Signposting
Charities and organisations who can offer advice, help and support if you're in difficult circumstances.
| Description | Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Caring responsibilities | Mental health charity Rethink have a guide for anyone caring for someone with a severe mental health condition. | More information |
| The Carers UK helpline provides advice and information for carers on any issue including benefits, residential care, the Carer’s Act and respite care. | Phone: 0808 808 7777 Email advice@carersuk.org Website | |
| Office of the Public Guardian protects people in England and Wales who may not have the mental capacity to make certain decisions for themselves, such as about their health and finance. They hold information on lasting powers of attorney and investigate any issues with those applied. This also holds information about registering lasting powers of attorney. | Website | |
| Access to benefits | If you need help applying for universal credit, the Citizens Advice Help To Claim service can support you through the early stages of your application in person or over the phone. | Phone: England: 0800 144 8 444 England textphone: 18001 0800 144 8 444 Wales: 08000 241 220 Wales textphone: 18001 08000 241 220 Scotland: 0800 023 2581 Website |
| Financial hardship charity Turn2Us have a benefits calculator which can help you understand what you are entitled to. You just need to fill in some details about your current circumstances | Turn2Us benefits calculator | |
| Working Families include a guide to benefits available to people in work. | More information | |
| Financial difficulties | StepChange Debt Charity offer free to client independent debt advice. They cover various debt scenarios from development of repayment arrangements to insolvency. | Phone: 0800 1381111 Website |
| Money Advice Trust / National Debtline offer free and independent advice through telephone and online advice services. Website includes fact sheets on bankruptcy, IVA, DROs etc. | Phone: 0808 808 4000 Website | |
| MoneyHelper is a free service provided by the Money and Pensions Service. MoneyHelper provide impartial money and pensions guidance for people all across the UK. | Website | |
| Financial difficulties for Business Owners | GOV.UK offers a comprehensive guide to government financial support for businesses in England and Wales. | More information |
| StepChange provides specialized debt advice for self-employed individuals and businesses. It covers England, Wales (with self-employed debt advice), and Scotland (offering advice tailored to Scottish law with debt advice Scotland). | England and Wales: Self-employed debt advice Scotland: Debt advice Scotland | |
| Business Debtline offers free debt advice for small businesses and the self-employed across England, Wales, and Scotland. | Website | |
| Business Gateway provides resources, support, and advice for starting and growing a business in Scotland. | Website | |
| Advice NI offers support and guidance on business debt for business owners in Northern Ireland. | More information |
| Description | Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Homelessness | Shelter offer housing advice, support and legal services to anyone at risk of eviction, repossession or homelessness in England and Scotland. | Emergency helpline: 0808 800 4444 Website |
| Young people's charity Centrepoint run a service called Nightstop providing emergency accommodation in volunteer homes across the country. You can find your nearest service here | Website | |
| Domestic Violence | The National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV) provides a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence regardless of their financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation. The service allows anyone to apply for an injunction within 24 hours of first contact (in most circumstances). | Phone: 0800 970 2070 Option 1: Information about getting an injunction. Website |
| Women's Aid is a national charity and federation of 300 local services supporting domestic violence survivors through advocacy and practical support. | Website | |
| Refuge offer specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence. They have put together a guide with practical help and information on your rights, if you are being controlled or manipulated financially by a partner or family member. | Women's Advice Line: 0808 2000 247 (England) 0808 80 10 800 (Wales) 0808 802 1414 (N. Ireland) 0800 027 1234 (Scotland) Website | |
| Asylum seekers and refugees | The Red Cross offers a range of services if you are a newly arrived migrant living in the UK. Depending on your circumstances and where you live they may be able to help you with travel vouchers, food parcels, small amounts of cash, benefits and careers advice and adjusting to life in the UK | Find out more about how the Red Cross can support you here. The advice is available in many languages |
| Financial exploitation | Stop Loan Sharks provide specialist support, help and advice for victims of loan sharks. They have the power to investigate and prosecute loan sharks and will support you in accessing local financial support and coping emotionally. | Phone (Report a loan shark): 0300 555 2222 Website |
| Bereavement | Cruse are a bereavement charity specialising in advice support and information for bereaved people across the UK. | Phone: 0844 477 9400 (costs apply). Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk Website |
| Relationship Breakdown | Gingerbread offer advice and practical support for single parent families in England and Wales. They can advise on separation, benefits, child tax credits work and housing. | Website |
| Citizens Advice has a guide for making practical arrangements around shared finances, living and children when a relationship ends. | More information | |
| Leaving care/Looked after young person | Become, a charity for young care leavers has put together factsheets covering a variety of frequently asked questions about finances, how the care system works and what you are entitled to when you leave. | Website |
| Home at risk | Shelter offer housing advice, support and legal services to anyone living in poor housing or at risk of homelessness in England and Scotland in the UK. | You can find advisors in your local area using the search tool |
| Description | Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Mental health | Mind have a team that provides information on a range of topics including: types of mental health problems, where to get help, medication and alternative treatments. They can also signpost you services offering help and support in your local area. | Phone: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 Email: info@mind.org.uk Website |
| Rethink Mental Illness have information about different types of mental illness, diagnosis and treatments as well as support groups around the country. They also have a number of factsheets that may help customers get further support. | Website | |
| SANE provide practical help, emotional support and specialist information to individuals affected by mental health problems, their family, friends and carers. | Phone: 0300 304 7000 Website | |
| YoungMinds Crisis Messenger is a free, 24/7 support line for young people going through a mental health crisis. All texts are answered by trained volunteers, with support from experienced clinical supervisors | Text YM to 85258 More information | |
| Depression/anxiety | Mind have a team that provides information on a range of topics including: types of mental health problems, where to get help, medication and alternative treatments. They can also signpost you services offering help and support in your local area. | Phone: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 Email: info@mind.org.uk Website |
| Drug addiction | Find NHS drug support services in your local area | Website |
| Alcohol addiction | Find NHS alcohol support services in your local area | Website |
| Gambling addiction | GamCare is a charity set up to help problem gamblers, as well as their friends and families providing advice over the phone and online or through face to face counselling. | Phone: 08088020133 Website |
| Gordon Moody Association offers residential courses for men and woman who have problems with gambling. It also runs the Gambling Therapy website, which offers online support to problem gamblers and their friends and family | Email help@gordonmoody.org.uk Phone: 01384 241292 Website | |
| Bipolar | Mind have a team that provides information on a range of topics including: types of mental health problems, where to get help, medication and alternative treatments. They can also signpost you services offering help and support in your local area. | Phone: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 Email: info@mind.org.uk Website |
| Serious long term illness | The People Hub are a charity working to empower people with long-term health conditions and disabilities through knowledge sharing. You can find resources and toolkits to help you manage a personal health budget on their website. | Head to sheets 3 and 4 from here. |
| MacMillian are a cancer support organisation. They offer a range of support services and advice, including money worry advice. | Phone: 0808 808 00 00 Website | |
| Social Isolation | WaveLength gives media technology (radios, televisions and tablets) to lonely people living in poverty. | You need to be referred but can find more information on how to apply for this service on the website |
| Description | Link | |
|---|---|---|
| Age related | Age UK provide a national advice line and local advice covering a large number of subjects including money worries and health and well being. | Phone: 0800 169 2081 Website |
| Elder Abuse work to protect and prevent the abuse of vulnerable older adults, and to protect older adults at risk of abuse. | Phone: 080 8808 8141 Website | |
| Living with a learning disability | Mencap Learning Disability Helpline provides advice and information on all issues relevant to people with learning disabilities and their families in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. | Phone: 0808 808 1111 Website |