A hamper full of help for Bridget

May 21st 2013

Bridget phoned Five Lamps in October 2012; she was worrying as she had received a letter from her energy supplier saying that they were going to disconnect her electricity and gas supply if she did not pay £1,593

Bridget has a lot of health needs as she suffers from COPD, asthma, emphysema, arthritis and osteoporosis. If her energy supply was to be cut off this would have a huge effect on her health problems.

Bridget’s financial worries started when she divorced from her husband. Her husband had always dealt with the finances and paid the bills so when Bridget was faced with the finances she buried her head in the sand as she did not have the knowledge on how to pay the bills or budget her money.

Emma McNeill from Five Lamps visited Bridget at her home; she discussed with Bridget her outgoings, how she could budget her bills and how to set up payment plans to her energy supplier. Emma also contacted British Gas on Bridget’s behalf to make sure Bridget’s supply was not disconnected; she then applied for a British Gas Energy Trust grant to pay off her arrears.

Five Lamps work in partnership with Stockton Council on the Warm Homes Healthy People project. At a partnership meeting Age UK explained that they had some hampers which they were giving a selected few to Warm Homes Healthy People customers. Emma put Bridget’s name forward for a hamper and the outcome was a success resulting in Bridget receiving a hamper of food ready for the festive period.

Bridget also explained to Emma that her fire had been condemned so she was using electric heaters which were not very energy efficient; Emma pointed Bridget in the direction of an affordable personal loan from Five Lamps.

Bridget’s loan application was successful resulting in Bridget receiving a personal loan with low payments and low interest so she could afford to pay the loan back. This enabled Bridget to purchase a brand new efficient fire which would reduce her energy bills in the future.

In March 2013, the outcome for Bridget’s British Gas Energy Trust grant was decided and it was good news. The British Gas Energy Trust had agreed due to Bridget’s circumstances and that she could now budget her money and take better care of her energy bills in the future that they had agreed to write off Bridget’s £1,593 energy arrears.

Bridget said

“I am really pleased with the help I received from the Warm Homes Healthy People project and I am really happy with the service and advice from all of the Five Lamps staff. It has resolved my problem and I have also received help within another Five Lamps department”

Five Lamps are currently working with Stockton Council on the Warm Homes Healthy People project helping people in Stockton on Tees who are suffering from fuel poverty.