Wheatley pulls out all the stops to support vulnerable customers

Staff at Wheatley – Scotland’s largest housing, care and property management group – are working around the clock to support customers and communities through these extraordinary times.

The Group has in place a wide range of services and additional measures aimed at tackling the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the people and families who live in the 93,000  homes  it owns and manages across Scotland, as well as the 7000 people a year it works for in care.

With housing offices closed to the public and non-critical staff working from home, housing officers, care staff, customer service teams and advisors are helping customers online and by phone and text. Environmental teams are in communities 24/7, prioritising fire safety, including uplifting bulk rubbish, extra cleaning in multi-storey blocks and security checks.

Wheatley Chief Executive Martin Armstrong said: “We’re doing everything we can to support our most vulnerable customers during these very difficult times.”

Wheatley has expanded its EatWell service by over 600% and is delivering emergency food parcels every day to vulnerable customers from Dumfries and Galloway to Glasgow and across to Edinburgh and the Lothians. A further £350,000 will be injected to boost deliveries to over 1500 a week.

The new £50,000 Emergency Response Fund is being used to alleviate hardship and isolation, with people across the country receiving help to buy everything from nappies and mobile phone top-ups to activity kits for children.

Wheatley – which comprises GHA, Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership, Dunedin Canmore, Cube, Loretto Housing, West Lothian Housing Partnership, Barony, Wheatley Care, YourPlace Property Management, Lowther Homes and Wheatley Foundations – is working more closely than ever with partners.

It has donated £100,000 to help fund Social Bite’s emergency food delivery service in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen and handed over 120 empty homes to local authorities to provide temporary accommodation for homeless people.

(Update provided by Wheatley Group)