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