Couple £13k better off, thanks to Sovereign

Local housing association, Sovereign, has helped one Oxfordshire couple receive a life-changing back payment of £13k from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

Katak and Kopila who are based in Oxfordshire had been struggling after a change in circumstances. When they contacted Sovereign, the housing association’s team quickly spotted that the couple weren’t receiving the financial support they should have been.

Working alongside Katak and Kopila, Sovereign was able to help the couple increase their weekly allowance by more than £30. They notified Carers Allowance of a change in their financial circumstances, and most importantly, helped the couple to challenge their existing Universal Credit award.

Seeing there was no Limited Capability for Work Related Activity when there should have been one, and by drawing on the expertise of its teams, the housing association was able to successfully overturn the previous ruling – paving the way for the couple to receive this life-changing sum.

The couple are now able to enjoy their lives. They have used some of the funds to pay off rent arrears, making their day-to-day more manageable and stress-free.

Speaking about the savings to customers, Sovereign’s Chief Customer Officer Nicole Sharp said: “The cost-of-living crisis is putting pressure on many households, but it is especially hard when people can’t access the support they should have. We see the challenges our customers face every day, so we’re working even harder and thinking differently to reduce the squeeze on them wherever and however we can.

“We’re thrilled to have been able to help Katak and Kopila, and this case is just one of many where our people’s determination has made a huge difference to customers’ lives, but there will still be many more people who need support. I’d urge anyone struggling to contact one of the many local and national support services as it could make a real difference.”

Against the rising cost-of-living, last year Sovereign saved customers more than £380k on their utility bills by helping them to identify cheaper tariffs and further sources of support. It also introduced a £3million Customer Support Fund to provide a range of targeted and financial support to its most vulnerable customers.