The post Manwho was ‘choosing betweenpaying bills orheatingandeating’urges others to ask for help appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>A man whowas choosing betweenkeeping up withhis bills orpaying forfoodand heatinghas urged other peoplefacing money worries to ask for support.
TonyRogers, 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-oldwouldoftengo without food and heating to avoid falling into arrears.This caused his mental health to suffer andimpactedhis 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 upand 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 billsand council taxas Ididn’twant to go into debtand heatingand eatingfell by the wayside.”
A turning point for Tony came when he rang the Samaritans in a moment of despair and they told him aboutHousing Plus Group’s money advice team, which offers free financial support for tenants.
Tony wasadvised to popinto the group’s nearby community hub, inCastlefields, where he metone of the team’s employment and money advisors, EdgeAbboh.
Edge said: “Tonyis a traditional and proud man whodidn’twant to fall into arrears. He popped into the hub to ask about ouradviceand I spent time building that rapportwith him, he was worried about taking up too much of mytimebut I explainedthat’swhatwe’rehere for.”
Edge carried out a full assessment of Tony’s financial circumstances toidentifyareas 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 Allowanceto supportTony’sadditionalneeds. He alsohelped him to completeonline applications for his State Pension and Pension Credit.
Tony said: “It wasan eye openerfor me. Edge was so knowledgeable about what I was entitled to.
“I’dnever 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 heatingtobe able topayhis bills.
Tony said: “I wishI’dgotten help sooner. I wasgoing 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 theCastlefieldsCommunity Hub, his mental health has improvedhugelyandhe 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 comesthroughI go and spend £15 a week on electric and gas, somethingI’venever been able to do before.
“It’staken a lot of stress off my shoulders andI’mable to sleep better at night.”
Tony is now urging anyone else worried about money to ask for help.
He added: “Ifyou’restruggling 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 Tonydidn’tcome in to see us.
“He still pops into thehuband you can seethat allthe tension and pressurehasbeenreleased 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 thereferral formor by dropping into one of thecommunity hubs.
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]]>The post Household energy bills set to fall by 6.7% from 1 April appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>Prices that most of us pay for gas and electricity will fall by 6.7% on average from the start of April.
Housing Plus Group’s debt and energy manager Dan Bebbington talks us through the details.
This is the first time since last summer that energy bills will have fallen, and will result in a saving of £117 annually – around £10 per month – for those using a typical amount of gas and electricity.
Energy regulator Ofgem yesterday confirmed that the energy price cap – the maximum amount most people can be charged per unit of gas and electricity on a standard tariff – will reduce by 6.7% for the average household. In real terms, this works out as an annual bill reduction of £117 to £1,641.
It comes following the Government’s previous Autumn Budget, where Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced changes to cut certain energy-related levies off consumer bills and instead, into general taxation.
Although this announcement brings some welcome breathing space for many of us, it is important to remember that your discount will depend on the size and type of your household, and its energy usage.
To understand how your bill will change, you’ll need to look at new standing charges and unit prices, for electricity and gas – and compare this to your typical usage. There are online calculators that can work this out for you.
In addition to the reduction in energy bills from April, standing charges are also set to fall, with the Government announcing earlier this month that it would cut the cost of standing charges by moving costs associated with the Warm Home Discount and on to energy unit rates instead.
Standing charges – which is a fixed daily amount that you pay on your energy bill, even if you don’t use any – currently stand at around £328 of the average annual energy bill. From April, this will fall slightly to £315.
It is also worth noting that you can save 14% compared to the current price cap by fixing – and fixing gives you certainty over what you’ll be paying, rather than waiting to see what the price cap does each quarter.
However, with that said – most fixes are expected to fall by a similar amount to the price cap from April, as the energy savings announced in the Autumn Budget are expected to be passed on to fixes too, meaning the current level of savings you will see are likely to be around the same (or even a little higher) come April.
You can visit moneysavingexpert.com for up-to-date information, as well as comparison sites such as GoCompare and Uswitch are also useful for finding deals that best work for you.
If you are concerned about your energy bills or usage, speak to your energy supplier or a charity such as Marches Energy Agency, LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partners) and National Energy Action.
Housing Plus Group’s customers can also contact our dedicated Energy Advisor, in partnership with the Cadent Foundation, for advice and support.
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]]>The post Important Service Update – Tuesday 3 March appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>On Tuesday, between 8:45am and 11:15am, we’ll be making a few temporary adjustments to our customer services so we can focus on improving how we support you.
During this short time:
All other services will be back to normal straight after.
Thank you for your understanding – and for bearing with us while we make sure we continue to deliver the best service possible.
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]]>The post Baby bank moves into new Shrewsbury headquarters to help meet growing demand appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>Housing Plus Group has helped support a baby bank as it moves into its new headquarters in Shrewsbury.
