Our Services
Housing and Benefits Advice Scheme

Across Carlisle, Allerdale, Copeland and Eden

The Housing and Benefits Advice Scheme (Big Lottery Advice Plus) provides offenders, ex-offenders and those at risk of offending with access to a service, which offers advice regarding housing and benefits.

The overall aim of the scheme is to prevent homelessness. Outreach advice workers hold regular surgeries in local Probation Service offices but may also offer advice sessions in other locations such as local hostels or in people’s own homes. Advice can also be sought through the web-site advice point 'Ask Online' below. The project includes a sub-service, which addresses the specific needs of females. It also has the capacity to link into prisons, which can be a really good way of picking up problems and assisting people in addressing them before they escalate. Typically, the things that people might ask for advice about include:

• Accessing accommodation through housing associations and private landlords
• Approaching the Local Authority homelessness department
• Dealing with tenant-landlord issues
• Rights under housing and homelessness legislation
• Benefit entitlements
• Accessing sources of funding

For some people accessing the service, a single one-to-one advice session might be all that’s needed. Alternatively, for others a greater degree of support might be appropriate. In these instances advice workers may assist people in accessing additional C.A.S.S. services.