THE home visiting advice service offered by West Devon Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) has proved successful, after making more than 130 visits to people in need over the last financial year.

The service, which has just started its second year of funding by The Big Lottery Fund, is designed to help people who are unable to come into the bureau for various reasons, including illness, transport issues or caring responsibilities.

The trained advisors operate under the CAB's strict confidentiality policies that mean not only is whatever is discussed confidential, but the fact that someone has received a visit from the CAB is also confidential.

Mandy Kenyon, development officer for the charity, said: 'We certainly won't be parking outside your house with a big blue and yellow logo on the side of the car.

'Many of the problems people talk to us about are around benefit entitlements and nobody wants their neighbours to be guessing what might be being discussed.'

Last year the CAB project alone brought £251,444 worth of benefits to residents of West Devon.

Bureau manager Barbara Osborne said: 'We are delighted to have helped so many people this year, but we would still like to do more as we know that there are people struggling needlessly on low incomes due to pride or simply not knowing where to start.

'Our home visitors are very experienced and provide advice on all sorts of problems.'

The West Devon CAB home visitors provide visits on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Appointments are also available at Bere Alston Medical Centre and Princetown Village Centre.

The service is also linked to the borough council's West Devon Connect scheme of providing a one-stop shop for the right advice at various rural locations, including Hatherleigh Market.

For more information about the CAB home visiting service or to book an appointment at an outreach location, call 01837 521105.