Get Advice

Initial claim for Universal Credit

Citizens Advice has a dedicated national Help to Claim service, who will usually be better placed to help with Universal Credit claims than we will in York. They can help (on the phone or through online chat) with everything from working out entitlement and filling in the claim form for Universal Credit, to problems with receiving your first payment.

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT THE CITIZENS ADVICE HELP TO CLAIM SERVICE

If you need to see someone in person, or need advice on anything else to do with Universal Credit or other benefits, please feel free to request an appointment with us below.

General benefits queries

We can help with a whole range of benefits issues, including:

• Checking for benefits entitlement
• Applying for benefits
• Help with filling in benefit forms, such as PIP forms or Universal Credit / ESA Work Capability Questionnaires
• Challenging / appealing benefit claim refusals or deductions (note - we can help with everything up to preparing & making submissions for appeals, but cannot physically accompany or represent you at an appeals tribunal hearing)
• Understanding your benefits or changes to your benefits

Before you contact us

Is the answer to your question online?
The Citizens Advice national website has lots of information, advice & guidance about common benefits issues here: citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits, and links to some useful benefits calculators (allowing you to do your own basic check for common benefits that you might qualify for) here: citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/benefits-introduction/what-benefits-can-i-get

If you're contacting us about a problem with your existing benefit claim
It's useful to first gather any relevant paperwork, such as:

• Benefit award (or refusal) letters.
• Any other letters about your benefits.
• If your problem relates to your Universal Credit, take a screenshot of the relevant section of your online account if you can - such as relevant journal messages, electronic letters or your payment breakdown.

If you're contacting us to check your general benefits entitlement
We'll ask you for:

• Your household income & savings.
• What if any benefits you already get.
• How much your rent (if applicable) is.
• How much your water bill (if applicable) is.

So it's useful to have this information to hand when you contact us.

If you're contacting us for help with completing a benefits form
If you need help with a form, such as a PIP questionnaire or Universal Credit / ESA Work Capability Questionnaire, please wait until you have received the form before you request an appointment. On the front of the form / accompanying letter will be a deadline for returning it - please let us know this deadline date when contacting us.

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Get in touch

Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. letters or screenshots, as outlined above) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail. Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

What we can offer

In some cases, we can offer...

• Referrals to Trussell Trust food bank for a food parcel
• Energy / supermarket vouchers under City of York Council's Charis scheme
• Help with applications for certain charitable grants for specific items / needs

...for clients that are struggling financially, as part of wider support with finances. The above are all discretionary schemes offered by third parties (not Citizens Advice) and we are only able to refer you for support after we have assessed your financial circumstances, and in some cases obtained further ID / documentation from you, as per the requirement of each scheme.

Note - help from these schemes is discretionary (not a legal entitlement), and is not a long-term solution to financial problems. It's a temporary stop-gap measure while longer-term solutions are explored (for example, checking for benefits entitlement, dealing with debt, or other help with maximising your household budget - all of which we can help with).  

Other support available

Community food banks
There are also various local community food banks around York, which you can visit directly without needing a referral. Details can be found here.

SPARK General Store
Independent food bank / subsidised supermarket. Fill a bag with groceries for £1. Details can be found here.

York Financial Assistance Scheme (YFAS)
YFAS is a scheme administered by City of York Council for people in emergency situations or financial difficulties. It offers supermarket vouchers, gas & electric top-ups, or other essential goods / services to those that are eligible. Details can be found here.

ACTS 435 Applications
Alongside our advice, we can also make ACTS 435 application requests on your behalf. If you have any questions on what the ACTS 435 application is and what is needed for an application request to be made, please talk to one of our advisers. here.

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Get in touch

Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peak times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

Help Through Hardship Helpline: 0808 208 2138
Open 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri (excluding public holidays).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
National helpline operated by Citizens Advice in partnership with Trussell Trust. They can go through a basic financial assessment with you there & then on the phone, checking for available benefits entitlement & schemes to reduce your household bills; and refer you to the food bank if you're eligible. Find out more about this service here.

Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or face-to-face appointment in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. letters or screenshots) you will be able to upload these / photos of the these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

Consumer issues relate to a product or service that you have paid money for; for example a used car, package holiday, or removals service.

Please note our advisers here in York do not specialise in consumer queries, so are limited in the advice that they can offer on this topic.

Instead please contact the national Citizens Advice Consumer Service for advice in the first instance. They will be able to give you a quicker and better-quality answer to your query.