Little Stars works to ensure babies and children across Shropshire have access to the essentials they need at every stage of childhood such as nappies, equipment,clothingand school items.
Due to increasing demand, it has now moved into its own dedicated building on Battlefield Enterprise Park to allow it to upscale its operations and to continue providing this much-needed service for families.
To help cover setup costs and make the new building comfortable for staff and volunteers, Housing Plus Group donated £2,000 to the charity.
Founder and chief executive of Little Stars, Leanne Simcoe, said: “That support meant I was able to invest in the essential health and safety work needed in our new premises. We were also able topurchaseitems for the staff kitchen, buy fleeces to keep our volunteers warm in the warehouse, and fund marketing materials so people can find us easily and know where we are.
“It was great to have that pressure lifted because it was core funding for us.”
The new premises will be used as an office and storage warehouse, and Leanne is looking for volunteers who would like to help organise the new space.
Leanne added: “In terms of volunteering,we’vejust moved into our new premises, so our focus is on sorting the stock we already have and organising it into categories such as spring and summer.
“It’sabout being more granular with the sorting so we can work more efficiently. Once everything is organised,we’llknow exactly what we need and can reach out to the community for those donated items.”
Housing Plus group’s Money Matters team works closely with Little Stars to help support tenants who may be struggling to afford essentials for their children.
Housing Plus Group’s Social Value and Inclusion Manager, Sam Hine, said: “Our Money Matters team is already linked with Little Stars, and when I met Leanne and she talked me through their aspirations and the move into the new building, it just felt like an obvious choice to support them.
“They’remaking a real difference for people who live in our homes, so supporting their work made perfect sense. We hope our support will make a meaningful difference to anyone in need and help ease the pressure for those who may be struggling.”
Housing Plus Group’s My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM) and supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,Shropshireand Telford & Wrekin. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:
Anyone who would like to volunteer at Little Stars can emailenquiries@littlestarscharity.org.You can also visit theto find out more or access support.
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]]>The post Grant-funded water bottles help people going through cancer treatment at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>Housing Plus Group has funded 500reusable water bottles for patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.
The grant funding followed an application from Lingen Davies Cancer Support and will help patients to stay hydrated and make their treatment journey a little bit easier.
Staying hydrated is crucial during radiotherapy, particularly if patients are receiving treatment to the pelvis, as it can improve the accuracy of treatment and help minimise the severity of some side effects. Before starting radiotherapy, people are asked to follow a special diet and to drink plenty of water before each treatment.
The reusable water bottles support patients to drink the correct amount of fluid for their treatment andmonitortheir intake, as well as reducing single-use plastic cups and bottles.
Sophie Crockford, Trusts and Foundations Fundraiser for Lingen Davies Cancer Support, said: “We are delighted to have received funding from Housing Plus Group to provide water bottles for those undergoing radiotherapy treatment. By working closely with NHS staff and patients, we know that something as simple as staying hydrated can help make individual’s cancer treatment journey a little easier. We are proud to offer the water bottles and so grateful to Housing Plus Group for their generous support.”
Housing Plus Group is also one of 11 organisations who sponsored Telford MP Shaun Davies’ annual Christmas card for 2025. It was supporting Lingen Davies Cancer Support’s £5 million Sunflower Appeal to grow cancer care across the region. The appeal will funda brand-new cancer centre at Princess Royal Hospital, doubling chemotherapy capacity and bringing vital treatment closer to home for Telford patients.
Kevin Davies, Head of Neighbourhoods at Housing Plus Group, said: “We are delighted that we can support such a fantastic scheme, which not only improves the patient experience but also increases sustainability.
“We were also really pleased to be one of the sponsors of Shaun Davies’ Christmas Card and hope it helped to spread the word and encourage donations to the Sunflower Appeal this Christmas.”
Housing Plus Group’s My Community Fund is delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM) and supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,Shropshireand Telford & Wrekin. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:
You can also find out more about Lingen Davies Cancer Support’s Sunflower Appeal and how to support the campaign by visiting:
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]]>The post Meet our festive heroes appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>While many families will be unwrapping presents and enjoying festive meals, dedicated workers from Housing Plus Group will be spending their Christmas Day making sure others are cared for, safe and supported.
From carers and nurses to chefs, plumbers and electricians, these colleagues are putting their own celebrations aside to ensure residents and customers have the best possible Christmas.
At William Street in Stoke-on-Trent, support worker Nichola Walker will be pulling out all the stops to ensure residents enjoy their Christmas. Instead of spending time with her family, Nichola will be helping residents with basic needs – including meal preparation, administering medications and being a friendly face to talk to.
Nichola said:
“Working in our residential schemes over Christmas is just like when you’re at home, we just make it really homely. It’s quite rewarding, especially when they don’t go and spend the day with their families. We’re like their families and they rely on us to make it special for them. It means a lot to them to know we’re there, and to see their little faces when they open their presents, it’s just lovely.”
