Update: Binita was fortunate to have been awarded financial support with her rent shortfall through the DWP’s Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). Her family have secured the funds they need to avoid homelessness, and the funds we have raised for Binita will be used to support other clients like her who are in need of financial support to move out of or prevent homelessness.

Thank you for your continued support to help individuals like Binita.

Binita is a 42 year-old single mother, who needs your help to sustain her tenancy. Binita is raising two children by herself and is struggling to survive. Her son is only 4 years old and her daughter is in her last years at secondary school. 

Binita needs Greater Change to cover her rent shortfall, whilst she secures employment that is motherhood friendly and a more affordable property.

When Binita and her partner separated, she was left responsible with the rent and the sole provider for her children.  The rent at the family’s home became unaffordable, and Binita is trying her best to ensure her children do not lose their home.

After exhausting all of her personal savings, Binita was fortunate to receive support from Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) to cover her rent shortfall. Unfortunately, DHP support is only temporary and ended in August 2021.

Binita is keen to start work and be able to support her family. She is trying her best to secure employment. However, her efforts have not been successful, especially with the number of people looking for work since the pandemic.

Before the DHP expired, Binita believed that she would have completed her teaching assistant qualifications and hoped to secure employment in a local school. “I am eager to work as a teacher assistant because teaching has always been my passion. Working as a teaching assistant will also be an ideal profession because the hours are the same as my children’s school hours and I can spend the holidays with my children.”

She’s currently doing her English and Math Level 2, and has completed Level 1 of her Teaching Assistant course. She will begin her Level 2 this September, after which she will be qualified and be able to work as a teaching assistant. “I have always been interested in academics. When I was living in Sri Lanka, I was teaching IT at a private college. I wanted to continue teaching when I moved to the UK.”

Binita is receiving support from the Job Centre and Restart Programme to help secure part-time employment. She hopes to be a teaching assistant in future, and in the meantime secure part-time employment. However, despite doing her best to complete her qualifications, her timeline does not ensure that her family will avoid the risk of becoming homeless. Binita continues to search for more affordable property but this is proving to be an impossible task, as most landlords will not accept the family without an income. She does not want to uproot her 4 year old son and her daughter who is in a pivotal point in her last years in secondary school.

The family have been warned that they will not be eligible for another DHP. Binita is asking for our support to enable her to pursue and complete her qualifications, and be able to provide and protect her children. 

With your support, Binita’s family can avoid the risk of becoming homeless and they will be closer to achieving their final goal of a safe and stable home.

Binita’s Support Worker:

“Binita is an ambitious individual and has a genuine passion for teaching; however, she is facing financial hardships and is subject to the benefit cap. Despite this, she is committed to achieving her goals but this will require your assistance”.

Binita’s Next Steps

1. Get help with paying my housing cost shortfall whilst I search for work
2. Gain part time employment to help pay off rent payment
3. Search for a more affordable house to rent
4. Complete level 2 Teaching Assistant training to qualify as a Teaching Assistant.

* Please note, a stock image is used to protect the client’s identity*