Kyra’s story: from energy debt to help which halved her monthly bills

Kyra was signposted to Lightning Reach by housing association, Clarion, and her energy supplier, OVO. Through the portal, she was connected to:

• A £1,100 grant from the National Zakat Foundation to help reduce her energy debt

• Energy-saving items through the National Energy Foundation and OVO

“The energy debt got to a point where I thought if I don’t sort it out now, it’s not going to get fixed. I didn’t want things to get worse for my children.”

For Kyra, a stay-at-home mum with two young children, everyday life had become overwhelming. She wasn’t able to work, as she was managing mental health challenges while also caring for her child with mobility needs. Soon, everyday tasks and bills became harder for her to manage. As the household bills continued to build, Kyra found herself in over £5,000 of energy debt. Like many people, Kyra struggled with the stigma of reaching out for help. One of the biggest barriers for her was having to speak to people on the phone to explain her situation, as she says she “struggles with normal phone calls.” 

“When your mental health takes a decline, you ignore everything else and the bills, and with my daughter’s mobility problems, it’s all a bit hard to keep it all together.”

Finding the right support that removes barriers

Kyra’s first step toward getting help came when she was signposted to Lightning Reach by both her energy supplier, OVO, and her housing association, Clarion. Phonecalls felt overwhelming to her, so being able to apply via the online portal made all the difference and felt far less stressful.

“I was able to write it down in my own words and still get the help that I needed.”

Through the platform, Kyra was matched to the National Zakat Foundation, a national charity for Muslims in need, and received a £1,100 grant to help reduce her energy debt. She also received a wide range of energy saving gadgets through OVO’s Extra Support scheme and the National Energy Foundation (NEF).

Help that led to long term energy debt reduction

The support Kyra received made a real difference to her daily life. She was able to pay off a portion of her energy debt and buy wardrobes for her children, helping create a more organised home that was safer for her child with mobility issues.

The energy-saving gadgets helped Kyra make small changes to how she uses energy at home, which has made them less reliant on heating, and halved their monthly bills.

“Before I had the help, my bills were about £170 a month. They’ve now dropped down to about £85.”

This means Kyra is now saving around £1,000 a year on bills, giving her more monthly stability in her budget, and helping her feel more hopeful for the future. Looking back, Kyra says Lightning Reach helped her find support she didn’t know how to access before. 

Get help today

Could you or someone you know use a helping hand building up your financial resilience? Create your account today at www.lightningreach.org/application-portal to see what you're eligible for.