Published: 10 March 2023
Our dedicated Money Matters Team supports tenants who are struggling with the cost of living, and also help tenants and residents to maximise their income and reduce debt. In the last year, our Money Matters caseworkers helped RBH tenants to secure over £2.3 million in extra income.
Since October 2022, we have seen an in increase in demand for the service, with many residents struggling to afford their increasing energy and food costs. We have seen people in crisis who have needed immediate access the funds and grants to meet basic living costs.
Don’t forget - there is a range of support and advice available this winter to help with money, food and keeping warm. Visit our cost-of-living support page to find all the latest information from RBH and other local and national organisations.
In the last three months we have helped secure £600,000 of extra income, which is a significant increase in demand on this time last year. Some people are having to make very difficult choices this winter. We know some of our customers may be experiencing financial hardship for the first time and that they might struggle to ask for help. Please talk to us if you are struggling.
We’ve got a new RBH benefit and better-off calculator on our website which you can use to check if you are missing out on extra income. Within 10 mins you can find out if you could be better off. If you want to speak to a Money Matters caseworker about the results, simply save a copy of the form and contact us.
It’s not all about the money though. The cost of living is impacting on mental health and wellbeing.
People are worried and feeling stressed. We often have a wellbeing chat, before we start to look at the financial situation. There is help there, but it can be difficult to know where to go and what you’re eligible for, and we can help with that.
Here’s what some of our tenants have said about our Money Matters caseworkers:
- Bill Pugh has helped me to get Personal Independence Payments. Without him I’d have never applied for it. He’s been excellent and I’m very grateful to him. Please pass on my massive thank-you to him!
- Andrea Clarke has been so thoughtful and kind. She has gone out of her way to ensure I knew what was going on and why. She has helped me enormously. Please pass on my deepest thanks.
- Chris Hollinrake works extremely hard on cases to prevent legal enforcement action. Chris has recently secured a backdated benefit claim of £3,700 to clear a rent account. His knowledge and dedication is a credit to the team and he is appreciated by us and our customers.
We're here to help - talk to us. Get in touch with our Money Matters Team now.