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT THE CITIZENS ADVICE CONSUMER SERVICE

If you have already got advice from the Consumer Service but need practical help with acting on their advice, such as writing a letter to the seller, or need to see someone in person, please feel free to request an appointment with us at Citizens Advice York below.

Before you contact us

Is the answer to your question online?
The Citizens Advice national website has lots of information, advice & guidance about common consumer issues here: citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer

What information you'll need
When contacting the Consumer Service, or us at Citizens Advice York, about a consumer issue it's useful to first have the following information to hand:

• The date that you paid / agreed to pay for the product or service
• The method of payment you used (e.g. credit card, debit card, cash, etc)
• Details of the seller (e.g. name of the company)
• A copy of any contract / terms & conditions that you were given

 

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Get in touch

Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above to complete our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment (please note our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. letters or screenshots, as outlined above) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form below and we'll send you advice by e-mail. Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

What we can offer

We have a specialist debt team who can offer comprehensive specialist advice & support with debt. They can help with everything from dealing with creditors, budgeting and working out affordable repayment plans, to Debt Relief Orders, bankruptcy, write-offs, grants, and checking suitability / signposting for IVAs.

There are a range of options for dealing with debt; each with their own criteria. Our debt advisers can help you to explore which options are appropriate in your particular circumstances and support you through the process of resolving your debt issues.

Note, we are not able to assist with business debts. If you are seeking advice because you own / represent a business which has debts, we suggest contacting Business Debtline instead.  

Before you contact us

Do you need immediate advice right now?
It might be a few days before our debt advisers can contact you. If you need urgent advice in the meantime, you can contact National Debtline or the national Citizens Advice Debt Helpline. While they may not be able to offer full casework, they can answer simple queries and also give initial advice on urgent issues over the phone, such as dealing with a visit from bailiffs. There's also a lot of useful information and answers to common questions on the following websites:

• Citizens Advice national website: citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money
• National Debtline website: nationaldebtline.org

You can find detailed advice on dealing with bailiffs on the national Citizens Advice website here.

Preparing for your appointment
When you first contact us we will carry our a short debt assessment, which just involves asking a few questions to give us a clearer picture of your circumstances. In preparation for this, it's useful to gather any information you have about:

• Your debts (how much you owe and to whom); and
• Your household income & expenditure (make a list of each - there's an online budget tool here which you might find helpful).

We'll usually then arrange a full appointment with one of our debt advisers. If you can, gather any paperwork, letters or reference numbers that you have relating to your debts so that you can bring these with you.

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peak times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or face-to-face appointment in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. letters or screenshots) you will be able to upload these / photos of the these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

What we can offer

We offer help & advice on rights at work and common employment issues such as pay & entitlements, dismissal, discrimination and grievances. We can help with drafting letters to your employer, making complaints / lodging grievances, and where appropriate initiating the Employment Tribunal process.

We are not usually able to offer in-depth specialist / legal advice on complex cases, or represent you in an Employment Tribunal, but can signpost you to specialists that can.  

Before you contact us

Is the answer to your question online?
The following websites have lots of in-depth information, advice & guidance about common employment issues:

• National Citizens Advice website: citizensadvice.org.uk/work
• ACAS website: acas.org.uk/advice

Do you need urgent advice right now?
It might be a few days before our advisers can contact you. If you need urgent advice in the meantime, you can contact the ACAS Helpline, who can give specialist advice on employment issues over the phone.

Alternatively, if your query relates to discrimination in the workplace, the Equality Advisory & Support Service gives specialist advice on this.

Preparing for your appointment
When you speak to our adviser they will ask a few questions in order to determine what exactly your rights are. It's helpful to have the following information to hand first and include it in your query:

• How long have you worked for the employer
• Are you employed directly by the organisation you work for, or through an agency
• What are your contracted hours (e.g. zero hours contract, or fixed minimum weekly hours)
• If you have a copy of your written terms (contract) of employment, any relevant organisational policies or employee handbook pages relating to your issue, and relevant correspondence from your employer about your issue, it's useful to have these to hand when you contact us. If you request a call back or e-mail advice, please upload a copy / photos of these documents with your query if you can.

 

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. written contract of employment, etc - as outlined above) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query (e.g. written contract of employment, etc - as outlined above) please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail. Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork (e.g. written contract of employment, etc - as outlined above) if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

 Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

What we can offer

Our advisers can advise on common family law issues such as initiating a divorce or how to agree child arrangements with an ex-partner. We also have specialist family law advisers that can advise on a range of family family law issues (including divorce / separation, division of assets, child custody / child, and completing related legal forms), however due to demand they can have a long waiting list (target response time around 10 working days, and at times of very high demand we may refer you to a different Citizens Advice branch); and are not able to represent you in court.

