ADVICE agencies are helping thousands of struggling York residents to tackle financial and other problems each year.

A survey has shown that after receiving advice, residents felt they could not only solve their difficulties but their health and knowledge had also improved.

In the survey of 242 people who used a number of advice agencies, 87 per cent said they felt their health had improved and 79 per cent said they felt more confident.

The report has been published by Advice York, a network of agencies who offer free and independent legal advice in areas of social welfare law, including Citizens Advice York, Age UK, Carers Centre, City of York Council Benefit Advisers, and Yorkshire Housing. In 2014 to 2015, they helped about 10,000 York residents.

Two thirds of survey respondents said they were worried and stressed, with more than one third struggling to pay bills and almost one in five having difficulty affording food.

Following advice, one in three said they were claiming benefits they were entitled to, which they had previously been unaware of, and large numbers reported that they had now been able to get their debts under control.