Using our advice service
Please contact us if you require advice and assistance on
social security benefits and tax credits. We offer:
- Specialist workers to assist and advise people with mental
health problems, or those who speak community languages
- Representation to residents at appeal tribunals where they have
grounds to challenge decisions about their benefits
- Training courses for other Council staff and to voluntary
sector groups.
The Advice Service also assists people with multiple debt
problems and housing problems, see the related pages
about the help we can provide.
We can give you general advice about welfare benefits, debt or
housing issues through our Advice Line. If the problem
is complicated then we can make you an appointment at one of our
advice sessions throughout the borough. If we think that your
case will need ongoing work then it will be allocated to a specific
worker.
Our online benefits checker means you can now check what you’re
entitled to from the comfort of your own home. You’d be surprised
who can claim – whether you’re single, married, working or
not. You might be entitled to more than you think.
Information about benefits
For further information about benefits is available on the
following sites:
- Department for Work and Pensions
- provides general benefit information
- Directgov - provides
a range of information relating to government services, including
benefits information
- AdviceGuide - public
information service of Citizens’ Advice, providing access to
Citizens’ Advice Bureau information on people’s rights
- Tax Credits - HM
Revenue and Customs Tax Credit website featuring information
on the tax credits available to you
- The Pension Service
- provides information for individuals about pensions and other
pensioner benefits in the UK
- Job Centre
Plus - pays benefits to people of working age and provides help
in finding jobs
- AdviceNow - Advicenow is an
independent, not-for-profit website providing information on
rights and legal issues.