With Covid-19 putting a strain on people’s health and finances, we have demonstrated support for customers through our Crisis and Hardship grants.
Our grants team has been working around the clock to process hundreds of grant applications from vulnerable residents. Head to our grants page to find out more.
Our priority is to provide support to: over-70s, medical vulnerability, families with children under 12 facing increased costs and those directly affected by a change in financial circumstances due to coronavirus.
It could be family costs resulting from children being at home, increasing costs to access good, failure of major white goods or hardship as a result of a direct loss in income.
Since lockdown, we had issued more than £66,000 across more than 420 grants.
One of our customers is a single parent of three young children under the ages of five and has found it difficult to provide home schooling support during lockdown. The family is also struggling financially.
But they spotted our Crisis and Hardship Grant offer on Facebook and, after applying, was awarded £150 of shopping vouchers to buy essential food for the family as well as some arts and crafts which were well received by the children.
The customer said: “I am now starting to struggle during lockdown, but I do have really good days too. I have found the experience similar to a rollercoaster - lots of ups but some downs too. But then again, that’s just life isn’t it?
“I am also so very grateful to have this house as our home which has a private, secure back garden which means everything.
“The help and support from LiveWest has been truly invaluable. It has been a huge relief to have help with my shopping.
“I feel as a company you have really gone above and beyond, you have stepped up when you didn’t have to of course.
“It has really restored my faith in humanity.”
Our Grants and Social Value Manager, Tim Wotton, said: “We recognise that many residents are now feeling the impact of Covid-19 in a direct or indirect way and we are pleased to be able to offer them additional support at this time, where specific needs have been identified.
“We work closely with the Tenancy Sustainment team, Housing Officers, Community Connectors and other staff to ensure any ongoing signposting or support that may be needed is provided to grant recipients.
“It’s been really great to see the impact of our work and to have some lovely feedback directly from residents, and from staff.
“We are keen for any member of staff to get in touch with the Grants team if they have been in contact with a resident that they think may benefit from a Crisis and Hardship grant.”
Please note, the grants we offer are subject to change. To find out what grants are currently available, visit our Grants page.