Preventing debt and homelessness this winter: impact case studies from leading organisations
26 November 2025
Record levels of temporary accommodation, rising arrears and deepening financial vulnerability are driving more people towards homelessness this winter. Many are already in debt or at risk of falling into it, yet millions of people across the UK are not receiving the support they are entitled to.
Financial organisations are managing increased risk and exploring ways to support vulnerable customers more effectively, while local authorities are working with shrinking budgets.
The webinar focused on how financial institutions, collections sector organisations and councils are using data and proactive support to prevent households from reaching crisis point.
By acting earlier, organisations can reduce harm and deliver better outcomes for customers, residents and communities.
Listen back to hear
- Introduction: Sector challenges and income maximisation
- Evolving to meet the needs of today’s customers: Digital-first support for financially vulnerable customers
- Personal independence payment benefit take up campaign for temporary accommodation residents
- Nationwide: Helping UK residents access their unclaimed benefits
- Better Off platform: Typical use cases
Guest speakers
“Overall we’ve had around 250,000 customers engage and identified around £60 million of annual unclaimed benefits among around 9,000 households. And that’s off the back of very limited marketing, which really shows the level of need and demand from our members.”
“Within a short period of time, we’ve been able to identify £1.28 million in benefits, which is a huge difference, nearly £500 a month. For customers who are already in difficult financial situations, that extra income can transform affordability and reduce anxiety throughout the collections journey.”
“So far we’ve generated £6.5 million worth of benefits take up, almost 50/50 between income from campaigns and income from residents applying directly to us. That impact shows how much unmet need there is and how powerful targeted outreach and expert support can be for people at risk of homelessness.”
