Where else can I get housing support?

Ashford Place

Ashford Place is a community resource centre. Their main areas of support are Housing (for those with a connection to Brent only), Training, Employment & Enterprise, Substance Misuse Services, and Community Engagement. They also offer support with resettlement, supported housing, tenancy sustainment, work skills, vocational training and welfare benefits advice.

Monday-Thursday: 9.30am-5pm, Friday: 10.30am-5pm

60 Ashford Rd,
London NW2 6TU
www.ashfordplace.org.uk

Related Support

Employment support

Brent Mind

Brent Mind have a Building Employment Skills and Training (BEST) service. This is a free service which you can self-refer to if you have a common or severe mental health problem. They aim to support people to build their confidence, self-esteem, improve their communication, life and workplace skills, thereby giving emotional backup as well as practical guidance on all aspects of finding and keeping a job.

They hold drop in sessions on: 

• Monday 10am-12pm at our Wellbeing Hub in Harlesden
• Monday 2-4pm at Wembley library
• Tuesday 2-4pm at Kilburn Job Centre Plus

020 7604 5179
brentbbo@bwwmind.org.uk

Re-employ:

Remploy offers specialist employment support for residents of Brent with mental health conditions, who are ready to return to work for a minimum of eight hours, as well as helping people to prepare for, find and stay in employment.

030 0480 8047
healthymindsbrent@remploy.co.ukwww.remploy.co.uk/

P3 (People, Potential, Possibilities)

P3 offers routes out of social exclusion and homelessness by operating a variety of effective services including career advice, CV writing, job search facilities (free internet access and job listings) and work placements. P3 has a number of projects aimed at people with mental health conditions, disabilities and learning difficulties.

12 Kilburn High Rd,
Kilburn,
London, NW6 5UH

020 7328 7172
info@p3charity.org
www.p3charity.org

Debt support

National Debt Helpline

The National Debit Helpline provides free and confidential advice about debt. You can access advice and resources through their website or via webchat on the website (Mon to Fri 9am-8pm and Sat 9.30am-1pm). In addition, you can phone the helpline, 080 8808 4000.

www.nationaldebtline.org/ 
Alternatively, contact or visit your local Citizens Advice Bureau

Benefits

PIP

PIP is a payment to help with some of the extra costs caused by long term ill-health or disability. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself. You’ll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get.

www.gov.uk/pip
To claim phone DWP on 080 0917 2222

ESA

ESA is a payment that could give you some money if you have an illness or disability that affects your ability to work. Every claim for ESA is assessed and this process usually takes 13 weeks. If you apply for ESA for the first time, you’ll get some money straight away if the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) thinks you’re likely to be eligible for ESA when you first apply. You’ll have to send a sick note from your GP with your claim form to show that you’re not fit for work. You must have a Work Capability Assessment while your ESA claim is being assessed. This is to see to what extent your illness or disability affects your ability to work.

www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance

Please note Universal Credit is replacing 6 other benefits with a single monthly payment including ESA. Universal Credit is currently being rolled out in stages across the UK. The DWP will inform you if you are already claiming benefits when these will change to Universal Credit. However if you have a change of circumstances you will have to then claim Universal Credit.

For more information about Universal Credit

• www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
• www.citizensadvice.org.uk
• www.gov.uk

Family mediation

Relate

Relate is an organisation that offers relationship counselling and mediation from various locations around London. They charge £65 for an initial Counselling consultation. After this, the cost of ongoing sessions is agreed between you and your Counsellor according to your income.

An initial meeting with a Mediator costs £90 per person for a 45 minute appointment. Mediation is free for those on a low income who are eligible for legal aid.

Relate aims to support everybody who comes to them for help and they can offer reduced rates if you are genuinely unable to pay the full cost.

Counselling enquiries: 030 0003 2324
Mediation enquiries: 030 0003 2324
www.relate.org.uk

Substance Misuse

Addaction Brent

Addaction Brent provides a Treatment and Recovery Service (TARS). This provides a number of different support services:

• Confidential advice and information on drugs & alcohol; viruses such as hepatitis & HIV; harm reduction
• Health checks – they offer Blood Bourn Virus screening; Needle Exchange Service; free condoms
• Structured groups including evening groups – from Motivational group to Cannabis group, from Alcohol group to Creative group. They also have Cocaine and Alcoholic Anonymous (CA & AA) groups on their premises
• Community Care Assessments – their Social Workers team will support individuals needing further residential treatment
• Women’s Morning – each Friday morning is a dedicated male free time where women are encouraged to come along and meet and relax with peers and staff.
• Support surgeries – from Housing support to substitute opiate prescribing surgery, from Psychology to Citizen Advice, from Service users Forum (B3) to weekend support

97 Cobbold Road,
London, NW10 9SU  

020 8459 9510

Drop in service: 10am-7pm, Monday-Friday

More useful support

Citizens Advice Bureau Brent:

Citizens Advice Bureaus are located throughout the UK and give free, confidential information and advice to assist people with money, legal, consumer and other problems.

