Everyone in the architectural community will have been affected by the dramatic rise in the cost of living.
The cost of heating, buying food and travel have all increased and income, whether from benefits or earnings has not kept pace. With living standards in Britain expected to fall at the fastest annual rate since the mid-1950s this will mean significant hardship for some and will be a worrying and stressful time for us all.
At ABS, we try to be responsive to wider economic and social change through regularly reviewing the support that we provide and exploring new ways of helping members of the architectural community. We hope that this dynamic approach continues to meet the needs of our community and wanted to share with you some of the specific support that we are able to offer.
Financial help – we may be able to help with a monthly or one-off grant to cover essentials such as bills and food. We’ll assess your financial situation and the grants that we give aim to support you to have a reasonable standard of living. As part of this process we have given top-up grants to help mitigate the impact of benefit cuts and domestic fuel price rises.
Maximising your income – we have a network of independent welfare benefits advisors who can advise and support you to claim any benefits that you might be entitled to. Even if you’re working you may be eligible for some support from the government in the form of benefits and whatever your circumstances our experienced advisors will quickly be able to check that you are receiving all the benefits that you should. Claiming benefits can be a daunting prospect and our approachable, supportive advisors can guide you through the process.
Supporting your mental health – financial pressure is often associated with higher levels of stress and anxiety. In these uncertain times, when it is difficult to escape media coverage of world events it’s important to be able to speak to someone if everything feels overwhelming. Through our partnership with AnxietyUK (another charity) we offer a range of support including individual therapy (counselling, CBT, hypnotherapy) based on your needs. This will hopefully help you feel less overwhelmed, more able to deal with practical issues such as finances and more in control of your own wellbeing.
Welfare Team support – all of the above can be accessed by contacting our welfare team. A member of the team will be able to respond quickly and sensitively and are committed to providing a confidential service. If you don’t feel that the above support covers your needs or there is something else that you would like help with, please contact us for a chat or email if it’s easier.
We all need support sometimes for all kinds of reasons. If you, or someone you know could benefit from a little extra support then our welfare team are here for you.
