Case work

In an ideal world, the work of the HEALS case workers would not be required, but many cannot access the benefits they are due, cannot resolve issues with their homes or know where to get specialist support with their finances. There is no other organisation in Malmesbury and this side of the M4 that provides practical, tailored support for people that engages not just with the causes of peoples’ situations but also spends the time to understand the causes of those causes. No two situations are ever the same.

 

Many people we support work in lower paid, part time jobs, trying to juggle work and family.  Others may not be working and face daily challenges making ends meet. Some are single parents, and the team support more women than men, possibly because they are more comfortable asking for help. The cost of living crisis has affected people on universal credit, which is the majority of people we support. Benefits have not risen as fast as costs, particularly energy costs, leaving many at risk of debt, even if they are trying hard to manage their budgets. This means when things go wrong, such as the washing machine or fridge breaking down, there are no resources to fix things without going into debt or missing other repayments. This leaves people at risk of being taken to court or having debt collectors visit. The HEALS case workers help people prioritise their debts, but also help provide household essentials where a family needs them.

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HEALS case workers have good relationships with the local housing providers, which is vital to support people to get things fixed or resolve issues with their homes. While the housing providers have procedures for raising issues or making complaints, for many they are confusing.

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For others, navigating through the benefits system to access support they are entitled to is almost impossible. Personal Independence Payments (PIPS), which give people the support they require for daily support, are often rejected at first review but 70% of appeals are then won. HEALS ensure people get the support they are due. It’s not just the practical support with completing forms or organising evidence that HEALS case workers offer, but the sense of people having someone on their side who knows the system. The same applies for housing applications, where bureaucracy makes it hard to access a safe home that allows people to remain in their community, while not preventing people from being evicted for no reason.

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HEALS facilitates confidence

It takes the confidence that having a HEALS case worker by your side provides to chase a complaint and to navigate systems and processes. While some may be surprised that people cannot resolve issues by themselves, HEALS appreciates that doing this is very difficult for some people, and that these are the people who have greatest need of HEALS’ support. Walking alongside people through their issues, ensuring they do not feel alone or overwhelmed and that people are heard is a very special skill, which is what our case workers have.

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Working in Partnership

We couldn’t do this alone. We are thankful to work with some great partners, including Malmesbury & District Foodbank, Citizens Advice, Malmesbury Area Community Trust, Malmesbury League of Friends, Wiltshire Council, Wiltshire Police, The Rise Trust, local housing providers and many other organisations.

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Accessing support from HEALS

To access support, please either complete the form below or email support@healsmalmesbury.org.uk

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All confidential information given to HEALS as part of case work is securely stored in accordance with our privacy policy