Financial Support 

 

We know that money issues can have a big impact on your health and wellbeing.

Financial support and money advice

While GP practices are not able to provide financial support or make benefit entitlement decisions, we can still support you in several important ways.

If you are struggling with money, benefits, debt, food, or the cost of living, there are specialist services that can help. Many of these services offer expert benefits advice, debt support, and practical help that GP practices are not able to provide.

What the GP practice can and cannot do

What we can do

  • Our Social Prescriber can provide general information and signposting to financial support services.
  • Provide access to your medical records so you can obtain supporting medical evidence where needed.
  • Provide food vouchers for patients who meet the eligibility criteria.
  • GPs can complete forms or reports that are sent directly to the practice by another service or organisation. A fee for private reports may be payable.

What we cannot do

  • Assess benefit entitlement or complete benefits application forms.
  • Contact the council, DWP, creditors, landlords, or courts on your behalf.
  • Write letters stating that you “must” receive benefits, debt relief, housing, or financial support. Any letters provided by GPs are limited to factual information from the medical record and are a private service, for which a fee is payable.

Specialist advice organisations are best placed to help and can offer more effective support than the GP practice.

Further information can be found on the Lambeth Council website

Financial support available in Lambeth 

  • Lambeth Council
  • Citizens Advice Bureau. Call 0800 254 0298 (option 4) between 10am to 4pm, Monday to Friday or complete this online form
  • Centre 70. Call 020 8670 0070 between 10am and 1pm or 2pm to 3pm, Monday to Friday
  • Brixton Advice Centre. Call 0207 733 7554 between 10am and 3pm, Monday to Thursday
  • My Community. Call 0333 360 3700 for emergency food
  • Stockwell Community Park Trust. Free Lunch available at 21 Aytoun Place, Stockwell SW9 0TE. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 12pm to 2pm

Financial support for Stockwell residents including Portuguese and Spanish speakers

Financial support for Lambeth council residents who are housebound

Every Pound Counts

Every Pound Counts is a benefit advice service for Lambeth residents who have a serious long term health condition or disability and may find it difficult to use mainstream advice services.

The service:

  • gives advice about benefit entitlements and how to access them
  • offers specialist casework support and representation
  • does not usually offer form filling but will identify another service who can assist

The service can provide advice to professionals and agencies working with vulnerable Lambeth Residents as well as to residents themselves.

  • Phone: 020 7926 5555 (option 4) (Tuesday and Thursdays, 1pm to 4pm)
  • Email: everypoundcounts@lambeth.gov.uk

How to make a referral - Referrals can be made by:

  • Lambeth residents needing advice
  • carers - if you, or the person you care for has a serious long term health condition or disability, and are unable to access mainstream services.
  • social care
  • health services
  • housing services
  • organisations supporting vulnerable Lambeth residents

Self Referral form

DASL

Disability Advice service Lambeth is leading pan-impairment Disabled people's organisation

Help with the following:

  • Challenging benefits decisions - Mandatory Reconsideration requests and appeals to the First Tier Tribunal
  • Challenging incorrect or delayed benefits payments
  • Supporting people affected by the Benefit Cap, Bedroom Tax or Local Housing Allowance rates who are unable to meet the cost of rent
  • Form filling for PIP, DLA, ESA & Universal Credit (Work Capability Assessment) - Please note, form filling support is mainly provided by our Volunteer Adviser and appointment availability is limited.

Also help with other issues, subject to capacity, including:

  • Applications for accessible transport services (Freedom Pass/Blue Badge/Taxicard)
  • Applications for utilities discounts (Waterhelp/Warm Homes Discount)
  • Emergency food and fuel support, and grant applications for furniture and essential white goods

Debt

Get Back on Track

If you have long-term health problems including with your mental health, including by helping with claims for Universal Credit, Employment Support Allowance and Personal Independence Payments. Also, lower the cost of bills including fuel and water.

We can also stop enforcement of Council Tax and rent arrears if you owe these to the Council or any of the project’s participating Housing Associations for up to 60 days, whilst we work with you.

Criteria:

  • You are ‘working-age’ (you aren’t old enough to claim state pension)
  • You, or someone you care for, has a long-term health condition, or their physical or mental health is getting worse, and
  • You, or someone you care for, is registered with one of our participating GPs.

Visit the Get Back on Track website

Other services

Benefit calculations

  • Turn2us. Call 0808 802 2000 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Benefits advice for carers of disabled children (Lambeth only)

Telephone: 0207 346 6800

Our Carers’ Advisor offers unpaid carers a range of support, including information, advice and assistance with welfare benefits for both the carers themselves and the people they care for.

Who are unpaid carers?

A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support. Caring for someone can take up a few hours each week, or a carer may be caring 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Some carers live with, or near to, the person they are caring for, whereas others provide more remote support. Some look after more than one person.

Making a referral

We’ve recently seen some changes to the service and we’re now working in partnership with the Carer’s Hub Lambeth to deliver this work.

Self Referral Form

Benefits advice for pregnant women

Maternity Action

Maternity action is a charity giving advice on the rights of pregnant women, new mothers and their families on employment, social security and health care

  • For advice on rights at work and benefits (National except London), the number is 0808 802 0029 (Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm). 
  • For advice on rights at work and benefits (London only), the number is 0808 802 0057 (Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm except Wednesday)
  • For advice on NHS charging for maternity care, there is a specific online advice form and the advice number is 0808 800 0041 (Wednesday and Thursday 10am to 12pm).

Calls are free from UK landlines and UK mobiles

Benefits advice for working families 

Working Families is a charity giving advice on a wide range of subjects to support parents and carers, particularly about employment and benefits

Their helpline number is 0300 012 0312 available Monday to Friday 11am to 2pm

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