Help available from support services and charities

People that visit the Housing Options Team are generally in a very difficult situation which we recognise has a huge impact in many areas of your life. It is important to be able to access all of the support available to you during difficult times.

There are a whole range of support services for Uttlesford residents so it worth exploring anything you need help with when you talk to your Housing Options Officer.
 

Uttlesford Frontline

Our Housing Options Officers will be able to refer you via Uttlesford Frontline which is a community project to link public services with the community.
 

Other services

There are other services and charities that you can contact for help and support.

West Essex Alcohol and Drugs Service

The West Essex Alcohol and Drugs Service (ADAS)offers counselling to people who are struggling with drug and alcohol problems. They offer one to one counselling, group work, Child and Family services, and a variety of recovery programmes.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice help to resolve your problems related to:

• benefits
• money
• debt
• relationships
• housing
• employment
• legal
• consumer
• discrimination

They help by listening, explaining your options, making phone calls, writing letters, completing forms, negotiating on your behalf, directing you to other useful organisations, campaigning about unfairness.

The service is free and open to anyone to use. In Uttlesford they can give advice face-to-face, over the phone and via email.

Civil Legal Advice

You might be able to get free and confidential advice from  Civil Legal Advice (CLA) as part of legal aid if you're in England or Wales. If you're eligible, you can get help from CLA for problems including:

• debt, if your home is at risk
• housing, if you're homeless or at risk of being evicted
• domestic abuse
• separating from an abusive partner, when you're making arrangements for children or sorting out money and property
• a child being taken into care
• special education needs
• discrimination
• some child abduction cases

Essex Children and Families Hub

Essex Children and Families Hub is the single contact point for anyone to request early help or children social care support.

Telephone: 0345 603 7627. The hub is open 8.45am to 5.15pm Monday to Friday.

Outside these hours, telephone: 0345 606 1212

Find out what happens when you contact the Children and Families Hub on essex.gov.uk.

Mind in West Essex

Mind in West Essex provide community based mental health services across West Essex, they support people affected by mental ill health to make positive changes in their lives and to improve their emotional resilience.

National Centre for Domestic Violence

The National Centre for Domestic Violence provides a free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence regardless of their financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation.

Open Door Counselling

Open Door Counselling is a free and confidential service based in Saffron Walden for young people aged 13-26 living in Uttlesford and the greater surrounding area. At Open door you can share your thoughts: nothing is too big or too small to talk through with their counsellors.

Open Road

Open Road is a charity that provides support for individuals affected by drugs and alcohol. Offering client based recovery with options of one-to-one sessions, structured recovery programmes, family support, M-PACT (Moving parents & children together) and needle/syringe programmes.

The Princes Trust

The Princes Trust believes that every young person should have the chance to embrace exciting opportunities.

They help 11 to 30 year old who are unemployed or struggling at school to transform their lives; many of the young people they help are in, or leaving, care, facing issues such as homelessness or mental health issues, or have been in trouble with the law.

Their free programmes give young people the practical and financial support they need to stabilise their lives. They help them develop key skills while boosting their confidence and motivation so they can continue to dream big.

Safer Places

Safer Places offers a range of different services to support you and guide you through an abusive relationship. If you think that you are suffering from domestic abuse then you probably are. It is important to remember domestic abuse takes many forms not just physical abuse.

Samaritans

Samaritans offer a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way - about whatever is getting to you. You do not have to be suicidal. You can call, email, text write or talk face-to-face.

Shelter

Shelter helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through their advice, support and legal services.

They have one-to-one personalised help face-to-face, an online advice service with lots of expert information, offer free legal advice and run a free national helpline for people facing a housing crisis.

 SSAFA (The Armed Forces Charity)

 SSAFA provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the British Army or the Royal Air Force. They operate a free and confidential helpline and email service. Their trained volunteers can provide practical, emotional and financial support if and when you need it.

Uttlesford District Council benefits support

Uttlesford District Council benefits support is available to anyone who may have a housing benefit, local housing tax support or universal credit query and lives or helps someone living in Uttlesford.

Contact us for advice.

Uttlesford Foodbank

Uttlesford Foodbank provides emergency food and care parcels to individuals and families during times of crisis. They operate out of our warehouse in Saffron Walden and have depots in Saffron Walden, Stansted and Dunmow.

You generally have to be referred by another agency to use the foodbank. Find how to get a referral on the Uttlesford Foodbank website.