Following the Government’s easing of lockdown restrictions, the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Households into Work team is preparing to resume face-to-face support for its clients. This will begin from 1st July 2020. The face-to-face work will be conducted differently to how it was pre-lockdown, following Government guidelines and national safety standards.

In spite of the challenging circumstances the situation with COVID 19 presents, the Households into Work team has continued to accept people onto the programme during lockdown, providing the same level of help and support as those enrolled beforehand. The team has also offered support to nearly 800 vulnerable Liverpool City Region residents and the programme’s eligibility criteria were also relaxed, allowing people who would not normally be eligible for the programme to be given up to 12-weeks of support.

Many of these people were facing an entirely new set of challenges because of lockdown and found themselves even more isolated and vulnerable than they were before. People struggled with basic essentials such as food, and utilities like gas and electricity during the crisis and for many, this situation would have worsened had it not been for the support they were given by the employment advocates.

One brother and sister who are both on the Households into Work programme, told their employment advocate that they had been struggling constantly for food during the lockdown, as they were unable to get out and the sister couldn’t help as she was in isolation. Households into Work were able to contact the relevant people on their behalf and arrange delivery of a food hamper to their home. Down to their last £1.20 in electricity credit, they were also put in touch with the British Gas emergency fuel helpline and were able to avoid being disconnected.

Another client with mobility issues was self-isolating. In ordinary circumstances, he relied on his parents to help him pay the rent but they couldn’t do that. He had little money for food and struggled to get to the local shops due to his mobility. The Households into Work advocate was able to help by completing an online application form for food support, something that wouldn’t have been possible directly as the client has very poor IT skills and no Wi-Fi. Within 24hrs a large parcel of food was delivered to the client’s house, enough to support him for 2 weeks.

If you would like to make a referral to Households into Work or would like further information click here