Help is at hand from Wickford Citizen's Advice Bureau for people facing the shock of sudden redundancy.

The organisation has put together a new step-by-step guide to offer advice on the issues people are most likely to be worried about.

They include redundancy rights, claiming job seekers allowance and other benefits and budgeting on a reduced income.

The leaflet also outlines the laws on redundancy and clearly explains what bosses have to do to ensure people are treated fairly. Key facts on voluntary redundancy and early retirement are included.

The guidelines give essential information on sorting out final payments and pension rights and tell people how to work out any redundancy pay they may be due.

Diane Storey, manager of Wickford CAB, said the last two recessions had given her staff an enormous amount of experience in advising people facing redundancy.

She said: "We hope this leaflet will help make it a little easier for anyone currently facing job loss to cope with the practical problems involved.

"Anyone can be made redundant but often people blame themselves. They may be in a state of shock and panicking about how they will manage.

"It can be difficult to think clearly at a time like this. Many people have never come into contact with the social security system before and have no idea where to start."

Mrs Storey added that anyone who still didn't feel confident about their situation could talk it over with the CAB volunteers.

She said: "Knowing where they stand on these things can help people regain control over what is happening to them at a time when they may be feeling very powerless."

The leaflet is available free from the CAB, based in Gibraltar Walk, off Wickford High Street.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.