Welfare Benefits

Here are some independent agencies and centres where you can get information, advice and legal help for all ages and life stages about entitlement to all welfare benefits and tax credits.

They offer help and assistance with benefit checks and claims, providing evidence and information, challenging decisions and better off calculations. 

• For free telephone advice if you satisfy the legal aid eligibility criteria please call CLS Direct:

Community Legal Service Direct 
Offers quality legal information and advice by telephone and advises on how to find a solicitor or legal adviser in your area.
Tel: 0845 345 4345

• For face to face services across Southwark available in all GP surgeries:

Benefits and Health Project
Southwark Welfare Right Unit
Tel: 020 7525 3393

• For rent or council tax benefits and eligibility please visit our Housing and Council Tax Benefit pages. 

• Citizen Advice Bureaux offer a range of services including welfare benefits. The local Southwark offices are:

Bermondsey Citizens' Advice Bureau
Tel: 0870 121 2016
Fax: 020 7231 4410
BermondseyCAB@aol.com
8 Market Place
Southwark Park Road
London SE16 3UQ  

Peckham Citizens Advice Bureau
Tel: 0870 121 2016
Fax: 020 7732 2497
admin@peckhamcab.org.uk  
97 Peckham High Street
SE15 5RS

You can also visit the main Citizens Advice Bureau's online Adviceguide.

• For access to public information you can visit the Directgov site for public services including money, tax and benefits information.

• Other local advice centres include:

Blackfriars Advice Centre
Tel:  020 7701 3999
Fax: 020 7701 0882
centre@blackfriars-advice.com
199 Walworth Road
London SE17 1RL 

For more details, including opening hours, see our listing for Blackfriars Advice Centre (BAC).

Multi-Lingual Community Rights Shop
Tel: 020 7703 4442
Fax: 020 7703 8343
mlcrs@onetel.net.uk  
213 Camberwell Road
SE5 0HG

For further advice in different languages you can visit the Multikulti website.

Southwark Disablement Association
Tel: 020 7701 1391
Fax: 020 7277 0481
sda@dircon.co.uk
Aylesbury Day Centre
2 Bradenham Close
London SE17 2QB  

Southwark Refugee Project
Phone: 020 7703 4046
Fax: 020 7701 7812
swkrefproj@aol.com
c/o STCC
161 Sumner Road
Peckham
London SE15 6JL

For more details, including opening hours, see our listing for Southwark Refugee Project.