Jayne’s story: finding her way home – and a new chapter

When Jayne was referred for employment support in June 2025, she had a clear goal.

At 63, she was already working in a cleaning role but wanted to move back into a customer-facing job - something she’d enjoyed earlier in her life. With support from an Employment Coach, she began working towards that next step.

But just a few months later, her circumstances changed overnight.

In September 2025, a house fire turned Jayne’s life upside down. She lost her home and most of her belongings and had to move into temporary accommodation while repairs were carried out.

The impact was huge. Jayne was signed off work and, over the following months, moved between several temporary placements. While these could accommodate her dog, Duncan, she wasn’t able to leave him alone, which made working impossible and added to an already stressful situation.

Despite everything she had been through, Jayne remained focused on getting back on her feet.

Support when it was needed most

As Jayne’s situation changed, so did the support around her.

Her Employment Coach remained a consistent point of contact, helping to coordinate the right support at the right time. This included arranging one-to-one trauma-informed sessions to help her manage the emotional impact of the fire - a key barrier to returning to work.

Alongside this, she received financial guidance from a Customer Income Adviser and practical help from SNG’s Energy Support Service to manage heating, bills and essential costs while in temporary accommodation.

Together, this eased some of the immediate pressures Jayne was facing and gave her the space to begin focusing again on her longer-term goals.

Returning to work on her own terms

As the new year began and things became more settled, Jayne felt ready to revisit her employment goals.

With tailored, one-to-one support, she updated her CV and prepared for interviews, building confidence and clarity about the kind of role she wanted.

After narrowly missing out on her first interview, Jayne didn’t give up. When another opportunity came up, she got back in touch - and this time, she was successful.

She has now started new role and is thrilled to have made the positive move back to a customer-facing role, and recognises the huge courage it has taken.

“At 63, I thought I’d struggle to get any new job at all. The support was completely tailored to my needs - from rebuilding my CV to coaching me through interviews. I felt understood, heard and encouraged, and that gave me the confidence to believe in myself again. It paid off, and I got my ideal job.” - Jayne

A return home

Earlier this year, Jayne was finally able to move back home.

While much had been lost in the fire, returning marked an important milestone - the end of months of uncertainty and the chance to start rebuilding.

She also received practical help to make her house feel like home again, including replacement white goods and furniture. One gesture that meant a lot was a new bed for Duncan, her greyhound, whose own bed had been lost in the fire. After months of sleeping on a blanket, he’s now happily curled up again.

Looking ahead

Jayne’s story is one of determination and resilience.

Through loss and uncertainty, she kept moving forward - returning home, securing a new job and rebuilding her confidence for the future.

“The support over the last few months has been life changing, and I want as many people as possible to know what a difference it has made.” -  Jayne

Support is available

Jayne’s story shows how the right support, at the right time, can make a real difference - especially when employment support is combined with wider help around wellbeing, money and day-to-day challenges.

If you’re an SNG customer and you’re looking for work, want to change jobs, or are facing challenges that are making it harder to move forward, our Support for You team may be able to help.