ABOUT US

For 8 years, from September 2015, Solidarity Stockport's volunteers provided a service, based at the Wellbeing Centre, Disability Stockport, which gave help with :

* completion of applications and assessment questionnaire forms for Personal Independence Payment

* completion of assessment questionnaire forms for Work Capability Assessments (for Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit claims)

* information on challenging social security benefit sanctions

* referrals to the appropriate service in cases where advice, or representation in appeals is required

Upon the service's closure, we express our deepest gratitude to Disability Stockport for the excelent facilities which we were always provided with and for the co-operation, help and support which we have enjoyed from all of their staff.

PLEASE SEE THE DETAILS OF ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF SUPPORT BELOW

There are other services within Stockport which offer similar services and these all operate on an appointments basis. The information given is either drawn directly from those organisations' public websites, or our wording has been agreed with them These are :

Stockport Council District Advice Centres (operated by Citizens Advice at libraries) - The Council has re-opened only 4 of the 11 Advice Centres which closed when the covid-19 restrictions were introduced in March 2020. These are at Bredbury, Bridge Hall, Brinnington and Reddish libraries. They each open for one half day a week with the service being provided by Citizens Advice. Opening times and location details are on the Council's website here You can call in at these drop-in sessions to ask for an appointment to help fill in DWP forms. The Council's website also indicates that you can ask library staff at any library to help you make an appointment with Citizens Advice.

Citizen's Advice at Stopford House - Opening times at Stopford House, Piccadilly, Stockport, SK1 3UR are 9.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Appointments with Citizens Advice can be requested at your local library - instructions are here To view the Citizens Advice Stockport website click here

Citizens Advice at Yorkshire Building Society Stockport branch - Please view the webpage describing this service here or, to book an appointment, telephone 0161 636 0614 or visit the Yorkshire Building Society branch at 28, Great Underbank, Stockport, SK1 1NB, between 9 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., Monday to Friday.

Age UK Stockport - Offers help with a range of forms. Please view the website here or telephone 0161 477 1213 or email advice@ageukstockport.org.uk

BUT See the announcement of curtailment of Age UK Stockport's servces (hopefully temporary) here

Signpost Stockport for Carers - Offers help with completion of PIP applications for Stockport residents who either suffer from a dementia or have a disability. Also offers help to Stockport carers, with Disability Living Allowance (DLA) forms for children. Please view the webpage describing this

service here or telephone 0161 442 0442.

Stockport Council Home Visiting service - if you need to find out what benefits you might be entitled to or need help to complete a claim form and you are unable to leave your home, for example because you are disabled or have caring responsibilities, the Council's Information, Advice and Guidance service can arrange to do a home visit. Requests for home visits can be made online here

If you are under the Community Mental Health Service or a Consultant Psychiatrist - the Council's Welfare Rights Service has two dedicated Mental Health Specialist Welfare Rights Officers. If someone is under a CMH Team or a Consultant Psychiatrist, they need to ring the Mental Health Resource Centre for their sector (i.e. either Councillor Lane, Cheadle 0161 716 4100 or Baker Street, Heaton Norris 0161 716 4200) and ask for an appointment with Welfare Rights.

If you are a Stockport Homes tenant - the Money Advice team assists with everything from initial eligibility assessments for benefits, through application and completion of medical questionnaires, and where necessary, challenging sanctions, Mandatory Reconsiderations and appeals at First Tier Tribunal. The Money Advice team cannot, however, accompany to medical assessments. Telephone appointments, office appointments and, where appropriate, home visits may be arranged. Tenants can refer/be referred by emailing with their name, address, contact no. and details of what they would like help with at moneyadvice@stockporthomes.org or by completing the self-referral form on the website here or by telephoning 0161 217 6016. A Money Advisor will normally attempt first contact within 48 hours of a referral being received.

Greater Manchester Law Centre - Please view the GM Law Centre's website here or telephone 0161 769 2244, or email reception@gmlaw.org.uk to make an appointment.

WEB RESOURCES

Citizens Advice online guidance on completion of the PIP new claim assessment form (PIP2) is here

Scope's online guidance on completion of the PIP award review form (AR1) is here

Benefits and Work's explanation of the PIP assessment points scheme is here

Citizens Advice online guidance on completion of the Work Capability assessment form (ESA50 or UC50) is here

Contact's online guidance on completion of the DLA (for children under16) new claim assessment form (DLA1) is here