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Accessing benefits can be complicated and overwhelming – especially if you’re disabled or have a mental health condition

Mind in the City, Hackney and Waltham Forest’s Welfare Rights team is here to support you and your interactions with the benefits system, by offering advice and long-term casework

We want to help you access the money you’re entitled to, so that you can focus on your wellbeing.

Fill in a referral form here

Update February 2nd 2024 : PLEASE NOTE FOR COMMUNITY REFERRALS (not under the NHS mental health teams) OUR WELFARE RIGHTS SERVICE IS CURRENTLY AT FULL CAPACITY AND NOT ACCEPTING NEW REFERRALS WHILE WE WORK THROUGH THE CURRENT QUEUE.

 

referral form

Find out how we can help with accessing benefits

What support can I get to help with my benefits?

Our team of Welfare Rights advisors are on hand to help reduce the stress surrounding the benefits system and to make sure that you can access the funds you’re entitled to

We can help with the following:

  • Entitlement checks and better-off calculations
  • Making the initial claim for benefits
  • Filling out medical questionnaires
  • Attending health assessments
  • Managing your claim
  • Disputing incorrect decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
  • Appealing and representing at First-Tier Social Security Tribunals

What benefits can you help me with?

Our team of Welfare Rights Advisors can offer support for the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit
  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
  • Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction
  • Winter Fuel Payments
  • Pension Credit
    Freedom Pass, Blue Badge, and Taxi Card applications

Am I eligible to get support with my benefits?

Our service is free, independent, impartial and confidential. You can refer yourself for support using the button below, as long as you are:

  • Aged 18 or over
  • Live in Hackney, or are registered with a GP in Hackney
  • Are experiencing a mental health condition

How can I get support with my benefits?

Update February 2nd 2024 : PLEASE NOTE FOR COMMUNITY REFERRALS (not under the NHS mental health teams) OUR WELFARE RIGHTS SERVICE IS CURRENTLY AT FULL CAPACITY AND NOT ACCEPTING NEW REFERRALS WHILE WE WORK THROUGH THE CURRENT QUEUE.

If you are currently accessing NHS Enhanced Primary Care and have a Community Connector, ask them to arrange an appointment with the benefits adviser

If you are currently accessing NHS Secondary Care via the Donald Winnicott Centre or Vivienne Cohen House, ask your care coordinator, psychiatrist, or staff at reception to arrange an appointment with the benefits adviser

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