Our Drop-In advice service offers free and confidential information to help you maximize your wellbeing.
We can help you understand your choices, find the right support, and take practical steps to improve your situation.
We provide general advice, as well as specialist support with welfare benefits, including ongoing casework where needed.
Notice: temporary pause on new benefits form referrals
Due to exceptionally high demand we have temporarily paused taking new referrals for benefit form support and are currently fully booked.
We apologise for any inconvenience or disappointment this may cause. This is a temporary pause to ensure that everyone already waiting for support receives the help they need, and give our team time to catch up so we continue offering the best possible service to everyone we support. In the interim, please find below our recently released self-help guides, or follow read more for other support options.
Read More
We are still here to help
Although we are unable to take new referrals for full form completion support at this time, there are still a number of ways we may be able to help:
- You may wish to use one of our self-help guides (available above).
- You may find it helpful to ask a trusted friend, family member or support worker to help you complete your form.
- Once you have completed your form, you can bring it to Ernest English House on Thursdays between 10:00 and 12:00, where a member of our team can check it over for you.
Please note: This is a checking service only. We are unable to provide full support with completing the form during these sessions.
Additional sources of support
Turn2us — free online guided video to help with completing PIP forms: pip.turn2us.org.uk
Kidney Care UK — if your condition relates to kidney disease. Telephone: 0808 801 00 00
Ups and Downs South West — if your condition relates to Down syndrome. Telephone: 01278 691100
Macmillan Cancer Support — if your condition relates to cancer. Telephone: 0808 808 0000 (Mon–Fri, 08:00–18:00)
Students — if you are studying at university, please contact your Student Support Service.
Scope — free, independent and impartial advice on your PIP claim or review. Telephone: 0808 800 3333
DWP Home Visits — if someone has severe cognitive, learning or mental health impairments and cannot manage the claim over the phone or by post, the DWP can arrange a home visiting officer. Telephone: 0800 121 4433 · Textphone: 0800 121 4493 (Mon–Fri, 09:00–17:00)
If you are unsure which option is right for you, please speak to a member of staff and we will do our best to point you in the right direction. We will keep this situation under regular review and will reopen referrals as soon as we are able.
How do we help?
- Benefits: making claims, challenging decisions, appeals, and tribunal preparation
- Debt and money worries
- Housing or homelessness issues
- Problems at work
- Consumer issues (goods and services)
- Social care and support for carers
- Energy and utility concerns
If we cannot solve your issue directly, we will help you find the right service that can. You can follow the link below to register for, and request support. You can also reach out for informal queries, or just a friendly chat.
Hospital and Specialist Outreach
In addition to our community Drop-In service, we also provide targeted support within healthcare settings.
- We work with patients and carers at Mount Gould Hospital.
- We provide a specialist advice service for adults and children with Cystic Fibrosis at Derriford Hospital.
This ensures that individuals and families can access advice and support at the point of need, including during periods of ill health or hospital discharge.
Part funded by
In partnership with
