...An Advice and Support Worker

This article appeared in Homes & People Summer 2010

Keira Lymath is part of YHN’s Advice and Support Team which offers help and support to YHN customers. 

She told us:  “The main role of Advice and Support Workers is to help keep people in their tenancies.  We can offer help with all sorts of issues, including benefits, budgeting, support with debt problems and helping new tenants get set up in their homes.

“Here’s my diary from a day in June…”

9.00am – 9.30am

Arrive at the Community Housing Office, have a cup of tea and check my emails and diary for the day.

9.30am – 10.30am
First appointment

I meet with a tenant I’ve been working with over the last few weeks.  She’d been off sick for a long time and has just gone back to work, and was entitled to Working Tax Credit.  She’d been waiting 10 weeks for a payment and had been falling behind with her rent, council tax and other bills.  I’d been chasing this up and managed to get the payment backdated so she could clear her rent arrears and get back on track.

10.30am – 11.30am
Second appointment

A young family has lost everything in a house fire but don’t have home insurance.  They have to replace everything themselves and are really struggling financially. We fill out a charity application to hopefully get some items replaced through charity hardship funds.  The family also take out home contents insurance – it’s just over £1 per week and provides peace of mind against something like this happening again. 

11.30 am – 1.30pm
Home visit

I visit a tenant at home who has mobility difficulties. We sit down and talk through what she needs and if there are any adaptations she’d benefit from.  She has a mobility scooter but the ramp outside her house isn’t big enough, so I suggest referring her to other agencies that could fund a replacement ramp.

1.30pm-2.00pm

Back in the office I have a few missed phone calls and emails to reply to, and some post to open.   When I feel like I’m on top of things I’ll sit down and grab some lunch.

2.00 – 2.30
Lunch

2:30 – 4.00pm

I have an emergency referral – someone that’s close to being evicted.  The tenant is struggling with debt, so we look at payment plans and run benefit checks. I refer the tenant to Money Matters, a specialist debt unit. It’s never too late for tenants to get in touch with us, even if they’ve had an eviction date set, however the earlier someone comes in the better. This tenant came in to see us before the eviction date so we’ll try everything we can to intervene and prevent the eviction from taking place.

4.00 – 5pm

I check my diary for tomorrow and prepare for the next day’s appointments. Just as I’m leaving a tenant who I’ve been working with over the last few weeks pops in to thank me for the advice I’d given him.  It’s really rewarding to see the difference we can make to tenants – I’d encourage anyone who’s having any kind of difficulties to come in and see us.

Contact your local Community Housing Office to find out how an Advice and Support Worker can help you.

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