The number of people using North Somerset's Citizens Advice Bureau for advice on debt, redundancy and repossession has risen by more than 20 per cent.

Managers at CAB say that as the recession worsens, they have seen a 23 per cent increase in the number of people using the service compared to the same time last year.

The most significant rise has been in the number of people asking for advice on employment issues and benefits they are entitled to following redundancy.

Other people have been asking CAB advisers to help to sort out spiralling debts as they struggle to meet household bills and credit commitments.

The CAB has drop-in centres in Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon, Nailsea, Yatton and Pill.

The service employs 20 staff and has 64 volunteers.

On average, CAB North Somerset is seeing 200 people through its doors each week and currently there is a two-week waiting list for an appointment to see an advisor.

North Somerset CAB director Anne Richards said: "We have seen a large increase in the numbers of people accessing our service right across the district.

"Compared to the same period as last year we have seen an increase of 23 per cent in the numbers of people coming through the door.

"Recently the biggest issue for people has been redundancy and we have seen a lot of people who have employment-related problems.

"The other day we had 10 people in from the same company needing advice following redundancy and at our Weston-super-Mare office we are seeing an average of 35 people a day needing advice on various issues.

"We are also seeing a lot of people who are facing having their homes repossessed and that list is getting longer every week.

"Our fear is that as redundancy levels rise, so will the number of people with debt problems.

"We expect to see further increases in the number of people through our doors."

CAB bosses say although they are coping with the numbers, they fear that the level of people needing help will increase as the recession worsens, putting extra pressure on the service.

Mrs Richards said: "Although we are coping at the moment, I am starting to wonder how we will manage if the number of people needing our services continues to rise.

"We have no extra funding for any more staff at the moment and those we do have are snowed under with work.

"I can remember the last recession and the effect it had and I am concerned that this one is going to be worse."

The increase in people using CAB comes at the same time the figure for those unemployed and claiming jobseeker's allowance in North Somerset has risen to more than 2,000 people.