Mental Health and Benefits Handbook 1st editionAppendix 2: Information and advice Benefits independent advice and representation
Back to previous
Newer version available

There is a newer version of this publication available:
Mental Health and Benefits Handbook 1st edition - with new material

Chapter illustrations ()
Loading image navigation...
No image index could be found for this publication.
Close this Panel
Benefits independent advice and representation
If you want advice or information on a benefit or tax credit issue, the following may be able to assist.
    •Advicelocal (advicelocal.uk) has details of advice organisations in your area.
    •Citizens Advice. You can find out where your local office is from the Citizens Advice website at citizensadvice.org.uk (England and Wales) or cas.org.uk (Scotland).
    •Law centres. You can find your nearest law centre at lawcentres.org.uk.
    •LawWorks (lawworks.org.uk) has details of local legal advice centres that give free advice.
    •Housing association welfare rights services for tenants.
    •Local authority welfare rights services.
    •Local and national organisations for particular groups of claimants may offer help. For instance, there are unemployed centres, pensioners’ groups and organisations for people with disabilities.
Advice from CPAG
Unfortunately, CPAG is unable to deal with enquiries directly from members of the public, but if you are an adviser you can phone or email for help with advising your client.
Advisers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can call from 10am to 12pm and from 2pm to 4pm (Monday to Friday) on 020 7812 5231. Email advice is limited to enquiries that are specifically about universal credit, child benefit and tax credits. Our email address is advice@cpag.org.uk. For more information, see cpag.org.uk/advisers.
Advisers in Scotland can call from 10am to 4pm (Monday to Thursday) and from 10am to 12pm (Friday) on 0141 552 0552, or email advice@cpagscotland.org.uk.
CPAG’s Upper Tribunal assistance project can provide help to advisers helping claimants challenge tribunal decisions. See cpag.org.uk/upper-tribunal-assistance-project. We also provide training and advice to support advisers to pursue judicial review remedies. See cpag.org.uk/jrproject.
CPAG takes on a small number of test cases each year. We focus on cases that have the potential to improve the lives of families with children in poverty. If you are an adviser and would like to refer a test case to us, please see cpag.org.uk/test-case-referrals.
Finding help online
Information about benefits and tax credits, including a selection of leaflets and forms, is available on the GOV.UK website.
The rightsnet website (aimed at advisers) at rightsnet.org.uk provides information on new welfare rights legislation, caselaw and guidance. It also provides updates on developments in other areas of social welfare law and has a discussion forum where advisers can discuss particular cases.
Most Acts and regulations can be found at legislation.gov.uk.
You can find commissioners’ and Upper Tribunal decisions at gov.uk/administrative-appeals-tribunal-decisions.