The Support Hub – Our Helping Hand

Our mantra ‘housing is not enough’ is exemplified in the work of the Support Hub. Since its inception on World Mental Health Day, October 2022, the Hub staff have worked with 262 households supporting people with a range of things including social isolation, mental health challenges, self-neglect, and complex hoarding. 

What We Do

Support can be as small as helping somebody fill in a form to more complicated things people need help with. Here are some anonymised examples. 

Jo  - has mental health challenges and she expressed feeling very isolated.  She was referred for a Social Services assessment and to a local agency to request a befriender. She is now in a much better space with an allocated mental health worker and a befriender in place. 

David -  was struggling with his rent arrears.  He was supported by the Support Hub to apply for a Discretionary Housing Payment, securing a £3,200 payment and clearing his arrears. His housing related benefits are now being paid and are all up to date.  

Ahmed  - was previously referred for hoarding, he worked to clear his property, but was referred again as his flat returned to a high clutter state and created a potential fire risk. With involvement from the Support Hub, and assisted by family and friends, he decluttered his home within a two-week period.  

Staying In Touch

This year we introduced a Check-Back Calendar for people most at-risk. Appointments are booked in advance for welfare checks throughout the year.  This helps us review the circumstances of residents who have previously used the service, to ensure they haven’t changed, and they are still doing well and receiving the support they need.

We know that social isolation can be an issue for some of our older residents who live alone so we carried out 162 welfare calls to older people living in general needs housing. We supported them to report outstanding repairs, referred them for food vouchers, assisted with financial challenges and provided information on local community activities. 

The Support Hub held its first social event in March 24, a Coffee Morning for our customers. The focus was to bring people together to make new connections with other residents living in their neighbourhood and, following its success, we are now planning to host an afternoon tea this summer.

If you would like to ask about getting help from the Support Hub, please contact your Neighbourhood Manager or a member of the Customer Resolution Team, by emailing enquiries@originhousing.org.uk or call us on 0300 323 0325.