PEOPLE need to treat one another with respect according to the manager of the Greater Pollok Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

The Glasgow South West constituency saw 2482 people attend their local CAB from 2018-2019 with the organisation providing advice to residents 8364 times.

This area is made up of the Cardonald, Crookston, Darnely, Drumoyne, Govan, Ibrox, Mosspark, Nitshill, North Cardonald, Peni-lee and Pollok wards and forms one of the seven UK parliamentary constituencies in Glasgow.

The biggest issues facing the Greater Pollok CAB is helping people on benefits and those who are in debt with 5135 and 1328 pieces of advice given to clients respectively.

Greater Pollok CAB manager, Margaret McIntyre, said: “Around 50 per cent of my cases involve helping people on benefits and trying to survive on Universal Credit.

“We try and keep people who need it on legacy benefits including Employment Support Allowance (ESA) as a lot of our clients are struggling with mental health and the benefits they claim are as a result of that.

“Trying to put people on Universal Credit has an adverse effect and can cause anxiety. We try and help people stay on legacy benefits like ESA where we can.

“Debt is another big issue that we have to deal with. Most of the clients we help in this area are in debt and on benefits. Universal Credit does not help them as they are unable to go to work.

“Universal Credit can be beneficial for people who are working, but for those who are unable to or are never going to be in a position where they can work it doesn’t help.

“We see a lot of vulnerable people walk through our doors. They have no food and haven’t eaten for days.”

READ MORE: General Election 2019 battlegrounds: Everything to know for Glasgow Central Ms McIntyre explained that there are many people suffering from mental health problems and as a result are unable to leave their house.

Funding cuts makes it harder for people to get the help they need.

She continued: “We help people with chaotic lifestyles.

“We give them an appointment, but they aren’t always able to keep it because they struggle to leave their home.

“They are unable to work, not because they don’t want to, but because they can’t work because of their health.

“There is nowhere for these people to go to get the help they need.

“They come to us as a last ­resort. They are vulnerable, in a crisis and need immediate help.

“Sometimes they come to us on a Monday having been unable to eat over the weekend, but we can’t give them benefits for another 24 hours which means they still can’t eat.

“There needs to be a holistic approach with a service dedicated to helping those struggling with mental health, facing homelessness and people surviving on foodbanks.

“People are just left with nowhere to go. Greater recognition is also needed that not everyone is able to work.

“You have no idea how many boxes of tissues we go through because our clients are so upset with the situation they are in.

“It is really harrowing for our advisors to deal with.”

Ms McIntyre then explained that people can only be referred to foodbanks run by the Trussell Trust so many times.

She went on: “How am I supposed to tell someone they can’t eat?

“The foodbank at Crookston, which isn’t run by the Trussell Trust, is really good as people can go when they need to.

“It can be hard for people to get to the foodbank though if they need to take a bus.

“If they can’t afford to buy food, then they won’t be able to afford a bus fare to get to the foodbank which is about a £4.50 return. It is all about survival.”

READ MORE: Glasgow Election Issues: Universal Credit has failed so what will parties do EU Citizens are also facing problems when it comes to claiming benefits. A project has been designed to help people to obtain EU Citizenship.

They need to fill out a form to allow them to remain in the UK and apply for benefits.

Ms McIntyre said: “It is especially bad for people who have been living here for 20 years and have children.

“They are refused Universal Credit because they haven’t applied for EU Citizenship. It is going to be ten times worse after Brexit.

“There needs to be a system which means people don’t have to rely on foodbanks. People need to be able to access benefits without having to jump through hoops.

“We need to treat one another with respect. There is no “them and us” we need to work together to change this.”

SNP candidate Chris Stephens has vowed to continue to support the needs of Glasgow South West and stop Scotland from leaving the EU.

Mr Stephens has also said he will help asylum seekers find accommodation and prevent them from becoming homeless.

He said: “If re-elected as the MP for Glasgow South West, I will continue to stand up for the community.

“I will continue to champion worker’s rights, fight against the Tories’ austerity cuts and hostile environment, and work with SNP colleagues to stop Scotland being dragged out of the EU against its will.

“The privatisation of asylum accommodation contracts by the UK government has failed communities in Glasgow.

“I will continue to work with the UK government to find a solution that supports people to move on from asylum accommodation without leaving them destitute and homeless.”

In 2015 Labour’s Ian Davidson lost his seat to the SNP’s Chris Stephens. In 2017 Labour councillor Matt Kerr tried to win it back but Mr Stephens was ­re-elected.

Mr Kerr who has stood for election again this year is backing his party’s policy to increase the minimum wage.

He said: “A Labour government would introduce a £10 and hour minimum wage which is higher than the living wage of £9 an hour.

“We will create a Green New Deal and are committed to creating a zero carbon future.

“Many jobs could be lost but we will help people transfer their skills into new jobs which we hope to create over the course of the year.

“I will also work to compensate the thousands of WASPI women who have lost out through the pension scheme and provide them with compensation over five years. We will put the people first.”