Manchester Mind: Rent arrears, debt and benefits
We have been supporting Andrea*, a 55-year-old woman with complex needs, who is a carer for her adult son. She was facing eviction from her private rented property due to rent arrears.
We identified that she had recently fallen victim to several financial scams, and advised on how to take measures to protect herself. She was searching for paid employment, so we were also able to provide her with resources and signpost her to nearby job clubs.
We advised on searching for a new private tenancy and informed her that she could be eligible for help with a deposit. We also supported Andrea to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) and signposted her to another agency for support with her eviction.
Having identified a number of debts, we advised on trust funds for water and energy arrears and signposted to debt advice services. We advised that as a carer, she could be eligible for additional council tax discount, and we supported her to apply for Carer's Allowance. Her claim for Carer's Allowance was successful, increasing her benefits by £37.70 per week. She also received a one-off backdated payment of nearly £1000.
*Not her real name