Age UK Darlington
The UK's biggest charity working with and for older people
Information and Advice
We provide a free, independent and confidential service to aged 50 and over, their relatives, carers and friends from our Information and advice Centre at Clarks Yard in Darlington town centre
Help and advice is available on most topics that affect the lives of older people but especially benefits, disability, housing and care issues.
Advice is available at Clarks Yard by appointment; alternatively you may prefer to contact us by telephone and ask to speak to an adviser. We can also visit people with mobility problems in their own homes. Should we be unable to deal with your enquiry, we will refer you to someone who can.
You can find our information & Advice Centre at:
9 Clarks Yard
Darlington
CO Durham
DL3 7QH
Tel: 01325 357345
Email: advice@ageukdarlington .org.uk
Opening times 10.00am – 4.00 pm Monday to Friday
We offer a comprehensive series of free factsheets, our invaluable A-Z guide to local services as well as a wide range of local and national information.
Click here for usefull Fact Sheets
Benefits
Last year our Information and Advice service dealt with more than 2100 enquiries, including helping people to claim welfare benefits worth £1,172,872.85
Our Information & Advice Service can:
- Help you check if you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to - many older people are missing out on money that is rightfully theirs, including non means tested disability benefits.
- Help you to make benefits claims, and assist with reviews and appeals.
- Provide advice on the management of financial problems - for complex problems we may suggest seeing a more specialist agency
- Offer information on small grants for essential needs if there is no other source of help
- Provide advice when an older person is no longer able to manage their own financial affairs
You can contact the Information Advice Service 01325 357345 or email advice@ageukdarlington.org.uk
Age UK Factsheets contain useful information on a range of financial matters
Click here for useful Fact Sheets
Housing
Our Information & Advice Service can provide advice on housing matters to people who are private/ council/ housing association tenants or who are home owners.
We can;
- Advice on housing repairs and adaptations
- Advice on help with heating
- Advice on difficulties with neighbours
- Advice on your tenancy rights
- Discuss with you about housing options e.g. sheltered accommodation, housing transfers, residential care
- You can contact the Information Advice Service 01325 357345 or email advice@ageukdarlington.org.uk
Community Care
Community Care is the combination of services and resources that a person needs to live their lives as independently as possible. This can include housing, benefits, leisure and educational opportunities and social services. These provisions or services can be provided by a variety of organisations within the public, voluntary and private sectors.
For most people 'community care' will mean the support they need to remain at home. However some people will need the higher level of support that is provided in a residential care home or a nursing home.
Some people who need help with their personal care may choose to pay for their services privately but many will ask social services to carry out an assessment of their needs to identify what help can be provided. Social Services have a statutory responsibility to carry out an assessment which will decide eligibility for services and the level of need.
You can contact the Information Advice Service 01325 357345 or email advice@ageukdarlington.org.uk
Factsheets
The following index contains a list of factsheets that are currently available. They can be obtained by post from our Information & Advice Centre or downloaded by following the links below to the Age UK web site.
You can also request copies by telephoning the Information Line on 0800 00 99 66
We are constantly looking at ways to improve our service and if there is anything you want to find out about
Specialist Information Sheets
The following index contains a list of Specialist Information Sheets on such topics as retiring abroad, making a living will or instructions for your next of kin forms.
These Specialist Information Sheets are available free of charge and they can be obtained by post from our Information and Advice Centre or downloaded by following the links below to the Age UK web site.
We are constantly looking at ways to improve the service and if there is anything you want to find out about please contact us.
Information guides
Looking for simple‚ expert information to help you make the right choices?
Our information guides have all the answers. See the full list of guides below.
- Adapting your home
- Attendance Allowance
- Be money smart
- Bogus callers - how to protect yourself
- Care home checklist
- Housing choices in retirement
- Protect yourself from scams
- Going into hospital
- Going solo
- Help with care in your own home
- Help with legal advice
- How to claim benefits
- How to find a care home
- Keeping cool in a heatwave
- Later life as and older lesbian‚ gay or bisexual person
- Living well in your home
- Living well in your neighbourhood
- Make the most of the internet
- Making the most of your money
- Motor insurance for older drivers
- Planning to live abroad
- Planning your retirement income
- Putting your affairs in order
- Save more‚ pay less
- What to do when someone dies
- What to expect as you get older
- Winter wrapped up
- Your employment choices
- Your guide to healthy living
- Your health services
- Your tax health check