Advice Consultations

The Well  provides help offers free one-to-one Advice Consultations each weekday.  There are no appointments- so just drop in!

Opening Hours for Appointment or Free Drop-In Advice Consultations:

Monday/Wednesday/Thursday: 9:15am – 12;15pm; 1:00pm – 4:00pm 

Tuesday & Friday: 9.15am – 12.15pm

Areas of Support 

We offer first level support in:

• Benefits
• Form filling
• Utilities
• Tax Credits
• Personal problems
• Immigration (OISC registered to provide level 1 support)

The Well‘s service is confidential and we seek to help people in a respectful manner and treat them in the way that we would like to be treated. 

Partnerships

The Well  receives referrals from Job Centre Plus, Social Work, Health Visitors, Teachers and other third sector organisations and individuals.  The Well also refers more complex cases onto partners such as:   

Why are free drop-in Advice Consultations the cornerstone of what we do at The Well?  

We recognise that when someone doesn’t speak/read/write English, ordinary tasks can appear insurmountable.  Imagine receiving important mail and, not being able to read it- what do you do?  For many of our service users even junk mail has caused sleepless nights.  For others who can perhaps read English, speaking on the phone is very daunting.  That’s where The Well comes in!  Volunteers will explain letters or make phone calls to the appropriate agency on behalf of the user and, once permissions are obtained, sort out the problem. 

It may be that they are behind with their council tax and need to sort out a payment plan, or they have started working in a low-income job and want to claim Working Tax Credit.  Perhaps a utility company has made promises and not delivered, or maybe they need to appeal a decision on their benefits.  Often our volunteers say that they hate doing this sort of admin for themselves, but are happy to do it for someone else! 

People also come in to discuss very personal circumstances.  Sometimes they do not know where to turn and they find a listening ear at The Well.  We have helped and supported women who have had to leave abusive relationships- what a thrill it has been to see their confidence grow as they eventually become independent.  We have also supported men who have suffered at the hands of extended families.