News

At 76 and in poor health, Brian Arnold knew there were things he could do to make his life more comfortable and allow him to retain the independence he values.

The problem was that with just a small pension, he was unable to afford the help he needed, until he was put in touch with Lindsey, from Golding Homes’ OPAL service.

After visiting Brian to discuss the help he needed, Lindsey contacted Citizens’ Rights for Older People (CROP), which helped Park Wood resident, Brian to complete a benefit review.

The review showed Brian was not receiving all the council tax and housing benefit that he was entitled to, and after submitting the necessary paperwork his bills were cut dramatically.

Brian, who suffers from a range of medical issues, had recently come home from hospital and needed to use a walking aid.

While the hospital had provided the walking frame and a few other aids, Brian was unable to keep the house clean, tend his garden or buy additional equipment that would make such a big difference to his life.

“Lindsey was absolutely brilliant,” he said. “She talked through my situation and decided we should look at the amount of benefit I was receiving.

“The change in my housing and council tax benefit has made a big difference to the amount of money I have available to pay for things I need. It really has made a huge difference to my quality of life.”

CROP also helped Brian apply for attendance allowance, which means he can now afford to pay for a cleaner and for someone to mow his lawn.

A Golding Homes resident for 26 years, Brian has lived in his current home, which also has a hard-wired alarm, for the past 13 years. “I like to be active but I’m just not well enough to look after my home and garden without help. Being able to pay for extra support gives me independence and that’s really important to me.”

Visit our OPAL webpage for further information.