I'm Helen
My name is Helen, and I live in London.
One day my partner was making tea for me in the kitchen, while I was reading a book in our room. Suddenly I realised that the house was very still. I found him on the floor: he had had a stroke, and his brain got permanently damaged.
That was the beginning of a new journey for me. Suddenly I had to rely just on myself to survive and take care of my partner. I was 66 and until then I had always worked, but because of the No Recourse to Public Funds condition attached to my visa if I had retired from my job at a local school my pension would have not been enough to live on.
The only way to keep on living was to continue working despite my age, to pay rent, buy food, stay alive. I had to take more jobs, and I started looking after people with poor health in their homes.
Working multiple jobs at that age took a toll on my own health. I got very ill and I was admitted into hospital three times. I was nearly 70 and I couldn’t work anymore: after using all my savings I fell back on my rent, and my landlord evicted me.
When I came to Praxis they explained what options I had, and they made sure that I could escape destitution and retire. Over the years I had spent thousands of pounds just in lawyers fees to renew my visa, and none of them had ever mentioned that the No Recourse to Public Funds condition could be lifted. Praxis did that for me.
Life is still not easy. I am still taking care of my partner living in a nursing home. But at least now there is a safety net that can support me. I can retire, and when my feet are in pain I can sit down and rest.
As winter comes, thousands of people are struggling
to keep warm, have something to eat for themselves and their families, be safe. More and more people come to Praxis needing support: with your help more migrants at risk will be able to escape destitution this winter.