- Age UK – 55+
- Citizen’s Advice – Anyone with social, legal, money issues
- Community Living Well (Navigator Service) – 16+ and under Primary Care
- Crosslight Advice – Anyone struggling with debt
- Debt Advice Foundation – Anyone worried about loans, credit or debt
- Depaul – 16-25 years who are disadvantaged
- Disability Benefits Centre – Government advice service
- Fire Safety Advice and Free Smoke Alarms – Socially disadvantaged
- Freedom Pass Application – Patients with SMI and advised not to drive
- Gingerbread – Lone parents
- London Irish Centre – Irish living in London
- Migrants Organise – Asylum seekers, refugees and migrants
- Mind (National) – Legal advice via email
- Money Advice Service – Advice to improve finances
- North Kensington Law Centre – Free legal advice for local community
- Nucleus – Local legal and social advice
- RBKC Antisocial Behaviour Team – K&C residents
- RBKC Benefits Service – K&C residents eligible for benefits
- River House Resource Centre – Those living with HIV
- Shelter – National telephone housing advice line
- Step Change – Free, independant debt advice
- Stonewall Housing – LGBT+ housing advice and support
- Turn2Us – Help to access benefits and hardships charity grants
- World’s End Neighbourhood Advice Centre – K&C residents
Age UK – K&C Branch
Provide a range of services to help over 55s to stay independent in their own home, including befriending, social activities, escorting, practical help, shopping and decluttering services. They can also offer assistance with benefits, social care needs, and energy efficiency/ fuel poverty.
Lots of information can be downloaded from the main Age UK website.
W: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/kensingtonandchelsea/
A: 1 Thorpe Close, London, W10 5XL
T: 020 8969 9105
E: information@aukc.org.uk
Citizens Advice
Offer free, confidential information and advice to assist people with money, legal, consumer and other problems.
W: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk
A: K&C Branch – Chelsea Old Town Hall, Kings Road, SW3 5EB
T: 0808 278 7982
Community Living Well (Navigator Service)
For people over 16 who experience mental health problems whilst under the care of their GP, and their carers. Offer short term support, usually up to six sessions. which can include:
- Practical support with a range of issues e.g. benefits, debt, housing options, access to health and social care services and other rights and entitlements
- Support to access specialist advice and information
- Support to take steps to improve physical and mental wellbeing
- Links to Psychological Therapies, Employment and Peer Support where this is helpful
Professional or self referrals accepted online.
W: https://communitylivingwell.co.uk
E: nhsnwl.clwwellbeing@nhs.net
Crosslight Advice
An independent charity in West London whose aim is to combat poverty and hardship caused by unmanageable debt and lack of financial capability. Offer individual debt advice, money education as well as budgeting workshops.
Self referrals and professional referrals accepted via an online form. Two branches in K&C where people can attend sessions.
W: https://www.crosslightadvice.org
E: info@crosslightadvice.org
Debt Advice Foundation
National debt advice and education charity offering free, impartial, confidential support and advice to anyone worried about loans, credit and debt.
W: www.debtadvicefoundation.org
T: 0800 043 40 50
Depaul UK
Charity that aims to support young people (16-25 years) by:
- Offering a safe place to stay in a crisis
- Helping them take steps from homelessness into stable housing
- Provide specialist long-term support to help get lives back on track
They can provide support with health issues, housing benefit problems and other challenges facing young people.
T: 020 7278 4224 during office hours, 0808 808 4994 out of hours
E: depaul@depaulcharity.org.uk
Disability Benefits Centre
Gov.Uk website providing information about a range of benefits including:
- Benefit calculators, how payments work, changes of circumstance, benefit fraud and appeals.
- Universal Credit
- Tax credits
- Jobseeker’s Allowance and low income benefits
- Carers and disability benefits
- Child Benefit
- Benefits for families
- Heating and housing benefits
Also offer advice and information on claims that have already been made.
W: https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
Fire Safety and Smoke Alarms
London Fire Brigade wants to identify people eligible for a free home safety fire visit. Fire safety advice given and smoke alarms installed.
Eligible if: live alone/ in social housing/ have a mental, physical, learning disability/ are aged over 60/ single parents/ smokers/ use drugs and alcohol/ hoard.
Complete the online Home Safety Fire Checker for recommendations and to book an in-person safety check, if needed.
Freedom Pass Application
For patients with severe mental illness who have been advised they cannot drive (e.g. due to symptoms/ medication). Need to be considered unlikely to make an improvement in this respect for next twelve months.
Download the application form from the RBKC Council webpage here
Gingerbread
Provides free information for lone parents on issues including maintenance, tax credits, benefits, work, education, legal rights, childcare and holidays. They also provide information about other organisations and local groups who may be able to help and offer volunteering opportunities.
