Welfare Rights

How we can we help

If you need advice on a benefit issue, we can:

• Give you information on what benefits you might be entitled to and how to claim them.
• Check that you are getting the right amount of benefit.
• Advise you on what will happen if your circumstances change.
• Give advice on how to ask for a reconsideration of a decision, or appeal against it.

Acting on your behalf

If you've recently had a benefit claim turned down and are appealing against this, we can act on your behalf if any of the following apply to you:

• You or a member of your household (including non-dependants) lives in County Durham and receives Housing Benefit or an award under the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.
• You, a member of your family, or the person you care for, lives in County Durham and has a cancer diagnosis.
• You are terminally ill.
• You are a member of the armed forces community, including dependent families (regular personnel, reservists, veterans, bereaved).
• You are judged at risk of suicide, for example if you are a member of a CREE project.
• You have been referred from Citizen's Advice County Durham / Carers Centre / Age UK County Durham.
• You have been referred from Hotspots.
• You have been referred from our Housing Solutions, The Adult Sensory Support Team or Durham Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Information Advice and Support Service.

Specialist teams

Our specialist teams provide services that concentrate on working with some of the most vulnerable people in our community, and on providing support to other professionals and agencies working with vulnerable people.