Helping you to help yourself

Did you know that there is a wide range of information and support available online. By accessing this information you may be able to get an immediate answer to your query without the need to wait or make an appointment

You can access various sites via your smartphone or laptop or by calling into your local library/electronic village hall where there is free community IT access. By using self serve you can download information, forms and fact sheets and make benefit claims online.

Across Sunderland there is FREE access to computers to help you connect to these online supports sites.

Locate your local library - Locate your local Electronic Village Hall - Locate a UK online centre

Useful links for Sunderland

alltogethersunderland.co.uk has useful information and advice about;

• maximising your income
• prioritising and budgeting
• cutting costs by getting the best deals for you
• making the right choices for you
• where to get free debt advice and saving £££’s at home

Benefits advice
For help with identifying benefits, claiming or challenging benefits visit the Gov.uk website www.gov.uk/benefits

Other useful links from the gov.uk website:

• Money and tax
• Information for disabled people
• Working, jobs and pensions

Links to Benefit Forms:

Attendance Allowance

attendance-allowance-claim-form

Carer's Allowance

carers-allowance-claim-form

New Style Employment and Support Allowance

new-style-employment-and-support-allowance-esa-claim-form

UC50: Universal Credit Capability for Work Questionnaire

uc50-form-universal-credit-capability-for-work-questionnaire

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for Children

disability-living-allowance-for-children-claim-form

Council Tax and Housing Benefit Support Online Claim

benefitclaim

Universal Credit: Step by Step Online Claim Guide

how-to-claim-universal-credit

Benefits calculator
This online tool lets you enter basic information about yourself and to then discover what/which benefits you may qualify for. http://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk

Citizens Advice
The online website for Citizen's Advice has a wide range of information on many topics www.adviceguide.org.uk

The Money Advice Service
The national Money Advice Service is free, impartial and can help you make the most of the money that you have coming in.  The website is organised by life events and includes a beginners guide to managing your money, a cut back calculator, a money health check and budget planner, alongside sections on money saving tips. It has been reported that over 80% of people that used the site and followed its recommendations had found at least one way of making their budget go further.

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

Other specific advice from the service;

• Benefits
• Debt advice
• Budget planner
• What is Universal Credit?
• Work, pensions and retirement

Other free money advice services

National Debt Helpline

www.nationaldebtline.org Tel 0808 808 4000

Pay Plan
www.payplan.com Tel 0800 280 2816

Step Change Debt Charity
www.stepchange.org Tel 0800 138 1111

This page offers useful online links but there may be a need to telephone or other ways to offer you advice (such as signposting you to a more appropriate service or referring you to a specialist service if needed). For telephone or face to face enquiries, please use the contact links below.

Contact Details