We suggest first checking if you qualify for Legal Aid using the online checker below. Legal Aid means that you can get help from a solicitor and the government will cover some or all of their fees.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY FOR LEGAL AID

Before you contact us

Is the answer to your question online?
The Citizens Advice national website has lots of information, advice & guidance about common family law issues here: citizensadvice.org.uk/family

Do you need urgent advice right now?
It will usually be several days (sometimes around 2 weeks) before our advisers can contact you. If you need urgent advice in the meantime, you can contact one of the following:

• CORAM helplines (family law queries relating to children): childlawadvice.org.uk
• Rights of Women helplines (women only): rightsofwomen.org.uk
• FLOWS (legal advice for domestic abuse survivors - women only): flows.org.uk
• National Domestic Abuse Helpline (women only): nationaldahelpline.org.uk
• Men's [domestic abuse] Advice Line (men only): mensadviceline.org.uk
• IDAS: idas.org.uk

Preparing for your appointment
When you first contact us, we'll ask a few questions about your circumstances. If you've received any legal documentation, or have a pre-existing child arrangements agreement, it's useful to have these to hand when you contact us & bring these with you if we book you a face-to-face appointment. If you use one of our online forms below to request a call back or e-mail advice, you will be able to upload a copy / photo of any documentation with your query.

We will also ask for the name / details of the other party involved (e.g. ex-partner). Please do provide this (include this information in your query if contacting us through our online forms below) - we need this information purely so that we can check our systems to ensure that we re not already advising, or have any other connection with, the other party; in order to avoid a conflict of interest and ensure that any advice we give is unbiased and impartial. We will be unable to advise you in any detail without this information. In the event that there is a conflict of interest, this needn't be a problem for you - we will simply refer your query to a different Citizens Advice branch for them to advise you.

 

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. legal documentation) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days (or around 10 working days if your query is dealt with by our specialist family law team).

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail (note - if you need help completing a form or in-depth advice on a complex situation, this may not be viable through e-mail). Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork (e.g. legal documentation) if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

 Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

What we can offer

We can generally help & advise on a range of housing queries, including:

• Disrepair
• Problems with your landlord
• Contract / tenancy issues
• Ending a tenancy
• Rent increases
• Tenancy deposits
• Eviction
• Homelessness / threatened homelessness
• Accessing social or private rented housing

Where needed we can help with writing letters & complaints and advise on simple county court processes, however our advisers are not solicitors so may not be able to advise if your query is a complex legal one. Furthermore we are unable to represent or accompany you in court. For details of free legal advice / assistance, select 'Legal Advice' further down this drop-down menu.

If you are homeless or about to become homeless

If you are homeless or about to become homeless imminently, and need help finding somewhere to live, we recommend contacting CYC's Housing Options service in the first instance. Housing Options can offer advice on dealing with homelessness (or try to help you remain in your current home), and assess your eligibility for statutory support with relieving your situation.

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT THE CYC HOUSING OPTIONS SERVICE

The Salvation Army in York also runs a drop-in Mon-Fri 10am-12pm for any adult with a housing need (including sofa surfing, rough sleeping, etc) offering help with accessing both short-term and long-term accommodation, finding private rented accommodation, and accessing other support services.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF THE SALVATION ARMY DROP-IN

If Housing Options has not given you the help that you need, or you need advice on related issues such as debt or benefits, please feel free to contact us - see below.

Before you contact us

Is the answer to your question online?
The following websites have lots of in-depth information, advice & guidance about common employment issues:

• National Citizens Advice website: citizensadvice.org.uk/housing
• Shelter website: england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice

Do you need urgent advice right now?
It might be a few days before one of our advisers can contact you. If you need advice urgently in the meantime, Shelter operates a helpline and webchat service offering specialist advice on urgent housing issues.

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT SHELTER

Preparing for your appointment
When you speak to our adviser they will ask a few questions (including background details of your tenancy, if applicable) in order to determine what exactly your rights are. If your query relates to a rented property, it's helpful to have the following information to hand first and include it in your query (this can usually be found in your tenancy agreement):

• How long you have lived there;
• The name of the landlord (& letting agent, if applicable);
• Whether or not the landlord lives in the same building;
• What type of tenancy you have and whether it is a joint or individual tenancy;
• Whether or not your tenancy is subject to a fixed term;
• If you have a copy of your your tenancy agreement (the contract you signed with your landlord), it's useful to have this to hand when you contact us. If you request a call back or e-mail advice, please upload a copy / photos of this document with your query if you can - this will usually contain all of the above information, and a lot of other tenancy details that may be needed in order for us to answer your query, so its important that we see it if possible.

