We spent around a third of our money on people living with HIV.

Our services make an impact everyday in improving the lives of those of us with HIV.

Support for THT has enabled thousands of people living with HIV to use our advice services. This has been particularly important during 2010/2011 as some of us began to feel the effects of government cuts to welfare benefits and the impact of growing unemployment. Those people who used our advice services told us that their income increased by an average of £30 per week as a result of the support they received from us.

This is much needed as poverty continues to grow amongst many of us with HIV. Because of this, THT stepped in and quickly merged with HIV charity Crusaid in June 2010, to ensure that its Hardship Fund remained available to people living with HIV. This meant that in its first year of operation at THT, the Hardship Fund has already supported and improved the economic wellbeing of nearly 1,000 people.

The Crusaid merger also ensured that the major fundraising event Walk for Life – an annual 10km sponsored walk around London – would continue. This event raises much-needed money which is then distributed via the Hardship Fund.

THT provided immigration advice and support to hundreds of African people with HIV. Our figures show that this support meant that over a third of the people when asked, who used the service were successful in resolving their immigration issue.

Our helpline, THT Direct, is the UK’s only seven-day-a-week sexual health information and advice service. As well as providing practical information and support, our advisers also provide emotional support for people who are worried about their sexual health or who have concerns about living with HIV. In 2010/2011 we provided information and advice to over 23,400 of you. Often this is the first contact someone has with THT, and many people go on to access other Terrence Higgins Trust services.

During 2010/2011 we worked with the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) to launch LifePlus, the UK’s first national long term condition management programme for people living with HIV.

LifePlus provides face-to-face support in Brighton, Birmingham, Glasgow, Cardiff and Manchester - areas of the UK with high rates of HIV prevalence. Our clinic-based Health Trainers enable people to become experts in managing their own HIV and in dealing with any social care challenges that may jeopardise their health and medical treatment.

The myHIV website quickly established itself as a vital part of the LifePlus programme. The website includes:

• Online counselling,  online advice and online support from the LifePlus Health Trainers;
• HIV health information that meets the Information Standard – a nationally recognised quality standard for trustworthy and up-to-date health and social care information;
• An innovative suite of self-management tools including appointment and meds reminders by email or SMS;
• An online forum enabling anyone to share their everyday experiences of living with HIV and to learn from each other;
• A new national service finder, enabling users to quickly and easily find the HIV services they need.

Following its January 2011 launch, the myHIV website received more than 14,700 visitors by the end of March. Within its first month more than 650 people had registered for full access to the website, 500 of whom joined the online myHIV forum.

People have already reported real benefits from LifePlus. Over 80% of people with HIV who have used the LifePLus programme have told us that they have adopted healthier living practices as a result.

Nine out of 10 people have told us they feel better able to navigate the healthcare system and the social welfare system after using LifePlus. More than half of LifePlus users are saying they now feel more comfortable in disclosing their HIV status to other people.

And more than 90% of people who have used LifePlus have said that they are more able to participate in managing and taking responsibility for their own HIV and healthcare.

A big advance for people living with HIV, the LifePlus programme has enabled us to serve more people than ever before. We were very grateful to the many people living with HIV who contributed to the development and design of this programme from the very beginning.

We also know that good mental health is important. During the year 80% of people surveyed who used our counselling services reported an improvement in mental health as a result.