Cat's story

When money worries began to take a toll on one young family of four from the Midlands, they turned to Ben for support, which was a decision that helped them through a tough period of their lives. 

Cat, her husband and two young children were in debt, stressed and needed support. A loving mum of two boys with another baby on the way, Cat was made redundant - she tells her story…

"We were struggling,” Cat said. “Money worries were impacting us as a family. With the rising cost of living, energy arrears and the pressure of preparing for a baby after being made redundant during pregnancy, we felt overwhelmed. It was a really tough time and our mental health was suffering.”

Already managing a pre-existing mental health condition, the added financial pressure brought everything to a breaking point. That’s when Cat reached out to Ben.

“When I first contacted Ben, the support team made me feel good straight away. They really listened. I felt comfortable opening up and sharing my circumstances.”

From there, a Ben Case Manager got in touch and began guiding them through the support process.

“They took time to understand my situation. From start to finish, the process was clear and straightforward. I was supported with budgeting advice and money management guidance. With Ben’s help, I gathered the necessary paperwork to apply for a grant.”

That grant, once awarded, helped the family clear their energy arrears and get back on track. But the support didn’t stop there.

“Ben also supported us to switch to a more affordable energy tariff by accessing social tariff guidance. That made a huge difference to our monthly outgoings.”

Alongside the practical support, the family made changes to their lifestyle that improved their overall wellbeing.

“Things feel different now. Our habits have changed, we’re making better choices for our health and finances. We feel more in control. Ben gave us the tools to move forward with a brighter future. We now know how to manage our money to meet the needs of our growing family.”

Without that help, the future could have looked very different.
“Without Ben, we would have had to enter a debt plan, adding more payments on top of our regular expenses. That would have meant not being able to afford things like a cot for our baby. We would have had to go without.”

Today, things are looking up for Cat and her family.

“I’m feeling good, really positive. I feel able to manage our finances better and I’m confident in dealing with whatever challenges come next. With Ben’s support, I’ve learned how to prioritise, evaluate and look after my wellbeing too.”

To anyone thinking about contacting Ben, Cat said:

“Get in touch. Even if we hadn’t received the grant, the support alone has had a huge impact on our family. The grant was the cherry on top, it gave us a fresh start.”

Our client chose to remain anonymous, so names and family descriptions have been changed and a stock image used.

Support provided by our team:

• Wellbeing checks
• Employment & benefits information, advice and guidance
• Money maximisation and debt signposting
• Lifestyle information, advice and guidance and signposting
• Social/community signposting  
• Direct support with money management and budgeting 
• Grant provided for energy arrears. 

 

Here for you

If you work or have worked in automotive and you're struggling with this or anything else - we've got your back. Don't suffer in silence, chat with us online, or call our free and confidential helpline on 08081 311 333 (Mon- Fri 8am - 8pm).

You can also sign up to receive tips, advice & tools to your inbox: www.ben.org.uk/signup.