Useful links

For general advice:

• Call the Citizens Advice Line on 0800 144 88 48, Textphone: 0800 144 88 84 Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00.
• Contact Citizens Advice by email, just fill out the form and we will get back to you.

Emergency Funds

If you need assistance with emergency funds contact the Essential Living Fund on 0300 7900124
or, https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/emergency-assistance

For food bank vouchers:

Contact:

• Chelmsford Citizens Advice Food Bank voucher telephone service on 01245 205579, or,
• Chelmsford Council, 01245 606606, or,
• The Jobcentre, 0845 604 3719.

For basic benefits advice:

The following benefit calculators will show you the benefits that you might be entitled to:

• Turn2Us
• Policy in Practice
• Entitled To

Alternatively, look at Citizens Advice’s Benefits webpage or call Citizens Advice on 0800 144 88 48, Textphone: 0800 144 88 84 Monday to Friday from 09:00 – 17:00.

Universal Credit:

• See here to check if you are eligible for Universal Credit.
• See here to apply for Universal Credit online.
• If you need help with your claim, you can call Citizens Advice’s Help To Claim number on 0800 144 8444 from Monday to Friday from 08:00 – 18:00.
• If you are already receiving Universal Credit, you can contact them on the Helpline on 0800 328 5644 from Monday to Friday from 08:00 – 18:00.

Homeless:

If you are homeless or cannot stay in your property for any reason, contact Chelmsford City Council on 01245 606400.

Domestic abuse:

If you or your family are experiencing domestic violence and are worried about your safety, call the police on 999 or the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

Coronavirus useful links

General

• Essex County Council coronavirus news
• Chelmsford Council: Council services
• Citizens Advice: General advice, staying home, getting help, paying bills, work, school and paying rent.
• Each Other: Coronavirus and Human Rights
• Gov.uk: Protection, employment, schools, healthcare workers, travel.
• Money Advice Service: General advice, work, employers, school, redundancy, benefits.
• Essex is United webpage.

Benefits

• CPAG: Focused on benefits but useful links, support for employees, ban on evictions.
• Gov.uk: Benefits calculators.
• Turn2Us: Benefits and coronavirus.
• Universal Credit: Coronavirus and claiming benefits.

Business Support

• Business Debtline: Help for businesses, rates, grants, mortgages, landlords, utilities
• Gov.uk: Business support measures

Debt

• Citizens Advice
• National Debtline: Redundancy, Sick Pay (SSP), benefits, mortgages, rent, help from utilities.
• Policy in practice: Your income and what support you may get.
• StepChange: Debt and coronavirus advice.

Health

• 111 NHS: Isolation note
• Essex Welfare Services: Essex Coronavirus Action
• Gov.uk: Protection, employment, schools, healthcare workers, travel.
• NHS: General health advice, symptoms, self isolation.
• Rethink: Covid-19 and mental illness

Housing

• Shelter: Eviction, rent problems, moving home

Work

• ACAS: Advice for employees and employers.
• Gov.uk: Protection, employment, schools, healthcare workers, travel.
• Policy in practice: Your income and what support you may get.