How One Day Changed the Lives of Lizzie and Sally

As part of our support for @ACOBenevolence’s #OneDayChangesLives initiative, a look at how we worked with @InspireWalworth to help a client in need.

When single-parent Lizzie was made redundant from her job at a pub, her life began to spiral out of control, putting Lizzie and her 7-year-old daughter Sally at risk of losing everything. After becoming unemployed, Lizzie’s mum paid for her and Sally to visit family abroad during the school summer holidays. However, she returned to the devastating news that, as she had been out of the country three days longer than is permitted, her Housing Benefit had been cancelled with the council refusing to backdate it. Her private landlord then sought possession of the home she had rented for over 19 years.

Facing certain homelessness, Lizzie’s mental health deteriorated to such an extent that she contemplated suicide. Hope came when Lizzie was referred to InSpire, a Walworth based project funded by the Smallwood Trust. Working with the local MP and Cabinet Member for Housing, InSpire pursued Lizzie’s landlord to postpone the Possession Hearing. Three months of negotiations with the council resulted in the awarding of several discretionary housing payments clearing some, but not all, of the rent arrears. Lizzie was left with a week to pay the outstanding money. InSpire consulted Smallwood about this urgent case and using the Trust’s funds, the balance of rent arrears were paid to secure Lizzie and Sally’s future. As a result, Lizzie’s mental health has improved significantly and she has been able to help other women within the community who face similar issues. She has since returned to work, knowing she has the support her and her daughter deserve. Lizzie’s story illustrates how women are disproportionately affected by low wages, insecure jobs and benefit sanctions and the vital work of organisations like InSpire in enabling women to overcome these barriers and increase their financial resilience.