Advice and Guidance
No matter what the problem or situation that you have to deal with, you can bet there will be lots of differing opinions about what you should do next!
But when it comes to money, jobs, home or family issues, you need clear, impartial and trusted advice.
Here we cut through the often bewildering amount of information and detail, and set out some really useful organisations and contact details that might just come in handy.
What advice is available to me in my neighbourhood?
Neighbourhood Advice and Information Services
Provide access to services and advice on income maximisation, through:
- A network of Neighbourhood Offices
- Home visits to people who cannot get to offices
- Contact Birmingham
- A network of surgeries
Each year the service deals with over 800,000 enquiries from citizens. Just over half of these concern welfare benefits - help with claiming, identifying entitlement and take-up and problem solving. A further one fifth are about other financial matters concerning debts and money advice and a similar amount are about accommodation problems both in the public and private sectors. All Offices offer appointments in order to avoid lengthy waits.
Call 0121 303 1111 from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday, for a full advice and information service.
or email:adviceline@birmingham.gov.uk
26 Neighbourhood Offices provide a link between people who live and work in Birmingham and the services available. We can help you with:
- Benefit claims
- Money worries
- Debt problems
- Housing issues
- Council tax
- Getting a job
- Education and training
- Waste recycling
- and much more.
www.birmingham.gov.uk/neighbourhoodoffices
What adult learning opportunities are available in Birmingham?
Birmingham Adult Education Service is one of the largets providers of Adult Learning opportunies in the West Midlands, offering over 4,000 part-time courses across the city.
Who can I speak to regarding welfare?
Age UK
National organisation for the welfare of older people
Asian Community Advisory Service
Welfare advice information for Birmingham
Birmingham Samaritans
Birmingham Samaritans is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.
email jo@samaritans.org or call 0121 666 6644 or 08457 909090
What advice is available for families?
ineed2know is the name of the expansive Birmingham’s Children’s Services online directory of activities, information and services for children, young people, their families and for professionals who work with these groups.
Birmingham Signposting Service is run by The National Youth Advocacy Service. Signposting provides a friendly point of contact for the young people of the City, aged up to 19 (and up to age 25 in some circumstances), who require advice and information. Signposting are ready to help children and young people directly but also work with parents, carers and professionals who have questions about services available for children and young people.
0808 808 1001
www.birmingham.gov.uk/ineed2know
www.birmingham.gov.uk/children-services
Family Information Service
The services for our youngest children are all about working to encourage and support happy families.
The aim is to make childcare for everyone that wants or needs it as affordable and as easily available as possible, so that parents can continue to work if they wish, knowing their children are safely cared for by qualified professionals.
The Family Information Service provides information on childcare in your area:
Lone Parents - Finding the Right Childcare
Childcare Chats
The Family Information Service (formerly the Childcare Information Bureau) can offer you a one-to-one session with a personal childcare adviser who will look at your specific needs
Childcare Tasters
Under a government pilot scheme, the Family Information Service is able to offer lone parents the opportunity to sample different kinds of formal childcare at no cost.
Family Information Service
Central Library, Chamberlain Square
Birmingham
B3 3HQ
familyinformation@birmingham.gov.uk
0121 303 3521
What advice is available to me as a consumer?
Consumer Direct
Consumer Direct provide clear, practical, impartial consumer advice to help you sort out problems and disagreements you may be having with suppliers of goods or services.
From overcharging to faulty goods or dodgy workmanship and from energy supply to postal problems, their advisers are ready to offer solutions for individual problems.
08454 04 05 06
Office of Fair Trading
Promotes and protects consumer interests throughout the UK.
Illegal Money Lending Team
A Loan Shark is someone who lends money without the appropriate licence issued by the Office of Fair Trading. Loan Sharks rarely, if ever, give any paperwork and if payments are missed they often use intimidation and violence to get money from their 'clients'.
If you have any information, however small, on loan shark activities the Illegal Money Lending Team can help, in total confidence.
0121-693 1122 (24hrs a day, 7 days a week)
Text: loan(space) shark (space) and your message to 60003
Citizens Advice Bureaux
Provide help and advice on debt. The Government is increasing the amount of funding for these bureaux this year, so that they can help over a third of a million more people each year with local, face-to-face advice.
www.citizensadvice.org.uk or www.birmingham.gov.uk/cabbb
Useful Links
Help for Residents
Backing Birmingham Homepage
Latest recession news from Birmingham Newsroom
The Development Directorate leads on the city council’s ‘succeed economically’ strategic outcome, and provides a range of statutory and other services to businesses and householders alike.