‘Jane’, a 50-year old administrative worker is in full-time employment within the construction industry. Her life took a drastic turn when her husband left the family home.

The emotional turmoil of the relationship breakdown resulted in her neglecting many of her financial responsibilities. This included her fixed-rate mortgage rate coming to an end without her applying for a new product before the required deadline. This resulted in her monthly mortgage payments almost doubling. She had also accumulated arrears including utility bills and her financial situation meant that she was at risk of losing her home. Jane’s poor credit score made it impossible for her to secure a loan and even with a loan, Jane feared that her financial situation would not improve. Struggling to pay the higher mortgage rate and dealing with the emotional stress of her relationship breakdown, she was on a downward spiral with seemingly no way out.

Jane’s daughter then recommended that she contact us for advice and support and we were able to quickly step in and offer crucial assistance. We undertook a comprehensive financial assessment of her current situation to determine the most effective support. We then offered guidance to address her utility arrears, and weekly food shops were arranged to alleviate the immediate financial pressure.

A discussion with financial advisors concluded that clearing arrears and securing a new fixed-rate mortgage would ensure Jane’s financial sustainability, and her mortgage provider confirmed acceptance on to a new fixed-rate mortgage. Jane is now back in control of her finances with her own budget plan, sleeping better and no longer suffering with anxiety.

“Before I found out about the Lighthouse Charity, my life was falling apart. I couldn’t even afford basic food shopping and every penny I earned went straight to bills and my debt. I was having more and more sleepless nights, and my work performance was suffering. I felt like I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. It was my daughter who came to my rescue, sending me a link to the Lighthouse Charity and the very next day, I plucked up the courage to call the helpline whilst on my way home from work. At the time, my car was sitting in a garage in desperate need of repairs which I couldn’t afford, so it was taking me four hours to get home as I couldn’t afford the bus.

A lovely gentleman answered my call and offered words of comfort, assuring me not to worry. Shortly after, I received a call from my case worker, Graham – a true legend! He understood the struggles I was facing and that I wasn’t even eating properly, so immediately arranged for me to have regular food deliveries. Thanks to the Lighthouse Charity, I was able to get my car back on the road and sort out my new mortgage payments which made everything so much better. Having someone on your side to help you out makes such a big difference.” – Jane