Romford’s IncomeMax awarded almost £30k from British Gas Energy Trust

IncomeMax were awarded the funding as part of the British Gas Energy Trust 

A Romford based charity has been awarded a grant of almost £30,000 from the British Gas Energy Trust. 

Romford’s IncomeMax has been awarded the grant as part of their efforts to help the most vulnerable people in the borough. 

It is working in partnership with the Young Mums Support Network (YMSN) and is working to reach out to those who are the most vulnerable this winter. 

They’ve set up ‘Money for Mums’ to help maximise the income of people working with the YMSN and are offering support to help people understand the relevant benefits and grants which are available. 

They’re also offering financial support for those who need it when it comes to key household bills such as energy and water.

Manpreet is a young mum from Romford, she was referred to IncomeMax after she reached out to the YMSN. 

“They did an assessment of my circumstances, in terms of who my suppliers are, how much I get per month, how many people are in the household and so on. 

“They clarified a few things for me, put me in touch with the council who gave me a top up card for gas and electric which was a real help,” Manpreet explained. 

IncomeMax say that the recent cut to Universal Credit means that many will struggle this year. 

Fiona Small is the founder of the YMSN, she explains why the funding is so crucial, “The funding will make a difference by allowing us to employ an additional member to the team who will be trained by IncomeMax about money advice,

“It also helps us as a small grassroots organisation to provide more needed practical advice about money to help our beneficiaries during this tough period.” 

Manpreet gave some advice for those who may need help, “I would say definitely get in touch, they made me feel really comfortable, I wasn’t made to feel like a scrounger or anything like that.  I’d say any mums who are struggling to get in touch for sure.”

Jessica Taplin, CEO of the British Gas Energy Trust, says: “The British Gas Energy Trust has a long heritage of supporting those who need help with energy and other debt.

“The impact of the pandemic continues to be felt in households across the UK, the Trust hopes that this additional funding for money and energy advice projects will help ensure that vital advice reaches those who need it most.”

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