FAMILIES struggling during the recession are turning to Citizens’ Advice Bureaux and close to overwhelming the county’s services.

Figures obtained by the Oxford Mail show that thousands more people came to their local citizens advice bureau in the 2008-2009 financial year asking for support, a jump of 23 per cent compared to the previous year.

Advisers blamed the recession, the credit crunch, and the increased number of people in the county being laid off for the rise.

Matt Fisher, manager of Oxford Citizens Advice Bureau, CAB, said: “It is clear that the demand for our service is still greater than we are ever likely to meet within current constraints.

“The recession is hitting people at the younger and older ends of the age spectrum hardest and people are having difficulties enforcing legal rights and negotiating with employers.”

He said the number of enquiries related to redundancies had doubled in 2008-2009 compared to the previous year, and the number of people asking about Job Seekers Allowance had risen by 60 per cent.

More than 1,500 more people visited the bureau for advice last year than the previous year, and the number of issues advisors were asked to deal with rose by more than 45 per cent.

Mr Fisher added: “Oxford has always been a busy bureau and I think we have struggled harder than elsewhere to meet the demand, because the demand is greater.

“We open the door in the morning and 10 people will be outside waiting, and that’s on a normal day.”

Last December, the Government provided the national CAB with £10m to distribute to branches nationwide to help deal with the effect of the recession, with each bureau having to individually apply for a share of the pot.

As a result of this, most of the county’s branches have been able to open an extra six or seven hours each week.