Advising Communities

Thank you to the Big Lottery Fund for funding our Community Volunteer Connect project. We look forward to continuing to deliver projects in our community with your support! #NationalLottery

We're celebrating Unesco International Day for Tolerance with Lewisham Library this Friday. Pop by for more information on our services or you can sign up for a one to one advice appointment on the day. There will be lots going on across the Library so don't miss out!

All welcome at this special event on Benefits for Families and Managing your Finances. Join us on Thursday 28th June at Kelvin Grove Children's Centre. Please help us spread the word!

Struggling with Universal Credit? Unclear about how it works and what you're entitled to? Join us this Thursday 21st June for a special event on Universal Credit at Streatham Job Centre.

Don't miss out! This coming Tuesday we will be delivering an Employment Rights workshop at Pembroke House. Join us on the day to learn about your rights!
The workshop will be delivered in English and interpreted for Spanish speakers. All welcome!

On Tuesday 19th June we will be running a special Employment Rights workshop at Pembroke House for English- and Spanish-speakers alike.
Join us to learn about your rights!

We're running three exciting events in June across Southwark Lambeth and Lewisham. Join us to learn about Employment Rights, UniversalCredit, how to better manage your money and which benefits could help support you and your family.
Our Employment Rights workshop will be interpreted for Spanish speakers too. All welcome!

Today is the day! The Advising Communities team will be taking on the 10k London Legal Walk to raise money for our work providing advice and support to some of the most vulnerable people across London.
It's not too late to donate! Thank you! https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Advising Communities18 …

Do you believe in justice for all?
On 21st May, we will be taking part in the 10k #legalwalk to raise funds for the free legal advice that we provide to those in need.
Wish to show your support? Please click here to donate: https://bit.ly/2JhhByp

~Only 33 days to go until the London Legal Walk 2018!~
We would be very grateful for any donations, large or small, as our walkers prepare for the 10k! 💪 All money raised goes towards our work advising and supporting individuals in need and the organisations that support them in their communities.
Donate here: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Advising Communities18

Do you work with parents facing employment issues? Come along on Tuesday 6 March 2018 for a FREE half-day training workshop for advisers.
Provided by Advising Communities, Working Families - the charity for working parents and carers, Cambridge House and Southwark Law Centre
Find details here: https://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/…/fr ee-workshop-helping…/
... Find other training and consultancy opportunities here: https://advisingcommunities.uk/…/s…/t raining-and-consultancy
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Productive morning at the #LivingWellOpenMorning last week - and we will continue to work alongside others to ensure Londoners are ready for the move to #UniversalCredit.
Thanks to Mosaic Clubhouse for hosting the event!

Come along this Thursday to have all your Universal Credit questions answered!

Advising London has become Advising Communities! Visit our brand new website http://advisingcommunities.uk to find out more.

Visit our website at: http://advisingcommunities.uk to find out about how we can help you or your organisation.

This week is Parliament Week. Through out this week we have been cultivating the stories of our clients and are launching a select few in line with the #wearealldanielblake campaign
Citizen 5
My son has been hospitalised due to ongoing medical complications for alcoholism. He has been on DLA for many years, he is now expected to claim the replacement benefit PIP. He recent suffered a brain haemorrhage and has been kept in hospital. When we received the PIP form in the post t...o complete I knew he would not be out of hospital before the deadline. I was terrified for him that his money would be reduced when he returned home. I plucked up the courage to call the DWP and they were extremely sympathetic and supportive. The help they offered made me cry. I am my sons carer and every day it feels like a new struggle to help access justice. The DWP worker who I got through understood the situation and offered all he could in their remit.
#wearealldanielblake
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This week is Parliament Week. Through out this week we have been cultivating the stories of our clients and are launching a select few in line with the #wearealldanielblake campaign.
Citizen 4
I have schizophrenia, depression, delusions and paranoia. I find questions extremely hard to process. Every other year I am sent a new Employment and Support Allowance form even though my disabilities are lifelong and I have had them since I was 12 –I am now 48. I have been sectioned ...under the mental health act multiple times and I am in constant fear of doing anything in case my benefit is stopped. As I can’t process information and I needed a specialist to help me complete my Employment and Support Allowance form –again. Many people in my area are undergoing the “reassessment process” and specialist appointments are booked up way in advance. I had to anxiously await a specialist appointment which meant my form would be 2 days late. We negotiated this with the DWP and agreed upon an extension –I checked this multiple times because of my anxiety. I returned the form in line with the newly allocated date.
My benefit was terminated as they said I had not returned the form in time. My mental health prevents me from using a telephone and I had to get someone else to contact the DWP on my behalf. We were told that they do not grant extensions and there was nothing they could do.
After a battle –during which I was hospitalised; we finally managed to speak with a sympathetic DWP worker who was extremely helpful in getting my benefit reinstated. I am now in receipt of my sickness benefit again and I dread when the next form comes through the door.
#wearealldanielblake
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