Things are getting very busy!

We sent £50 to a lady who had her PIP cut off unexpectedly leaving her without money for food until her next benefit payment, due the following week. She has reapplied for PIP but there is a backlog of cases ahead of hers.

We sent some money to a man who fled his home following domestic violence towards him from family members following his disclosure about his sexuality. He had to flee his hometown and start over in a place where he would be safe away from them. He left with virtually nothing and is struggling in a homeless hostel as his mental health has been drastically affected.

A family, comprising dad, mum and their five children moved into social housing from private rented. Upon moving the dad was told to submit a claim for Universal Credit and his Job Seekers Allowance payments were cancelled. He then received a call to say that it was not correct for him to claim UC, and he needs to be back on JSA. In the meantime, no benefits payments are being made to him and he has to wait to be processed again. For now, they have no money for food, so we sent across £100.

We helped a man who has been long-term unemployed and has recently completed a course at college, giving him some skills he can use in the building trade. He needed a card which allows him to work on-site, costing £36, so we agreed to pay for this, as it is key to him getting employment and off Job Seekers Allowance.

We received an unusual request regarding a lady who is currently in receipt of her state pension. However, she is experiencing issues with receiving the full entitlement of both her pension and housing benefit. To rectify this she needs a copy of her divorce papers as the DWP still believes she is married, despite her ex-husband is deceased. We sent across a contribution towards the cost of getting a replacement, so she can receive the correct amounts she is due to receive.

A very vulnerable man who is struggling to survive on Universal Credit as his rent payments are so high, which once that and his bills are paid leaves him with very little money for food. He has lost over 5 stones in weight over the past months as he regularly goes without meals, and he is over his limit for foodbank vouchers. He presented himself to our agents, having just been released from hospital having attempted to take his own life he’d got that desperate. Our agents are looking at his debts and have advised that he submits a Debt Relief Order application, we agreed to cover the fee and sent an extra small sum so he could buy some food as he is not due another benefits payment until November.

An urgent request for help was made by one of our agents on behalf of a lady who has been sanctioned by the Job Centre as they say she has not undertaken sufficient job searching, plus she missed an appointment. Our agents are intervening on her behalf as she has a teenaged son who suffers with anxiety and anger issues and much of her time is taken up with trying to avoid conflict. She was without food and all the foodbanks were closed for the weekend.