Beyond just a place to stay, our work at Changing Lives is about person-centred support to help people to make a real and lasting change in their lives. Read about one of the people we've supported in the words of one of our team members:
Background
I began working with a male in his fifties in September 2024. This individual had been with us for 4 years and prior to this had been rough sleeping or insecurely housed since he was 18. He also had long-term drug and alcohol use.
When we started working together, he was in around £18,000 worth of arrears. He had received an unexpected sum of inheritance from his father in 2022 and was no longer eligible for housing benefit. This inheritance led to a year of heavy drinking and drug use, meaning he ran out of money very quickly, stopped paying his rent and built up arrears. Despite applying for housing benefit, a delay in their processing meant he ended up in a lot of arrears — some of which he was liable for, but others he was not. He was also in £700 worth of debt with a separate collection agency.
Additionally, his engagement with Changing Lives and third-party organisations was minimal. He came to our first keywork session expressing that he wanted to work towards a “simple life” and engage with staff but felt a lot had happened in the years prior that made this difficult.
Support Received
Through keywork sessions I began to assess his initial need. It became clear he struggled with his memory, and in our sessions I discovered that he had endured a head injury at birth. I took him to the GP and he was referred to neurology for a brain injury assessment and other mental health diagnostic assessments. With this information, I applied for PIP for him.
He made it clear he wanted to cut down on drink and drugs but initially did not want to engage with support services. Over time, with support from staff at Changing Lives, he accepted a referral to Turning Point, our local drug and alcohol service.
Meanwhile, our project lead worked with housing benefit to get payments backdated so that arrears were not as high. This was successful — bringing arrears down to £3,600. I helped manage a budget plan to ensure he could pay off his debt with the collection agency, cover food and bills, and begin repaying arrears, even if it was just £10 here and there.
Impact
One of the biggest impacts for the individual has been finally getting answers about why he struggles with memory, organisation, and headaches. He feels his previously overlooked health issues are now being investigated. Through attending GP appointments, he discovered he had high cholesterol and vitamin deficiencies and has begun taking medication, improving his physical health. While support from neurology proved difficult, he was referred to Change Communication, who he feels are listening to his neurological concerns.
He paid off the debt collection agency through budgeting and direct debits. After being awarded PIP, he received a 3-month backdated payment of £2,500. He used over half of this to pay off some arrears — a significant change from when he had previously disengaged and spent his inheritance on alcohol and drugs. He continued to make instalment payments and by October 2025 cleared the final portion of his arrears, becoming completely debt-free.
He began engaging with recovery groups through Turning Point and chose to attend a 3-month rehab programme in June 2025 — his first time ever engaging with rehab. Although he returned early, he recognised the programme was not right for him. Staff noticed a significant change in his motivation and behaviour upon return. His substance use had significantly reduced and Turning Point referred him to a new day programme focused on individual therapy.
He also reconnected with his sister after 6 months of no contact. He engaged in fortnightly keywork sessions, communicated consistently, and often joined me for coffee. He came to me whenever he needed support.
At the end of 2024, he found three abandoned rabbits in a park and cared for them for a month before rehoming them. Staff noticed how positively this experience affected him — demonstrating kindness, care and responsibility.
After returning from rehab, he expressed wanting to move out of Central London. A property became available in Sidcup and, following a referral to the Rough Sleepers Accommodation Pathway, he was accepted. In November 2025 he moved into his own studio flat and phoned me three days later to share how happy and excited he was. He independently managed much of the move — creating lists, transferring bills, and researching GP surgeries. He has now been referred to a local day programme to continue focusing on recovery.
This case demonstrates the transformative impact of consistent, person-centred support. Over the course of our work together, the individual progressed from significant financial hardship, minimal engagement and active substance use to achieving financial stability, improving his physical and mental health, and actively participating in services. Through collaborative efforts within the team and external partners, he achieved stability and comfort. Beyond financial recovery, he showed remarkable personal growth and continues to build on this change. This case shows the importance of holistic support and demonstrates that with persistence and empathy we can support an individual to achieve long-term positive change even after decades of instability.
