Issued by City of York Council
In January, City of York Council is launching a new series of free and independent advice sessions on money and housing for residents at the Westfield Children’s Centre.
Building on the success of similar projects, these sessions will give local people early access to sources of help and advice.
The housing sessions are for residents – including those who are also council tenants – to talk to estate managers about matters including anti-social behaviour, estate improvements as well as the council’s housing services. No appointments are needed: people can simply drop in every Monday between 1-4pm from 7January 2013.
The finance sessions are for all, in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). They give people weekly opportunities to meet money experts locally to discuss welfare benefits, money management, dealing with debt and returning to work. For an appointment on Fridays between 9.30am-12:30pm with the CAB Family Money Advice at Westfield Childrens’ Centre, ring the CAB on 01904 683 908.
Since the council set up a multi-partner Tang Hall advice hub in the east of the city in September 2012, advisers have already been able to identify and secure over £21,000 of previously unclaimed benefits, and helped residents manage over £42,000 worth of personal debt. In addition, residents have been supported with issues relating to housing, employment, personal matters, immigration and the law. The Tang Hall Advice Hub drop-in sessions run every Friday from 10.30am – 1pm at Tang Hall Community Centre, Fifth Avenue.
Councillor Tracey Simpson-Laing, City of York Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Housing and Adult Social Services said: “Giving people access to good quality advice as soon as concerns arise, is crucial to help them deal with financial worries, help them back into work and get the support they need to get their lives on track.
“As pressures continue to grow on housing and benefits including the arrival of Universal Credit in April 2013, it’s important for people to know what their choices are to help them with the decisions they must make. The council and its partners are now running housing and money advice sessions every day of the working week in areas of the city where we know they are most needed.”
Peter Finlay from the Citizens Advice Bureau said: “With the changes to the benefit system beginning in April 2013, times will be getting even tougher for some families, so it’s more important than ever that people understand their options and start to prepare for what’s ahead.”
Housing and housing benefit advice sessions run across the city every day on:
Monday
Acomb Housing including Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) and Housing and Council Tax Benefits Service, 9am – 3pm, Gateway Centre, Front Street.
Acomb Housing, 1– 4pm, (new from 7 Jan), Westfield Children’s Centre, Askham Lane.
Tuesday
Bell Farm Area Housing, including the CAB, 9am – 12 noon, Bell Farm Community Centre, Roche Avenue.
Tang Hall Area Housing, Children’s Centre, Sixth Avenue, 9am – 1pm.
Wednesday
Acomb Area Housing and Housing and Council Tax Benefits Service, 9am – 12 noon, Foxwood Community Centre, Cranfield Place.
Clifton Children’s Centre, 1– 4pm, Kingsway North, Clifton, with the CAB.
Thursday
Acomb Housing, and Housing and Council Tax Benefits Service 9am – 12 noon, Sanderson Court, Community House, Bramham Road, Chapelfields.
Tang Hall Area Housing, Children’s Centre, Sixth Avenue, 1pm – 4pm.
Friday
Tang Hall Housing including CAB and other services, such as the Older Citizens Advocacy York (OCAY) and York Housing Association.
Tang Hall Advice Hub, 10.30am – 1pm Tang Hall Community Centre, Fifth Avenue
Monday – Friday
Acomb Explore Library Learning Centre, Front Street, York
Residents can contact the council’s Housing and Council Tax Benefits Service by telephone at Acomb Explore between 9am and 5pm.
This content has not been created by YorkMix but by one of our trusted news sources. YorkMix is not responsible for the accuracy of the text.