Welfare Together, a provider of enhanced support for vulnerable individuals in arrears, has secured Whipps Enforcement as a new client.
Founded in 2022 by Tracey Stone who has 25 years’ experience in local authority debt recovery, Welfare together partners with Councils, Housing Associations, Enforcement Firms and other creditors to provide proactive, tailored early intervention support for those who can’t pay. Its Welfare Officers personally engage with vulnerable individuals to help them navigate complex and overwhelming systems and find proportionate, fair and sustainable debt resolution outcomes, based on their specific circumstances. This includes financial guidance and relief, income maximisation, mental health support and crisis intervention.
Graham Whipp of family-run Whipps Enforcement Agents, says:
“We are committed to ensuring vulnerable customers receive the support they need and deserve. With the latest Enforcement Conduct Board Vulnerability-First approach coming into effect later this year, we believe that engaging an independent third-party specialist to support vulnerable customers is the right way to achieve this. By working with Welfare Together, we can detach ourselves and individuals in financial distress from the enforcement process to ensure the main focus is on delivering what is right and in their best interests.
“Once we have received evidence of vulnerability, we can instruct Welfare Together to manage the case and reach out to the customer to determine the best course of action. They have a proven track record in this area and we are looking forward to the results of having an expert welfare partner manage these extremely challenging and complex cases for us.”
Tracey Stone, Founding Director of Welfare Together, adds:
“As someone who has worked at all levels in enforcement, I know the challenges faced by both firms and the vulnerable individuals they deal with. The enhanced support we provide for those who need it most is designed to both improve lives and offer maximum commercial and social return on investment for our clients. It’s a win-win.
“We’re pleased to see that firms like Whipps are taking their responsibility to vulnerable customers seriously and recognise the need for an outsourced specialist partner that can ensure the highest standards are upheld when it comes to customer wellbeing.”
By understanding their unique circumstances and providing holistic guidance, Welfare Together has helped individuals save more than £800,000 through access to benefits, exemptions, discounts and financial relief.