CASS+ advice & support

Nobody should feel alone at court. It’s terrifying to be faced with the possibility of losing everything. This is why we’re here by your side inside the court.

We’ll sit down with you and listen, and we’ll think about you and not the crime. We’ll use our extensive knowledge and experience to give you the right practical advice and emotional support to enable you to find a way forward.

Recent research and statistics

According to the Office for National Statistics, around three in four adults (77%) reported feeling worried about the rising costs of living.

The latest figures from the Office of National Statistics reveal that the squeeze on household budgets continues. Average wages fell by 2.8% because of the rise of inflation (May to July 2022).

Full data sets are also available at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation recently contributed to a BBC Panorama investigation into the energy crisis, sharing their deep concerns about increasing poverty here in the UK.

Our response

At CASS+, we’re really concerned that many people will start to feel squeezed into a tight spot and face tough decisions about which bill to pay or not to pay. They can end up in court for unpaid fines and debt. We welcome the government’s Energy Bills Support Scheme, but at times like this, we need to pull together to make sure that anyone facing hardship gets support,

Carole Edwards, CEO, CASS+.

As a charity serving vulnerable people, we’re very concerned about the knock-on effect of the rise of inflation. Your income remains the same, but your outgoings are increasing. One thing can lead to another. The loss of a loved one, or sudden unemployment, rising fuel costs, no food on the table, reluctance to go to the food bank, and your choices become very limited overnight, and then….

… it all comes to a head.

You find yourself going through the legal system, standing alone in the dock at the Magistrates’ Court with nowhere to turn.

How to get the help you need now

This is why the CASS+ team is here for you inside the courts in Newton Abbot, Plymouth, Bodmin and Truro. You can talk to us confidentially to find a way through. Feel free to drop in to any of these courts, or call us on your local number:

Newton Abbot: (01626) 337214

Plymouth: (01752) 601153 & 206187

Bodmin: (01208) 78003

Truro: (01872) 274104

We can support you for as long as you need us, until you feel more positive.