From Eviction to Elation: Jane’s Story
Jane’s* life felt like it was falling apart. As a single parent, Jane was trying to work part time to pay bills and put food on the table for her family but, without access to free childcare, Jane wasn’t earning enough. The pressure increased even more for Jane when she was presented with an eviction notice from her landlord, who wanted to sell the property!
Stressed and anxious, Jane attended an Open Door Café session in the hope that she may be able to use the foodbank services. While in the Hope Centre café, Jane felt comfortable enough to share her story and while there she received advice about making an application to the Jobs and Benefits Office to assess her suitability for Universal credit.
With the support of Vineyard Compassion staff, Jane made an application and was contacted within a week to discuss her claim.
Just one week later, Jane returned to an Open Door Cafe session with a big smile on her face. She was excited to share the news that she had been awarded Universal Credit and for the first time in months, was going to be able to pay her bills and put food on the table. This had immediately alleviated the financial pressures Jane had been suffering but it also meant security for the future as she was going to be able to afford the cost of new rental accommodation. The cherry on the cake for Jane was that there would be enough left over to take her child for a day to soft play, which they hadn’t been able to do for so long!
It was our privilege to help Jane in this way and we were delighted that she received such good news. As Jane expressed her thanks to the Vineyard Compassion team she said, “stepping into the Hope Centre has changed everything for me and I don’t know what would have happened to me and my child without the help and support I received.”
If you are in a similar position to Jane, please visit one of our Open Door Café sessions at the Hope Centre where our team can help make sure you are receiving all the benefits you are eligible for.
*name changed