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What was the challenge?

Jon was referred to Concrete as he was at risk of becoming homeless. Jon didn’t know how to claim his income support, which led to him owing his landlord more than £2,000. Jon was in desperate need of support and didn’t know where to turn. Because of this, coupled with deteriorating mental health, Jon turned to shoplifting to get by.

Jon received a suspended sentence as the judge felt that with the right support, Jon could turn his life around, keep his home and improve his wellbeing.

How did Concrete help?

Working with Jon was difficult at first, as he felt that Concrete would be unable to help as he was about to lose his home anyway. Concrete worked with and empowered Jon to take control of his life. With our support, we set up a payment plan for Jon, so he was able to begin claiming his Universal Credit and pay his rent arrears. Jon also reported several issues with his property, which were repaired a few days later. As a result, Jon’s mental health began to improve.

What was the impact?

Thanks to Concrete’s support and Jon’s desire to keep his home, Jon is still living in his property and is continuing to pay his rent arrears. He continues to work with Concrete, and with our ongoing support, Jon feels that he is ready to begin looking for training and work opportunities.

What was the challenge?

39-year old Ibrahim, his wife and two young sons had no choice but to leave Pakistan following a politically-motivated attack on his father, which left Ibrahim with severe life changing injuries that have left him permanently paralysed.

Ibrahim and his family were granted humanitarian protection and allowed to settle in the UK for protection. Since they arrived, the family have settled in Stoke-on-Trent and are active members of the community. Last year their government support came to an end.

How did Concrete help?

Knowing that government support for the family was coming to an end, the team at Arch knew what steps to take to make sure the family was prepared and supported through the change.

As they would soon need to leave their home office accommodation, Arch staff applied for a home with Stoke-on-Trent City Council. But, as accommodation suitable for Ibrahim’s disabilities was in short supply and unlikely to be available in time, the team supported the family to make an application for temporary accommodation to make sure that they weren’t left homeless.

Staff from Arch worked quickly to make sure that the family could access the benefits that they were entitled to. Staff supported Ibrahim and his wife to apply for benefits, set up a bank account and create an email account, so they could manage their Universal Credit account.

When it was time to move, Arch staff supported the family to settle into their temporary accommodation, provided the family with toiletries and food from their local foodbank and helped them to store their possessions in a storage unit.

What was the impact?

• Thanks to the efforts of staff at Arch:
• The family have been well-looked after and kept safe
• The family have been able to access food and hygiene products
• The family are now being supported to find a permanent home
• We have stopped the family from becoming homeless and helped them claim benefits and support

“The customer service has had an incredible impact on my wellbeing. Jez works very hard and is very respectful and prompt. He has helped our family out a huge amount.” Ibrahim