receptionist, work experience, clerk work

Helplines and useful links

Asylum/immigration
Disability
Discrimination
Criminal Justice
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered
Young Parents

Asylum/Immigration

Asylum Aid

An independent organisation that provides free legal advice, support and representation for asylum seekers and refugees.

Telephone: 0207 354 9264 (open Tuesday 1.00pm to 4.00pm)

Email: info@asylumaid.org.uk

Website: www.asylumaid.org.uk

Citizen and Naturalisation

Unless you have a claim to Citizenship based on ancestry you will probably have to apply for naturalisation in one of the following two categories:

Naturalisation after six years in the UK
Naturalisation after 3 years in the UK as a spouse of UK citizen

Please contact Citizen and Naturalisation for more information and assistance on making an application for naturalisation based on marriage to a British citizen.

Website: www.workpermit.com/uk/naturalisation.htm

London office: +44 (0)344 991 9222

Refugee Council

The largest refugee agency in the UK, providing advice asylum seeker refugees. They provide services for London, the East of England, West Midland and Yorkshire and Humberside.

Website: http://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/

General enquiries switchboard: 0207 346 6700 (open 9.30 to 5.30)

Speak directly with a qualified and independent adviser free and confidentially in the language of your choice:

Telephone: 0808 808 2255 or

Text phone: 0808 808 2259

Opening hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: 9.30am – 1pm and 2pm - 4.30pm
Wednesdays: 2pm - 5pm

UK Boarder Agency

The UK Board Agency is responsible for securing the UK border and controlling migration in the UK. They manage border control for the UK enforcing immigration and customs regulations. They also consider application for permission to enter or stay in the UK, and for citizenship and asylum.

Website: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Immigration Enquiry Bureau telephone: 0870 6067766 (opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 09:00 to 16:45, Friday 09:00 to 16:30, excluding public holidays).

Immigration Enquiry Bureau textphone: 0800 389 8289 (the contact centre also accepts calls by text relay and other similar services)

Address: UK Border Agency, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 2BY

Asylum support teams: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/asylum/helpandadvice/asylum-support-teams/

Home Office

The Home Office is the lead government department for immigration and passports, drugs, policy, crime, counter-terrorism and police.

Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/

Trafficking helpline (from Home Office)

If you are a victim of trafficking or suspect someone may be trafficked:

Contact the police by dialling 999 for an immediate response
Alternatively you can contact Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 and give information, this can be done anonymously and you may be able to claim a reward.
Contact the UK Human Trafficking Centre on 08447782406 or http://www.soca.gov.uk or email: UKHTC@soca.x.gsi.gov.uk
Access independent support from The Poppy Project on 0207 735 2062. Click here to find out more about The Poppy Project.
National Child Trafficking advice information line: 0800 107 705

Eaves Women's Aid and Eaves supported housing

Eaves is a London based charity that provides high quality housing and support to vulnerable women. It also carries out research, advocacy and campaigning to prevent all forms of violence against women, prostitution and trafficking.

Telephone: 0207 735 2062 (Monday – Friday, 9:30am – 5:30pm)

Website: www.eaves4women.co.uk

No Recourse to Public Funds Network (NRPF)

NRPF refers to destitute people from abroad who are subject to immigration control and have no entitlement to welfare benefits, Home Office support for asylum seekers or public housing.The NRPF network is committed to supporting and working with local authorities, the voluntary sector and central government. The NRPF network is funded by the UK Border agency (UKBA) and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Address: NRPF Network c/o Equalities, Refugee and Migrant Service, Islington Council, Town Hall 222 Upper London N1 2UD

Telephone: 020 7527 7107

Email: nrpf@islington.gov.uk

Website: islington.gov.uk/

Refugee Action

Refugee Action is an independent national charity that works with refugees to build new lives in the UK. With more than 25 years of experience in reception, resettlement, development and integration, we provide advice and support to asylum seekers and refugees in 11 regions across England.

Telephone: 0207 654 7700

Email: info@refugee-action.org.uk

Website: www.refugee-action.org.uk/

Disability

Contact a Family

For families with disabled children providing advice, information and support to parents of all disabled children or health condition. They also enable parents to get in touch with other families, both locally and nationally.

Helpline: 0808 808 3555

Text phone: 0808 808 3356

Email: helpline@cafamily.org.uk

Website: http://www.cafamily.org.uk/

Council for Disabled Children

Works to influence national policy that impacts upon disabled children with special educational needs (SEN) and their families. They aim to promote the active participation of disabled children and young people.

Website: councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk

Email: cdc@ncb.org.uk

Telephone: 0207 843 1900

Address: Council for Disabled Children, NCB, 8 Wakely Street, London, EC1V 7QE

Dial UK

National organisation for a network of 140 local disability information and advice services run by and for disabled people.

