At 25, Dylan was working as an apprentice electrician in London and building a career in construction. But behind the scenes, he was facing growing financial pressure and the risk of losing his home.
Dylan was paying £700 a month in rent on an apprentice wage, and as rent arrears built up, he became increasingly worried about losing his home when his landlord began pressing for payment and asking him to leave.With the possibility of becoming homeless, Dylan was unsure where to turn.
As well as dealing with rent arrears, he was juggling the cost of travelling to work, food and the search for somewhere safe and affordable to live. Despite the pressure, he remained determined to continue his apprenticeship and build a future in the industry.
Dylan came across Lighthouse Charity through our #MakeItVisible initiative and reached out for help.
He was understandably worried and overwhelmed by his situation, but stayed engaged whilst our caseworker Richard provided practical guidance and regular reassurance, helping Dylan understand what information was needed and what support might be available.
While his financial situation was being assessed, we arranged a food delivery to help ease some of the immediate pressure. Dylan was also signposted to Universal Credit, local authority homelessness support and free legal advice helping him access the right support around both his income and housing rights.
He eventually found a new property, but needed help covering the tenancy deposit and first month’s rent. We worked with Dylan, the letting agent and the landlord to make sure the new tenancy was legitimate and that everything needed was in place to secure funding.
His caseworker stayed in touch throughout the process, keeping Dylan updated and making sure the landlord had received payment before the tenancy could go ahead. The result was a safe place for Dylan to call home.
Having moved into his new accommodation, Dylan was in a more stable position to continue his apprenticeship and focus on his future in construction.
The support also helped alleviate some of the immediate pressure and having someone to talk things through with gave Dylan reassurance while he worked through a difficult period.
Dylan later got in touch to share his thanks, “I’ve moved into my new place and wanted to take time out to say thank you for all your help, from the food delivery to advice with my landlord and helping me move out. Your patience and support is truly appreciated. It’s things like this that keep young people like me in the construction industry. I’m truly thankful for the help.”
He also had a message for other young people working in construction who might be struggling, “One piece of advice I’d offer to any young person in construction, male or female, is to seek help in hard times. We often feel like nobody wants to hear our problems, but more often than not, whatever you’re going through, someone has gone through it before and can help with a solution.”
If you struggling and don’t know where to turn, help is here – call our free 24/7 helpline 0345 605 1956 (UK) 1800 939 122 (ROI) or 1:1 online chat with one of our advisors at www.lighthousecharity.org