In Church Stretton, care assistant Agnes Makotose will be assisting residents at The Sandford nursing home with their personal care and making sure their needs are met.
Agnes said:
“Working in care is more than a career for me, especially here, you get to know each and every person; their needs, their likes and dislikes, it’s more like a second family. The residents appreciate you so much, even if they can’t say it verbally, you can tell by their facial expressions and body language.
“It’s important that the residents know that someone will be there for them, whether their family visits or not. Sometimes family members may not be able to come for Christmas, but they know we’ll be there for their loved ones.”
Chef manager Jamie Thompson will be up before dawn preparing Christmas lunch with all the trimmings for residents and their families at Withywood, an extra care schemes in Shrewsbury.
Jamie said:
“The prep starts on Christmas Eve, and I’ll be in the kitchen around 5am on Christmas Day. Working on Christmas Day is nothing new for me. I did it a lot in my previous job. Many of the residents may not be able to see their family over Christmas so we try to make it as special as we can for them. It’s hard being away from my family on Christmas Day, but we will celebrate with each other on Boxing Day.”
Christmas Day doesn’t mean a break for essential repairs. Senior Electrician Roger Gayes, from Leek, will once again volunteer to work on Christmas Day, ready to respond to urgent electrical issues that could pose safety risks. Last year, Roger was called out to fix a broken socket that was a potential fire hazard.
Roger explained:
“I got called out last year to fix a broken socket that was a potential fire risk. It was about 4pm, so I’d had my Christmas dinner and I was watching the new Wallace and Gromit film when I got the call out, but I was able to rewatch it when I got back.
“It makes me feel good helping someone out, even on a normal working day, but on Christmas Day people are really thankful. Many of our customers are elderly and don’t have family nearby, so we’re almost like a social service too.”
In Shropshire, Advanced Craft Plumber Ryan Jones will be on call for the first time on Christmas Day. Ryan and his team can be called upon for a range of urgent tasks, from plumbing to joinery, ensuring that any disruption to customers’ festive plans is kept to a minimum.
Ryan said:
“I’m a big one for spending time with family over Christmas, but I’ll be there to help people and make sure their Christmas isn’t spoiled by an emergency.”
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]]>The post Season’s Greetings from Ĵý appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>We hope you all enjoy a safe and peaceful festive period.
Remember we’re always here if you need us. Our usual emergency services will operate throughout this period. You can contact us by calling 0800 048 8955 (24/7).
However, our offices will be closed from 5pm on Wednesday 24 December 2025 until 8.30 on Friday 2 January 2026, with our community hubs reopening on Monday 5 January.
Chatticus, the Ĵý chatbot, will be available on our website to help answer questions quickly and easily. However, our team will not be available to start a live chat with you, or respond to Facebook messages, while the offices are closed.
Our care services remain open during the whole festive period.
From everyone at Ĵý, we wish you all a safe and Merry Christmas.
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]]>The post West Midlands food banks given festive funding boost appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>Food banks across Shropshire, Staffordshire and Telford & Wrekin have received a substantial funding boost from Housing Plus Group.
The social landlord has donated £6,000 across five different food banks, to help support them this festive season.
The grants were given to House of Bread and Rising Brook Food Bank, in Stafford, Kingsway Foodbank, in Wombourne, Cannock and District Food Bank, in South Staffordshire and Food Bank Plus at St Barnabus Church in Shrewsbury.
Kevin Davies, Head of Neighbourhoods at Housing Plus Group, said: “We are delighted to have been able to help these food banks, who provide an essential service to people in our local communities.
“Food banks need our support at Christmas more than ever, and we hope our donations will help people who are struggling this festive season.”
The donations will help the food banks stock up on essentials that people need but sadly may not be able to afford.
Stewart, who heads up the Kingsway Foodbank team, said: “Kingsway Foodbank has beenvery gratefulfor the support of Housing Plus Group overa number ofyears. It has helped us to deliver over 400 parcels across South Staffordshire to 84 families and individuals during 2025.”
Housing Plus Group also recently confirmed its ongoing partnership with Telford Crisis Support (TCS). TCS is an organisation it works closely with to ensure our tenants, who might be facing financially challenging times, can access the crisis services provided.
Erin Aston, Telford Crisis Support Co-Ordinator, said: “We at TCS are really pleased to receive the grant monies from Housing Plus Group and really appreciate its continued support.”
Deb Morrison, Financial Inclusion Manager at Housing Plus Group, added: “Our Money Matters team work very closely with Telford Crisis Support, and theyprovidesuch a wide range of vital help and support to the households that we work with. Our ongoing support will help them continue theirgreat workacross our local communities.”
