» Disability advice and equipment
» Employment
» Health
» Legal advice
» Money advice and debt
» Other advice
» Older people/retirement
» State benefits
Bereavement
Child Bereavement Charity
Support and Information line: 01494 446648
The UK’s leading charity that supports families
and educates professionals both when a child dies
and when a child is bereaved.
Cruse Bereavement Care
www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk
Tel: 0844 477 9400
Cruse Bereavement Care exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss.
The WAY Foundation
Tel: 0870 011 3450
Supports men and women widowed in the UK aged 50 and below.
Disability advice and equipment
AbilityNet
www.abilitynet.co.ukFreephone helpline: 0800 269545
(Tel: 01926 312847)
PO Box 94, Warwick, CV34 5WS
Helps make mainstream computer technology accessible to disabled people.
Aidis Trust
www.aidis.orgTel: 01202 695244
Fax: 01202 695322
1 Albany Park, Cabot Lane, Poole, Dorset, BH17 7BX
Aims to provide specialised computer equipment to people with disabilities, of all ages, to aid their communication.
Alzheimers Society
www.alzheimers.org.uk/Helpline: 0845 300 0336 (local rate)
(Tel: 020 7306 0606)
Advice and support to those dealing with dementia.
Arthritis Care
www.arthritiscare.org.ukFreephone helpline: 0808 800 4050
(Tel: 020 7916 1500)
18 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD
Benefits Enquiry Line
Freephone: 0800 602080Specialises in benefits for people with disabilities, their carers and their representatives. As it has no access to personal records it provides general advice only.
Blind People, Action for
www.afbp.orgTel: 020 7732 8771
14-16 Verney Road, London SE16 3DZ
Employment, grants, information and benefits advice.
Blue Badge - information and online parking mapwww.afbp.or
www.direct.gov.uk/BlueBadgeMap
British Dyslexia Association
www.bdadyslexia.org.ukThe national organisation for dyslexia.
Carers UK
www.carersuk.org.ukCarersLine: 0808 808 7777
Tel: 020 7490 8818
20-25 Glasshouse Yard, London EC1A 4JT
Informs and supports carers, brings needs of carers to the attention of government.
Carers Direct
www.nhs.uk/carersdirectInformation, advice and support for carers.
Call Carers direct on 0808 802 0202Calibre Cassette Library
Tel: 01296 432339
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP22 5XQ
Free postal cassette library for blind, partially sighted or print disabled adults and children.
Computability Centre (now part of AbilityNet)
www.bcs.org.uk/computab
Shows how computers, with the appropriate 'get round' technology, can help people with all kinds of disabilities.
Dementia UK
A national charity committed to improving quality of life for all those affected by Dementia. Its Admiral Nurses scheme offers advice and support to family carers.
Dial UK
www.dialuk.infoTel: 01302 310123
St Catherine's, Tickhill Road, Balby, Doncaster DN4 8QN
Supports UK wide disability information and advice services.
Disabled Living Foundation
www.dlf.org.ukInformation on equipment and technology to increase disabled people's independence.
Funding Caring
FundingCaring is an essential resource for anyone requiring information on the cost of care, whether for themselves or for someone else. Individuals needing care may be children, elderly or disabled people.
Holiday Care
www.holidaycare.org.ukTel: 0845 124 9971
Minicom: 0845 124
Provides holiday information and support for disabled people and details of respite care accommodation.
KIDS Direct Shortbreaks
http://www.directshortbreaks.org.uk/
National Helpline: 0845 453 1000
A KIDS Direct Short break means that disabled children and young people can enjoy and experience activities that they are interested in with the support of a skilled Short Break Worker (Personal Assistant).
Parents can take a break confident that their child is benefitting from KIDS’ passion for inclusion. KIDS is a registered charity.
Leonard Cheshire
www.leonard-cheshire.orgTel: 020 7802 8200
30 Millbank, London SW1P 4QD
Charity provider of services for disabled people.
Motability
www.motability.co.ukTel: 01279 635666
Warwick House, Roydon Road, Harlow CM19 5PX
Charity helping disabled people to purchase/hire vehicles.
Multiple Sclerosis Society
www.mssociety.org.ukHelpline: 0808 800 8000
(Tel: 020 8438 0700)
The MS National Centre, 372 Edgware Road, London, NW2 6ND
Provides information and support to people affected by MS.
National Branch Network.
Multiple Sclerosis Society in Scotland
Tel: 0131 472 4106Rural Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh, EH28 8NZ
Multiple Sclerosis Society in Northern Ireland
Tel: 01232 8028023
4 Annadale Avenue, Belfast BT7 3JJ
National Centre for Independent Living
www.ncil.org.uk/default.aspwww.ncil.org.uk
This website is designed to be a resource on independent living, direct payments and individual budgets for disabled people and others working in the field who may find it useful.
