Danielle Can See a Clear Future Thanks to Better Off Finance

Worrying about debts piling up and having just had her benefits sanctioned, Danielle was told about the Better Off Finance Programme in Halton Citizens Advice and decided it was time she took control of her finances and gave it a go.

Recently, we spoke about how debt can have detrimental effect on a person’s mental health and how it can make a person’s behaviour to change dramatically during the period of poor health. Feeling vulnerable due to mental health, Danielle felt she was unable to engage with the working programmes she had been sent on by the Job Centre leaving her to live on just £277 per month and was struggling to make ends meet.  

Being able to sit down one to one and engage with a Better Off Finance key worker meant that Danielle was able to figure out ways to increase her income and take the appropriate actions that saw her sanctions removed which has left her with a much better outlook on life:

“My mental health and relationship with my 12-year-old son has improved since going through the programme due to having more money coming into the family”

Completing the programme full of confidence, she now engages with work programmes to help her into employment and recently completed an employability course with Riverside.

“I really liked the one to one support and being able to have direct contact with my key worker, Gill. It’s really helped my confidence and I was so glad to get help with my sanction”

Struggling with poor mental health for many years, Danielle found it hard to manage her finances and is now able to breathe easier with an increased income and has more knowledge about her universal credit claims online.

“I have so much more confidence than before! I would definitely recommend it as I can now see a future for me and my son. I really want to get into work, and now I can start to think about it as I’m starting to manage my debts.”

Thanks to Danielle for sharing her story, we're excited about what your future holds. 

About us:

Better Off Finance is offering residents of the Liverpool City Region who are currently unemployed (although don't have to be claiming benefits), a bespoke programme of support. 

This support will be provided at a local community venue or at home if a participant prefers.

Each participant will be linked up with their own key worker who will support them to:

Improve their financial capability through 1-2-1 support and group work

• Access employability sessions within the programme
• Access a Level 2 Accredited ‘Money Mentor’ opportunity
• Progress into training and education opportunities
• Prepare and progress into sustainable employment.

Please contact us via our Facebook or Twitter pages to make a referral or for further information.

Better Off Finance is a program jointly funded by The Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund as part of the Building Better Opportunities Initiative