Tenancy Support Services: Shelter Cymru currently have two tenancy support services operating in North Wales, one in Flintshire and one in Gwynedd.
The services work in partnership with the local authority and aim to offer intensive tenancy support to local authority tenants in those areas. The main emphasis of the project is to prevent homelessness and create sustainable tenancies, therefore establishing settled communities.
Much of the support is very intensive one-to-one support on a wide range of needs including:
help to understand rights and responsibilities as a tenant advice on welfare benefits and debt advice on budgeting advocacy help getting utilities connected and exploring payment options information on the local area and what is available help finding furniture and applying for grants support to make local contacts and settle into their new home help accessing other services and support.
The intensive support is tailored to the needs of the individual client so each caseworker only has a small number of clients on their caseload. The client works with the support worker for about six months and longer if it is felt that the support is necessary for that tenant to continue living in their home.
For further details of these services or to refer please contact:
Gwynedd Tenancy Support Service, Office Block - Beach Road, Y Felinheli, Gwynedd, LL56 4RX. Phone: 01248 671005
Or
Flintshire Tenancy Support Service, Town Hall (main entrance), Mold Road, Buckley, CH72JB. Phone: 01244 551064.
Case Study: Susan, in her late 30s with a teenage daughter, came to the project asking for help. She had previously owned her own home and had a good job. However, she got into trouble after marrying a man whose debt problems caused her to lose everything.
She ended up with her house repossessed and in temporary B&B accommodation, with her furniture in storage. Susan suffered a breakdown and began experiencing serious mental health problems.
She was finally offered a council property and moved in with her daughter. After a few weeks she was referred for tenancy support as she had paid no rent, and she told the housing officer that her incapacity benefit had stopped and she had no income.
Shelter Cymru was able to help her find a GP, and Susan was then able to get the benefit reinstated and her arrears paid.
They helped get her child tax credit claim reinstated after proving a good cause for her not having completing her tax credit return. Shelter Cymru also helped her organise free school meals for her daughter, who had been missing school as her mother did not have any money for bus fares or meals.
Shelter Cymru also helped her to resolve her housing benefit claim, and requested backdating to clear most of the rent and council tax arrears. With her finances sorted and her income much increased, Susan was then able to pay her rent and bills successfully and clear all arrears. She has continued to keep her rent account clear.
Any registered charity wanting to raise their profile can apply for a broadcasting opportunity.More on Shelter Cymru.
BBC Wales is taking a new approach to making broadcasting opportunities for charities more effective. As well as television and radio exposure, we will feature six charities a year on bbc.co.uk. The first is Shelter Cymru.
