Over £1m Secured for North Star Tenants in 2024/25
As the cost of living continues to rise, many people are feeling the pressure of increasing household costs. However, it can be difficult to know what help is available. The welfare benefits system can be hard to navigate and is always changing. That’s why our Welfare Benefits and Tenancy Support team is here to help.
How the Welfare Benefits and Tenancy Support team have helped in the past year
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the team:
- Helped 742 new households
- Delivered 966 advice appointments
- Increased tenant income by £1,039,129 in total, including new benefits claims, back payments, housing payments, and support with bills. This was a 37% increase on the previous year, where the team secured an extra £757k for tenants.
Real People, Real Stories
Here are some examples of how the team's support changed people’s lives:
Alex’s Story
Alex became ill and was unable to work. When he applied for Universal Credit, there were big deductions caused by an advance payment and a benefit overpayment in the past that left him struggling financially. He had missed the work capability assessment and had not returned the work capability questionnaire by the deadline. The team helped him sort out the paperwork, explained his situation to Universal Credit, and supported him to go to an assessment. In the end, he received £447 more every month, and his repayment amount decreased significantly.
Fran’s Story
Fran’s husband sadly passed away, and she was left caring for their children and her elderly father. She did not work as she had been her husband’s primary carer for many years and was in poor health herself. The team helped her with a new claim for Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a Bereavement Support Payment, and a Funeral Expenses Payment. We supported her with food and fuel vouchers until the first Universal Credit payment came through. Her monthly income rose to £1,685, and she also got a backdated benefit of £1,307, which really helped her to support her family after their loss.
Ann’s Story
Ann is 83 and found things hard after her husband died, especially with her own ill health. He used to handle all the bills, and she didn’t know what support she could get. Her only money each week came from her state pension and a small extra payment her husband had left her called an annuity.
She worked with a Tenancy Support Worker to make a plan. This included support to apply for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Pension Credit, and Attendance Allowance. In the end, Ann got full Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support. She was also given Pension Credit to top up her money and High Rate Attendance Allowance to help with her care.
For the year 2024, her entitlement totalled over £11,000. She’s now managing her rent and bills and feels more in control.
These examples show just some of the incredible impact our Welfare Benefits team has had on people’s lives. The team is dedicated to staying up to date with welfare benefits and understanding the changing systems so that they can continue to get you all of the help you’re entitled to.
Need help with your finances or know someone who does?
Whether it’s questions about benefits, problems paying rent, or just not knowing where to start, the team is here to help. Call the Welfare Benefits and Tenancy Support team via Customer Services on 03000 11 00 11 or email Welfare.Benefits@northstarhg.co.uk.
*All names in this article have been changed for privacy.
