Individual advice

For personalised advice, contact the Rethink National Advice Service by ‘phoning 020 8974 6814 (open Mon-Fri, 10am-3pm), writing to Rethink Advice, 28 Castle Street, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 1SS or emailing advice@rethink.org.
Or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau. There are 3,200 CAB advice locations across the country and they gave advice for over 1.8 million benefit and tax credit problems in 2002-3, so they are real experts in this field. They can also help you fill in forms. You can find out where your closest bureau is by using the search on the CAB website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk, looking in the yellow pages or other local directory or asking at your local library.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) also run a telephone helpline giving information on benefits for sick and disabled people, their representatives and carers. This is called the Benefits Enquiry Line (BEL). In Northern Ireland, the Benefits Enquiry Line is run by the Social Security Agency. The helpline also offers help filling out claim forms over the phone when you are applying for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance. You can contact the Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200.

Further information