Amber Valley: Financial Support and Advice Support Services Amber Valley To download as a PDF, please click the button below. Amber Valley PDF Derbyshire Districts Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) Open for business and there to provide you with free, confidential, impartial and independent advice on any issue including debt problems, benefits issues and threat of homelessness. They can also provide a referral to a local Foodbank. They have increased the resource on our Adviceline and have Advisers waiting to take your call. All face-to-face services are suspended until further notice, however telephone appointments are available and can be booked through the Adviceline. Call the Adviceline on 0808 278 795 Lines open Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. Calls to this number are charged at the same rate as 01 and 02 numbers. For Universal Credit Help to Claim service call 0800 144 8 444 Lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, freephone service. CAB Website Derbyshire County Council Welfare Benefits Team Can help with advice and can take on any representation that you may need, including: dealing with welfare benefits and tax credits, sometimes referred to as social security advice over the phone about which benefits to claim and how to claim them sending out claim forms and advising on how to challenge decisions by the benefits authorities helping you if you don't agree with a decision made about your benefit claim, including preparing appeals and representing you at tribunal hearings. email: [email protected] Telephone: 01629 531535 11am to 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday Welfare Rights website Government support is changing as we move into the post-Covid period, and Derbyshire Welfare Rights has created a very informative webpage with up-to-date information about benefits, job centres, housing, allowances etc. Please follow this link for more information. Amber Valley District Council Housing Advice and Support Offer support and help whether you're homeless or worried about becoming homeless. They will give you advice based on your personal circumstances and work with numerous partners to provide services that help you stay in your current home. If however that is not possible, they can help you to find a new home. Housing Solutions (homelessness) - [email protected] Home Options (housing register) - [email protected] If you do not have access to email, please call 01773 570222. For out of hours emergency homeless cases phone Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190. Amber Valley Council Tax Support Council tax support is for people on a low income to help them pay their council tax bill. You may be able to get council tax support if you are on other benefits, work part-time or work full-time on a low income. You can claim council tax support if you have to pay council tax on your home. Derbyshire Discretionary Fund The Derbyshire Discretionary Fund (DDF) can provide grants or emergency cash payments if you are in urgent need of financial help following a crisis or disaster. Telephone: 01629 533399 Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre A busy advice service covering North and East Derbyshire. We have 8 staff and over 20 volunteers and students providing Welfare Rights Advice Services. We offer a mixture of open door drop-in and telephone advice. We provide free and independent welfare rights advice and representation, as well as campaigning for the rights of those who are unemployed, on a low income or sick, injured or disabled by their work. Telephone Helpline: 01246 231441 Monday to Thursday: 9am to 5pm Friday: 9am to 4pm DUWC Website Derbyshire Law Centre Offers advice and support on Debt – specialising in housing-related debts Discrimination Employment Housing and Homelessness Immigration and Asylum Advice Mortgage Repossessions They are not able to offer advice on benefits or business debts. Not currently open for face-to-face consultations. Main Phone : 01246 550 674 Mon - Fri : 9.30am - 4.30pm DLC Website Derbyshire Community Bank A co-operative ‘Credit Union’ offering low cost loans, basic banking & savings including online banking. [email protected] Telephone: 0808 503 9065 DCB Website Age UK Derby and Derbyshire Age UK Derby and Derbyshire offers a free, confidential and independent information and advice service to older people and their relatives, friends and carers. Telephone: 01773 768 240 (confidential answer-machine in busy periods/out of hours)Fax: 01773 766 924 Email: [email protected] Help with Loan Sharks – Illegal Money Lending If you can answer yes to one or more of these questions you might be borrowing from a loan shark: Did they offer you a cash loan? Did they not give you paperwork? Did they add huge amounts of interest or APR to your loan? Have they threatened you? Are you scared of people finding out? Have they taken your bank card, benefit card, passport, watch or other valuables from you? You are not in trouble if you have borrowed cash or have been paying back a loan from an illegal money lender, the loan shark is. They are the people committing a crime, not you. For advice and support, please follow this link or call 0300 555 2222. Jobcentre Plus For information on contact numbers for new and existing benefit