Citizens Advice & Advice NI
Speak to an advice service about benefits, debt, housing, work, consumer problems and other everyday issues. Choose the service for your nation.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us what you are going through in your own words. We will match what you say with relevant RFTUK information and pages from across the site.
REAL ORGANISATIONS • UK-WIDE
Talk to or Find an Organisation That Can Actually Help
These are charities, advice organisations, advocacy services and specialist support directories. Use the search box to narrow the list by problem or nation.
No card matched that search. Try a shorter word, or use Find Local Support below.
Housing & Homelessness Advice
Get specialist housing advice if you are homeless, at risk of losing your home, having renting problems or need help challenging a housing decision.
Debt, Bills & Financial Help
Use free debt advice, benefit and grant tools, and adviser-finding services instead of paying a commercial debt-help company.
Emergency Food & Hardship
Search for a nearby food bank and check grants or other financial support that may be available for your circumstances.
Mental Health Support
Search a large UK directory of mental-health services, contact a mental-health charity, or use RFTUK's crisis page for urgent routes.
Families With Disabled Children
Get direct parent-carer advice and check practical grant support for families raising disabled or seriously ill children.
Carers UK
Information, guidance and signposting for unpaid carers, including benefits, work, practical support and finding help where you live.
Age UK Network
Find local services for older people, including advice, social activities, home help, befriending and other support where available.
Independent Advocacy
An advocate may help you understand options, have your voice heard and take part in decisions or complaints. Availability depends on the issue and area.
Domestic Abuse & Safety
Choose the service for your nation for confidential specialist support. If there is immediate danger, call 999.
Services have different eligibility and coverage. Check the organisation's own page before travelling or applying. If you need a smaller local charity, community organisation or council-funded service, use Find Local Support.
Guides and Next Steps by Problem
The organisations above can provide direct support. Use these RFTUK guides alongside them when you need to understand a process, prepare evidence, challenge a decision or find the correct route.
Understand the Problem and Take the Next Step
These cards combine RFTUK guidance with direct support routes where useful.
🏠
Housing or Homelessness
Eviction, landlords, homelessness, temporary accommodation, council housing or somewhere safe to stay.
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Benefits or DWP
Universal Credit, PIP, ESA, decisions, evidence, complaints, mandatory reconsideration or appeals.
👨👩👧
Child Maintenance
CMS calculations, payments, arrears, shared care, Direct Pay, Collect & Pay, complaints or appeals.
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SEND, EHCP or Education
Special educational needs, school support, EHCPs, assessments, additional needs, disability and education problems.
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Family or Children
Child arrangements, family-court issues, safeguarding, contact problems or family support.
📣
Complaint or Wrong Decision
If a public body got something wrong, ignored evidence, delayed your case or you need to challenge a decision.
🏥
NHS or Healthcare
GP or hospital problems, healthcare complaints, records, urgent help or finding a local NHS service.
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Council or Local Authority
Council services, social care, housing, SEND, complaints, planning, transparency or finding the correct council.
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Mental Health or Wellbeing
Mental-health information, crisis help, emotional wellbeing and finding services close to you.
🛡️
Domestic Abuse or Safety
Help for women, men, children and families affected by domestic abuse, coercive control or immediate safety concerns.
♿
Disability or Caring
Disability support, carers, social care, assessments, rights and help finding local services.
⚖️
Legal Help or Advice
Find legal aid, a solicitor, free advice or information about your rights and next steps.
Find Smaller Local Charities and Services Near You
The national organisations above cannot cover every local need. Use the connected local pages to find smaller charities, community organisations, council-funded services, food support, SEND/family help, advocacy and current schemes in your area.
Main Local Support
Search by town, county, nation or English region and move between support, councils and current updates.
FIND LOCAL SUPPORTRegional Support Hubs
Browse the 12 nation/English-region hubs with named services and live postcode or service finders.
OPEN REGIONAL HUBSLatest Local Changes
Check new grants, support schemes, closures, service moves, contracts and community opportunities.
OPEN LOCAL NOTICEBOARDCouncils & Public Services
Find your council area and official routes for housing, social care, SEND, complaints and public records.
FIND YOUR COUNCIL🚨 Need urgent or crisis support?
If you are looking for urgent mental-health or crisis information, use the dedicated Crisis Help page. If somebody is in immediate life-threatening danger, call 999.
OPEN CRISIS HELP