Lucy worked shifts in a catering company before she was effectively made redundant since her agency can currently only provide jobs for key workers. This landed her in a tricky position, as she’d just moved into new accommodation in the outskirts of Central London with no furniture, a small fridge and limited cooking facilities. This means she’s not had the space for essentials for more than a week or two at most. First, we supported her with making a claim for Universal Credit, as she has no internet at the moment.

Lucy had felt defeated as it took years to get accommodation of her own and things had just started to be turning a corner. She had secured employment with an agency, receiving enough hours to not rely on the benefits system. However, she’s also been struggling with the death of her husband some years back and her only child in a specialist unit for mental health needs. The thought of things eventually working out are currently what keeps Lucy going.

Away from her old social circle and unfamiliar with her area, Lucy feels more isolated than ever. Her mental health is generally good, but there is concern the ongoing crisis will add strain with the need to support herself and her daughter. We’ve helped her manage her feelings and thoughts by discussing what the plan will be once we eventually get back to some level of normality. We’ve agreed on ways she can stay active during this time and we’re checking in daily as well as checking how we can support her while she has no internet.