Charlotte's Story

Charlotte's Story

Charlotte* was born in the UK, but when she moved back to the country after her husband passed away, she found herself unable to work due to problems with her legs. With no source of income, she was stressed and had no idea how she would manage - finding the benefits system overwhelming and difficult to navigate.

Then she was thrown what she describes as a ‘complete lifeline’ when she attended one of Age UK Maidstone, Sevenoaks and Tonbridge’s (Age UK MST) Information & Advice presentations at Fusion Healthy Living Centre. She said that thanks to this, ‘everything changed’.

Not only did she have access to peer support through fantastic services offered by Fusion, but she received advice and guidance from Age UK MST. The team helped her to work through the process of applying for benefits at her own pace, filling forms in with her to prevent them from feeling overwhelming.

Through this support Charlotte received a blue badge, and also discovered she was eligible for Attendance Allowance. The team were also able to help ensure she was receiving the correct amount of pension credit. She said that they helped her to understand what she was entitled to, whilst also reassuring her throughout application processes.

Thanks to this support, Charlotte was able to live without the worry and desperation she had previously felt, knowing she could pay her bills and that she had enough money to make ends meet. She also reiterated the impact Fusion had on her, stating that after her sister passed away, the centre ‘saved her life’ by giving her somewhere to meet new people and enjoy spending time in the company of others.

*Charlotte is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the person whose story is reflected in this case study.