University experts have warned that cuts to Bath's Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) could result in greater long-term costs incurred by other public services.
The University of Bath's Institute for Policy Research has analysed the service the body provides and concluded that for every £1 invested, CAB services return £50 in economic and social value.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is looking at cutting its advice service contract in a bid to save money and focus on the most vulnerable Bath residents.
However, report author Dr Susan Milner, from the university's department of politics, languages and international studies, said: "In the context of austerity, reducing funding and coverage of advice services to save money runs the risk of higher costs to the public purse, as advice plays a vital preventative role.
"If the coverage of the CAB is reduced, it is likely to limit the ability of individuals to access services up to a point where it is too late to prevent greater – and more expensive – problems occurring."
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