Financial support:
PHA Homes is an independent body and a charity that is dependent primarily on the income from rents to provide the best housing and related services possible, while remaining financially viable. The Association believes that PHA Homes has a responsibility to support tenants who find themselves in dire circumstances beyond their control.
Financial assessments:
PHA Homes act as responsible landlords and registered providers of social housing and ensure that our properties are affordable for our future tenants buy carrying out Financial Assessments before offering the property.
Rent arrears:
If your circumstances change and you find yourself in financial difficulty at any point during your tenancy with PHA Homes, you should contact the Housing Team immediately on 01730 263589.
We would be more than happy to set an affordable payment arrangement with you to clear the arrears over an agreed period of time. If you are unsure what is affordable for you, we can carry out Financial Assessments to ascertain affordability for existing tenants in respect of payment arrangements. We can use income and expenditure details to calculate whether you have a surplus or a deficit.
Depending on the surplus any outstanding monies could be cleared in full or an appropriate payment arrangement can be set up. If there is a deficit then the Association will signpost you to financial advice. Please see the ‘Useful Contacts’ heading at the bottom of the page to seek your own financial advice.
Tenant Hardship Fund:
The Association has a Hardship Fund which is an annual sum determined when preparing the annual budgets and is subject to affordability. The Hardship Fund is in place to help people and families who may be experiencing unexpected and unplanned financial difficulties.
Once the fund has been fully committed then no more applications will be considered until the following financial year. The Association does not keep a ‘waiting list’ of those wishing to apply. As such an application would have to be made at the beginning of the following year.
The hardship fund payment does not include any reduction in rent or service charges but is ‘a one off’ financial assistance payment. Each application for assistance will be considered on an equal basis and will be means tested. For this reason, we are required to ask for confidential information about the finances of all those making an application to the Fund. This information will be treated as highly confidential.
Bursary Scheme:
PHA Homes also runs a bursary scheme for people aged 18-35 which provides grants of up to £350.00 to help with education, training or employment plans. This can be used by PHA tenants, or their children living at home and could include the following;
• Travel costs for work experience
• Course or training fees
• Clothes for an interview
• Childcare costs to help single parents complete short term education courses
• Course materials
Anybody interested in the scheme must submit an application form.
Useful contacts:
- Citizen Advice Bureau – 01730 264887 / https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
- National Debtline – 0808 808 4000 / www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
- Universal Credit – Support and Advice – 0800 1448 444, or via a Personal Budgeting Support request via your work coach through your online journal.
Alternatively, for more information and financial support you can contact the Housing Team on 01730 263589.