Parkinson's Disease Society
www.parkinsons.org.ukTel: 0207 931 8080
215 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 1EJ
Remap
www.remap.org.uk
Tel: 0845 1300 456 (local rate)
Custom made equipment for people with disabilities
Red Cross (British Society)
www.redcross.org.ukTel: 0207 235 5454
9 Grosvenor Crescent, London SW1X 7EJ
National limited equipment loan, escort and transport services.
Rethink
www.rethink.org
Advice line: 020 8974 6814
(Tel: 020 8547 3937)
28 Castle Street, Kingston-upon-Thames, KT1 1SS
Working together to help everyone affected by severe mental illness to recover a better quality of life.
Richmond Fellowship is one of the biggest providers of mental health care in the country. It has services throughout England, providing housing, care and support for adults with mental health problems and related needs.
Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)
www.rnib.org.ukHelpline: 0845 766 9999 224 (local rate)
Great Portland Street, London W1N 6AA
Provides advice, assistance and information on benefits, equipment, employment and support.
Scope
www.scope.org.ukCharity working with people with cerebral palsy.
Skill (National Bureau for Students with Disabilities)
www.skill.org.ukFreephone Information Service voice: 0800 328 5050
Information Service freetext: 0800 068 2422
Voice/text: 020 7450 0620
Voice: 020 7657 2337
Fax: 020 7450 0650
Chapter House, 18-20 Crucifix Lane, London, SE1 3JW
Skill promotes opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of disability in post -16 education, training and employment across the UK.
Thrive
www.thrive.org.uk
National horticultural charity that exists to enable disadvantaged, disabled and older people to participate fully in the social and economic life of the community.
Whizz Kidz
http://www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
Whizz-Kidz is a charity that is all about giving disabled children and young people the independence to enjoy an active childhood – at home, at school and at play, by providing mobility equipment, training, advice and life skills.
Employment
ACAS
08457 47 47 47 - Monday - Friday 8am - 6pm
08456 06 16 00 - Textphone users
Employment information and your rights at work. Helpline answers your employment questions in one confidential phone call.
Careers Advice and Support
www.careersadvice.direct.gov.uk
Free advice on jobs, courses, paying for your training or finding childcare.
0800 100 900 to talk in confidence to a friendly trained adviser.
Open 8am to 10pm seven days a week.
The Employment Service
www.employmentservice.gov.ukHas information on specialist services for disabled people.
Shaw Trust
www.opportunities.org.ukShaw Trust is a national charity which supports disabled and disadvantaged people to prepare for work, find jobs and live more independently.
IET - careers and training
Professional registration, professional development, jobs and other career related information.
Jobability.com
www.jobability.com/jobability/jobsearch.aspHas been set up in partnership with Leonard Cheshire, Microsoft UK Ltd and totaljobs.com.
Working Families
www.workingfamilies.org.uk
Information for working families on employment rights, childcare and flexible working. Helps children, working parents and carers and their employers find a better balance between responsibilities at home and work.
Mother at Work
The first and only monthly webzine dedicated to working mothers.
Health
BBC Health
Health advice and information, tools and treatments and contacts directory.
Legal advice
Advicenow
www.advicenow.orgBrings together the best information on the law and your rights from a wide range of advice and information services
www.advicenow.org.uk/go/livingtogether/index
Exactly what rights couples living together really have, and the simple, practical steps they can take to protect themselves and their families whatever the future holds.
Citizens Advice Bureau, National Association of (NACAB)
www.citizensadvice.org.ukTel: 020 7833 2181
Myddleton House, 115-123 Pentonville Road, London N1 9LZ
Information and Advice. You can search the CAB directory on the CAB website to locate your local CAB.
Law Society - Solicitors Online
www.lawsociety.org.uk/choosingandusing.lawSolicitors Online helps to find local law firms that can help with your legal issue. The website is operated by The Law Society, the regulatory and representative body for 116,000 solicitors in England and Wales. The website also covers solicitors outside England and Wales.
Legal Services Commission
www.legalservices.gov.ukHelp with legal problems.
Mary Ward Legal Centre
www.marywardlegal.org.ukTel: 020 7381 7079
Mary Ward Legal Centre, 26-27 Boswell Street, London, WC1N 3JZ
Provides free advice for clients who work or live in Greater London. They also take cases on and provide representation in a limited number of employment cases. Whether a case is taken on depends on the person's resources, their ability to represent themselves and the merits of the case.
