The income management team’s job is to check tenant’s rent accounts to make sure that rent is paid when it’s due, and support tenants to pay their rent if there are any difficulties.

Due to the current situation, many tenants have lost their jobs and incomes and are having to claim benefits for the first time.

Hillcrest has said its income management team has worked extremely hard providing advice and support, very often to people who would never have thought they’d need to ask for help.

The team has been explaining how Universal Credit works and giving reassurances that no-one will lose their home as a result of coronavirus.

Hillcrest said that this has been a huge relief to many of its tenants who are now finding themselves in financial difficulty.

A spokesperson added: “It’s not always easy to speak about money, but our income management team is human too and will not judge you. Their aim is to get you the help you need and make sure that you have the means to cover your rent.”

The Association said that the income management team has been overwhelmed by the gratitude shown by tenants so far.

The team helped a lady who is in lockdown in India because she didn’t manage to get back from holiday in time, and they even got a rendition of the French National Anthem by a lovely 89-year-old who they helped get her housing benefit sorted out.

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