Advocacy Information & Advice—Benefits & Advice

Local contacts

Beds & Cambs Rural Support Group
Wood Farm
Hail Weston
St Neots
PE19 5LA

Tel: 08454 500290 (Rural Support Helpline)
www.ruralsupport-bedscambs.org.uk

Contact: David Morgan

The Beds & Cambs Rural Support Group is a local charity that offers a confidential listening, sign-posting and advice service to people faced with rural isolation, stress, homelessness, financial hardship and redundancy. The group operates through a network of contacts from farming and training organisations, local churches and trade unions and aims to identify the right source of help for people in difficulty and work with them to obtain it. Working and living in the countryside, the volunteers can relate to problems at first hand and act as a bridge between those in need and the traditional support and benefit agencies, which are usually town based. They also know about specialist sources of assistance directed specifically at people employed in farming.

In addition to its information and advice service, the group organises practical local initiatives where possible, for example, free courses on career changes are run in conjunction with Cambridge IAG for people in rural industries who are having to consider changing their livelihoods, sometimes for the first time.

Department for Work and Pensions
(The Social Security Office)
Clifton House
84 Broadway
Peterborough
PE1 1QZ

Tel: 01733 297600
Fax: 01733 297640
Website: www.dss.gov.uk

The social security office provides information on benefits in English and a wide range of other languages and processes most claims.

Useful leaflets which they publish include:

  • Sick or Disabled (SD1)
  • Sick and Unable to Work (SD2)
  • Long Term ill or Disabled (SD3)
  • Caring for Someone (SD4)

The agency also operates the Benefit Enquiry Line for general advice and information for disabled people and carers, but cannot deal with individual claims. Forms, which are dispatched from the BEL, will be dated and any claim will be backdated to that time. In some circumstances forms can be completed over the phone.

Benefit Enquiry Lines for people with disabilities.

Tel: 0800 882200
Textphone: 0800 243355

DIAL Peterborough
Kingfisher Centre
The Cresset
Bretton
Peterborough
PE3 8DX

Tel: 01733 265551
Email: dialpeterborough@btconnect.com

DIAL offers free, confidential and impartial advice and information on a wide variety of disability issues for people/families and their carers with physical disabilities in the greater Peterborough area. DIAL operates a system of self-referral, and appointments can be given on DIAL premises or at clients' homes on a face-to-face basis. There is a trained team of both disabled and non-disabled staff and volunteers. They are open for both telephone enquiries and personal callers from 10am - 4pm, Monday to Thursday. There is also a 24 hour answering service. Disabled parking is available nearby.

Peterborough Citizens Advice Bureau
41a Park Road
Peterborough
PE1 2TH

Tel: 01733 558383 (reception)
Information Line: 08444 994120
Email: info@peterboroughcab.org.uk
Website: www.peterboroughcab.org.uk

The C.A.B. provides free, confidential and independent advice to all members of the community in the greater Peterborough area. The advice is given by fully trained staff and volunteers on: housing, social security matters, benefits, employment, debt, tax, legal problems, immigration and nationality, family and personal, consumer rights. Specialist help is also available for welfare rights and debts. The C.A.B. provides its services face-to-face at the Bureau, and by post, fax and email. Clients are advised that staff would have difficulty in advising those who are under the influence of non-prescriptive drugs, or intoxicated or abusive/aggressive. The drop-in service is available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9.30am-3.30pmn. The is a ramp and ground floor toilet facilities.

Advocacy Project
Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services
3 Lincoln Court
Lincoln Road
Peterborough
PE1 2RP

Tel: 01733 342683
Email: peterboroughcarerscentre@pcvs.co.uk
Website: www.pcvs.co.uk/carers.html

The Project provides free individual advocacy for any vulnerable adult, with the aim of helping them achieve a better quality of life. This can be through maximising their income by helping people with benefits or representing them to benefit agencies; helping people express their wishes and needs to people who influence their lives e.g. social services, health authorities. Clients refer themselves and can phone/write to the Project to arrange an appointment at their premises or a home visit. Volunteers help with reception and administration duties. The Project can be contacted from 9am - 5pm, Monday to Thursday. There are ramps and adapted toilets at their premises

Peterborough Job Centre Plus
Clifton House
84 Broadway
Peterborough
PE1 1QZ

Tel: 01733 297600
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk

Peterborough Job Centre Plus provides benefits advice and processes claims for most social security benefits.

St. Theresa's House
13-15 Manor House Street
Peterborough
PE1 2TL

Tel: 01733 894989
Email: theresas133@aol.com
Website: www.sttheresas.com

St. Theresa's House is a Day Centre for anyone over the age of 18 in Peterborough who is on benefits and is in need of help or companionship. There are counselling services, assistance with finding and maintaining accommodation and applying for benefits. Clients are provided with meals (£1 - basic two course meal), laundry (£1) and shower facilities (50p) and have access to a doctor once a week and a hairdresser once a month. St. Theresa's liaises with other organisations in the city as appropriate. Their services are not suitable for those with severe physical or mental health problems. Clients can refer themselves by calling in at the centre when they will be registered. All services are provided at their premises. Volunteers help in the kitchen, with transport and in the second-hand clothes shop. St. Thereas's is open from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. There is a disabled toilet and a wheelchair ramp.

National contacts

Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society (COMBAT STRESS)
Head Office: Tyrwhitt House
Oaklawn Road
Leatherhead
Surrey
KT22 OBX

Tel: 01372 841600
Fax: 01372 841601
Email: contactus@combatstress.org.uk
Website: www.combatstress.org.uk

They are the only organisation helping ex-servicemen/women of all ranks of the three services and the Merchant Navy suffering mental disability due to their service career. We have a network of twelve welfare officers who visit at home or hospital, and can help with war pensions and appeals, and three treatment centres in Surrey, Shropshire and Ayrshire offering respite care, also a welfare office in Northern Ireland.

Ex-services Mental Welfare Society (West Midlands)
Audley Court
Audley Avenue
Newport
Shropshire
TF10 7BT

Tel: 01952 822700/822750
Email: westno1@combatstress.org.uk
Website: www.combatstress.org.uk

The society provides free counselling and practical help (e.g. war disablement pension claims) for ex-services people. It also runs treatment centres for psychological injuries. Phone the above number 9.00am-5.00pm on weekdays to arrange an appointment with a local welfare officer.