Nigel's Journey: From Homelessness to a New Beginning
For Nigel, 65, the concept of losing his home was once unimaginable. ‘Sometimes we take things for granted, and suddenly, everything gets snatched from underneath you,’ he reflected about being made homeless in October 2023. ‘It was a realisation that you've got everything one day, and then you're down the next.’
Nigel’s world changed after a complex and painful situation involving a property deal with a former friend. ‘My whole world was turned upside down, ‘ he said. He had invested his life savings, only to find himself misled and ultimately lose the house. ‘I lost everything. I lost my home and my money. ‘
The situation rapidly deteriorated from there. ‘It went from bad to worse, ‘ he recounted. ‘I was living in my car for a while. ‘ He sought refuge with various friends, but each situation presented new challenges, pushing him further into vulnerability. ‘At one point I was living in a place with no running water, no flushing toilets or anything like that. It was just filthy. I didn't know where to go. I was washing myself with baby wipes.’
A Glimmer of Hope: The Council and Beam
Facing immense challenges, Nigel reached out to multiple councils, but for a long time, he felt unheard. ‘All they kept saying was, ‘Oh, you haven't got a connection here,' ‘ he explained. Even while living in his car, he felt dismissed.
However, he was eligible for support from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and a turning point came when they offered a crucial referral to social enterprise Beam, to help him to secure a home. ‘Somebody from the council put me in touch with Beam. I've never looked back since, because I was so amazed at what Beam did for me and the way they treated me ‘ he said.
Nigel described his Beam experience as overwhelmingly positive. He highlighted the dedication of the Beam team, particularly his caseworkers Kremina and Joseph. ‘Kremina was an absolute star. She listened to my story, and she was patient. I broke down in tears several times, and she just sat there and listened to me and gave me advice as to the way forward. She stepped through hoops to get things sorted. The support she gave me was just amazing. Then Joseph came along, and he was just as good. He always got in touch and wanted to know how I was doing.’
Rebuilding and Looking Forward
With Beam’s support, Nigel was able to secure a private rented sector tenancy in August 2024. He believes that without Beam, his situation could have been far worse. ‘I don't know how I would have managed to have afforded to get back on my feet, renting somewhere, ‘he reflected, citing the prohibitive rental market. ‘It would have taken months for me to have done it on my own.’
Beam's support with the first month's rent and deposit was transformative.
Life has undergone a remarkable transformation for Nigel since finding a stable home. Today, he lives in a comfortable three-bedroom cottage which he shares with his partner Alex, finding much-needed companionship and peace. ‘I've got good company in the house, and I've got a lovely bed to sleep in, a warm environment, ‘ he shared. ‘I couldn't have wished for more. ‘ While he still has his moments of reflection on the past, he sees a brighter future. ‘It's on the up and up,’ he affirmed.
Having worked for many years, including a significant tenure as a support worker in the NHS, Nigel is now looking towards retirement. ‘I want to live life now, ‘he stated. ‘I've done my hours and years. I used to do loads of hours a week, about 80 hours a week, and I want to enjoy my retirement while I can.’
His current situation fills him with confidence. ‘I was definitely at rock bottom back then, and I never thought I'd come out of that, ‘ Nigel concluded. ‘Now my life has really turned around. I'm proud of myself for getting this far.’