When Ali’s* health took a turn for the worse, the place that should have been his refuge — his home — became a source of struggle. Without enough money to keep the heating on, the cold crept in and damp and mould spread through his flat, exacerbating his illness.

Nobody deserves to come home to a freezing, damp home. It’s isolating, it’s depressing, and it’s dangerous for health.

But thanks to people like you, Ali didn’t have to face this alone.

Damp and mould make health conditions worse

Ali was referred to CSE’s advice line through St Mungo’s, one of the many organisations we work with to ensure people get the help they need. Ali was struggling to pay his bills on a low income, and when his health forced him to stop working, things became even harder.

During an initial phone call to our advice line, it was clear that Ali was struggling. English isn’t Ali’s first language, and he was finding it difficult to navigate the benefits system. He was missing vital support.

He told our advisor that he couldn’t keep his home warm. Many health conditions are aggravated by damp, cold homes, meaning people suffer worse symptoms and take longer to recover. For someone already unwell, living in a damp and mouldy home made everything worse.

Our advisor was worried. Not only was Ali’s physical health at risk, but our advisor was concerned he might feel isolated and helpless. Particularly as his attempt to receive help had been complicated by a language barrier, our advisor didn’t want Ali to feel defeated. Our advisors are here to listen, act and bring hope – and thanks to your generosity, our advice line can support more people like Ali.

Bringing warmth back into Ali’s life

Because of you, our advisor was able to arrange for Ali to receive fuel vouchers to heat his home straight away. Our advisor visited him in person to make sure he understood the support available and to help him make some immediate changes.

“A lot of our clients don’t speak English as a first language… so it’s often easier to be able to show people in person the things they can be doing to reduce their damp and mould” – Nick, Ali’s Energy Advisor

Ali wasn’t sure how to get rid of the damp and mould in his flat. He explained that he would turn up his heating to 35°C for an hour and a half each day, as he felt this was the only way he could keep warm. But this meant he couldn’t heat his home consistently, as this would rapidly deplete his credit on his prepayment meter.

With your support, Ali was given an electric blanket so he could keep warm even when his heating wasn’t on. He also received a heated clothes dryer with a cover so that he had a better place to dry his clothes. He’d been drying clothes over his radiators, which blocked them from warming the room and added extra moisture to the air – making the damp worse. Our advisor also gave Ali some simple, affordable ways to keep his home warmer for longer.
These small but powerful changes gave Ali what he needed for a warmer, safer home where he could focus on getting better.

Your support unlocks a network of help for people struggling in winter

With help from St Mungo’s and CSE, Ali felt heard for the first time in a long time. That’s what your gift does: it doesn’t just provide energy advice, it unlocks a whole network of support that helps people rebuild their lives. Your kindness means people like Ali don’t lose hope – even when everything feels stacked against them.

*Name changed for privacy