A man who was choosing between keeping up with his bills or paying for food and heating has urged other people facing money worries to ask for support.
Tony Rogers, from Shrewsbury, said his problems started to escalate when he was forced to give up work due to ill health. He was then hit with a bedroom tax shortfall which left him struggling to keep up with essential bills.
Priotising paying his rent and council tax, the 66-year-old would often go without food and heating to avoid falling into arrears. This caused his mental health to suffer and impacted his existing medical conditions.
Tony said: “It was when I had to give up work that things started to escalate. As time went on the money started to dry up and the bedroom tax really punished me.
“It was a decision between paying bills or heating and eating. Which one do you do? I opted to pay my bills and council tax as I didn’t want to go into debt and heating and eating fell by the wayside.”
A turning point for Tony came when he rang the Samaritans in a moment of despair and they told him about Housing Plus Group’s money advice team, which offers free financial support for tenants.
Tony was advised to pop into the group’s nearby community hub, in Castlefields, where he met one of the team’s employment and money advisors, Edge Abboh.
Edge said: “Tony is a traditional and proud man who didn’t want to fall into arrears. He popped into the hub to ask about our advice and I spent time building that rapport with him, he was worried about taking up too much of my time but I explained that’s what we’re here for.”
Edge carried out a full assessment of Tony’s financial circumstances to identify areas where his income could be improved and his outgoings reduced.
Edge was able to reinstate Tony’s Housing Benefit, to make sure his rent would be covered, as well as applying for Attendance Allowance to support Tony’s additional needs. He also helped him to complete online applications for his State Pension and Pension Credit.
Tony said: “It was an eye opener for me. Edge was so knowledgeable about what I was entitled to.
“I’d never even thought about Pension Credit or Attendance Allowance and within four to five weeks of seeing him I had everything through and it was amazing.”
The team was able to help maximise Tony’s income so that he is no longer forced to sacrifice essentials such as food and heating to be able to pay his bills.
Tony said: “I wish I’d gotten help sooner. I was going through terrible stress, almost afraid to go out for years.
“In the end I just had to do something.”
Now more than 12 months after Tony first popped into the Castlefields Community Hub, his mental health has improved hugely and he has peace of mind knowing he has the security, stability, and confidence to manage his circumstances more effectively.
Tony said: “As soon as my money comes through I go and spend £15 a week on electric and gas, something I’ve never been able to do before.
“It’s taken a lot of stress off my shoulders and I’m able to sleep better at night.”
Tony is now urging anyone else worried about money to ask for help.
He added: “If you’re struggling to keep up with your rent or your bills, approach your landlord or supplier first. It soon builds up and they may be able to work with you.”
Edge says he has seen a dramatic change in Tony.
He said: “I dread to think what would have happened if Tony didn’t come in to see us.
“He still pops into the hub and you can see that all the tension and pressure has been released off his shoulders. He seems a lot more stress free.”
If you are a Housing Plus Group customer struggling to gain employment, unsure what benefits you could be entitled to or finding it hard to manage your money, the Employment and Money Advice Service is here to help.
Customers can contact the team by calling 0800 048 8955, completing the referral form or by dropping into one of the community hubs.