If you have any other relevant paperwork, such as a notice, letter or e-mail correspondence from your landlord, or a notice / decision letter from City of York Council, please provide this too if you can.

 

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. tenancy agreement, etc - as outlined above) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail. Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork (e.g. written contract of employment, etc - as outlined above) if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

 Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

What we can offer

We offer advice & assistance with general immigration queries, including EU Settlement, visa queries and British citizenship; and can help with some form completion. We are registered as an OISC Level 1 immigration advice service, and can in some cases access specialist advice for straightforward higher-level queries.

We are unable to assist with complex immigration casework, asylum applications, family reunion applications, appeals, judicial reviews, representation or other complex immigration issues. Instead please contact one of the specialist agencies below.

Specialist immigration help

We suggest first checking if you qualify for Legal Aid using the online checker below. Legal Aid means that you can get help from a solicitor and the government will cover some or all of their fees.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY FOR LEGAL AID

Failing this, the following agencies can also give specialist immigration advice:

• JCWI Helplines: jcwi.org.uk
• Settled Helpline (specialist immigration advice on EU Settlement or Ukrainian schemes): settled.org.uk
• Rights of Women Immigration & Asylum Helplines (women only): rightsofwomen.org.uk
• Find an immigration adviser (search engine for both free and fee-charging immigration advisers): GOV.UK Immigration Adviser Search

Is the answer to your question online?
The Citizens Advice national website has lots of information, advice & guidance about common family law issues here: citizensadvice.org.uk/immigration

Before you contact us

Preparing for your appointment
When you first contact us, we'll ask a few questions about your circumstances; such as your nationality, immigration status and how long you have been in the UK. If you've received any legal documentation or letters from the Home Office, or have any other immigration documentation such as a BRP or passport visa stamp, it's useful to have these to hand when you contact us & bring these with you if we book you a face-to-face appointment. If you use one of our online forms below to request a call back or e-mail advice, you will be able to upload a copy / photo of any documentation with your query.

 

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. immigration documents) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail (note - if you need help completing a form or in-depth advice on a complex situation, this may not be viable through e-mail). Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork (e.g. immigration documents) if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

 Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

We are not able to give specialist advice on income tax issues, as we are not qualified or insured to do so. Instead please contact one of the following in the first instance:

HMRC Income Tax Helpline

TaxAid
(For people aged under 60 with an annual income under £20,000)

Tax Help for Older People
(For people aged over 60 with an annual income over £20,000)

If you need help contacting the above agencies for advice, or need advice on related issues such as debt, please feel free to request an appointment with us below.

There is also a lot of online information about income tax on the gov.uk & Tax Aid websites. There's also a useful guide to Tax Codes & common Tax Code issues on the MoneySavingExpert website.

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for us to book you an appointment.

  Request an appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can request a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). Our target response time is 5 working days. Please note the adviser will not be able to give specialist tax advice at this appointment - they will be limited to talking you through the public information on the websites above, or helping you to contact one of the above specialist agencies.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

Our advisers can offer basic, general advice and limited support with a range of legal issues & processes, can give an overview of general county court processes and can help with completing some simple county court forms.

However, we are not qualified solicitors and therefore cannot give formal / complex legal advice (other than on family law - see 'Family Law' tab above); nor can we offer legal casework or representation in court. We are also unable to offer any advice or guidance regarding Personal Injury Compensation claims or criminal proceedings (as we are not qualified or insured to do so).

Free or low-cost legal advice can however be sought using the options below:

Legal Aid

We suggest first checking if you qualify for Legal Aid using the online checker below. Legal Aid means that you can get help from a solicitor and the government will cover some or all of their fees.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY FOR LEGAL AID

Law Clinics

Free legal advice is also available to York residents from the following University Law Clinics (note - they are closed during the Christmas & Easter holidays):

BARONESS HALE LEGAL CLINIC (open October-March)

YORK ST JOHN LAW CLINIC (open October-June)

North Yorkshire Law Centre (part of Citizens Advice North Yorkshire) also offers free legal advice & casework on complex discrimination and housing cases for York residents:

NORTH YORKSHIRE LAW CENTRE

Other ways to find a solicitor

Alternatively, you can search for a solicitor using the Law Society's solicitor search tool.

