Lucy’s story

After experiencing domestic violence, Lucy and her family had been moved four times in the space of just three years over safety concerns. On top of that, her landlord had increased the rent resulting in significant rent arrears.

But there were other things that were taking an emotional toll and making things even more difficult to manage. Lucy’s 20-year-old daughter had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and her 10-year-old son was having problems at school due to non-attendance and health issues surrounding epilepsy. Such challenges, along with her own health and wellbeing issues required a holistic and tailored support approach.

Working closely with practitioner Liz, a plan was put in place to help Lucy resolve the rent arrears and secure permanent accommodation. At first, Liz worked with Lucy to develop better communication with her Housing Options case manager by attending joint meetings together. Being unable to read and write effectively meant Lucy had often relied on her daughter for support with letters and other documentation – so initially Lucy found this a challenge. Having Liz advocate alongside her helped to ease her worries and build her confidence.

Liz then worked with Lucy to supply the evidence needed to reinstate her housing benefits and employment support allowance and, as a result, Lucy received backdated payments which significantly reduced her rent arrears. Soon after, Lucy was able to implement a manageable payment plan to resolve additional rent arrears.

With improved communication and a realistic plan in place, Lucy and the family were eventually moved from temporary to permanent accommodation. During the move Liz was there to offer a helping hand and ensure a smooth transition into their new home. All this gave Lucy and the family more relief and security, especially after moving multiple times across different London boroughs. It also meant they could start settling into their new community.

During the support Lucy secured financial assistance from Job Centre Plus to enrol onto a dog training course and a reading and writing course – a positive step in developing her skills and confidence. She also expressed interest in working flexible hours to support her family, and later benefited from employment related support in the form of a listening ear and practical advice.

With rent arrears significantly reduced, secure accommodation and strengthened relationships within the family, she is feeling a lot more confident about the future. 

With Liz’s assistance, Lucy was able to find additional 1:1 support for her son, to help him manage his health concerns and deal with any medical emergencies at school. This improved his attendance and in turn impacted positively on his education and communication with the family. Liz had also encouraged Lucy to speak to her GP to find support for her and her daughter’s mental health.

Following the six-month intervention, Lucy’s confidence, independence and resilience have significantly improved.

She is now better able to contact other organisations if she needs help with different challenges and has started looking for a job. With rent arrears significantly reduced, secure accommodation and strengthened relationships within the family, she is feeling a lot more confident about the future.

Our Rent Support Programme+ (RSP+) aims to tackle evictions of vulnerable people living in private rented homes. To learn more or partner with us on this innovative project, contact us at: info@kineara.co.uk