Information, advice and advocacy support - Print version

Information, advice and advocacy support

Information is the supply of knowledge and facts, for example telephone numbers or email addresses, that will help you to find support. Some people just need to know what is available to them so they can explore further what might help. Other people need a more structured discussion (advice) from someone who can listen to their situation and provide guidance on the options available to them.

Information and advice requirements can be tailored to the needs of the individual to ensure that it is accessible, clear and relevant to their situation.

Help from information and advice organisations

People want information and advice to find out more about something, how it works and how to know if it is good enough. They need this information and advice to be able to make decisions about their lives, and to have choice and control over what happens next.

All organisations listed do not charge for their services.

Care and support organisations in Coventry

In Coventry there are a range of organisations that can provide information and advice to adults who need help with care support and their carers. Some organisations also support young people and their families. Some organisations are listed below. 

There are more organisations who provide information, advice and advocacy support in Coventry and these are listed in our Adult Social Care Information and Communities Directory [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/adultscid].

Age UK Coventry [http://www.ageuk.org.uk/coventry/]

Telephone: 024 7623 1999  Email: info@ageukcoventry.org.uk [mailto:advice@ageukcoventry.org.uk]

Provide free, confidential and independent advice and information specially tailored for the needs of anyone over 50 and their friends, relatives and carers. The Preventative Support Service can also offer one to one support and targeted support interventions for people with more complex needs.

Age UK also provide a wide range of factsheets [http://www.ageuk.org.uk/publications/] covering numerous topics including finance and benefits, health and conditions, accessing support and services.

Carers Trust Heart of England [http://www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk/]

Telephone: 024 7663 2972 Option 1

Carers Trust Heart of England is a one-stop shop for unpaid carers (those providing support for a loved one, friend or family member). They can offer:

• 1:1 Support
• Information & Advice
• Groups (both in person and virtual)
• Activities
• Training
• CRESS - Carers Emergency Response Service (a service which can help you contingency plan if you are caring)
• Carers Short Break Service
• Carers Employment Support
• Specialist Carer Support (such as Mental Health, Isolation & Working

The Carers Trust can provide support over the phone, video call, meet you at one of their offices or visit you at home. They also have a worker based at UHCW, who can provide support if a loved one is in hospital.

The Carers Trust Heart of England also offers support for Carers aged 5-25, through their Young Carers Project [http://www.carerstrusthofe.org.uk/young-carers/]. They hold a range of monthly activities and provide support within schools and within families.

The Carers Trust Heart of England can be contacted on 024 7663 2972 Option 1

Grapevine [http://www.grapevinecovandwarks.org/]

Telephone: 024 7663 1040

Grapevine provides support to people with learning disabilities and their carers to make their own choices and be part of their community. Including:

Help & Connect - which helps people with learning disabilities to make connections and use ordinary services, support groups to help people get out and about and build friendships.

Alzheimer’s Society [http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/]

Telephone: 024 7665 2602

The Alzheimer's Society provides a range of dementia support services in Coventry ranging from information and advice to people with dementia and their carers, 1:1 support for people affected by dementia in resolving issues to dementia care and support groups.

Macmillan Cancer Support [http://www.macmillan.org.uk/]

Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre telephone 024 7696 6052

Call them free on 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am–8pm)

When you have cancer, you don’t just worry about what will happen to your body, you worry about what will happen to your life. At Macmillan, we know how a cancer diagnosis can affect everything and Macmillan Cancer Support are here to support you through it.

From help with money worries and advice about work, to someone who’ll listen if you just want to talk, they'll be there. Macmillan Cancer Support are millions of supporters, professionals, volunteers, campaigners and people affected by cancer. Together they make sure there’s always someone here for you, to give you the support, energy and inspiration you need to help you feel like yourself again. No one should face cancer alone.

Locally the Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre [https://www.macmillan.org.uk/in-your-area/local-dashboard/detail/Information%20and%20support%20centres/7819/Coventry-Macmillan-Cancer-Information-and-Support-Centre] in the main entrance to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire provide free information, support and practical advice for anyone affected by cancer. They can offer you:

• Confidential one-to-one support 
• Information on all aspects of living with cancer and treatments available 
• Information on diet and nutrition 
• Recommended websites 
• Information about emotions, relationships and cancer 
• Access to support and information when you need it

The hospital and Macmillan also run a cancer support group [https://cid.coventry.gov.uk/kb5/coventry/directory/service.page?id=Honhmns5TBk] called Cancer United for patients and carers. They meet on the first Wednesday of every month from 10am to 11.30am in the Faith Centre which is situated on the Ground Floor, West Wing of University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire.

Coventry Library and Information Service are working in partnership with Macmillan make sure everyone affected by cancer in the city has access to quality cancer information when and where they need it. There are Macmillan Library Information Points at Central, Foleshill, Tile Hill and Willenhall Library.

Finances and paying for care

For more information see our money and legal matters [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/75/money_and_legal_matters] pages.

Information about pensions and planning for my future after retirement

Pension Wise [https://www.pensionwise.gov.uk/?gclid=Cj0KEQiA1NWnBRDchObfnYrbo78BEiQA-2jqBW1EmuZQcyWQsNG2yDBAfQEMvL_au96nDRX81I7pQVcaAnlB8P8HAQ] is a Government-funded website giving helpful advice and explaining the various options for pension planning.

Benefits, debt and housing

Find out about the different types of benefits available, the eligibility criteria and how to make a claim [https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits]. 

A useful Government funded free and impartial service for help with money management, benefits and debt advice is Money Advice .

