifeline to individuals across North Lanarkshire. 

Impact in numbers

In 23/24 NLCAB helped more than 15,000 people across North Lanarkshire with 53,000 issues whilst maximising income, tackling money worries, averting food and fuel crisis, dealing with housing, employment, consumer, utility, family and many other issues. 

Unlocking Local People Income

 In a single year, NLCAB improved the financial position of local people by £9.5m in total! This generated income and significantly improved their lives. Equally, CAB has had a very positive impact on the local community as it boosted local economy and enhanced financial resilience.  

 Tackling Indebtedness and building financial resilience

 NLCAB has rescheduled £6m worth of individual debt, including priority debts (rent, council tax, utilities, income tax) as well as non-priority debts, by progressing various debt relief strategies. We have directly reduced the indebtedness of the local community, avoided enforcement actions, prevented disconnections and evictions.

We can help people through this crisis

At NLCAB, we can help people find a way through this crisis. Our staff and volunteers are working flat out to offer life changing support to local people, but there are many more than need us. We need ensure that they can get vital support they need.

We are a local charity in the local community, run by local people and making a life changing difference for local people. We can only do this with your help.

By donating to NLCAB today, you could provide a lifeline for someone like Paul and Anne and make sure an adviser can give them the support they need to find a way forward. 

*We have changed the names of our clients to protect their privacy

How your fundraising will help

 £150 could help pay volunteer expenses for a month, support Welfare Rights Officer to represent a client at Tribunal, or fund delivery of training session to prospective volunteer advisers

£500 could support frontline advice delivery team to provide advice to 20 clients, or support Money Adviser to deal with 3 complex debt cases

£1,000 could help towards our electricity bills within CAB for a month, or allow us to deliver our training programme to 5 new Volunteer advisers

£15,000 could pay for a part-time adviser to offer much needed face-to-face advice in the community settings; train a specialist Money Adviser and Welfare Rights Adviser, or pay for a part time volunteer coordinator

£25,000 could help us pay for a full-time general adviser to help clients at first contact with the CAB, either face-to-face or by telephone so urgent enquiries are dealt with immediately. 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 10th September 2025 at 9:16am