Cost of Living Case Study

The following case study has been anonymised , but highlights some recent work supporting a network member with cost of living issues.

‘C’ is a member of one of our Forth Valley Networks. She lives in a council tenancy and claims Universal Credit and Disability payment. The cost of living crisis has been a challenge for many of our members, including C.

‘C’s income requires careful budgeting to ensure she has sufficient funds each month to cover her bills and living essentials costs. Her Community Living Worker has been supporting ‘C’ to pay her bills and manage food and other costs. This has been achieved by supporting ‘C’ to create a monthly budget planner which ‘C’ now independently completes. This includes her benefits payment dates and bill payment dates.

Some debt has accrued on C’s gas meter, partially caused by the transfer of suppliers when her supplier went out of business. C’s learning disability affects her reading and understanding, and she had found it difficult to explain issues over the telephone with energy suppliers. Over the past 6 months, the Community Living Worker has supported ‘C’ to link with the Welfare Benefits Team at her local council and now manageable monthly payments have been scheduled to pay off her debt and adequate funds are being paid to her energy accounts to prevent future debt being accrued.

We have supported ‘C’ to be in a more financially stable position. The cost of living crisis will continue to be a challenge for ‘C’, however her Community Living Worker will continue to support ‘C’ to monitor and manage her finances and advocate for support as required.