A man who has been hailed as Britain’s kindest plumber has helped a disabled man who was left without food and facing a debt with his gas company of nearly £1,500.
James Anderson, 52, from Burnley, has run his own plumbing business Depher, which stands for Disability and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair, since 2017. As part of his job, he regularly visits the homes of people struggling to pay for food and gas.
Taking to social media, James said he was contacted by the friends of a disabled man in Manchester who had been left without food for three weeks - besides a packet of pot noodles.
READ MORE: Moment water shoots into the air as 'vandals' set off fire hydrant on busy Manchester road
James said the man, 47, was in debt of £1,436 with his gas supplier British Gas. Posting on Twitter, James said he has helped the man order some food shopping.
He wrote: “Just been to an emergency request in Manchester. A disabled guy 47 has been without Food for 3 weeks, only a pack of 12 pot noodles. His Gas is in debt of £1,436.00 with British gas, he is on PiP as far as he knows. We will plan the debt tomorrow, shopping ordered from Tesco.”
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, James said he is now helping the man, who lives in Fallowfield, get back on track. “As soon as I walked in, you could tell he knew who I was and he just started crying,” he explained.
“The gas bill is horrendous and we keep seeing people in situations like that. Two weeks ago, we had to help out a couple who haven’t had a boiler for three years with a £500 bill from a gas company just for standing order charges.
“We’ll be paying the man’s gas bill today and setting him up on a standing order where he’ll pay £20 a month. We’ve ordered him £200 worth of food and we’re going to keep an eye on him.
“There’s a friend of mine who looks at utilities and she’s going to ensure he’s on the best tariffs, and we are going to get someone to assess him on his benefits. It’s about putting people on the right pathway, watching them and educating them. You can’t just go and pay the bill and leave them as it’s only ever going to be a temporary solution.”
Depher’s work is supported through donations and private work, and James says the company is being contacted regularly about people struggling to make ends meet and says he fears the numbers will only continue to rise as the cost of living crisis worsens.
“I feel like we’re at the tip of the iceberg - It’s getting a lot worse,” He explained. “We’re getting calls every day about people needing help. There’s no long-term solution being offered to get people out of a situation like this. I feel like it’s going to come along like a tsunami in the winter.
"I had an elderly woman last week who was paying £29 a month for home insurance and had a water leak in the bathroom. They came round and said there was nothing they could do because it was wear and tear. They gave her a number for a plumber who was charging £150 an hour.
"When I went to look at it, it was a drip from the pipe behind the toilet that should be covered by the insurance. It doesn’t make sense at all, but that's what we're there to deal with.
"We’re going to replace the toilet, the sink and the floor, and remove the danger and we’re going to do it free of charge because that’s what we do. We won’t take £120 off an elderly person who is struggling during the cost of living crisis.
“We’ve got 13 members of staff and we’re looking to take on more around the country if we can so hopefully we can be ready for the winter. We don’t want to be overwhelmed so much where we see people slipping through the net. We want to help people when they need that lifeline."
James, who recently received a special recognition award at the Pride of Manchester awards, said he has been overwhelmed with the response and support from people to help fund the company's efforts, but says the government needs to step up.
“We’re in a very sad state of affairs,” he said. “It’s all down to the government, they’ve got the power to press the reset button and sort this country out. It may cost a little bit more in the future, but let’s sort out the issues and the debt.
“I’ve sent a letter to every MP in the country about what we’re doing and asking them to help launch something in every town. Out of everyone I messaged, only two have got back to me. I sent the same message to 20 European MPs just to test it and 18 came back offering to help. That shows you how downward this country is going.
“But as long as I’ve got fuel in my van and hands on my body, I’ll work and be there for people. If I have to sell the shirt off my back to do something to help someone, I’ll do it. I’ll always be there to help until the day I die.
“I hope what we do does influence people and encourage them to help and look out for each other if they can. I’ve always said that just one little act of kindness can create a huge tidal wave.”
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- Stop turning up to A&E with 'stubbed toes' because you can't get a GP appointment, urges paramedic
- Apprentice firm at Manchester United stars' Class of 92 university slapped as 'inadequate' by inspectors
- Ambulances treated as 'extra wards' as patients stuck outside crisis-hit hospitals for 'three HOURS'
- Despite repeated warnings and the death of a teenage boy dozens of people are STILL swimming at Salford Quays
- 25 sayings that make perfect sense to anyone who grew up in Manchester
