It was a work day like any other when Elliot was involved in an accident involving heavy machinery that left him with significant injuries and recurring pain.
Due to the recovery time required his employment ended, but his severance payment was only sufficient to leave him with money to pay outstanding bills.
It was a stressful situation, and Elliot was soon diagnosed with chronic anxiety which, struggling with the change in circumstances, he attempted to manage with unprescribed medication.
Though family intervened and helped him find counselling to manage his substance abuse the underlying stresses that caused this abuse hadn’t gone away. Elliot has always worked, and applying for benefits caused him a lot of stress as well as additional embarrassment when he had to approach people he knew for support with food.
Sadly, because there had been a severance payment, he was unable to claim universal credit for at least a month, even though this money was long gone, paying for outstanding bills.
He was left with no income and no savings, and lost a lot of weight as he attempted to manage on one meal a day.
Hungry, alone and scared to open the mail from energy suppliers that dropped through his letterbox… This is how Elliot felt when he was encouraged to apply for a Family Action grant.
We helped ease his stress by giving him £250 to pay some of his utility bills and buy essentials as this was causing much of his ongoing anxiety.
Things are better for him now, as the payment helped ease the stress of managing his finances, as well as providing him with food to eat.
“Things are better for him now, as the payment helped ease the stress of managing his finances, as well as providing him with food to eat.”
Life will still be a struggle for Elliot as he works hard to improve his circumstances, but he is engaging with housing and support staff to ensure that he gets the benefits and help he needs.
Find out more about our Make Theirs Magic Christmas campaign and how you can get involved.
