How to contact us for advice
We provide advice to parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and kinship carers who are involved with children’s services in England or need their help. We can help you understand processes and options when social workers or courts are making decisions about your child’s welfare.
Our advice service is free, independent and confidential.
To speak to an adviser, please call our free and confidential advice line 0808 801 0366 (Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3pm, excluding Bank Holidays). For Textphone dial 18001 followed by the advice line number. Or you can ask us a question via email using our advice enquiry form.
Our online advice forums are an anonymous space where parents and kinship carers (also known as family and friends carers) can get legal and practical advice, build a support network and learn from other people’s experiences.
Our get help and advice section describes the processes that you and your family are likely to go through, so that you know what to expect. Our webchat service can help you find the information and advice on our website which will help you understand the law and your rights.
Government service that provides impartial information and support to help both parents make informed choices about child maintenance, and you can apply to them for statutory maintenance collection, for which they charge a fee, if required.
Website: https://www.gov.uk/child-maintenance
Freephone: 0800 171 2345
Welsh language: 0800 232 1979
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 023 1344
Telephone: 0300 200 3100
Calling from abroad: +44 161 210 3086
(Monday to Friday, 8am – 6pm)
DLA is ending for people who were born after 8 April 1948 and are 16 or over.
You can only make a new DLA claim if you’re under 16.
You’ll continue to get DLA until the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) writes to tell you about when it will end. The letter will invite you to apply for a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and tell you what to do next.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64.
There are 2 parts to PIP:
Whether you get one or both parts and how much you get depends on how difficult you find everyday tasks and getting around.
You’ll need an assessment to work out the level of help you get. Your rate will be regularly reassessed to make sure you’re getting the right support. Your carer could get Carer’s Allowance if you have substantial caring needs.
Telephone: 0800 917 2222
Textphone: 0800 917 7777
(Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm)
Check these pages to see what you might be able to claim and who to ring.
Website: https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/disability
Telephone: 0300 322 9080
Textphone: 0300 200 3103
Telephone: 0808 808 4000
(Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm; Saturday, 9:30am to 1pm)
Website: https://www.nationaldebtline.org
Has information about different contact numbers depending on your query.
Pension Credit
Telephone: 0800 99 1234
Textphone: 0800 169 0133
(Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
Universal Credit has replaced a majority of benefits. Contact your local Jobcentre Plus or Tax Credits office who will tell you when you have to move to Universal Credit.
Website: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit
Universal Credit helpline
Telephone: 0800 328 5644
Textphone: 0800 328 1344
Welsh language: 0800 328 1744
(Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
Telephone: 0345 300 3900
Outside UK: +44 2890 538 192
(Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
Telephone: 0345 300 3900
Outside UK: +44 2890 538 192
(Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
The Mary Ward Legal Centre provides free, independent advice to people who live and work in London to help them access their legal rights and entitlements. This includes legal advice in relation to debt, welfare benefits and employment issues (as well as housing matters)
Telephone: 020 7831 7079
(Monday to Friday between 10am and 1pm)
Website: https://www.marywardlegal.org.uk
Helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free independent and confidential information and advice from around 3,400 locations. The website tells you how to find your local CAB.
Adviceline (England): 0800 144 8848
Advicelink (Wales): 0800 702 2020
(Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Turn2Us is a national charity providing practical help to people who are struggling financially. They provide information about benefits and grants via a webform.
Website: https://www.turn2us.org.uk
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