Referred by Citizen’s Advice, this Gloucestershire client was no stranger to hardship. He had previously received support from Severn Wye, but a mounting energy debt of nearly £900 brought him back into contact with the team. Living with his wife and adult son – both of whom face ongoing mental health challenges – he also deals with serious health issues of his own, including COPD, emphysema, and anxiety. Citizen’s Advice was already helping them apply for benefits to ease the financial pressure.
When our adviser arrived at the property, they immediately smelt gas near the front door. When the client mentioned it had been lingering for some time the adviser acted quickly to shut off the gas and contact the National Gas Emergency Helpline. Engineers arrived within the hour and discovered a leak in the external pipework which they finally resolved by around 10pm, bringing immense relief to the household.
Longer-term support
With the immediate danger addressed, the adviser turned to longer-term energy support. They helped the client switch from a traditional credit meter to a SMART gas prepayment meter, for better control over his budget. What turned out to be a faulty electricity meter was also replaced with a SMART version. The energy provider agreed to transfer the outstanding debt onto this new meter, to be repaid at a manageable rate of £3.71 a week. Emergency fuel support eased the burden even further, and our adviser made sure the family fully understood how to the new meters and heating controls – even following-up with an explanatory video for extra clarity.
Advice on carbon monoxide safety and a fleece blanket to help them stay warm on very cold days could have been the end of this story. But as often happens, our adviser found this vulnerable family was struggling with more than staying warm and safe affordably. Once again partnership power and our adviser’s wide-ranging knowledge took things a few steps further for them, with a referral to the Severn Trent Big Difference scheme to help with water bills, and signposting to the Parent and Carer Alliance for additional emotional and practical support.
The client was deeply moved by the help he and his family had received. He wrote:
Eternally grateful to you again for today with your help, you’ve been a godsend to the fullest, thank you for evermore.’
This kind of help doesn’t just save money – it can save lives.
