At Yorkshire Housing, our mission is to support our customers in leading healthy and comfortable lives. Sometimes, the smallest changes can make the biggest difference. This is the story of Billy (not his real name), a customer in one of our homes in Barnsley, who experienced a huge transformation thanks to our Tenancy Coaching team.
NHS staff who’d been visiting Billy for health-related issues referred him to us. They noticed that Billy was struggling to care for his home and had been sleeping on the wooden floorboards of his living room for the past 10 years. He couldn’t get into his bedroom, and the only seating he had was a set of wooden dining chairs, which were far from comfortable for sitting, let alone sleeping.
When our Tenancy Coach team first visited Billy, they had a chat with him to assess his needs and understand what changes he wanted to make to his home and lifestyle. Billy's main goal was straightforward: he wanted to sleep in his bed again and improve his health.
With Billy's determination and a little help from his family, we helped him clear out and clean his bedroom, and our estate and environmental team helped remove unwanted items.
As part of our support, we also reviewed his finances. Although he was getting all the benefits he was entitled to, the lack of curtains or blinds meant his flat was chilly at times. So, we applied for funding from Friends of the Elderly and got £400 for new home essentials!
With some digital coaching from our team, Billy learned to shop online and chose a new mattress and an armchair with a footrest for his living room. He even enjoyed putting the armchair up himself!
On top of this, the Yorkshire Housing Customer Support Fund provided him with a new duvet and pillows. And most importantly, he’s able to use his bedroom again, so he can sleep in his bed – or in his comfy armchair while watching TV.
Our tenancy coach, Clare, was one of the people who supported Billy and said:
“Working with Billy has been a rewarding experience. Just a few simple changes made a big difference to his lifestyle.
“We saw how small steps, like clearing out his bedroom and getting essential items, had a really positive impact on his wellbeing.
“It’s great to see someone’s life improve so much through the support we provide.
“Billy’s journey highlights the importance of our role and the positive changes that can come from embracing support and making small, consistent efforts.”
Now that Billy has a comfortable bed in a damp-free environment, his health is improving. He’s even referred himself to a social prescriber through his GP with a new goal of walking and getting out more.
His newfound energy and better sleep quality are big changes from when he was sleeping on floorboards.
Reflecting on his journey, Billy said:
“I needed to make these changes to improve my health and wellbeing, and I’m so glad I did. I’m grateful for the coaching offered to me. I really admire people who help others.”
If you or someone you know could benefit from our Tenancy Coaching, please reach out to our team.