Joined-Up Support That Made a Real Difference to N
N attended a drop-in session requesting a food bank voucher due to having no money to buy food.
N is single and homeless, currently living in a motor home. They have severe mental health challenges and are trying to overcome an addiction without any formal support.
Due to limited time, it was recommended that N speak with the Citizens Advice food bank outreach worker when collecting their food. N followed this advice, and the outreach worker was able to offer substantial ongoing support.
N was receiving only the standard element of Universal Credit (£400.14 per month).
They had debts totalling £7,100 from a credit card and bank loan and had been making a strong effort to keep up with monthly payments. However, this left very little money for essential living costs.
N also needed support with housing.
It was recognised that N’s health conditions significantly impacted their daily living and mobility. They were given full advice on how to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and request a Work Capability Assessment (WCA) as part of their Universal Credit claim.
An appointment was arranged with the Disability Rights Unit to help complete the PIP claim form. Similar support will be offered when N is eligible to submit the WCA form.
While at the food bank, N was introduced to an NHS social prescriber who signposted them to an addiction support charity and other mental health resources.
N was referred to one of our debt caseworkers, who negotiated token payments of £2 per month to their creditors. These offers were accepted, immediately improving N’s financial situation by nearly £300 per month.
We also referred N directly to P3, the housing charity, which accepted the referral and allocated a support worker to assist with housing issues.
N expressed amazement at the level of support received from Citizens Advice after simply coming in to request a food bank voucher. They felt significantly less stressed thanks to the help from the debt caseworker, which meant more of their Universal Credit could go toward essentials. N shared how welcomed they had felt and appreciated that someone genuinely cared.
This outcome was made possible through the network of services offered by Citizens Advice:
- Drop-in sessions
- Food bank outreach workers
- Debt caseworkers
- Disability Rights Unit
- Direct access to partner organisations such as P3 and NHS social prescribers
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