“Since the day I met you, my life has started to feel safer and more hopeful.”
*Hana is a refugee living in temporary accommodation provided by the council. She is a single parent of three children, one of whom has severe health conditions. Because of her daughter’s needs, Hana is a full-time carer and struggles with English as it is her second language.
Balancing these challenges while living on a low income made it difficult for Hana to keep up with the cost of living and understand what support was available. As a result, she fell into debt.
Hana was referred to our Economic Justice Project by our Money Advice service following a partially successful application to write off her council tax arrears.
When Hana met with our welfare rights paralegal, Sneha Suresh, she gathered evidence to appeal Croydon Council’s decision to only write off arrears from the 2025–26 financial year. Despite Hana being eligible for her arrears from 2024–25 to be written off too, the council refused her right to appeal.
Sneha submitted notice to the Valuation Tribunal of our intent to appeal the decision. Just before the submission was sent, Croydon Council reversed its position and wrote off both years of arrears, totalling £235.68.
During this time, Sneha also discovered that Hana’s Council Tax Support had stopped. She appealed again and the support was reinstated, reducing Hana’s council tax bill by £1,725.88.
Sneha then applied for grant funding to provide Hana and her family with essential winter items such as bedding, duvets, and pillows, securing £200 worth of goods to help them through the colder months.
When Hana asked for help with her daughter’s Personal Independence Payment (PIP) review, Sneha supported her through the process. Her daughter was awarded the enhanced rate for both daily living and mobility components, meaning the family would continue to receive £187.45 a week, totalling £9,747.40 a year.
When the outcome was confirmed, Hana left her appointment “jumping for joy.” In an email to Sneha, she wrote:
“I truly want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Since the day I met you, my life has started to feel safer and more hopeful. You gave me strength during a very difficult time, and I will never forget that. You are truly amazing and I’m so lucky to have met you.”
Hana’s story is a reminder of how expert support and persistence can transform lives by restoring both stability and hope.
Our Economic Justice Project helps individuals and families across South West London access the financial support they are entitled to and protect their right to live securely.
If you’re facing financial hardship or struggling to access support, get advice here: https://swllc.org/get-advice/
*Name has been changed.