claims visit https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus Foodbanks Foodbank referral systems vary, so please telephone, email or visit the websites below for further information. Oscari Foodbank Riddings, Alfreton 07570 307195 07842 906461 - office hours only please [email protected] Salcare Foodbank Heanor 01773 764562 [email protected] Hope for Belper, Bridge Street, Belper [email protected] St Andrews Foodbank Langley Mill 07407 634683 For a full list of Derbyshire Foodbanks click this link. Worried about Energy and Utility Costs Warmer Derby and Derbyshire The Warmer Derby & Derbyshire service is a partnership between the Marches Energy Agency charity and the Local Authority Energy Partnership (LAEP) – which includes all Derbyshire councils. You can call for advice about energy bills; switching tariff; how to make your homes more energy efficient, and how to apply for grants for heating systems and insulation. Ring 0800 677 1332 (Free Call) Derbyshire County Council For information about energy grants, please visit the Derbyshire County Council website Ofgem If you are struggling to pay your bills during the Covid-19 outbreak, please follow this link for general advice. For free, impartial advice about how to switch energy providers if you are in debt follow this link Citizen’s Advice For information about switching to a better energy deal. Shelter For advice on energy costs and money problems. Severn Trent Trust Fund The Severn Trent Trust Fund is a charity that provides financial help for customers who are unable to pay their water charges. They can provide help with: water and sewerage charges if you are in hardship and unable to pay charges which are collected by other companies on behalf of Severn Trent other essential bills, household needs or priority debts Affordable Furniture and White Goods Salcare Warehouse A "One-Stop Shop" selling a variety of items from clothing, books, bric-a-brac and curtains to furniture, electrical items and much more! They also take in donated items and have a very competitive house clearance service. Telephone: 01773 764562 Amber Valley District Council COVID-19 – list of useful contacts As Coronavirus impacts on all of our lives the District Council would like to assure Amber Valley residents that they are not on their own. An extensive network of support services is available – providing help, advice and important information. Here is a selection of links and contact details, which you may find useful. National Agencies Money Advice Service Free and impartial money advice, set up by government. The service provides: Advice and guides to help improve your finances Tools and calculators to help keep track and plan ahead Support over the phone and online National Debtline National Debtline is a highly regarded organisation, which helps people with free advice to get out of debt. They cover a wide variety of debt scenarios, which they can help you with. They provide a wide range of fact sheets on topics including bankruptcy, energy debts, mortgage arrears and more. You can browse their extensive fact sheet library. Telephone 0808 808 4000. StepChange Debt Charity This charity has over 25 years’ experience of helping people to deal with debts and get the support they need. You can get advice online or over the phone, and they will recommend a range of practical debt solutions based on your situation. They have also produced a number of useful guides, designed to help people through Covid-19 related issues. Bailiff and enforcement agent advice Dealing with redundancy and debt What to do if your income has reduced Your complete guide to furloughing Coronavirus, debt and your mental health What to do if you need urgent help with money Changes in circumstances due to coronavirus Shelter Shelter provide a wide range of information on housing and homelessness. Browse advice by topic Homelessness Private renting Tenancy deposits Mortgage repossession Eviction Repairs Benefits Council housing Your mental health Worries about money, debt and housing can put a serious strain on your mental wellbeing. If you are over 18 years of age and need someone to talk to, please contact one of these free Derbyshire NHS self-referral agencies. Talking Mental Health Derbyshire Tel: 0300 123 0542 Insight Healthcare Tel: 0300 555 5582 Vitaminds Tel: 0333 0153 496 Trent PTS 01332 265 659 If you, or someone you know, is having a mental health crisis please see the advice below given by Derbyshire County Council: If you or someone you know is feeling suicidal there are people you can talk to: Speak to a friend, family member or someone you trust Call the Derbyshire Mental Health Support Line on 0800 028 0077 (7 days a week, 9am to midnight). Call the free Samaritans 24-hour support service on telephone 116 123 or contact Samaritans online Use the Staying Safe website for support, information and making your own safety plan Contact NHS 111, though be aware of delays in accessing this service Make an urgent appointment to see your GP, who may be operating a call back service Ring 999 If you require urgent medical intervention go to your nearest emergency department, though be aware that there are increased demands on and transmission risks in emergency departments at this time. Samaritans 116 123 Manage Cookie Preferences