T: 0808 802 0925
E: info@gingerbread.org.uk
London Irish Centre
Crisis & Support Grants for Irish people in London in order to relieve hardship. The Society distributes money by way of small grants to Irish people in London who are in need. The grants range from £50 to £250 and are given for the following purposes:
- To provide items of clothing or footwear
- To provide essential items of household equipment
- To give emergency support for winter heating needs
- To pay for funeral travel expenses
- To support moves to new accommodation
- To support convalescence
- To provide special educational items
W: https://www.londonirishcentre.org
A: 50-52 Camden Square, London NW1 9XB
T: 0207 916 2222
E: info@londonirishcentre.org
Migrants Organise
Offers an enabling community programme for asylum seekers, migrants and refugees living in London. Run weekly activities that encourage socialisation and build skills e.g. English classes, poetry, sewing, walking, youth and health and wellbeing groups. Can also provide individual advice and support for issues such as asylum support, employment, housing and welfare benefits. Weekly immigration advice sessions are provided by a barrister.
Their Transforming Lives project is a mentoring scheme for those who are particularly isolated, in need of extra support or dealing with mental health problems. Mentees are placed with a mentor who speaks the same language and who can help them to access services, learn new skills and build confidence. Meet on a weekly basis for six months.
A: 2 Thorpe Close, London, W10 5XL
T: 020 8964 4815
E: info@migrantsorganise.org
Mind
Mental health charity delivering mental health advice, information and news, with an online directory of local branches providing information and services.
They offer legal advice via email.
T: 0208 519 2122, 0300 123 3393 (Info Line)
E: contact@mind.org.uk
Money Helper
Free and impartial money advice, set up by the government. Offers advice and guides to help people improve their finances, tools and calculators to help them keep track and plan ahead and support in person, over the phone and online.
W: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk
T: 0800 138 7777 – Advice Line
Online enquiry form here
North Kensington Law Centre
Provides a free and independent specialist legal service to the community and promotes access to legal rights and equality of opportunity. Main service areas are welfare benefits, housing, immigration & asylum and employment.
Has a drop in service Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm.
A: Unit 13, Baseline Studios, Whitchurch Road, London, W11 4AT
T: 020 8969 7473
E: info@nklc.co.uk
Nucleus
Legal advice centre for K&C residents. Can give advice about benefits, housing, debt, employment rights, as well as legal advice. Operate via telephone advice lines, drop in sessions and appointments.
A: 298 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 9JF
T: 020 7373 4005
RBKC Antisocial Behaviour Team
To report antisocial behaviour:
E: commsafe@rbkc.gov.uk
T: 020 7361 3000
To report noise nuisance:
E: environmentalhealth@rbkc.gov.uk
T: 020 7361 3000
RBKC Benefits Service
A service that is responsible for administering Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. They can also provide advice on other benefits to which someone may be entitled.
W: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/advice-and-benefits/advice-and-benefits
A: Customer Service Centre, Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7WB
T: 020 7361 3006
E: benefits@rbkc.gov.uk
River House Resource Centre
A community centre based in Hammersmith, open to anyone living with HIV and living in London. Proof of diagnosis and address will be required (see website for details).
They provide a large and diverse range of services aimed at supporting people in all aspects of their physical, medical and emotional well being. These include services such as nursing advice, counselling, benefits and legal advice, complementary therapies and educational courses, plus a delicious meal each week day. They also offer befriending and advocacy services.
W: https://www.riverhouseuk.org
A: River House, Furnival Gardens, off Rutland Grove, London W6 9DJ
T: 020 8753 5190 or 07763 768 345/6
Email: info@riverhouseuk.org
Shelter
National telephone advice line staffed by specialist housing advisers. Offer advice about:
- Homelessness
- Private renting
- Tenancy deposits
- Repossession
- Eviction
- Repairs
- Benefits
- Council housing
Website: www.shelter.org.uk
Telephone: 0808 800 4444
Email: info@shelter.org.uk
Step Change
A charity that provides free, independent and practical solutions to anyone experiencing problems with debt.
Website: www.stepchange.org
Tel: 0800 138 1111
Stonewall Housing
Specialist lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) housing advice, advocacy and support. Can offer advice:
- if you are homeless or if at risk of becoming homeless;
- if your family relations have broken down due to sexual orientation or gender identity;
- if you’ve been victimised or harassed;
- if you need to escape from domestic abuse;
- if you need advice about a dispute with your landlord;
- if you need advice with your housing benefits
W: https://stonewallhousing.org – online referral form here
T: 0800 6 404 404
E: info@stonewallhousing.org
Drop-in advice sessions: N1, SE1
Turn2Us
A national charity that helps people in financial hardship gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services.
T: 0808 802 2000
DirectMe.org 