Island Advice Centre
Description
Service Description
Island Advice Centre works within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets helping residents secure their statutory and legal rights, enabling them to improve their living standards and quality of life. Access to advice and advocacy is the core work of the organisation, helping people to stay above the poverty line, reduce stress and empower them to deal with their situations.
Volunteers are one of the organisation’s invaluable assets and help to deliver the much-needed advice services provided by us. Training and development opportunities are provided for volunteers and many of our volunteers move into employment.
Located in Island House on the Isle of Dogs, we work closely with other advice agencies and service providers in the borough, contributing to local forums and partnerships and helping to provide a holistic service to our users.
Our services include:
• Drop-in advice sessions from Island House
• Outreach advice sessions at GP surgeries and community centres
• Home visits
• Telephone advice service
• Admin and advice volunteer opportunities
• Advice work training and accreditation course
• Development of partnership and joint working
• Specialist advice and casework in welfare rights, housing
• and debt
• NVQ assessments in advice
Additional Information
Additional Information
For advice on benefits:
Welfare Benefits/General: Wednesdays 10am to 12pm
(No appointment needed – First-come, first-served basis)
It is important to check that you are getting all the benefits or tax credits you are entitled to and challenge any decisions that you feel are unfair. The benefits system is currently going through massive changes which may affect your entitlements (welfare reform). Trying to claim the correct benefits can be challenging and frustrating.
For advice on Money and Debt:
Housing/Money and Debt: Fridays 10am to 12pm
(No appointment needed – First-come, first-served basis)
We have continued to offer advice on a wide range of debt issues including utility debts, rent and council tax arrears, credit debts, overpayments of benefits and tax credits, bankruptcy and Debt Relief Orders. Our very experienced debt adviser is an accredited Debt Relief Order intermediary and works with dedicated volunteers to ensure we can meet the growing need for this type of advice.
We also offer money management advice. Clients are given support with drawing up financial statements, changing providers in order to reduce monthly utility bills, and advice about budgeting.
For advice on Housing:
Housing/Money and Debt: Fridays 10am to 12pm
(No appointment needed-First come first serve basis)
Our housing advisers deal with a wide range of cases concerning rent arrears, repossession and eviction, homelessness, disrepair, allocations and succession. Legal Aid funding has continued for this area of law although the number of cases we are allowed to take on and the type of cases that can be covered by Legal Aid have reduced considerably. Other funding for housing advice has come from the BLF for our Accessible Advice in Tower Hamlets project, and from the East End Community Foundation for our debt and housing drop-in sessions on Fridays.
Telephone Advice Sessions:
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays: 10am to 12pm
Phone 020 7987 9379 for general advice or to discuss your case.