Housing Plus Group’s community fund, delivered in partnership with Jewson and Efficiency East Midlands Limited (EEM), supports grass-roots organisations in Staffordshire,Shropshireand Telford. Local charities and voluntary groups can apply for grants online at:
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]]>The post Two childlimitscrapped, but tax threshold freeze and pension changes will hit workers appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>Housing Plus Group’s debt and energy manager Dan Bebbington shares his insight into the Chancellor’s Budget.
Dan Bebbington, debt and energy manager at Housing Plus Group, said:
“Scrapping the two-child limit for households claiming Universal Credit will help many families struggling with the cost of living. It will ensure children are no longer disadvantaged simply because of familysize, andprovide much-needed breathing space for parents managing tight budgets.
“However, Universal Credit will still be subject to the overall benefit cap, as Child Benefit counts as income. In some cases, this could mean families may see little or no financial gain from havingadditionalchildren added to their claim. For households outside London, themaximumamount of benefits a family can receive is £1,835 per month – unless they meet the required work threshold or receive certain exempt benefits.
“Scrapping the two-child limit for households claiming Universal Credit is a welcome relief to lower-income families struggling with the cost of living.
“It will lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty over the next few years, ensuring they are no longer disadvantaged simply because of family size, and provide vital breathing space for parents managing tight budgets.
“The rise in the national living wage to £12.71 per hour will put more money directly into the pockets of working people, though it’s still below the £13.45 that the Real Living Wage Foundation says people need to earn in order to meet the current cost of living.
“However, extending the current tax thresholds freeze means many households will have less money in real terms due to fiscal drag. As wages rise, more people will be pulled into higher tax bands, reducing the benefit of pay increases and leaving us with less disposable income. Coupled with the introduction of National Insurance contributions on salary sacrifice pension contributions over £2,000 a year from 2029, many workers will be left feeling let down by today’s Budget.
“I am however pleased to see action being taken at last to bring energy bills down. Energy costsremainone of the biggest burdens for households we support, and any reduction will make a real difference.
“Overall, there are certainly things to be positive about, but huge challenges remain. At Housing Plus Group, we see daily the impact of the rising cost of living on our customers, and we welcome measures that reduce financial stress and improve people’s quality of life.
“We encourage anyone worried about how these changes affect them to seek advice and support.”
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]]>The post Ĵý customer whocouldn’tread or write lands job after reaching out for support appeared first on Ĵý.
]]>When Michael was referred to ourEmployment and Money Advice service, he had found himself out of a job and unable to read or write.
After working as a butcher for almost 40 years, he was worried about his finances,couldn’tcomplete jobapplicationsanddidn’tknow where to turn for help and advice.
“I was being pushed from pillar topostand I didn’t know where to go,” said Michael, aged 58. “Lots of people would tell me that they understood but they didn’t because they were still telling me to fill out online job applications.”
Michael was desperate to get back into work but felt like he was getting nowhere – until he was told about theCastlefieldsCommunity Hub, in Shrewsbury, where he met Employment and Money Advice Officer SharleneJohnson-Jones.
“When I met Michael, it felt clear that he had undiagnosed dyslexia and he’d managed to hide it all his life,” said Sharlene.
“He’dunfortunately been dismissed from hisroleand everything had fallen apart for him. He was divorced from his wife who had alwaysbeen responsible forsetting up their bills and direct debits. He had worked since the age of 14 and had no understanding of the benefits system.”
The job-hunting process had been extremely stressful for Michael, and hedidn’tknow ifhe’dcompleted his claim for Universal Credit correctly or what commitments were involved.
“It was hard work,” said Michael. “In the 80s it was a lot better but now everything is online –it’sa crazy world.
“I went to the hub, and I sat there and spoke, and Sharlene just listened to me and then explained what we could do together.”
With support from Sharlene, Michael gained a dyslexia diagnosis and completed talking therapy as well as Read Easy training. She also guided him through his Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment and showed how he could maximise his income through budgeting.
After reviewing his CV and job searching together, Michael successfully interviewed for a cleaning position and was working there for a short while before securing a new part-time role at a family-run butchers.
“I’ve lived with this all my life, but the courses have helped me to get the help and support in place that I need,” said Michael.
“Sharlene went out of her way to help me and without her support to get me the cleaning role, Idon’tthink I would have been able to get the job at the butchers.It’sso much easier to get a job whenyou’vegot a job.
“She went above and beyond, and I know if I ever need any help I can go to the hub.It’sa life saver for people like me.”
If you are struggling to gain employment, unsure what benefits you could be entitled to or finding it hard to manage your money, our Employment and Money Advice Service is here to help.
Customers can contact the team by calling 0800 048 8955, completing thereferral formor by dropping into one ofourcommunity hubs.
For more information on Read Easy, please call 01388 435 021 or visit
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