(If your query relates to Personal Injury Compensation, we recommend using a solicitor that is accredited under the Solicitors Regulation Authority personal injury accreditation scheme. You can search for solicitors specialising in Personal Injury Compensation through the Law Society website above or through APIL.)

Note, if not covered by Legal Aid, solicitors typically charge a fee; so always ask about this when you contact them - however:

• Some solicitors may offer a free initial 30 minute consultation;
• If you are looking to sue someone, some solicitors will offer to take a case on a 'no-win-no-fee' basis;
• If you have an insurance policy (e.g. for home insurance) sometimes this may cover solicitor fees - if you have such an insurance policy we would suggest checking it for any terms relating to solicitor / legal fees;
• If you are taking legal action against your employer and are a member of a Trade Union, your Trade Union may be able to engage a solicitor to assist you at no cost to yourself.

If you are having difficulty searching for a suitable solicitor & need some help with your search, or have a query not requiring complex legal advice or representation in court, please feel free to contact us using the form below and we will endeavour to assist if we can.

 

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. legal documentation) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail (note - if you need help completing a form or in-depth advice on a complex situation, this may not be viable through e-mail). Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork (e.g. legal documentation) if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

 Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

What we can offer

We can help with general problems with utility / other household billing issues, including:

• Advice on meter reading, billing and account issues
• Help with liaising with your the supplier
• Help with making a complaint to the supplier or escalating a complaint to an ombudsman
• Advice if you are struggling to pay your bill
• Finding a cheaper deal
• Problems with your Council Tax bill

Before you contact us

Is the answer to your question online?
The following websites have lots of in-depth information, advice & guidance about common issues with utilities & household bills:

• National Citizens Advice website: citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer
• MSE website: moneysavingexpert.com/utilities

Preparing for your appointment
When you speak to our adviser they will ask a few questions in order to determine what exactly your rights / options are. It's helpful to have any paperwork - such as recent bills, correspondence from the supplier or a copy of any contract or terms & conditions that you have been given - to hand when you contact us (and, if you contact us through one of our online contact forms below, upload a copy of these to the form if you can).

 

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork (e.g. recent bill, etc - as outlined above) you will be able to upload these / photos of these in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail. Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork (e.g. recent bill, etc - as outlined above) if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service - CLICK HERE
The Citizens Advice Consumer Service can offer specialist advice (over the phone or online) on your consumer rights in relation to any product or service that you have paid for. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.

If your issue isn't listed above, we may still be able to help.

You might find it useful to first check if the answer to your query is answered on the national Citizens Advice website: citizensadvice.org.uk

Otherwise, please feel free to contact us below and we'll be happy to assist if we can, or direct you to someone that can if we can't.

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Get in touch

 Adviceline: 0808 278 7895
Open 10am-4pm, Mon-Thurs (excluding Bank Holidays & Christmas closure).
Freephone from UK mobiles & landlines.
Local Adviceline for Citizens Advice York. At peaks times lines can be busy, so you may have to wait on hold for a little while or may be diverted to another Citizens Advice branch. Simple queries can be dealt with on this line; for more complex issues our call handler may take your details and arrange for an adviser to call you back / book an appointment.

  Request a call back or appointment - CLICK HERE
Click above for our online call-back & appointment request form. You can specify a preference for a phone call or a face-to-face appointment locally / in York (note - our advisers do not work evenings or weekends). If you have any relevant paperwork you will be able to upload this / photos of this in the online form. Our target response time is 5 working days.

Drop in: Mondays, 10am-12pm
Citizens Advice York, West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA
Sit & wait service - no appointment needed.
If you have any paperwork relating to your query please bring this with you.
Please note capacity is limited; waiting times vary and we cannot guarantee that you will be seen on the day.
Lengthy or complex queries, or requests for help with completing a benefits form, may be referred for an appointment on a later date.
Does not operate on Bank Holidays or during Christmas closure.

 Get advice by e-mail - CLICK HERE
If you prefer, we can advise you by e-mail instead. Just complete our e-mail advice request form above and we'll send you advice by e-mail (note - if you need help completing a form or in-depth advice on a complex situation, this may not be viable through e-mail). Please give as much detail as you can, and ensure that you upload copies / photos of any relevant paperwork if you can - the more information you provide about your problem / circumstances, the more detailed advice we will be able to give. Our target response time is 5 working days.

 Chat with an adviser online - CLICK HERE
Citizens Advice operates a national webchat service, offering basic information & advice via online chat, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). Note, chat may be unavailable at peak times. This service is provided nationally, so the adviser you chat with is unlikely to be be based in York.