WORKERS facing hardship in the run up to Christmas can apply for help from Unison.

The Bolton Branch of public service trade union has said that there will be additional support for members facing financial difficulty as the festive season approaches.

Many members of the union are said to low paid and the fund will help with bills or replacing essential white goods as the added pressures of Christmas bite.

Julie Tudor, Bolton Unison Branch Welfare Officer said: “From some people Christmas is a fabulous time to celebrate with family and friends.

"The reality is that it will not be a fabulous time for everyone.

"Many of our members are relatively low paid, working as school support workers, library assistants, care workers, cleaners or admin workers.

"We know that in the run up to Christmas many of our members are already struggling to keep up with paying the bills."

She added: "With the added pressures of Christmas, particularly on low paid workers with young families the financial pressures can be really tough.

" It is very easy for people to get deeper and deeper into debt. UNISON is offering welfare support for members facing hardship.

"This support includes, help with bills, fuel vouchers, food bank vouchers, winter fuel grants. We can also offer help to purchase white goods such a replacement fridge or cooker, we also have a debt consolidation service.

" In recent years the pay of public service workers has failed to keep u with rising living costs. "We don’t want any of our members who are struggling to suffer in silence.

"We want people to get in touch so that we can help where we can”.

Unison welfare support is organised through the union’s charity, there for you. Members in financial difficulty can contact the union by telephone: 0800 171 2193.

More information is available on www.unison.org.uk/get-help/services-support/there-for-you/debtline-support.

For people who are not members but worried about their finances and debt, there is plenty of help available.

This includes on https://www.turn2us.org.uk/ which includes contact details of local organisations, including The Salvation Army, Crisis. Help is also available at https://capuk.org/ which provides information about the Christians Against Poverty.