MONEY worries - how to pay off creditors, the mortgage, the TV licence, the bills, - can drive people to distraction. Even suicide.

Some organisations provide counselling; for instance, Bolton Council has three helpline numbers for people who run into difficulties with the Council Tax.

Other agencies have people trained as debt counsellors, and there is an independent charity, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service, supported by a number of credit organisations.

In Bolton, the Citizens' Advice Bureau is the first name which occurs to most people with a problem. Independent, free, local and able to field questions on almost any subject, the CAB is increasingly used by folk who have run into trouble with their finances. It doesn't matter whether the debt worry is over £50 or (not unusually) in excess of £100,000. The worry is the same for the person who cannot make ends meet. Based in the Bolton CAB office in Silverwell Street, Michael Dolman, the Bolton and district money adviser, is able to help the people - and their number is growing substantially - who are getting out of their depth over cash.

He told the BEN: "Over the last few years, the number of inquiries and the complexity of them has definitely increased. Our approach is holistic in that we look at the whole situation. We now see long-term poverty, and our advice recognises the clients' legal standing, the practicalities - and people's feelings."

Michael is adept at seeing debts from everyone's point of view; someone in trouble often has a number of creditors and each of them wants paying. The temptation is for the debtor to make excuses and/or pay off the creditor who shouts loudest. But that is not always the wisest move.

Adopting a clear priority of payment is the first hurdle; some payments may be able to be reduced, while others need sorting out fast. And while some agencies are amenable to sensible offers and amicable negotiation, others try strong-arm tactics which would make a cynic quail. Michael explained that many people in debt fear the matter ending up in court; they see "court" as the archetypal man-in-the-dock experience. But sometimes the law gives his clients a degree of protection and county court is far removed from a criminal court, often working things out much more fairly than people imagine.

Michael stressed that, while there is no fast "lottery hand-out" solution to debt, there are ways of coping and learning to manage money. "And", he added, "the CAB is completely confidential and does not judge people. We are impartial, but that doesn't mean we sit on the fence; we don't tell people what to do, but we advise them and assist them during their difficulties."

Just the type of advice the Duchess of York would probably appreciate most right now. Some unfortunates find themselves saddled with seemingly unending repayments of loans. Michael advises: "Don't take out a loan on the basis of what you are told by the lender - read the contract and find out how long the debt will take to pay off. Shop around, and be wary of people who are too anxious to lend you money."

Unhappily, while some agencies' methods of debt collection may not be provably illegal, they may leave a lot to be desired.

One of the worst cases of money-market bullying saw a creditor leading one client to believe he was, in fact, a bailiff. Such tactics not only intimidate the lender, but reflect poorly on the perfectly reasonable lending agencies. It isn't hard to see how some people would pay off a moneylender rather than the mortgage, and this way they could lose their homes.

Does Christmas spending create a problem? He said: "We find problems don't always occur straight away, but throughout the year as changes in circumstances occur - maybe relationship difficulties or reduction in income."

He sees the CAB's role as "empowering" people to sort their difficulties out; helping them decide those creditors who must be satisfied and those against whom they can stand their ground.

Michael stressed: "Coming in here for advice is not an admission of weakness, that has nothing to do with it. A lot more people are now working part-time with fewer employment rights, or are in low-paid work or transitory work." Changes in the housing market, increased demands on local authority housing, and changes in income support have also affected people.

The CAB is a busy place and people sometimes face a wait for attention, but those who persevere know the value of good advice.

The office, on Silverwell Lane, is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9.30am till 4.15pm (last entry 3.30pm) and Friday 9.30am till 3pm (2.30pm last entry). The number is Bolton 524151.

Bolton Council's Council Tax helplines are on Bolton 543200. 543210 and 543222.

The Consumer Credit Counselling Service is on 0345 697301

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