Union Office, British Telecom, Becket House, New Dover Road,
Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3BB
Tel: 01227 760311 e-mail: cwumeridian@btconnect.com
CONTACTS FOR SUPPORT & ADVICE
CWU MERIDIAN Branch Welfare
cwumeridian.welfare@gmail.com
If you have any Welfare issues that you would like to discuss with the branch then please
use the above email link.
MONEY ADVICE SERVICE (GOVERNMENT AGENCY)
Free and impartial money advice. Advice and guides to help improve your finances.
Tools and calculators to help you keep track and plan ahead. Support in person, over the phone and online.
The Money Advice Service
120 Holborn
London
EC1N 2TD
Telephone: 0300 500 5000
(Mon to Fri - 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-1pm, Sun & Bank Holidays - Closed)
To book a face-to-face Money Advice session
England: 0333 321 3434 or book online
Wales: 0300 330 0520 or email moneyadviser@citizensadvice.org.uk
Scotland: 0808 800 0118 or book online
Northern Ireland: 0333 321 2424 or book online
BT BENEVOLENT FUND
www.benevolent.bt.com/bf/HelpandAdvice/
Assistance for current BT people can be by grants. It’s typically given where people have fallen behind with priority payments such as rent, mortgage and council tax or utility bills due to long-term illness, redundancy, relationship break-up or other unforeseen events.
Help can also be given for other needs, including disability aids or adaptations.
BT people who feel the Fund may be able to help them must in the first instance call the BT Employee Assistance Programme on 0800 917 6767. An advisor will take details of their situation, including
specific financial information, this is needed in order to prepare a case to go to the Fund if it’s judged
appropriate.
If you are experiencing financial hardship and want to speak to someone to see whether the Fund can help please follow the instructions below.
Employees
Current BT employees should, in the first instance contact the Employee Assistance Programme on:
0800 917 6767.
Contact with the EAP is completely confidential and individuals can call direct on 0800 917 6767 or
+44 1865 397076 for outside the UK (for UK and Asia Pacific based BT employees only). To find out more go to the Employee Assistance Programme pages on the BT intranet.
Depending on individual circumstances, the EAP may refer a case on to the Fund for additional
assistance. The Fund is just one of the ways in which BT may be able to offer support to employees facing personal difficulties.
Former Employees
If you have worked for BT or GPO Telephones in the past, we could well be able to help, even though
you may not have acquired any pension rights due to the timing and duration of your employment.
BT Pensioners
If you are in receipt of a BT pension, whether or not based on your own service, the Fund is ready to assist. It is always helpful to our team if you have your BT Pension Number handy. (This appears on all pay slips and correspondence from the Administration Centre in Chesterfield.) Please contact us using
the details below.
Contact details for former employees and BT pensioners
Room 323
Reading Central Telephone Exchange
41 Minster Street, Reading
Berks RG1 2JB
Telephone: 0208 726 2145
E-mail: benevolent@bt.com
THE ROWLAND HILL FUND
The Rowland Hill Fund provides financial and practical assistance to serving and retired Royal Mail and
Post Office employees and their dependants.
Royal Mail
185 Farringdon Road
London
EC1A 1AA
General Enquiries: 0800 232 1762 or 020 7239 2041
For help or support: 0800 68 88777, chose option 1, then option 4
Email: rowland.hill.fund@royalmail.com
CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU
Advice and guides to help improve your finances. Support in person, over the phone and online. Find
your local Citizens Advice Bureau online.
Advice Line: 0300 330 1313 (UK)
Advice Line: 03444 77 2020 (Wales)
MACMILLAN CANCER CHARITY
If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with cancer. Find out what to expect, get information, practical advice and support, hear from experts and read other people’s experiences.
Support Line: 0808 808 0000 (Monday to Friday, 9am-8pm)
SSAFA (SOLDIERS SAILORS AIRMAN FAMILIES ASSOCIATION)
SSAFA provides lifelong support to anyone who is currently serving or has ever served in
the Royal Navy, British Army or Royal Air Force. Offering welfare advice and support.
Forcesline: 0800 731 4880 (9am-5.30pm Weekdays)
SAMARITANS
www.samaritans.org
You can get in touch about anything that’s troubling you. Relationship and family problems, loss, including loss of a friend or a family member through bereavement, financial worries, job-related stress college or study-related stress, loneliness and isolation, depression, painful and/or disabling physical illness, heavy use of or dependency on alcohol or other drugs, thoughts of suicide.
Telephone: 08457 90 90 90 (UK) (24 hours)
Telephone: 116 123 (ROI)
Text: 07725 909090
Email: jo@samaritans.org
DEPARTMENT OF WORK AND PENSIONS
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child
maintenance policy. DWP provide services in a number of ways, for example through Jobcentre Plus,
The Pension Service, the Child Maintenance Service and partner organisations. They also deal with
carers and disability benefits.
Jobcentre Plus
www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus
How you contact Jobcentre Plus depends on the help you need, e.g. finding a job, changing an appointment, checking an existing claim or making a new claim or complaint.
New benefit claims only: 0800 055 6688 (Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm)
Pension Service
Find your local Pension Centre: www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service
The Pension Service helps with State Pension eligibility, claims and payments.
Change in Circumstances Telephone: 0345 606 0265
The Child Support Agency (CSA)
Child maintenance is financial support towards your child’s everyday living costs when you’ve separated from the other parent. The Child Maintenance Service is for when you and the other parent can’t agree
to a family-based arrangement.
CSA Helpline: 0345 713 3133 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 9am-5pm)
Child Maintenance Options: 0800 0835 130 (Mon-Fri 8am to 8pm, 9am-4pm)
Disability Benefits
www.gov.uk/disability-benefits-helpline
Get advice or information about a claim you’ve already made for Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
If you were born on or before 8 April 1948:
Telephone: 0345 605 6055 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm)
If you were born after 8 April 1948:
Telephone: 0345 712 3456 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm)
SHELTER
The housing and homelessness charity. Shelter gives practical housing advice and support online, in person and by phone. Expert advisers give free, confidential advice 365 days a year. Helping with everything from mortgage arrears to finding a place to sleep.
Get housing help and advice
Contact Shelter's free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444 (calls are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks).
Main Switchboard: 0344 515 2000 (Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm)
(Please note housing advice is not given on this number)
Civil Legal Advice: 0345 345 4345 for free legal advice
(If you are eligible for legal aid)
Shelter Head Office
88 Old Street
London
EC1V 9HU
Email: info@shelter.org.uk
CRISIS
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. Offering classes, training, help and advice with applying for jobs and more in their Skylight centres (contact details online). Crisis does not provide emergency accommodation, however they can offer information on who to contact if you are looking for emergency accommodation.
Crisis
66 Commercial Street
London
E1 6LT
General Enquiries Telephone: 0300 636 1967
Email: enquiries@crisis.org.uk
CENTREPOINT
Centrepoint is the UK's leading charity for homeless young people, supporting 16-25 year olds with housing, learning, health and life skills.
Shelter Helpline: 0808 800 4444 (8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm Sat-Sun)
Centrepoint
Central House
25 Camperdown Street
London
E1 8DZ
Telephone: 0845 466 3400
STEPCHANGE
Expert debt advice and fee free debt management and practical solutions.
Get help online using the Debt Remedy Tool or call the helpline for free advice.
Helpline: 0800 138 1111 (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-4pm)
Live chat service and email available on the website.
Stepchange Debt Charity
Wade House
Merrion Centre
Leeds
LS2 8NG
