Drop in Advice

Citizens Advice Bureaux in Camden

242 Kentish Town Road, London NW5 2AB (map)

	Drop-in service
	Monday	10am - 3pm
	Tuesday	10am - 3pm
	Wednesday	closed
	Thursday	10am -12 noon and 2pm - 3pm
	Friday	10am -12 noon
	Saturday (for clients who work, study or have caring responsibilities during the week).	10am -12 noon (except bank holiday weekends)
	Specialist Legal advice, by appointment only, on Saturdays 10.00am-12.00pm.
	Access:  The bureau has a flat entrance and a disability toilet.   Metered parking possible.  Orange/Blue Badge holders can park in nearby side streets.

HOW WE WORK

Unless you already have an appointment booked, please take a numbered ticket and wait for your number to come up.

If you have an appointment you do not need a ticket.  Once you have told us you have arrived, you should wait for your name to be called.  If you are late for your appointment, please check first with the Receptionist – we fill missed appointments and may have to re-book.

GATEWAY ASSESSMENT

If you need to be seen, and have a local connection (see home page) the receptionist will put your name on a list for you to have a gateway assessment interview.
In the assessment interview we attempt, as far as possible, to deal with your questions straight away.  This might involve:

• Giving information and options for you to deal with the question yourself.
• Making you an appointment for full advice and help
• Referring you to another agency.

If your problem requires in-depth help, we cannot usually offer this on the same day but may be able to offer limited help in an emergency.

RECEPTION

We attempt, as far as possible, to deal with your questions straight away.  This might involve:

If the problem requires lengthy attention AND urgent action is required, we will try to allocate you to an advisor for in-depth work on the same day.

CASEWORK

If appropriate we will make you an appointment so that we can advise in full and in some circumstances negotiate on your behalf to resolve your problem. 

If you call in again on the same matter, you will normally still need to take a ticket to pass on news or further information about your case.  If your caseworker has agreed that you can drop off documents they will give you a note to show reception to say this.  You can also drop in a note through our letterbox (giving your name and address) or post information to our address.  You can also call us direct on a dedicated Kentish Town client line which you will be given by your caseworker.

If you leave telephone contact details, your caseworker will be able to keep in touch with you by telephone.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO BEFORE CALLING AT KENTISH TOWN  CAB

Benefits and Social Fund
Please call in first with your questions or change of circumstances to your local Jobcentre Plus or Pensions Service office (the address of this will depend on where you live).

You only need to call on us if further questions are raised which need independent advice or assistance.

Debts
Please bring creditors’ letters (all debts) and a note of your weekly income and expenditure.

Rent Arrears
Discuss these first with your Landlord / Housing  Officer.  If you are unable to reach agreement with them, or if you have a query with Housing Benefit, please contact us.  Please obtain up-to-date rent accounts before you come to see us.  Your Landlord has to provide these.

Council Tax Arrears
Contact the Council to find out what you can do to sort out the problem.  If you cannot negotiate a reasonable repayment arrangement, contact us.

Housing Repairs
Report all disrepair to your local Housing Office and follow their procedures.  Call on us if you have any complaint or query with this.

Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit
If you need to provide details or give information on change of circumstances, take written details/proof to the Camden Benefit Office at the Town Hall, entrance on Argyle Street (opposite BurgerKing).

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Holborn CAB

3rd, Floor, Holborn Library, 32-38 Theobald's Road, London WC1X 8PA (map)

	Drop-in service
	Monday	10am - 4pm
	Tuesday	10am - 4pm
	Wednesday	closed
	Thursday	10am - 4pm & 5pm - 7pm for people who work, study or have full time carers responsibility and cannot attend during the day
	Friday	10am - 4pm
	Specialist legal advice available, subject to prior assessment by appointment only, on Thursday evenings 5pm-7pm
	Access:  Ramped front entrance, automatic doors (front of the building only).  Lift to CAB office (with braile buttons and voice prompt) 3rd floor. Disabled toilet (also with baby changing facility) in the basement - lift/stairs from ground floor.  Rear of the building: 5 stairs (with handrails) to ground floor level Disabled parking; 2 disabled parking spaces at the front of the building (Theobald's Road), 2 spaces on St Johns Street and 2 spaces at the rear of the building, (St Johns Mews).

HOW WE WORK

If you have a pre-booked appointment, please let the receptionist know before taking a seat.  Otherwise, on arrival please take a ticket and the receptionist will ask you to complete a form whilst you wait to be seen. Your number will then be called by an adviser who will do a short assessment of your needs and will try to assist you in the most appropriate way (see ‘short assessment interview below’)

WHAT CAN WE DO FOR YOU?

Our aim is to provide you with a range of services so that those who wish to resolve their problems themselves are able to do so, and those that need to see an adviser can be seen more quickly and efficiently. 

WHAT WE CAN ADVISE ON:

Benefits
Debt
Housing
Legal Issues
Comsumer
Immigration and Nationality Issues
Employment
Relationships/Family

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU:

Information

Ask at reception and we’ll help you find the right leaflets or look things up on the kiosk/information point using direct links to selective public websites including the Citizens Advice public information site

www.adviceguide.org.uk.  

Short Assessment Interview

We will provide you with information to support you in dealing with your enquiry yourself, or you may be told about other agencies that might be able to assist you more appropriately.

In some instances we will make an appointment for you to see an adviser to more fully explore your enquiry and to find out what else you need and what’s the best way of achieving this.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO BEFORE CALLING AT HOLBORN CAB

Benefits and Social Fund
Please call in first with your questions or change of circumstances to your local Jobcentre Plus or Pensions Service office (the address of this will depend on where you live).

You only need to call on us if further questions are raised which need independent advice or assistance, e.g. the Jobcentre will help you to complete most forms (except Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance) if you need assistance to do this.

Debts
Please bring creditors’ letters (all debts) and a note of your weekly income and expenditure.

Rent Arrears
Discuss these first with your Landlord / Housing  Officer.  If you are unable to reach agreement with them, or if you have a query with Housing Benefit, please contact us.  Please obtain up-to-date rent accounts when calling.  Your Landlord has to provide these.

Council Tax Arrears
Contact the Council to find out what you can do to sort out the problem.  If you cannot negotiate a reasonable repayment arrangement, contact us.

Housing Repairs
Report all disrepair to your local Housing Office and follow their procedures.  Call on us if you have any complaint or query with this.

Housing Benefit / Council Tax Benefit
If you need to provide details or give information on change of circumstances, take written details/proof to the Camden Benefit Office at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE (the Benefits Office can be more easily accessed through the Argyle Street entrance).

Whatever enquiry you have it is really important that you bring along any documents/information that is relevant to your case as this will help us to provide your with the information/advice that you need.

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