Our Money Support Team is on hand to help residents who are facing money problems.

We recently caught up with Sue More to find out a bit more about the support she and the rest of the team offer.

Tell us a bit about your role

I’m one of three Money Support Officers (MSO) at Town & Country Housing (TCH). We’re here to help any of our residents who need financial support.

This can range from a referral to their local foodbank, to more in depth help for those who, for example, may have rent arrears.

What does a day in the life of a Money Support Officer look like?

I start each day by checking for, and prioritising, all new referrals. When I receive a referral, I’ll get in touch with the resident so I can arrange a home visit to carry out an assessment to see how we can help.

During this assessment I’ll check if the resident is in receipt of benefits and what they’re entitled to. Often, people who are employed don’t realise that there may be benefits, or other financial help, that they would qualify for.

I’ll then look at their outgoings and see if there are any changes that could improve their finances.

We don’t offer specific debt advice, but we can refer to external agencies for additional support where debt is a factor. If the debt comes from rent arrears, then we can review the resident’s finances and work out the best way to support them.

At this point, I will start to think about the bigger picture. If the household can benefit from further support, then I will look at what other help is available from external agencies and refer them into these services.

What other support do you offer residents?

If the resident is looking for work, I will signpost them to services that offer employability skills.

I will also explore the effects employment would have on their finances. Once employed, the resident might not be able to continue claiming for the same benefits, but they could become eligible for different benefits or other financial support.

What’s the most rewarding part of the role?

Seeing the positive changes our service can have on resident’s emotional wellbeing and day-to-day lives, it makes all the hard work worth it.

Get in contact with us

If you need some help with your finances, please get in contact with our Money Support Team. You can contact them by emailing info@tch.org.uk or by calling 01892 501480.