If you're a Berneslai Homes tenant and are struggling with the cost of living crisis, you can get help and support from their Tenants First service.

About Tenants First

Tenants First is a tenancy and family support hub for tenants. It offers: 

• family intervention support
• tenancy support – including help with claiming benefits, accessing services and grants
• referrals to third party services like Citizens Advice, charities and trusts
• housing coaches
• mental health housing-related support for adults and families
• employment training support - helping tenants to get into training, learning skills and employment. (This is funded through the European Social Fund scheme.)

The service supports tenants with a wide range of tenancy issues. It also offers family support to those who have multiple needs at a complex level.

The support's targeted to your needs. The team will focus on practical ways to help you when you need it.

Hardship fund

Berneslai Homes can access a hardship fund and household support grant for a crisis or one-off funding payment. This is to help tenants who have no other finance support to help with everyday essentials.

Our team can help with budgeting advice, as well as completing income and expenditures. This will help look at how you might be able to maximise your income. From the session, you may be identified as a tenant who could meet the criteria for the hardship fund. If you are, the team will fill in and submit an application for this on your behalf.

For help with budgeting, debt or maximising your income, please contact:

• your housing management team
• email income@berneslaihomes.co.uk
• email tenantssupportservice@berneslaihomes.co.uk 

Drop-in sessions

The Tenants First service are holding drop-in sessions each week across Barnsley. These are for tenants to get free money advice.

You can find the dates of the sessions and more details about the service on the Berneslai Homes website.