Useful contacts

General information

■ www.direct.gov.uk provides Government information, advice and further contacts on everything from employment, education and the environment to benefits, pensions and health

■ Newham Council has drop-in centres at Canning Town, Forest Gate, Green Street and Stratford. Phone: 020 8430 2000. Email: customer.services@newham.gov.uk. Website: www.newham.gov.uk

■ Community Links. Phone: 020 7473 2270. Website: www.community-links.org/

■ Newham Refugee Forum. The Hub, 123 Star Lane, E16 4PZ. Phone: 020 7474 7222. Website: www.nvsc.org.uk/groups

■ Age Concern. 655 Barking Road, Plaistow, E13 9EX. Phone: 020 8503 4800. Email: info@ageconcernnewham.org.uk. Website: www.ageconcernnewham.org.uk

Jobs and skills

■ Train to Gain (www.traintogain.gov.uk) and Newham Education Business Partnership (www.nebp.org.uk)

■ Newham Jobcentre Plus is the key contact for jobs and retraining at Kilner House, 197 Freemasons Road, E16 3PD. Phone: 020 7599 8804. Textphone: 0800 023 4888. Websites: http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/ or www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/index.htm

■ Workplace Stratford, Boardman House, 64 Broadway, E15 1NT. Workplace Canning Town, The Place, 2 Silvertown Way, E16 1EA. Phone: 020 8430 4331/6600. Website: www.newhamworkplace.co.uk

■ Newham Voluntary Sector Consortium, Burford Lee Centre, 11 Burford Road E15 2ST. Phone: 020 8519 9500. Website: www.nvsc.org.uk

■ Future Jobs Fund is a great new scheme for long-term unemployed young people. Website: www.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/futurejobsfund

Benefits

■ Newham Council has a Benefits Calculator to see if you could get housing or Council Tax benefits (www.newham.gov.uk). Advice on managing debt is also available, and Debt Packs can be downloaded

■ Tax credit office: 0845 300 3900 Textphone: 0845 300 3909 www.hmrc.gov.uk/TAXCREDITS

■ Job Seekers Allowance is paid if you are looking for full-time work or working less than 16 hours a week. Visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk or call the Jobcentre Plus benefits information line: 0800 055 6688. Textphone: 0800 023 4888

■ Pension Credits is a new entitlement for UK pensioners, from The Pension Service, part of the Department for Work and Pensions. Visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/PensionCredit/index.htm or call 0800 991 234. For general advice on pensions call the Pension Advice Line (in Newcastle, but on local area rates): 0845 6060 265

■ Shelter offer free housing advice - visit www.shelter.org.uk or call 0808 800 4444

Community Groups

■ Community Links is an innovative charity based in Newham offering a wide range of services to local people including care and play schemes, employment projects and opportunities for young people. Phone: 020 7473 2270. Website: www.community-links.org

■ The We Are What We Do charity helps you monitor your carbon emissions including the 10:10 campaign – cutting my carbon emissions by 10% by 2010. Phone: 020 7396 7463. Website: www.wearewhatwedo.org