Community Care: Further help

Provides free information direct to the public on a range of common legal problems.
Call 0845 345 4 345
If you qualify for legal aid, get free advice from a specialist legal adviser about benefits and tax credits, debt, education, employment or housing. Also find a high quality local legal adviser or solicitor.
Click www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk
Find a high quality local legal adviser or solicitor, link to other online information and see if you qualify for legal aid using our calculator.

Advice Guide
website: www.adviceguide.org.uk
This website from the Citizens Advice Bureau contains information on benefits.

Department of Health
The Department produces a range of publications including ‘A guide to receiving direct payments from your local council: a route to independent living’ and ‘NHS continuing healthcare and NHS-funded nursing care’.
phone: 0870 155 5455
website: www.dh.gov.uk/publications

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
For people in England, PALS offers information, support and advice if you have a problem with healthcare. To contact your local PALS, phone your local hospital, clinic, GP surgery or health centre, or phone NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

Independent Complaints Advocacy Service (ICAS)
ICAS provides advice and support to people who want to complain about the NHS.
Phone NHS Direct 0845 46 47 or contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau, which is listed in the phone book.

Community Health Councils (CHCs)
In Wales, CHCs can offer free confidential advice and independent help on making a complaint about an NHS service. Contact the Board of Welsh CHCs for details of your nearest CHC.
phone: 0845 644 7814
website: www.patienthelp.wales.nhs.uk

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (England)
phone: 0845 015 4033
website: www.ombudsman.org.uk

Local Government Ombudsman (England)
phone: 0845 602 1983
website: www.lgo.org.uk

Public Services Ombudsman (Wales)
phone: 01656 641150
website: www.ombudsman-wales.org

Age Concern
phone: 0800 009966 (England)
029 2043 1555 (Wales)
website: www.ageconcern.org.uk

Help the Aged
phone: 020 7278 1114
SeniorLine: 0808 800 6565
website: www.helptheaged.org.uk

Alzheimer’s Society
Helpline: 0845 300 0336
website: www.alzheimers.org.uk

Counsel and Care
phone: 0845 300 7585
Monday to Friday 10am to 12pm, and 2pm to 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
website: www.counselandcare.org.uk

Department for Work and Pensions
For information about claiming benefits: www.dwp.gov.uk
Benefit enquiry line: 0800 88 22 00

Carers UK
Carersline: 0808 808 7777 (Wednesday and Thursday only, 10am to 12 noon and 2pm to 4pm).
website: www.carersuk.org.uk

Commission for Social Care Inspection
phone: 0845 015 0120
website: www.csci.org.uk

Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
phone: 01443 848450
website: www.cssiw.org.uk

Healthcare Commission
phone: 0845 601 3012
website: www.healthcarecommission.org.uk

The Community Legal Service
The Community Legal Service has been set up to help you find the right legal information and advice to solve your problems.

You can get help through a national network of organisations including Citizens Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, many independent advice centres and thousands of high-street solicitors. All of these services meet quality standards set by the Legal Services Commission. Look for the Community Legal Service logo, shown below.

Many of the organisations offer some or all of their services for free. If you cannot afford to pay for advice you may be eligible for financial support through the Community Legal Service Fund (Legal Aid). You can order leaflets about funding from the LSC leaflet line on 0845 3000 343. You can also use a Legal Aid eligibility calculator on the website: www.communitylegaladvice.org.uk

The Legal Services Commission (LSC)
The Community Legal Service and the Community Legal Service Fund are managed by the Legal Services Commission. To find out more about us visit our website at www.legalservices.gov.uk or find the details for your local Legal Services Commission office in the phone book.

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