by MEGAN STRINGER
As a result of the pandemic, the Citizens Advice Bureau Gibraltar (CAB) have noted they have seen a steady number of people contacting the clinic for debt advice all throughout the year, as opposed to when they typically see a spike just after Christmas.
The months of January and February are usually busy for the CAB, as they find that many individuals spend more than they can afford on Black Friday and Christmas, therefore contact the clinic for advice.
In 2021, CAB stated they saw around 3700 to 3900 people, although some of these figures were the same people returning with different issues.
Speaking to PANORAMA, Ivan Cruz, Deputy Manager at CAB and officer in charge of the Money Advice Clinic identified that the pandemic has changed their usual pattern of contact for the last two years.