SUSSEX news
Many of us worry about how we ’ re going to survive financially in our retirement years – but imagine trying to get by without any sort of pension or benefits .
Worthing resident Ken Harris , 74 , didn ’ t know where to start when it came to asking for financial support in his later years . But Housing Officer Katie Froome and Financial Inclusion Adviser Nigel Wicks , were able to help .
Ken said : “ I ’ ve never been financially minded . My brother , Tony , always dealt with that kind of thing , but when he died this year I didn ’ t know how I ’ d pay the bills . I feared I ’ d lose the home we ’ d lived in for 20 years and I ’ d end up on the streets .
“ If it wasn ’ t for them , I wouldn ’ t be sitting here now . I would have been in dire straits ...”
“ I didn ’ t know where to turn but Katie put me in touch with Nigel who did some digging . He spent hours on the phone to various people helping to set me up with housing benefit as well as a State Pension and Pension Credits . I didn ’ t even think I was entitled to these .
“ If it wasn ’ t for them , I wouldn ’ t be sitting here now . I would have been in dire straits . I think I would have just got to the point where there would have been no money left and then that would ’ ve been it for me .
“ I ’ m part of a peculiar generation who never thought about asking for financial help . But , having had this happen to me , I urge anyone in the same position to speak out . Don ’ t suffer in silence .”
If you need financial support , email grpmoneymatters @ optivo . org . uk or call 0800 121 6060 .
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