Ian’s Story
Ian is a pensioner who lives alone and has several health conditions that make day-to-day life more challenging.
He had fallen into mortgage arrears and was struggling to keep up with his energy bills. On multiple occasions, Ian had to rely on emergency credit from his supplier just to get through the weekend, and he often found it difficult to afford food. To make matters worse, his cooker had been broken for several months, leaving him to prepare meals on a small single-burner stove.
To help ease the immediate pressures Ian was facing, we provided:
A fuel voucher to support his energy needs
A supermarket voucher to relieve food insecurity
A new cooker to replace his old, broken appliance
When the new cooker was being installed, it was discovered that Ian’s boiler was in a dangerous condition. This was particularly concerning given his vulnerability and the fact that winter was approaching.
As Ian lives in a shared ownership property, our delivery partner contacted his local council to explore whether they could contribute towards the cost of a replacement boiler. Unfortunately, they were unable to assist.
In the meantime, one of our partners kindly gifted Ian a heated blanket to help him stay warm, and we provided him with an additional fuel voucher while a long-term solution was arranged. We then funded a brand-new boiler for Ian and supplied him with vouchers to purchase coal and logs for his fireplace while he waited for the installation.
After weeks of careful coordination, Ian finally had his new boiler installed. This brought him immediate relief and removed a serious safety risk from his home.
The support Ian received has had a transformative impact on his life. With a working cooker, he can now prepare proper meals without relying on a single burner. Having a safe and efficient boiler means he can heat his home reliably, greatly reducing his anxiety as winter approached. We also ensured he could afford essential items like food and fuel during an extremely difficult time.
“Thank you very much for your help. If you were nearer, I’d buy you dinner. Things are going my way now because of you. You are very helpful, I don’t know what I’d do without you at the moment. You are very wonderful. I can’t put it into words. I can’t thank you enough. It feels like being on holiday, all thanks to you.”