At Coventry City Council, we are committed to supporting our customers who experience money worries.
Whilst we are doing all we can to help our customers, we recognise there may be other debts that you need help and advice with. If you are worried about debts or have missed payments, there is also free and independent debt advice available. The government-sponsored MoneyHelper [https://adviser.moneyhelper.org.uk/] can help you find support.

We also commission a range of advice services to ensure that the needs of Coventry residents are met, these include:

Citizens Advice Coventry [https://www.coventrycitizensadvice.org.uk/]

Citizens Advice Coventry offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice on a wide range of issues, including consumer, housing, child support and divorce and is a major provider of financial advice whether this is simple debt or more complex problems. Use the link above to access a range of fact sheets and other information resources or to find out how to access online, telephone or face to face advice.

Coventry Law Centre [http://covlaw.org.uk/]

Coventry Law Centre provides free legal advice and representation to people facing disadvantage in Coventry. The Law Centre specialises in the following areas of law: Community Care, Discrimination, Employment, Family, Housing, Asylum and Immigration, Money and Debt, and Welfare Benefits. Use the link above to find out more about the Law Centre and how to access their services.

Coventry Independent Advice Services [http://www.covadvice.org.uk/]

Telephone 024 7652 1100

Coventry Independent Advice Services is a charity offering free advice, information and support to all Coventry residents. Coventry Independent Advice Services is the new name for free neighbourhood advice in Coventry. Bring together the well-established advice services that were previously delivered by Willenhall Advice Centre, Wood End Advice and Information Centre and Holbrooks Community Care Association.

The service is confidential and their skilled advisers can help with things like:

• Helping to sort out debt and other money problems
• Challenging decisions on benefit claims
• Giving basic advice and information about housing and other welfare issues 
• Helping people to find other appropriate sources of support
• Identifying entitlement to benefits and helping make claims

Housing and Homelessness [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/homelessness]

Our Homelessness Prevention Service [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/homelessness] provides advice, assessment and assistance to people with a housing need. The earlier you approach the Council, the more likely it is that the Homelessness Prevention Service will be able to help you resolve your housing issues before you become homeless. 

Coventry Homefinder [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/homefinder] is the system used to gain social housing. Coventry City Council does not own any council houses, we work with registered housing providers who provide this type of housing in Coventry. Coventry Homefinder is used to advertise available properties that you can place bids on (express an interest in) in order to be considered for a property. You need to register with Coventry Homefinder to place bids on properties.

Advocacy

Advocacy is when a person, called an advocate, speaks or acts on your behalf and would be independent of the council. Advocacy means having someone who will express your views and wishes, secure your rights and represent your interests.

Most people will never need an advocate as they will be able to speak up for themselves, with or without support or will have family or friends who are able to represent them according to their wishes.

Advocacy safeguards people who are vulnerable by speaking up for them and is there to represent your interests. It enables people with physical or learning disabilities, older people and those with mental health needs to make informed choices and decisions about their own health and social care.

Read our Advocacy under the Care Act fact sheet [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/downloads/file/31285/advocacy_under_the_care_act_fact_sheet].

Access an advocate

Voiceability [https://www.voiceability.org/services/coventry-and-warwickshire] provides support to people around the following key areas, where they would have substantial difficulty being involved in the process and do not have an appropriate individual to support them:

• assessments
• reviews
• safeguarding

If you think you may need an advocate, please ring Adult Social Care Direct who can find out more about your situation and, where needed, can refer you to a suitable advocacy service.

More information about the assessment process [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/78/adult_social_care_support/980/assessments_eligibility_and_support_planning/2] for care and support.

Advocacy costs

Advocacy services are provided free of charge.

Specialised advocacy

There is also a specialised type of advocate, called an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) that supports people who have been assessed by a doctor or social worker as lacking mental capacity to make key decisions in their lives and have no one else to support them.

There is another specialist form of advocacy, called Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA), where an advocate will support people who are receiving treatment under the Mental Health Act. An IMHA is an independent advocate who is specially trained to work within the framework of the Mental Health Act to support people to understand their rights under the Act and participate in decisions about their care and treatment.

In Coventry, these specialist advocacy services are provided by Voiceability [https://www.voiceability.org/services/coventry-and-warwickshire].

National care and support organisations

There is more information, advice and advocacy support in our Adult Social Care Information Directory [http://www.coventry.gov.uk/adultscid]

There is also a range of national organisations that can provide information and advice about care and support.

National information

Carers UK [http://www.carersuk.org/]

Carers UK is a national organisation that provides information, advice and support to carers.

Carers Trust [https://www.carers.org/]

Carers Trust is a national organisation providing action, help and advice for carers. Their website has a range of information and advice for carers including their useful 'Help Directory'. Our local Carers Trust Heart of England is affiliated with the national organisation.

Age UK [http://www.ageuk.org.uk/]

Age UK is a national organisation that provides information, advice and support to help those get the best out of later life. Our Coventry Age UK [http://www.ageuk.org.uk/coventry/] provides support for people aged 18 and over.

Mind [http://www.mind.org.uk/]

Mind is a national organisation that provides advice and support for anyone experiencing a mental health problem. About Mind services in Coventry [http://cwmind.org.uk/].

My Home Life [http://myhomelife.org.uk/]

My Home Life is a UK wide initiative that promotes quality of life and delivers positive change in care homes for older people. They provide a range of information and resources for older people and their family when they are looking for care homes.

Admiral Nurse Service - community-based [http://www.coventryrugbygpalliance.nhs.uk/project/admiral-nurse-service/]

We are a team of 6 Admiral Nurses that are community-based, we support families caring for a person with dementia at home throughout Coventry, Rugby & Warwickshire North. Please contact us on 0300 303 3131 this is a Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm service, there is an answer machine facility and any messages left after 1pm will be dealt with the following day.