Website: www.dialuk.info

Telephone: 01302 310123

Email response@scope.org.uk

Disability Law Services

Provides information and advice to disabled and deaf people. They have a contract with legal services commission to provide legal advice and help to those on a low income. DLS only provides advice and information in these areas of law:

Disability Discrimination
Goods and Services
Community Care
Employment
Welfare Benefits

Address: 39-45 Cavell Street, London E1 2BP

Website: http://www.dls.org.uk/

Telephone: 0207 791 9800

Email: advice@dls.org.uk

Independent Panel for Special Education Advice

Offer free legal advice to parents of children with special educational needs.

General advice line: 0800 018 4016 (The advice line is staffed by volunteers and may be subject to change. Please click here for the latest opening times)

Website: www.ipsea.org.uk

Mencap

Campaigns for equal rights for children and adults with a learning disability and offers a variety of services to them, their families and their carers.

Address: 123 Goldern Lane, London, EC1Y ORT

Telephone: 0207 454 0454

Mencap Direct: 0808 808 1111 (Lines open 9-5, Monday to Friday); Email: help@mencap.org.uk

Email: information@mencap.org.uk

Website: www.mencap.org.uk

Office for Disability

The Office for Disability Issues leads in driving delivery of the government’s vision for disabled people. They aim to help remove barriers so that all disabled people are able to fulfil their potential and be fully participating members of society. They work in all areas of government policy and with a wide range of stakeholders.

Website: www.officefordisability.gov.uk

If you wish to contact the Minister for Disabled People, please follow the instructions on the Department for Work and Pensions website.

Discrimination

The Equality and Human Rights Commission

The Equality and Human Rights Commission have a helpline that provides information and guidance on discrimination and human rights issues.

Website: www.equalityhumanrights.com

Address: 3 More London, Riverside Tooley Street, London, SE1 2RG

Email: info@equalityhumanrights.com

Helpline England: 0845 604 6610

Telephone: 0203 117 0235 (non helpline only)

Text phone: 0845 604 6620

Helpline Scotland: 0845 604 5510

Text phone: 0845 604 55210

Helpline Wales: 0845 604 8810

Text Phone: 0845 604 5520

Criminal Justice

Youth Justice

HM Prison service information about the work carried out in prisons throughout England and Wales

Website: http://www.justice.gov.uk

Youth Justice Board (YJB)

The YJB oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. We work to prevent offending and re-offending by children and young people under age of 18, and to ensure that custody for them is safe, secure, and addresses the causes of the offending behaviour.

Telephone: 020 3334 5300

Address: Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ

Offenders Families Helpline

The Offenders Families Helpline provides information for families who have come into contact with the Criminal Justice System as a result of a family member’s offending behaviour. They offer information and support from arrest through to release and beyond. If your first language is not English there is a translation service available when using the Offenders’ Families Helpline. Please ring the helpline and they will be able to assist.

Website: http://www.prisonersfamilieshelpline.org.uk/

Email: info@offendersfamilieshelpline.org

Freephone: 0808 808 2003

Lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgendered

Faces in Focus

A service targeted at all young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and those questioning their sexuality aged 13- 25 living in Southwark.

Telephone: 0207 403 2444

Email: admin@facesinfocus.org.uk

Website: www.facesinfocus.org.uk

Lesbian and Gay Foundation

Deliver accessible community health and support service such as face to face counselling, clinical services, helplines and a range of support services.

Telephone: 0845 330030 (6pm - 10pm daily)

Email: http://www.lgf.org.uk/directory/view/email-advice

Website: http://www.lgf.org.uk/

London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard (Turing Netwark)

The Turing Network is a resources database provided by London Lesbian & Gay Switchboard(previously known as Queery). It provides information, support and referral service for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people and anyone who needs to consider issues around their sexuality.

Helpline: 0300 330 0630 10am to 11pm daily

Text phone: 0207 689 8501

Websites: www.queery.org.uk / www.llgs.org.uk / http://www.turingnetwork.org.uk/

Instant messaging may also be available at http://www.llgs.org.uk/services.html#messaging

Email Support: chris@llgs.org.uk

PACE

London's leading charity promoting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Pace offer the following services:

Counselling
Employment coaching
Mental health advocacy
Training
Workshops and groups
Youth work (for under 25's)

Website: http://www.pacehealth.org.uk

Telephone: 020 7700 1323

Email: info@pacehealth.org.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pacehealth

Broken Rainbow

Helpline: 0300 999 5428
Website: www.broken-rainbow.org.uk

Young Parents

Bubbalicious

Bubbalicious has a Q&A support forum where young people can share stories and advice. There is also expert advice on a number of topics about being a young parent and the website can put you in touch with a mentor.

Website: www.bubbalicious.co.uk

Brook

Offers pregnancy tests, birth control advice and a helpline

Helpline: 0808 802 1234

Website: www.brook.org.uk

Care to Learn

Provides financial assistance to teenage parents who want to continue their studies but who need help with the cost of childcare.

Helpline: 0800 121 8989

Website: www.caretolearn.lsc.gov.uk

Fatherhood Institute

A leading provider of information for and about fathers in the UK.

Helpline: 0845 634 1328

Website: www.fatherinstitute.org.uk