A WEBSITE FOR people worried about mortgage arrears, experiencing rent difficulties, or are fearful they might lose their home saw a 78 per cent increase in visits last year.

Figures released today by the Citizens Information Board show its microsite, keepingyourhome.ie, saw 136,047 visits in 2013, with an average of 7,696 unique visits every month.

Government information portal Citizensinformation.ie, the CIB’s primary advice website, also saw 14 million visits last year, up 37 per cent.

People visiting the website were mostly seeking information on medical cards and Jobseeker’s Allowance.

Rent supplement

Other popular sections included how to renew a passport, rent supplement, and what is required for an Irish visa.

Losingyourjob.ie, which provides advice how to handle reduced hours or pay, job less, claiming social welfare, getting back into employment, and emigration, saw a 18 per cent increase in visits, with an average of 8,000 unique visits per month.

The self-employed also sought advice online more frequently, with selfemployedsupports.ie seeing a 71 per cent increase.

The sites are provided by the Citizens Information Board, who launched a number of smaller websites to cater for “changing economic circumstances”.

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