Rights of Women
www.rightsofwomen.org.ukFree legal advice line: 020 7251 6577
45 Beech Street, London, EC2P 2LX
A free legal advice line run by women for women on 020 7251 6577. The line is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 2-4pm and 7-9pm, and also Friday 12-2pm. It can also signpost you to other advice organisations or local solicitors. There is also a list of other useful organisations on its links page.
Your rights
The Liberty guide to Human Rights.
Money advice and debt
Money Made Clear
Impartial information about money, budgeting, rent and mortgages, studying, families, separation and divorce and planning for retirement. There are also factsheets, tools and news updates.
Money Basics
MoneyBasics is a partnership between Credit Action, Consumer Credit Counselling Service and GE Money. Its aim is to provide simple, clear and independent information about money and includes
budget calculators.
Money Saving Expert
Tips on how to save money and claim entitlements.
Grants and Funding
Advice on funding and grants for all sorts of purposes, including home improvement, utility arrears, energy efficiency and making your home safe.
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/protect/grant-grabbing
Citizens Advice Bureau, National Association of (NACAB)
www.citizensadvice.org.ukTel: 020 7833 2181
Myddleton House, 115-123 Pentonville Road, London N1 9LZ
Information and Advice. You can search the CAB directory on the CAB website to locate your local CAB.
Debt Help Scotland
www.debthelpscotland.co.ukFreephone: 0800 0182001
Free debt advice for residents of Scotland.
Debt Questions
www.debtquestions.co.uk
Debt Advice and Online Forum.
The Office of Fair Trading
www.oft.gov.ukTel: 08457 224499 (local rate)
Information on consumer rights.
Payplan
www.payplan.comFreephone: 0800 716239
Free debt management planning, budgetting advice and specialists in IVAs the alternative to bankruptcy.
Other advice
Gingerbread
www.gingerbread.org.uk
Freephone: 0808 802 0925
Information and support for Lone Parents.
Older people/retirement/housing options
Age UK
www.ageuk.org.uk0800 169 6565 (free phone)
Advice and information for elderly people.
AgeNI
www.ageuk.org.uk/northern-ireland
Tel: 0808 808 7575 (free phone)
Age Scotland
www.ageconcernandhelptheagedsscotland.org.uk
Tel: 0845 125 9732 (local Rate)
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
www.cqc.org.uk
The independent regulator of health and social care in England.
Use the social care services directory to find reports and quality ratings on all local care homes, home care and other registered adult social care services.
Counsel and Care for the Elderly
www.counselandcare.org.uk
Tel: 0845 300 7585 (local rate)
Twynam House, 16 Bonny Street, London NW1 9PG
Advice service on care at home, residential care and nursing homes, community care and financial help.
Elderly Accommodation Counsel
EAC is a national charity that aims to help older people make informed choices about meeting their housing and care needs.
EAC's housing care advice and search website - Housing Care:
provides free information & advice for elderly people, their relatives, and carer/s, as well as professionals in the industry. Includes specialist directories of over 50,000 retirement homes & care homes in the UK, with over 1000 properties available to buy and to rent each week.
First Stop
www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk
An independent, free service, offering advice on care, housing and financial options for older people and their carers.
Tel: 0800 377 7070
The Residents and Relatives Association
www.relres.org
Helpline: 020 7359 8136 (Monday - Friday 9:30 - 4:30pm)
The Relatives & Residents Association exists for older people needing, or living in, residential care and their families.
Benefits Enquiry Line
Freephone: 0800 602080Specialises in benefits for people with disabilities, their carers and their representatives. As it has no access to personal records it provides general advice only.
State benefits
Direct Gov
Information on benefits and pensions
Around £5 billion in tax credits and benefits goes unclaimed each year.
Entitled To
Entitledto is website that provides free, easy to use calculators to help you work out your benefit entitlement. No personal information is needed so anonymity is preserved
Adviceguide
www.adviceguide.org.ukPublished by Citizens Advice, this website provides up-to-date, independent advice and points to reliable sources of advice when you need more than information. It covers England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and provides information in English, Welsh, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, Urdu and Chinese.
Citizens Advice Bureau, National Association of (NACAB)
www.citizensadvice.org.ukTel: 020 7833 2181
Myddleton House, 115-123 Pentonville Road, London N1 9LZ
Information and advice on your rights. You can search the CAB directory on the CAB website to locate your local CAB.
IET Connect, The Institution of Engineering and Technology Benevolent Fund. A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England. Registration No 00441284. Registered Charity No. 208925. Registered office: 2 Savoy Place, London, WC2R 0BL.