Case study
“Barry” not his real name but a real life account.
Barry found himself living on the streets of Glasgow where he fell in with the wrong crowd, becoming involved in various crimes to feed his growing drug addiction. He would attend his local JobCentrePlus every two weeks to claim job seekers allowance. One day following an interview at the Job centre, Barry was offered a job; he thought his luck had changed.
Soon after, Barry's employer learned that he had no bank account. Barry didn't know anyone well enough to have his wages paid into their account. His new employer was unwilling to pay him cash; subsequently Barry lost his job before he even started. Unfortunately for Barry he also lost his right to any benefits, as without a bank account he was not "job ready" a requirement for qualifying for benefit.
We were able to help Barry open a bank account who then immediately contacted the employer and started his new job. Barry is not out of the woods yet as were still helping him with his debt problems, but he is on track.
If you know anyone like Barry who is affected by similar issues, please contact us; we can & will help.