North Star welcomes residents of Darlington Housing Association - Find out more
Starts at Home Week is a yearly celebration of the crucial work our care workers provide. It acts as a reminder that a decent home is the first essential in turning people’s lives around and that those who support our vulnerable people in accessing it should receive the recognition they deserve. The following case study is an example of just that and we hope that it shines a light on the brave stories of the most vulnerable in our society.
AT lives with severe mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder and self-harming. During her last episode of self-harm, she caused significant physical damage to her throat.
When JM became involved as the Social Housing Officer (SHO) for Hestia, AT’s income was £240 per month via the Employment and Support Allowance. Her SHO successfully applied for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) and Severe Disability Premium benefits, which now entitles AT to £1073.02 per month (and she also received £2,000 back-dated SDP).
Claiming the correct benefits has enabled the tenant to:
When mental health services signed off AT from all their services, JM successfully challenged this decision, and mental health services have now resumed. A mental health social worker will now be put in place when it is time for services to withdraw.
In AT’s own words:
“Life before Hestia was hopeless. I couldn’t get the help I needed from the right people, I lived in an unsafe and unsecured house and my mental health was at rock bottom. I was giving up the fight. I’d resigned myself to there not being anything better out there for me and that I would rather quit life than carry on the way I was going. My mental health was also at rock bottom, I was in a deep depression and I was often at risk of myself.
“Then Hestia came along – Hestia was my golden egg. I was housed in a lovely and totally secure property of my own with everything I needed and it was all safe! The support I have received has been invaluable and I have resolved a lot of my problems now due to the ongoing support.
“There hasn’t been anything my housing support worker hasn’t been able to deal with and they are constantly supportive. I honestly don’t believe I would be alive today if I hadn’t been lucky enough to be placed on the Hestia scheme. It’s played the main role in saving my life. I’ll never be able to thank them enough.”
