Supporting a resident through a very difficult period
Following the passing of his parents, Stephen, one of our residents, began struggling in silence, both emotionally and financially. His parents had been residents with us since the very beginning, having joined us with a protected tenancy from Sevenoaks District Council, and he had lived with them his whole life.
Stephen never had to deal with any administrative tasks while living with his parents and after their passing several bills remained in his father’s name and had built up debts.
Our neighbourhood housing officers (NHOs) visited Stephen in August last year to explain how they could support him with managing the administration of his parents’ passing and their tenancy. Following their visit, our NHOs raised support referrals for Stephen including one to our own support services and to HERO. Our NHOs visited him frequently after the initial visit to check in and make sure he was managing ok by himself.
Stephen was not able to succeed the home he was living in as his father had already succeeded the tenancy. Our NHOs believed that a fresh start would be a good and positive step for Stephen. They made sure to be empathetic and careful with their words when speaking with Stephen as they understood that this was an incredibly stressful time for him, and it would be difficult for him to leave his family home.
As his new home was being arranged, HERO worked diligently with Stephen to secure his benefits, set up payment plans and complete his Housing Register Application. Our NHOs stayed in consistent contact with HERO throughout this period.
After months of hard work, and emotional conversations, our NHOs received the great news that a one bed flat had been found for Stephen just a few doors down from his current home – meaning he could stay in an area which held so many special memories. He was elated with this news and was incredibly grateful that a new home so close to him had been found.
On Monday 24 February, our NHOs met with a removal company to complete the move. The day went very well and whilst it was an incredibly difficult for Stephen, we could also see how excited he was. He seemed so proud to have his own space. By midday, Stephen had his first home and his very own tenancy. He is now on a starter tenancy, which will allow us to check in on him and ensure he has everything he needs.
Stephen has made a great start on this new journey and is already doing several tasks by himself. Our NHOs are really impressed with him and are proud of his progress!
Emma Smith, one of our NHOs, said: “This succession case turned into a significant piece of work that took several months and required a lot of teamwork, which ultimately ended with a very positive result for Stephen. Our dedication to our values was clear throughout this case and I am incredibly grateful to our Swanley NHO’s for their contributions throughout Stephen's journey.”