Our tenancy support team are on hand to provide a range of support for when life gets difficult, or when you need support with certain things, such as money and benefits advice, finding employment or improving digital skills.

George* was referred to our Employment and Training team as he was seeking support with finding employment, which he hoped would help him deal with his rent arrears. Since leaving the military he’d had some temporary jobs throughout the years, in line with his interests and was the primary carer for his wife.

George was unable to resume duty in the military due to a back injury that impacted his spine, which made it difficult for him to find work that didn’t directly affect his back pain. He had mainly been looking for driving positions that he believed he could manage for a few hours at a time. However, George was struggling to find any suitable employment opportunities.

After we received George’s referral, Roxanne, one of our Employment and Training Officers, had various telephone conversations with George about his situation and after many discussions and online Teams workshops, it became clear that seeking employment was not what George needed. The jobs he was looking for were more than he could physically withstand and it was obvious that what he really needed was more financial support through benefits.

Roxanne advised George to apply for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Universal Credit support to help reduce his increasing rent arrears. She also recommended that he reach out to his GP to discuss the mental and physical health problems he was experiencing. From there, George was referred to our Older Person’s team to support him with regular meetings that reviewed what help was needed to help George with his situation.

Following the support we provided, George’s rent arrears of nearly £4,000 have now been cleared entirely, and he’s now benefiting from financial support in the form of PIP and military pension payments. With less pressure to find and settle for unsuitable employment, George is much happier. He’s currently applying for Universal Credit support and is also in the process of home-swapping.

George is extremely grateful for the service and experience he’s received from our tenancy support team. This case is now resolved, but George knows that the door is always open if he feels he needs further help or advice in the future.

If you feel that you would benefit from our tenancy support services or are looking for some help or advice, please contact us for further information. Alternatively, please visit the Wellbeing page on our website for more information on how we can help you with your individual needs and circumstances

*Name changed for data protection purposes.