270-272 High Road Willesden, London, NW10 2EY

Visit www.citizensadvicebrent.org.uk/ for online support and recourses. Alternatively email ca.brent@cabrent.org.uk or telephone the Brent advice line 020 8438 1249 – (very busy, please keep trying) (available 10am-4pm)

Brent Mind

Brent Mind have a Community Wellbeing Service which provides a variety of structured groups and activities within the local community for people aged 18 and over experiencing mental health issues. You can apply directly or be referred by your GP, social worker, care coordinator or another mental health professional.

020 7604 5190 (Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm)
brentwellbeing@bwwmind.org.uk
www.bwwmind.org.uk/

Barnet voice

Barnet Voice for Mental Health is for people who have/had live experience of mental health distress. They run a drop-in called 'Space 2B' two afternoons a week where there is a choice of different activities. It's a safe place to meet people, have a chat, a drink and a biscuit, a place where you can totally be yourself and not have anyone judge you.

• Wednesday from 1.30-4.30pm (except public holidays) (they start packing up at 4pm) Hartley Hall, St Michael and All Angels, Flower Lane, Mill Hill, NW7 2JA.
• Friday from 1.30-4.30pm (except public holidays) (they start packing up at 4pm)
  Quaker Meeting House, 58 Alexandra Grove, Finchley, N12 8HG.

Samaritans Helpline (Brent Branch)

“Whatever you're going through, call us free any time, from any phone on 116 123”

Samaritans is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need a response immediately, it's best to call them on the phone. This number is free to call. Brent Samaritans provides confidential, non-judgmental emotional support, for anyone who has feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.

Alternatively email jo@samaritans.org or arrange to visit and see someone face-to-face.

Brent Samaritans is located at
1 Leopold Road 
London NW10 9LN. 

Please call 020 8961 6181 to make a face-to-face appointment.

Advocacy- Voiceability (Brent)

Voiceability offer advocacy support to young people and adults in Brent who need help to become more aware of their own rights, to exercise those rights and be involved in decisions made about their lives.

They work with:

• Any adult who is subject to safeguarding and known to the local council's safeguarding team
• Older people (over 65) with physical disabilities
• Younger people with physical disabilities ( who are going through transition into adult social care) aged 14 to 25
• Adults with mental health needs and;
• Adults with a learning disabilities

078 6002 2939
030 0330 0642 (Helpline Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
brentadvocacy@voiceability.org

Brent IAPT/Talking therapies

Brent IAPT/Talking Therapies is a free, confidential NHS service which provides psychological treatment for depression and anxiety disorders. The service is able to support people who are over the age of 18 and are a resident of Brent or registered with a GP in Brent.

Individuals can refer themselves to the service by phoning 020 8206 3924. You can also make a self-referral online by visiting the CNWL Talking Therapies Service website

www.cnwltalkingtherapies.org.uk

CNWL Recovery & Wellbeing College

CNWL Recovery & Wellbeing College offers a wide range of courses and workshops which are co-designed and co-delivered by peer recovery trainers (people with lived experience of mental health issues) and mental health practitioners.

The college aims to:

• Offer support for people who use mental health services, and enable them to become experts in their own self-care.
• Enable people to better understand mental health conditions and support people in their personal recovery journeys.

Courses and workshops are free for people in the following groups:

• People who currently use CNWL services
• People who have used CNWL services in the last six months
• Supporters (family, friends or carers) of people who use CNWL services or people who have been discharged from CNWL services in the last six months
• CNWL staff (including local authority staff working within CNWL integrated services)
• GPs who deliver services within the Trust's catchment area
• Carer support workers from the voluntary sector.

There is more info on their website www.cnwl.nhs.uk/recovery-college/ and you can apply there or by a form can be sent by phoning the admissions office.

020 3214 5686
recoverycollege.cnwl@nhs.net

The Bridge - Rethink Mental Illness

The Bridge provides a therapeutic programme that works in partnership with service users to identify their needs, develop a care plan, and work towards goals and review progress. These services support people with enduring mental health problems to build sustainable coping strategies, break social isolation, and promote social inclusion through meaningful activities that build networks and training that may lead to employment.

Christchurch Avenue
Harrow,
Greater London, HA3 5BD

020 8427 8528

London friend

London Friend counselling and support around issues such as same-sex relationships, sexual and gender identity and promoting personal growth and self-confidence. They are also home to Antitode the UK's only LGB&T drug and alcohol service. Their social groups provide a safe space to meet and socialize as an alternative to the bar and club scene.

020 7833 1674
office@londonfriend.org.uk

Bipolar Organisation UK

This service offers a confidential place to talk about coping with bipolar disorder, share experiences and gain mutual support. The groups are informal and are run by and for people with bipolar disorder and carers, families and friends. The group meets every second Thursday of the month from 7.30-9.30pm.

How to refer: self-referral by telephone or email

The Bridge,
Christchurch Avenue,
Harrow, HA3 5BD

Support Line: 0333 323 3880 (local rate)
info@bipolaruk.org
www.bipolaruk.org/