Help to find the missing millions for local families

Life is uncertain.  We can do everything right - work hard to pay for a roof over our heads, budget for household expenses, childcare costs and food. Then one day we can be knocked off our feet by a situation or a bill we didn’t see coming, something that is totally unexpected that throws us off financially.

The cost of everything is rising – the cost of having a home in particular has gone up exponentially. And for many local families, it can feel like they never get a break, however hard they try to budget. They can never find that light at the end of the tunnel. 

We desperately want to be that light for them, and your gift can help them access the unclaimed financial support that they deserve in order to make life that bit easier.

Donate now to help people like Fred, who suffers from severe sleep apnoea

  
He and his wife have worked consistently for 40 years, but were having to turn off the machine that helps him breathe at night to save money, risking his life.

Your donations meant we could help in his hour of need. 

We were a bit sceptical that REACH would be able to help because I thought we just don’t fit the bill of someone who should be claiming. We were really, really concerned and just not sure about it at all, but we were feeling a bit desperate, and thought it wouldn’t hurt to just hear what they had to say. 

“Ann asked all about our situation and then explained what she could do and what we could apply for. We just kept looking at each other in amazement. We just didn’t know what was available to us until she explained it so clearly. She even provided us with some electricity vouchers to help cover the machine costs in the meantime, but once we were approved, we had some money coming in just a few weeks later. 

 “It made such a huge difference. He stopped turning his breathing machine off, so I was really relieved. It helped in other ways too. The money awarded just took that little bit of strain off. But most important was the effect it had on Fred’s wellbeing. To see him stop stressing was amazing, I could see the change in him right away, it was a weight lifted. I don’t tend to show anything so that I don’t add to his worries, but I do feel it too and it really did make a such a difference all round to how we were feeling day to day. We’re very grateful.

- Alice, Fred's wife

 

How your gift helps 

£25 could provide utilities like electricity to keep a struggling family going while an application is pending

£44 could open up ten extra appointments with advisors to access additional income for families in urgent need

£99 could pay an income maximisation advisor for a day, assisting local people to fill in long and confusing forms to unlock unclaimed financial support

Jean needed help to find and fill in the right form

Jean is a 70 year old lady with multiple health problems and is cared for by her husband. She originally rang REACH asking if we could help with a Carers Allowance application for her husband but because of his age he cannot claim as he would lose some of his pension. Ann, however, was able to explain about Attendance Allowance and that it’s not means tested. She was also able to help Jean through the lengthy form.
 
The couple were delighted when they were awarded Attendance Allowance, which has made their lives easier financially. She said she’s ‘over the moon’ about receiving the award it’s making a huge difference. She can now afford a cleaner as she can’t do housework and her husband was struggling himself. She couldn’t thank us enough.

What are the Missing Millions?

In the UK there is more than £23billion in benefits unclaimed. Money that’s just waiting to be provided to help people facing unexpected circumstances make their lives a little bit easier. 
 
That’s why we’re determined to help people access the missing millions of pounds, including money sitting unclaimed for people in Haverhill and the surrounding areas, money that they’re rightly entitled to. 
 
For more information on how we define financial gains, and what is included in the £1.76 of impact that we’re delivering for people, please read about how we reach our figures.