Advice & Advocacy

Advocacy

Independent Advocacy North Tyneside

Independent Advocacy is a small, local charity that provides a range of advocacy services for vulnerable adults in North Tyneside. Independent Advocacy offers a range of advocacy services developed to meet individual needs: Citizen Advocacy for people with learning disabilities and mental health problems; Self Advocacy; Advocacy in Residential Care; Case Advocacy for People with Disabilities; Advocacy for People with Mental Health Problems.

Advocacy Centre North

Advocacy Centre North provides a free, independent, high quality and ethical advocacy service that: helps people to be aware of their rights and available choices; supports them to make informed decisions about their lives; facilitates their voices being heard; helps them advocate for themselves; informs and influences decision makers in policy, service commissioning and provision at a local, regional and national level to achieve positive change.

Benefits

Benefits and Work

Benefits and Work was launched in 2002 (and became a limited company in October 2006) by advice worker turned barrister Holiday Whitehead and benefits writer and trainer Steve Donnison, to provide independent and accurate information about how to claim and keep benefits.

Citizens Advice Bureau Advice Guide ‘Benefits’

Information on benefits and tax credits for different groups of people including: unemployed, sick or disabled people; help with council tax and housing costs; national insurance; payment of benefits; problems with benefits.

Permitted Work Guide

This guide is written for you if you get benefits because a health condition or disability makes it difficult to work but you would like to work part-time. You can use it to work out what you can earn before the ‘benefits trap’ affects you.

Debt

Newcastle Citizen’s Advice Bureau

The Newcastle Citizen’s Advice Bureau provides free, independent and confidential advice on a huge range of issues including debt, benefits, housing, employment, consumer issues, relationships, family matters, health, education, discrimination, immigration and the law.

The Money Advice Service

The Money Advice Service provides advice and information online, over the phone and face to face. The service provides tailored money advice to help you make choices throughout your life, whatever your circumstances. Its vision is to enhance people’s lives because they take control of their money as a matter of course.

National Debtline

A free helpline providing confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems. National Debtline offers debt advice for people living in different parts of the country. You can be confident that the advice offered is targeted to you. If you have any debt problems call National Debtline free on: 0808 808 4000. Monday – Friday 9.00 am – 9.00 pm; Saturday 9.30 am – 1.00 pm

Disability

Disability Rights UK

Disability Rights UK has been formed through a unification of Disability Alliance, Radar and National Centre for Independent Living on 1 January 2012. They aim to be the largest national pan-disability organisation led by disabled people. Disability Rights UK’s vision is of a society where everyone with lived experience of disability or health conditions can participate equally as full citizens.

Employment

Business Disability Forum

Business Disability Forum is a not-for-profit member organisation that makes it easier and more rewarding to do business with and employ disabled people. The Forum builds disability-smart organisations to improve business performance by increasing confidence, accessibility, productivity and profitability. The Forum does this by bringing together business people, disabled opinion leaders and government to understand what needs to change if disabled people are to be treated fairly so that they can contribute to business success, to society and to economic growth.

Key Enterprises: North East of England

Key Enterprises is a charity providing support, training and development opportunities for people with mental health problems. The North East of England Key Enterprises centre is made up of 2 factory units with 10 different departments where participants can learn a wide range of work and social skills in a supportive environment that gives participants direct experience and confidence in the open workplace.

Centre for Mental Health

The Centre for Mental Health works to improve the quality of life for people with mental health problems by influencing policy and practice in mental health and related services. It focuses on criminal justice and employment, with supporting work on broader mental health and public policy.

Shaw Trust Employment

A National Charity with over 25 years experience of providing training and work opportunities for people who are disadvantaged in the labour market due to disability or ill health. Support with personal development and employment . Shaw Trust supports public sector organisations to modernise and deliver effective social care services and helps businesses to recruit and manage a diverse workforce.

Disclaimer
AIM does not endorse or recommend any of the agencies listed on its web site but merely aims to inform you of the possible services available. AIM cannot take any responsibility for the organisations, the individuals involved or their web site contents. AIM does not endorse any commercial product or service advertised on an agency’s web site. If you are concerned about your health, consult your GP in the first instance; web sites are no substitute for advice from a health professional. Please take care when browsing web sites; we hope you find what you are looking for!

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