Help!
There are organisations you can contact for more help, advice and information on:
- benefits
- discrimination and exploitation
- emergency housing
- gay, bisexual and transgender issues including HIV and sexual health
- health services
- immigration, including specialist organisations helping migrants, refugees and asylum
- work and employment rights
Benefits
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
The DWP website has information
and advice on whether you are allowed to work and what benefits you
have rights to. The 'Contact us' section on the website provides details
of where to go for advice depending on the type of benefit.
www.dwp.gov.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
The Citizens Advice service can help
you solve legal, money and other problems. There are offices all over
Britain. Information and advice is free. Every office has a different
telephone number which you can find on the CAB website.
www.adviceguide.org.uk
Jobcentre Plus
Jobcentre Plus is a government agency that helps
people find work.
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Discrimination and exploitation
Equality and Human Rights Commission
The Equality and Human Rights
Commission can give you advice if you think you're being discriminated
against or exploited. Its helplines have an interpretation service available
on request.
Telephone (England): 0845 604 6610
Telephone (Wales):
0845 604 8810
www.equalityhumanrights.com
Multikulti
Multikulti is designed to help migrants to Britain.
It has lists of organisations and advice in many languages on employment,
health, education, immigration and racism and discrimination.
www.multikulti.org.uk
Stonewall and Stonewall Cymru
If you are having problems because
of your sexuality, Stonewall can help. The charity campaigns for equality
and justice for gay men, bisexual people and lesbians.
Telephone:
08000 50 20 20
www.stonewall.org.uk
The Trades Union Congress (TUC)
The TUC campaigns for a fair deal
at work and social justice, including for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) people and migrant workers. It has information available
in several languages.
Telephone: 020 7636 4030
www.tuc.org.uk
Emergency housing
Homeless UK
This database lists over 8,000 services for people
who are homeless. It includes information about hostels around the UK.
www.homelessuk.org
Shelter
Shelter has housing aid centres across Britain and an
advice services directory.
Telephone: 0808 800 444
England:
http://england.shelter.org.uk
Wales:www.sheltercymru.org.uk
Gay, bisexual and transgender specialist organisations
These organisations offer confidential, free support, advice and information on HIV, sexual health and sexuality-related issues.
Across Britain
Terrence Higgins Trust
Telephone: 0845 1221 200 (interpretation
available)
www.tht.org.uk
Beaumont Society
This organisation is specifically for transgendered
people.
Telephone: 01582 412220
Helpline: 07000 287 878 (Tuesday
and Thursday evenings)
/www.beaumontsociety.org.uk
London
GMFA
Telephone: 020 7738 6872
www.gmfa.org.uk
Naz Project
Services specifically for black and minority ethnic
communities.
Telephone: 020 8741 1879
www.naz.org.uk
Devon and Cornwall
The Eddystone Trust
Telephone: 01752 257 077
www.eddystone.org.uk
Liverpool
The Armistead Project
Telephone: 0870 990 8996
www.armisteadcentre.co.uk
Leicester
Trade
Telephone: 0116 254 1747
www.tradesexualhealth.com
Manchester
The Lesbian and Gay Foundation
Telephone: 0161 235 8035
www.lgf.org.uk
Sheffield
Centre for HIV and Sexual Health
Telephone: 0114 226 1900
www.sexualhealthsheffield.nhs.uk
Yorkshire
Yorkshire Mesmac
Telephone: 0113 244 4209
www.mesmac.co.uk
Immigration and help for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees
There are several organisations that can help with issues relating to immigration and specialist organisations that help migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.
Asylum Aid
This provides legal advice to asylum seekers and organisations
working with them.
Telephone: 0207 354 9264
www.asylumaid.org.uk
Migrant Helpline
Provides advice and support for asylum seekers
and refugees.
Telephone: 01304 203 977
www.migranthelpline.org.uk
Community Legal Advice
Telephone: 0845 345 4 345
www.clsdirect.org.uk
Law Centres
Law Centres provide independent legal advice and representation
for those most in need.
www.lawcentres.org.uk
Multikulti
Multikulti is designed to help migrants to Britain.
