People with mental health difficulties could lose the support of a charity offering them advice due to a withdrawal of vital funding.

Citizens Advice Harrow said it wants the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust to reverse a decision to stop funding for a support scheme at Northwick Park Hospital for people with mental health conditions.

The scheme enables people being treated at Northwick who are unable to access the Citizens Advice premises directly, to still receive advice on matters including housing and benefits.

The service has been running since 2010 and operates three days a week. Funding is due to expire this April.

A spokesperson for Citizens Advice Harrow, said: “We’re concerned that without this service people will miss out on support which makes a real difference to their lives. We urge them to reconsider their decision to stop funding it.

“Helping people stay in employment or keep a roof over their head improves their mental health, which in turn helps to free up more of the hospital’s resources.”

Citizens Advice Harrow added that their service alleviated certain administrative pressures at the hospital and provided a ‘sense of ownership’ to service users at an uncertain time.

A spokesperson for the Trust said in response: “Citizen’s Advice was never commissioned by the NHS but we always managed to find the £35,000 or so through slippages in other areas.

“That's no longer possible so we had to give them three months’ notice.

“They are an excellent organisation – but on the wards it will now be our Discharge Coordinators who will provide this support. We are sorry, but this is the position we are in.”

Citizens Advice said people who use the service are helped to manage their finances if they have been out of work or have a mental health issue. Last year they assisted 390 people.

In one case the charity helped one person avoid eviction after they had fallen into arrears.

Harrow West MP, Gareth Thomas gave his support to Citizens Advice.