A DARLINGTON charity is looking for new volunteers as it prepares to advise people as Government plans to cut disability unemployment benefit for new claimants.

Plans to cut £29 a week from employment and support allowance (ESA) payments are due to come into force in April.

As a result, independent charity Citizens Advice Darlington is gearing up for the changes by recruiting more volunteers.

Dawn Gill, advice services manager, said: “The changes to employment and support allowance are going to have an impact on a number of people in Darlington and we are looking for support from the community to deal with the expected increase in enquiries.”

The volunteer recruitment campaign will start with an open morning on Tuesday, February 14, from 10am until noon, where people will be able to find out about the roles and training available.

Volunteer Sarah Hannon, 55, who has been an adviser for Citizens Advice Darlington for three years, said: “The work is extremely rewarding and challenging. Often when people come to us the problems they are facing have become very complicated and difficult to solve, however, you go away after each day feeling that you have made a positive difference to people’s lives.”

The charity is appealing for telephone assessors in particular – people who are the first point of access for clients when they ring the charity’s Adviceline number.

The open morning will be held at Citizens Advice Darlington, Bennet House, Horsemarket, Darlington. For information call 01325-256999 and or email training@darlingtoncab.co.uk