Contact us for advice

How to contact the Welfare Rights Service
How to contact the Debt Advice Service
How to contact the Arabic Speaking Linkworker Service

How to contact the Welfare Rights Service

If you need information, advice or representation from one of our Welfare Rights Officers on your benefits or tax credits then you can:

Email a request for advice form
Phone our Welfare Rights Advice Line
Make an appointment at your doctor's surgery or health centre
Arrange an appointment or home visit
Write to us

Phone our Welfare Rights Advice Line

If you need information, advice or representation on your benefits or tax credits you can phone the Welfare Rights Advice Line on freephone 0800 345 7375 (Voice or Minicom and access to interpreters are available). Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon.

Your call will be answered by one of our Advice Assistants who will ask you for some basic information about you, about the advice you need and how we can best call you back. These details are then passed on to our Duty Welfare Rights Officer who will phone you. This will usually be on the same day, but if we are very busy it may be the following day.

To advise you fully, the Welfare Rights Officer may need to ask you about:

Your family circumstances
How much money you have coming in
Your savings
Any disabilities you and your family may have
How you are paying for your home

The Welfare Rights Officer can then:

Provide the advice and information you need in a way you can understand
Carry out any necessary calculations. For example to check if you are missing out on any benefits or to do a better off calculation if you are moving into work
Advise you on how to to complete your forms. For example we can advise you on how to complete an Incapacity Benefit form or appeal form
Contact the DWP, local authority and other relevant agencies on your behalf

How do I get an appointment to see a Welfare Rights Officer?

If your problem cannot be fully resolved over the phone or you need a representative at an appeal, then your case will be allocated to a Welfare Rights Officer for an appointment to see you. Appointments are held at various offices across Salford and you will be usually be offered an appointment at the venue nearest to where you live.

What if I need a home visit?

If you need a home visit, for example because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities then we will come and visit you at home.

Advice in your doctor's surgery or health centre

You can make an appointment with the receptionist to see one of our Welfare Rights Officers if you are a patient at one of the following practices:

Irlam Medical Centre
Lower Broughton Health Centre
Higher Broughton Health Centre
Walkden Gateway
Langworthy Medical Centre
Ordsall Health Centre
Springfield House, Patricroft
Little Hulton Health Centre
Lowry Medical Practice
Nelson Fold Practice

We work in partnership with the Citizens Advice Bureau and you can alternatively make an appointment to see a CAB advisor in the above practices.

We can arrange a home visit with you if you have difficulty getting to the health centre because of ill-health, disability, caring or work commitments.

If you have problems contacting your doctor's reception, need a home visit or would like to know more about what we do then please phone our main office on 0161 793 3550.

Write to us

Welfare Rights Service
FREEPOST
Manchester
M27 1BX

You do not need a stamp.

Fax: 0161 793 3785

If you are a member of staff, please use our email referral form instead of the old fax referral form.

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How to contact the Debt Advice Service

If you need advice, information or assistance with your debt problems you can phone the Debt Advice Line on freephone 0800 345 7323 (Voice or Mincom and access to interpreters is available). Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 1.00pm and 4.00pm.

When you ring you can help us give you the right advice by telling us about all the debts you have and your income and outgoings. For example, mortgage, rent, council tax, water rates, gas, electricity.

Complete a request for advice form

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How to contact the Arabic Speaking Linkworker Service

If you need advice, information or assistance on your benefits, tax credits housing disability or other issues and you would prefer to speak to someone in your own language then please call the advice line on freephone 0800 345 7370 (Voice or Minicom is available). The line is open Monday to Friday 9.00am to 4.00pm.

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