It has lists of organisations and advice in many languages on employment,
health, education, immigration and racism and discrimination.
www.multikulti.org.uk
The Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC)
You
can use the Adviser Finder on the OISC website to find details of immigration
specialists across England and Wales.
Telephone: 0845 000 0046
www.oisc.gov.uk
UK Border Agency
This is the Home Office agency responsible for
managing border control, immigration and customs regulations.
www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk
Asylum support customer contact centre
Telephone: 0845 602 1739
Immigration enquiry bureau
Telephone: 0870 606 7766
Nationality contact centre (advice on British citizenship and right
of abode)
Telephone: 0845 010 5200
Work permits customer contact centre
Telephone: 0114 207 4074
Immigration Advisory Service (IAS)
IAS provides representation
and advice in immigration and asylum law. See the 'Contact us' section
on the website for telephone numbers throughout the UK.
www.iasuk.org
Refugee Action
See the 'Contact us' section on the website for
telephone numbers throughout UK.
www.refugee-action.org.uk
Refugee Action Lesbian and Gay Asylum Team
Telephone: 020 7654
0686
Email:lesbianandgayasylumteam@gmail.com
Refugee Council and Welsh Refugee Council
The Refugee Council
is the largest organisation in the UK working with asylum seekers and
refugees. It has a multilingual website. Use the 'Contact us' section
on the website to find the advice line telephone numbers throughout
the UK.
England
Telephone: 020 7346 6700
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
Wales
Telephone: 029 2048 9800
www.welshrefugeecouncil.org
UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group
This charity was formerly
the Stonewall Immigration Group. It provides information and advice
on immigration rights for same sex couples. It also provides support
for gay asylum seekers.
Telephone: 020 7922 7811
www.uklgig.org.uk
Health services
Department of Health
This is the government department responsible
for health and social care policy. The healthcare section of its website
explains who is entitled to what type of healthcare treatment.
www.dh.gov.uk/en/healthcare/index.htm
Médecins du Monde: Project London
The project will provide advice
and support to anybody who needs it, from around the UK, whatever their
immigration status.
Telephone: 020 7515 7534
www.medecinsdumonde.org.uk
Clinic address: Praxis, Pott Street, London, E2 0EF
Mind (National Association for Mental Health)
If you have mental
health problems, this charity can offer you information and advice.
Telephone: 0845 766 0163
http://www.mind.org.uk
NHS Choices
The NHS Choices website lets you search for details
of local GPs, hospitals and other NHS services.
http://www.nhs.uk
NHS Direct
NHS Direct operates a 24-hour health advice and information
service. An interpretation service is available.
Telephone: 0845
4647 (24 hours)
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
SANE
SANE runs a telephone helpline (Saneline) providing advice
and counselling for people affected by mental health problems.
Telephone: 0845 767 8000
www.sane.org.uk
THT Direct
The Terrence Higgins Trust helpline, THT Direct, can
provide advice and information through a telephone interpretation service.
The query must be either about HIV and sexual health, or on a general
issue (such as immigration or benefits) from someone living with, or
affected by, HIV.
Telephone: 0845 1221 200
www.tht.org.uk
Work and employment rights
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
This government
department oversees the pay and conditions of agricultural workers.
www.defra.gov.uk
Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)
Use the CAB website to find the telephone
number of your local CAB office.
www.adviceguide.org.uk
Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA)
The GLA is a government
agency that was set up to protect workers from exploitation in agriculture,
horticulture, shellfish gathering and food processing and packaging.
Telephone: 0845 602 5020
Email:intelligence@gla.gsi.gov.uk
HM Revenue & Customs
You can find information on tax and benefits
on the HMRC website.
www.hmrc.gov.uk
Jobcentre Plus
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Multikulti
Multikulti is a web portal designed to help migrants
to Britain. It has lists of organisations and advice in many languages
on employment, health, education, immigration and racism and discrimination.
www.multikulti.org.uk
Stonewall and Stonewall Cymru
Stonewall campaigns for equality
and justice for gay men, bisexual people and lesbians.
Telephone:
08000 50 20 20
www.stonewall.org.uk
The Trades Union Congress
The TUC campaigns for a fair deal at
work and social justice for all, including LGBT people and migrant workers.
It has information available in a variety of languages.
Telephone:
020 7636 4030
www.tuc.org.uk
