Dave is a successful city worker with a long-term girlfriend, together they have found a lovely flat to rent and everything is going well.
Dave’s company has a reshuffle or relocates or similar and he is made redundant with a reasonable payoff but struggles to find a new job.
During this time, Dave’s girlfriend tires of him moping around the flat and leaves him making the rent unaffordable.
At the same time, Dave visit’s the GP and he’s diagnosed with a herniated disc that’s incredibly painful and requires surgery that is scheduled for 6 months’ time. He’s prescribed heavy painkillers and tramadol. His search for work ceases.
Forced from his unaffordable flat, Dave packs everything he owns into his car in which he sleeps, which is obviously very bad for his back, until he must sell his car to liquidate the asset.
Dave starts the cycle of sofa surfing “just until the surgery”, but as is so common, the tenure of a sofa is short-lived and he eventually run’s out of friends. Every move on sheds more of his personal items until he’s left with a single bag of essentials.
Dave takes the bag of essentials and spends his nights on trains or night buses trying to keep warm and get some rest.
During one of his days spent sitting in local parks or in the library someone recognises his situation and suggests he come to KCAH.
Dave is supported to access benefits, maintain his medical appointments and medication while staying in the winter night shelter.
The HCIS team refer Dave to a private landlord willing to accept the housing portion of his universal credit.
Dave sleeps better and the planned surgery takes place; he recovers in a safe place and is starting to rebuild his life and career with the view to living in a self-contained studio flat.
