Last August, Roxy reached out to our Customer Service team for support with benefits. Gail, a Financial Inclusion Officer from our Money Matters team who happened to be supporting the phone lines that day, picked up the call and that moment marked the beginning of work that would transform Roxy’s life.

Like many people, Roxy and her husband’s benefits were being replaced by Universal Credit (UC) and she needed help with the transfer or ‘managed migration’ process.

Little did she know that 6 months later their household income would increase by £42,000 and that essential home adaptations to support Roxy’s mobility and wellbeing would soon be underway.

Working closely with our Financial Inclusion Officer, Gail, the couple learned about benefit opportunities they never knew existed. What started as a straightforward UC migration quickly grew into a supportive journey that improved their lives.

Building trust

Roxy and her husband had been Leeds Federated customers since 2017. Roxy praised our repairs service, saying, “I’ve had small repairs done over the years, from plumbing work in the bathroom to having radiators checked. Everything is always done promptly. The contractors are great and super polite.”

But they’d never reached out to our Money Matters team before, not until they were faced with changes to their benefits.

“It all started when we received the managed migration notification and realised we’d be moving to UC. We weren’t in a good position financially, but I didn’t want to be a burden with our situation.”

When Gail first began working with Roxy and her husband, it took some time to build trust and for them to feel comfortable accepting help. As Roxy is her husband’s full‑time carer, gaining his trust was a gradual process, as he struggles getting to know new people.

“Gail visited our home to talk through the managed migration process and soon started to build a great rapport with us. Having to fill in the application forms filled me with dread. How could we put our situation into those tiny boxes?”

Gail says, “It took time to show trust, and pieces of work were made into manageable steps to support Roxy and her husband’s wellbeing during a period of great worries, anxiety, fears, and stress for them.  After I assessed their situation, it was clear we could help maximise their income but there would be a series of applications to complete.”

Roxy says, “Gail helped us fill out the forms and explained everything so simply. She has been absolutely amazing with us.

“After we sent off the applications, the responses were quick. We got quite a few different letters through the post, and we soon started to see the changes being made. Within a few months our financial standpoint started to improve massively. Although we were unsuccessful in some applicants, we were successful in other some parts.

“Gail always mentioned what could happen but never promised anything. She was very professional in her service, but lovely.”

A love for Marmite and a new cooker

As Gail got to know Roxy and her husband through regular home visits, she soon saw that Roxy was finding it difficult to get around and this impacted her daily life and wellbeing.

Gail knew there was so much more she could do for them. She says, “As trust grew, Roxy and her husband opened up about other areas of difficulty, which meant we could offer further help such as home adaptations and a Disabled Facilities Grant.”

Roxy says, “I have arthritis, and my joints can swell up, which makes it difficult to walk. I struggled to even use my taps in the bathroom because they were twist taps. Gail managed to get me lever taps, and that’s made a huge difference!

“Because of my arthritis, I have difficulty going up the stairs and get numbness in my knees. Even climbing into the bath is a real challenge. Gail organised a visit from an occupational therapist, and soon they’ll be fitting us a stairlift and a new wet room!

“Knowing I’m getting a stairlift to keep me safe is wonderful. I’ll get that self-trust and confidence back; it’ll have such a positive impact on my wellbeing.”

During one of Gails visits, Roxy’s husband mentioned that his favourite food was cheese on toast. Gail suggested trying Marmite with the cheese, but Roxy exclaimed they couldn’t have it because their cooker was broken.

Gail realised she could help and arranged a replacement cooker through our hardship fund. After checking her budgets, she was able to get them a new cooker like the one they already had.

Roxy says, “Who knew that a simple conversation about Marmite and cheese would result in us getting a new cooker!”

Feeling safe

Roxy and her husband have lived in their current home for 7 years, finally feeling settled after leaving a previous neighbourhood where they never felt truly safe. The move gave them much-needed stability.

“I love where we live now, it’s a lot more community minded. We feel safe here, and that’s huge for us. We get on well with our neighbours – the whole village is lovely.

“We meet up with people we haven’t seen for years, and it feels like we spoke yesterday. There’s no judgment – feeling safe where you live is paramount to your wellbeing.”

Nothing but praise

Roxy encourages other Leeds Federated customers to reach out if they’re struggling, she says, “Don’t be frightened to contact the Money Matters team, no matter how big or small your problem is. They’ve helped us so much and they can help you.

“Gail came at the right time for us. I wish more people were aware of the Money Matters team’s services. The team deserves a pat on the back. They should know how important their work is.

“I’m glad to be with Leeds Federated – we’re lucky to live here. We trust them. All the communication I had with Gail and the Money Matters team – I’m eternally grateful.

“You can become a name and a number to a lot of people but Leeds Federated talk to you like you’re a human.”

Remarkable resilience

Now Roxy and her husband are in a better financial position, Gail reflects on her time working with them and the progress they’ve made in getting back on track.

“At first glance, this was a regular referral to the Money Matters team for help to migrate onto Universal Credit.

“Working with them really showed how much of a difference it makes when you take the time to get to know your customers and understand what they need. Being able to adapt how we communicate and tailor the Money Matters service around each customer’s situation is a big part of the Financial Inclusion Officer role.

“Without the consistency of this approach throughout, they would not have been able to access the help and support that they needed at a time when they needed it the most.

“Knowing and understanding how difficult this process was for both of them, the courage, resilience, and bravery they’ve shown was absolutely remarkable.”

Help and support

If you’d like to chat about your finances, our Money Matters team are here to help. You can email the team at  moneymatters@lfha.co.uk or call on  0113 386 1000.

We also want to make sure we tailor our services to meet each customer’s individual needs. Whether that’s allowing extra time for you to answer the door when we call, providing information to you in a different format or something else that helps you get the most from the services we offer. You can find out more about this and how to update your information in this blog.