Ryan's story
Ryan and his wife were worried about finding the money to pay for the autism assistance dog their daughter needed. They were close to reaching the payment deadline and had run out of options. Then Ryan’s HR Manager, Carly Wilkes, at Enterprise Rent-A-Car mentioned Ben...
Watch Ryan's story“In March 2020, we found out that our application for an autism assistance dog for our daughter, Phoebe, had been accepted. It had taken a year of applications. Phoebe is autistic so regularly suffers with anxiety, meltdowns and is sometimes overwhelmed with sensory problems.
"She struggles day to day - for example, getting ready in the mornings can be overwhelming for her. She also struggles with changes in routine which can create problems and anxiety. An autism assistance dog provides emotional support, picking up on anxiety and providing comfort by being there or lying down next to the person.
“Having our application accepted meant that we needed to fundraise for the dog and the ongoing training needed so we worked hard and raised a lot but there was still a large amount left to pay. When the pandemic hit, we weren’t able to do many fundraisers. And, as everything shut down, my application for charity support through work couldn’t get looked at or approved.
“We were concerned and anxious as we needed to pay the remaining balance for the dog in instalments and we were getting close to the deadline. Our savings had already been eaten up because my wife hadn’t been able to work due to Covid and we also paid £5,000 for a personal diagnosis for Phoebe which wasn’t available through the NHS. This was important as it meant she could get the support she needed at school.
Ryan's story
“We were worried that a lot of the resources and plans we made had been washed away during the pandemic. We had reached out to so many organisations for support but nothing came of it. To fund the rest of the amount ourselves, we thought we would have to borrow the money or resort to using a credit card. It wasn’t an option not to have the dog, it was something that Phoebe really needed. It would have been a financial burden which we would have been repaying for a long time.
“Then my HR manager at work informed me about Ben. When we called Ben, they were extremely helpful, supportive and kind. We discussed the situation and we got a call back to say that they would support us by paying the final balance for the dog, which was £2,000; jointly funded by Ben and the BMTA. This was such a happy day, it was amazing and meant the world to us! We were gobsmacked and in tears!
“This means that Phoebe gets her autism assistance dog, called Sunny, which is life-changing and we don’t have to worry anymore! Phoebe gets something she really deserves. We have another child too so we feel very relieved to provide Phoebe with the extra support she needs. Knowing that we have the dog makes me feel great, we’ve achieved something. As a family, we want to get back to normal now and we can stop worrying about where the money will come from. We spent a lot of time talking about how we would raise the money, so now we can just enjoy our time together as a family.
“Sunny is currently doing the rest of his training and he’s due to be back with us in April for good - Phoebe is really excited. We’re looking forward to weekends filled with dog walks which make Phoebe happy and takes her mind off other issues.
“I think one thing we’ve learned is that it's ok to ask for help, even if you feel too proud to ask. Do it, seek support, you never know what may happen. And that, with determination, you can overcome challenges. We can’t thank Ben enough, this support has truly been amazing.”
More on money worries
Money and mental health
Poor mental health can make earning and managing money harder. And worrying about money can affect how you look after your mental health. Check out our tips to help you start a conversation about money today.
Budget-friendly Valentine's Day ideas
Fun, memorable and budget-friendly ideas for Valentine's Day
Cost of living
We’ve pulled together some tips, advice and tools to help you cut costs at home and save your hard-earned cash.
How to manage your money
Money worries are one of the biggest reasons why people ask us for support. To help, we’ve pulled together lots of tips, advice and tools to help you manage your money and minimise your risk of getting into debt.
How to deal with debt
When you don’t have enough money coming in to cover all the things you have to pay out, it can be really worrying. It might not be easy or quick, but debt and financial concerns can be overcome. We share some information and advice on how you can start to get out of debt. Learn more about:
How to eat well on a budget
Lots of people are concerned about the rising cost of their weekly food shop, and are looking at ways they might be able to save money, while still eating well. We've put together some tips to help
Reduce your living costs
Tips, advice and tools to help you reduce your living costs and make big savings. If you're struggling to make ends meet - we can help
At risk or loss of employment
If you're worried that you might lose your job or you have been made redundant, we're here for you. Find out how we can help
Online pension guide
It’s never too early or too late to think about pensions. That’s why we’ve put together some information to help you plan your pension, whatever stage of life you’re at
Everything you need to know about pensions in under 7 minutes
Pensions can appear complicated, but with our handy guide you'll know everything you need to pension-wise in no time
Real life stories
Chris' story
Chris came to Ben when he was dealing with some complex family issues and needed support
Noel's story
Noel’s partner was diagnosed with a brain tumour and they were left struggling to pay their mortgage and bills
John's story
John was struggling to pay his rent after suffering two strokes which left him unable to work
Robin's story
Robin had no symptoms when he discovered he had prostate cancer, after having tests done for an unrelated illness. He's raising awareness that early detection has good outcomes.
Clive's story
Clive was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in early 2022. He was struggling to pay his rent and bills and felt he had nothing to look forward to.
Lloyd's story
Moving away from friends and family for his dream job left Lloyd feeling lonely and depressed
Bill's story
Bill was feeling low and struggling to cope with doing normal things, with no energy to do anything
Darrell's story
Darrell struggled with depression after giving up his job as a recovery truck driver to care for his son
Brady's story
After losing his baby girl, Brady quickly found himself in a spiral of financial hardship which took over his life
Will's story
The excessive nature of Will's sales role triggered severe anxiety and panic disorder, and it wasn't just him who was affected