Hillcrest Tenant Services teams deliver record-breaking financial gains for residents
Hillcrest Homes’ unwavering commitment in supporting its tenants has resulted in the organisation seeing its biggest financial gains for tenants yet, putting an astounding £3.3m back in residents’ pockets last financial year.
Hillcrest’s Tenant Services teams, comprising of Hillcrest Financial Wellbeing Team and Hillcrest Energy Advice Team (HEAT), collectively secured the incredible figure.
These financial gains encompassed a variety of measures, ranging from benefits advice and assistance in challenging benefits decisions, to offering energy-saving advice and interventions to reduce bills. The teams also accessed vital financial aid such as Warm Home Discount, energy debt write-off, discretionary housing payments, as well as other grants.
Hillcrest Financial Wellbeing Team, which provides money and benefits advice, received 2,490 referrals and achieved an impressive total financial gain of £1,925,333.
Meanwhile HEAT, which provides expert energy support, generated £1,395,115, with both figures smashing the previous records held by the teams.
Some highlights of the assistance provided by the teams include accessing 701 emergency energy top-up vouchers amounting to over £40,142, and securing energy-debt write-offs to the total of £347,958.
Additionally, the teams arranged 140 food parcels for struggling families, secured 118 successful applications for Discretionary Housing Payments totalling £87,864, and secured 87 successful Housing Benefit applications amounting to £344,040.
Hillcrest Financial Wellbeing Team, which was previously known as Tenancy Sustainment Service, also recently underwent a rebrand to improve awareness of the team and reinforce how they can help.
Commenting on the incredible figures secured by the Tenant Services teams, Hillcrest’s Head of Housing and Enterprises Claire Pickthall, said: “We are immensely proud of these significant financial gains achieved for our tenants, and they are a testament to the hard work and provision we put into supporting our tenants and sustaining their tenancies.”
Joy Melville, Tenant Services Manager, added: “The impact of these efforts goes far beyond simply being financial gains – our support helps to improve the social, physical and mental wellbeing of everyone in the household as well as preventing homelessness”
“The money we’ve put back in tenants’ pockets has almost doubled over the past five years, demonstrating the hard work, innovation and commitment the teams have shown in constantly finding new ways to help.”