Useful links to advice and information
For self-help information on a variety of issues, the following web sites provide access to free information from independent sources. We have listed these sites here as we think you might find them useful but we cannot accept responsibility for the content or availability of external sites.
| Organisation | Information and advice on... |
| Citizens Advice | |
| Citizens Advice - Adviceguide | Benefits, employment, tax, debt, money management, family, health, housing, home and neighbourhood, education, communications, consumer affairs, energy, travel, discrimination, civil rights, immigration and legal information. |
| Citizens Advice - Advice for under 25's | Benefits, debt, employment and housing advice. |
| Citizens Advice | National website for our membership organisation - Citizens Advice. |
| Benefits | |
| Age UK | Benefits advice for older people. |
| Department for Work & Pensions | Government department responsible for welfare benefits. |
| GOV.UK - Benefits | Information, eligibility and how to apply for benefits. |
| GOV.UK - Pensions | Pensions and planning for retirement, benefits for people aged 60 plus. |
| HM Revenue and Customs | Tax credits and child benefits. |
| Trafford Council | Benefits advice including housing and council tax benefit. |
| Turn 2 Us | Benefits calculator and details of grant giving charities. |
| Consumer | |
| Dobsons Solicitors | Legal aid providers specialising in consumer/contract professional negligence and disability discrimination claims. |
| The Office of Fair Trading | Government office to promote and protect consumer interests. |
| Trading Standards Institute | Consumer information and practical advice. |
| Crime & Justice | |
| Action Fraud | Report and support if you are a victim of fraud, online scams and computer viruses. |
| Court Service | Website for the Ministry of Justice and related organisations. |
| Crimestoppers | Fight crime without revealing your identity. |
| GOV.UK | Government website on reporting crime, going to court, sentencing, probation and prison. |
| Home Office |
Government office responsible for preventing and reducing crime. |
| Identity Theft | Prevention and what to do if you are a victim of identity theft. |
| True Vision | Independent and confidential support to report hate crime. |
| Debt & Money Management | |
| Business Debtline | Debt advice for small businesses including self employed people. |
| GOV.UK | Information on managing money, tax, benefits and debts. |
| Financial Ombudsman Service | Independent advice in settling complaints between consumers and businesses providing financial services. |
| Financial Service Authority | Interactive tools for budgeting and borrowing, information and leaflets. |
| Insolvency Service | Bankruptcy, Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA's), Debt Relief Orders (DRO). |
| National Debt Line | Free debt advice and support. |
| Payplan | Free impartial debt advice. |
| StepChange | (Formley known as CCS) free independent debt advice charity. |
| The Money Advice Service | Free unbiased money advice. |
| Taxaid | Charity offering tax advice and support. |
| Turn 2 Us | Benefits calculator and details of grant giving charities. |
| United Utilities Trust Fund | Independent grant making trust applications for household bills and priority debts. |
| Healthcare | |
| Age UK | Benefits, care, age discrimination advice for older people. |
| Carers UK | Charity to support and help carers. |
| Department of Health | Public health, adult social care and the NHS. |
| NHS | Health conditions, treatment, local services and healthy living. |
| NHS Direct | For health advice and reassurance 24hrs a day. |
| Home-Start | Support and friendship for families. |
| Red Cross | Health and social care in the UK. |
| Trafford Council | Social care, fostering, adoption and healthy living. |
| Trafford Carers Centre | Organisation supporting carers in Trafford. |
| Trafford Law Centre | Advice on a wide range of mental health issues. |
| Working Families | Charity giving voice to working parents and carers. |
| Housing | |
| Dept of Bus Innovation & Skills |
UK department for business, innovation and skills. |
| Dobsons Solicitors | Legal aid providers specialising in housing, landlord and tenancy disputes. |
| Energy Saving Trust | Tips on saving energy and financial help available. |
| Gov.UK | Government website on housing options. |
| Help With The Rent | Help for tenants who rent from private landlords. |
| Shelter | Housing and homelessness charity - advice including arrears and court action. |
| Trafford CIL | Trafford Centre for independent living for deaf and disabled people in Trafford. |
| Trafford Council | Housing advice, options, grants and standards. |
| Trafford Housing Trust | Trafford housingassociation and assistance for local residents. |
| Trafford Law Centre | Homelessness, eviction possession proceedings, disrepair, tenancy terms & conditions. |
| United Utilities Trust Fund | Independent grant making trust applications for household bills and priority debts. |
| Immigration | |
| GOV.UK | Apply for a passport. |
| Government UK Border Agency | Visa, Citizenship, asylum, immigration and business migration information. |
| Trafford Law Centre | Immigration and asylum information. |
| Law & Rights | |
| Equality & Human Rights | Promote and monitor human rights, protect and enforce equality. |
| GOV.UK | Civil legal aid services. |
| The Law Society | Find a solicitor. |
| Trafford Law Centre | Immigration and asylum legal advice. |
| Local Services | |
| Age UK Trafford | Information for older people in the Trafford Borough. |
| Donsons Solicitors | Legal aid providers specialising in consumer, employment, family and housing disputes. |
| Home-Start | Support and friendship for families in Trafford. |
| Trafford Carers Centre | Organisation supporting carers in Trafford. |
| Trafford CIL | Trafford Centre for Independent Living for deaf and disabled people in Trafford. |
| Trafford Council | Services and Information for local residents, visitors and businesses. |
| Trafford Law Centre | Employment, housing, immigration and mental health help. |
| Relationships | |
| Broken Rainbow | Broken Rainbow provide support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people experiencing domestic violence. |
| Dobsons Solicitors | Legal aid providers specialising in matrimonial and family disputes. |
| Mankind | Support for male victims of domestic and abuse and violence. |
| Mensadviceline | Advice and support for male victims of domestic abuse. |
| Refuge | National charity working to end violence against women and children. |
| Victims Support | Free confidential help to victims of crime, witnesses, friends and family. |
| Women's Aid | National charity working to end violence against women and children. |
| Work | |
| ACAS | Employment advisory, conciliation and arbitration service. |
| Dobsons Solicitors | Legal Aid providers specialising in employment issues and resolution. |
| Equality & Human Rights | Employment equality and human rights information. |
| GOV.UK - Business | Government business advice support and compliance services. |
| GOV.UK - Finding A Job | Government information and advice on finding a job and your rights and responsibilities. |
| GOV.UK - Working | Government website on minimum wage, trade union, redundancy and health & safety. |
| Gtr M/cr Pay & Employment Rights | Greater Manchester advice and support service on employment rights. |
| Health & Safety Executive | Workers health and safety rights. |
| Inland Revenue | HM Revenue and Customs. |
| Maternity Action | Advice and information on rights, entitlements throughout pregnancy and maternity. |
| Trafford Law Centre | Employment, equality and human rights information and advice. |
| Working Families | Charity giving voice to working parents and carers. |