Maidstone Borough Council 7 Where to go for help and advice
People living in private rented property and social housing can get advice and help at Maidstone Gateway and from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
Benefits Gateway
Maidstone Gateway in King Street is able to offer help and advice to people who are concerned about the impact of the welfare reforms on their household budget. By visiting the Gateway, you can get advice from Maidstone council, Kent County Council and voluntary agencies such as The Citizen’s Advice Bureau to help you understand how the welfare reforms will affect you and what support is available. The Gateway is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm on week days, with late opening until
7pm on Thursdays. It is also open on Saturday mornings from 9am to 1pm. On arrival in the Gateway you will be welcomed by staff on the meet and greet reception desk. They will establish your requirements, issue you with a ticket for the service you require and ask you to take a seat in one of our waiting areas until your ticket is called by an adviser who is fully trained to deal with your enquiry. Maidstone Borough Council can also be contacted by phone on 01622 602557.
Citizen’s Advice Bureau
You can access advice from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau in the following ways: Drop-in advice: Available at Maidstone’s Gateway from Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 4pm and at 2 Bower Terrace, Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME16 8RY from Monday to Friday between 10am and 4pm. Telephone advice: Call 01622 752420 and 01622 757882, lines are open Monday to Friday 10am to 4 pm. Maidstone residents can also book an appointment by phone for the next working day using the advice line numbers above. For more information see
www.maidstonecab.org.uk
calculator To find out more information about benefits and to use a benefits calculator to see what you may be entitled to, visit
www.gov.uk
Social housing support
Residents who live in social housing and who are affected by or worried about the changes can receive advice and support from their landlord.
Landlords who provide social housing in Maidstone include:
Accent Peerless
www.accentgroup.org
01276 852900
Downland Housing Association (Affinity Sutton)
www.affinitysutton.com 0300 100 0303
English Rural Housing Association
www.englishrural.org.uk 020 7820 7930
Golding Homes
www.goldinghomes.org.uk 0800 923 2700
Home Group
www.homegroup.org.uk 0345 141 4663
Hyde Housing Association Limited
www.hyde-housing.co.uk 0800 085 4195
Financial health check Money advice
Whether you’re losing benefits or not, a review of your finances is a good idea to help budget for now and the future.
The Money Advice Service offers free, unbiased and independent advice on all money matters. See
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk or call 0300 500 5000.
The Citizen’s Advice Bureau is holding a Financial Health Check day at Maidstone’s Gateway on 31st January. Advisers will also be able to offer advice on the changes to benefits.
The website includes a money health check tool and a budget planner.
Many social landlords also have money advice officers who can offer advice with budgeting, as well as the Citizen’s Advice Bureau.
Moat Homes Limited
www.moat.co.uk
0845 600 1006
Orbit South Housing Association
www.orbitsouth.org.uk
Russet Homes
www.circle.co.uk
0800 678 1221
Places For People
www.placesforpeople.co.uk 0800 432 0002
01732 780 999
Sanctuary Housing
www.sanctuary-group.co.uk 0800 781 4755
The Co-operative Development Society Ltd
www.cds.coop
Town and Country Housing Group
www.tchg.org.uk
West Kent Housing Association
www.westkent.org
03333 21 30 30 0845 873 1 321 01732 749400
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56