Lucy's story
Lucy had always lived in the same family home. When her father died without a will, the house had to be sold so the family could receive their share of the property. With nowhere settled to go, and a family member acting as her appointee who wasn't using the money to support her, Lucy's situation was precarious - and she had little idea of the full picture.
A private person in a difficult situation
Lucy found meeting and talking with people very difficult. She was fiercely independent, mistrusted most offers of help, and was clear that she did not want to move into a group home or supported living, as her family suggested. Despite her difficulties, she was largely managing to look after herself – but her advocate quickly identified signs of possible financial abuse. Lucy had never had control of her own money and didn’t understand that her benefits were being paid directly to a family member.
How advocacy helped
Her advocate listened without judgement, then took action. A safeguarding alert was raised, and Lucy’s social worker made a referral for her to have her own solicitor – who became her appointee and deputy, replacing the family member who had been mismanaging her finances.
From that point, Lucy began to tell her advocate when things went wrong at home – a broken boiler, a faulty phone, kitchen appliances that stopped working. Each time, her advocate worked with the solicitor to get things fixed: an electrician, a plumber, a new fridge freezer when the old one was beyond repair.
During the pandemic
When coronavirus hit, Lucy’s advocate continued to check in regularly to make sure she had access to food and money. On one visit, the advocate found that Lucy’s TV had broken – she had tried to resolve it herself by buying a second-hand set, which also didn’t work. Her solicitor was contacted and a new TV and mobile phone were arranged.
Both mattered enormously. The TV had always been Lucy’s main connection to the outside world – she watches the news and stays informed about what’s happening around her. The phone meant she could reach her advocate or solicitor directly, reducing the need for face-to-face contact during the outbreak.
Looking ahead
Lucy’s advocate continues to support her around the question of where she will live – an issue that remains unresolved. Her connection to her local area is central to that conversation: she knows the neighbourhood, the local shops, and attends her local church, where she recognises people who knew her parents. Her advocate is making sure her voice is heard about what she wants for her future, and that she understands she has money of her own and the right to make her own choices.
Support more people like Lucy
Without advocacy, Lucy would have been at home during the pandemic with no contact from the outside world, no working TV, and no idea how to access the support she was entitled to. A donation of just £10 helps us continue to be there for people like her.