UCL iLAC Holiday Closure: Emergency Numbers

Please note that the Clinic will be closed from 28th March – 3rd April 2024 inclusive. During this time, we will only check messages once per day and will only be able to respond to emergency queries.

Contacting your local Council   

Homelessness or Social Services Emergency (out of hours contact):  

Newham: 020 8430 2000  

Tower Hamlets: 0207 364 4079 

Waltham Forest: 020 8496 3000   

Redbridge: 020 8708 4002 

Barking & Dagenham: 020 8215 3000

Homelessness support:   

If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, the first thing you should do is contact your Local Authority.

This website contains information about how to contact your local council if you are homeless: https://www.lhfatlas.org.uk/maps/housing-options?&borough-select=Barking%20and%20Dagenham 

If you are sleeping rough and require assistance, contact streetlink (you may need to sign up): 

• thestreetlink.org.uk
• https://www.streetlink.london/Streetlink_London_HomePage
• Phone 0300 500 0914

Crisis  

If you are homeless, Crisis has information about direct access hostels and day centres. Volunteers are also welcome. 

• Crisis website
• Email london@crisis.org.uk
• Phone 020 7426 5650
• Crisis Skylight London address

Connection At St Martin's  

Provides support for people sleeping rough in London, including hot meals, laundry and showers. Information about the services are here: https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/get-help-homelessness/what-we-offer-homelessness-support/.

Opening hours here: https://www.connection-at-stmartins.org.uk/get-help-homelessness/

• Phone 020 7766 5544
• Visit St Martin’s at: 12 Adelaide St, London WC2N 4HW

Below are a few other links where you may be able to search for services that could help you:

• https://www.homeless.org.uk/search-homelessness-services
• Newham support for rough sleepers: https://www.newham.gov.uk/housing-homes-homelessness/homelessness-prevention-advice/3?documentId=81&categoryId=20001
• Your Place: https://your-place.org.uk/people-experiencing-homelessness/ 
• The Pavement  (Winter Shelters): https://www.thepavement.org.uk/services?service=14  please note the closing date on each shelter, as many are closing/have closed for spring.

If you need housing advice, you can contact the Shelter advice line:

• https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help/helpline
• Phone 0808 800 4444    

If you have no recourse to public funds, you can look for a service who may be able to assist you here:  https://naccom.org.uk/projects/ 

Newham also has a number of warm havens open for those who are struggling to keep warm (open until 31 March 2024) - map here:  https://www.newham.gov.uk/warmhavens

Health:   

Mental Health Crisis line  

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, most local NHS services operate a 24 hour mental health crisis helpline. You can find details for Newham's helpline here:  https://www.elft.nhs.uk/services/mental-health-crisis-linecrisis-support-newham 

If you aren't in Newham, you can find how to access your local NHS mental health helpline here:https://www.nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health/find-an-urgent-mental-health-helpline

Well Newham - https://www.wellnewham.org.uk 

Samaritans  

If you're worried about something, feel upset or confused, or you just want to talk to someone, the Samaritans will provide confidential emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide. Everything you say is confidential within Samaritans.   

• Contact jo@samaritians.org
• Visit the Samaritans website
• Phone 116 123  

SANEline  

SANEline is a national out-of-hours mental health helpline offering specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. We are normally open every day of the year from 4pm to 10pm on 0300 304 7000.

There is also a callback service, so can call 07984 967 708, give your first name and number, and receive a call back within a few days. You can also email them at: support@sane.org.uk SANE website     

Medical Services for homeless people  

Central London Community NHS Trust offer NHS support to people who may have difficulty accessing care in a variety of settings: https://clch.nhs.uk/services/homeless-health

Call 020 7534 65954 or email clcht.homeless@nhs.net

Crisis’ London Skylight has optician and dental services and their new service in Croydon has a medical room for members to be seen by specialist homeless health team. 

London Skylight: 020 7426 5650

London Croydon: 0203 848 1700

Homeless Charity Groundswell has developed a Homeless Health Peer Advocacy programme which offers one-to-one support for people experiencing homelessness to make and attend health appointments: https://groundswell.org.uk/what-we-do/homeless-health-peer-advocacy/

Food:  

A number of organisations across London offer food and other services to homeless people across London. You can search for those services local to you here: https://www.thepavement.org.uk/services?city=1&facility=17&service=13  

You can search for food banks under the Trussel Trust on their website: https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

The Newham Food Alliance is an open collaboration between partners who reach thousands of residents each week with food parcels, meals and other support. There is an online referral form here: https://www.newham.gov.uk/advice-support-benefits/newham-food-alliance or if you are unable to use this, the team can receive calls Monday-Friday (9am-5pm) at 07790 975 086 or email  frontdoor@newhamfoodalliance.org

Money Advice 

Cost of living support

Please see here for advice from Shelter regarding ways to access cash in a crisis: https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/money_problems_and_energy_costs/cash_in_a_crisis   

Newham Cost of Living Response- https://www.newham.gov.uk/costoflivingresponse

Citizens Advice also set out a range of support that is available to help with the cost of living: 

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/cost-of-living/get-help-with-the-cost-of-living/

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/budgeting1/get-help-with-bills/ 

Debt Advice

StepChange provide free debt advice https://www.stepchange.org/contact-us.aspx or call 0800 138 1111 

Gambling Advice

Gamcare offer support for gambling-related issues: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/ or call 0808 8020 133

Legal Advice:  

If you have an urgent legal case and require assistance, find out if you are eligible for legal aid and details of your local legal aid provider here:

• https://www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid
• Phone Civil Legal Advice (CLA) on 0345 345 4345

You can also text ‘legalaid’ and your name to 80010 to ask CLA to call you back. This costs the same as a normal text message.

Contacting the DWP 

Newham Easter Events and Activities

https://newhamvoices.co.uk/2024/03/01/things-to-do-in-newham-this-spring-holiday/

https://eequ.org/newhamhaf