Get Help
Non-Food Help Locally
Advice on agencies that help the general public.
If you are a Sandwell Resident and struggling to put food on the table, visit the Local Welfare Provision website which gives information on available help with food, fuel, travel and white goods; the page includes a link to apply. If you need help with applying visit your Local Centre Office . There is other help with meal provision in the area. Visit our Community Meals and Places of Welcome pages.
Remember that all Sikh Gurdwaras have a room which offers vegetarian food served by volunteers.
If you’re a family with under 5’s the best place for you to access help for your family is your local Children’s Centre. For general advice, there is also the government’s information portal at Directgov.
Sandwell & Walsall Citizens’ Advice Bureau
Advice and assistance on money (benefits, employment, tax), daily life (communications, consumer affairs, gas and electricity and travel), and your rights (discrimination, civil rights, immigration, the legal system). Unit 6, Tollgate Shopping Precinct, Smethwick, B67 7RA. 0300 330 9017. [email protected]
Refugee or immigration support
Brushstrokes Sandwell – Refugee and migrant support, offering resources and advice. 253 High Street, Smethwick, B66 3NJ. 0121 565 2234, or email i[email protected]. Open 9 AM – 3 PM, Monday to Friday.
Benefit advice
- Are you getting all the benefits you’re entitled to? Use this tool on Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert web site.
- Welfare Rights Sandwell
- For disability benefits, IdealForAll.
If you’re homeless or at risk of homelessness
Our best advice would be to contact Sandwell Council as soon as possible. The service is free and confidential and you don’t have to be a Sandwell resident to get help and advice. During office hours Monday to Friday you can go along to the Local office nearest to you.
For further full information about most situations related to homelessness and risk of losing your home follow this link.
If you find yourself with nowhere to stay outside office hours or over the weekend, please contact Housing Choice out of hours 0121 569 6883 (24 hour callback service). They can only give advice in emergencies. If you have somewhere safe to stay, even if this is temporary, please contact during office hours (Monday to Friday 8am – 5.30pm) on 0121 368 1166 – option 2.
- Reachout Network Ministries – (Centre for Change) – West Birmingham/Smethwick – Tue & Thurs 9.30 onwards offering showers, food, clothes bank and other necessities. Other activities on Mon & Wed for volunteers, allotment volunteers and art sessions. Behind City Road Methodist Church, City Road, Birmingham B16 0NL. 0121 454 5500 or via contact page on website
- Sifa Fireside – Birmingham – Monday to Friday – 09.00-12.45pm with breakfast 09.00-10.00, lunch at 12.00-12.45. Emergency Accommodation advice Mon-Fri 09.00-16.30. 48-52 Allcock Street, Birmingham B9 4DY. 0121 766 1700 or [email protected] or via contact page on website
Other housing issues
Sandwell Council provide a comprehensive list of where to seek help with housing-related problems here.
Debt & Budgeting
Don’t struggle alone.
We recognise that budgeting when you’re on a low, or no, income can be incredibly difficult and stressful. That’s why our foodbank has partnered with money advice specialists to enable people who are struggling with financial difficulties to access expert help. This includes help managing or avoiding debt, help setting a budget, and making sure that people are accessing any finance available through grants or benefits.
There are a number of local charities that can offer advice and help
- CAP Debt Help – There are local Debt Coaches who will visit clients at home. This is a valuable service to those with mental health issues. Call CAP on 0800 328 0006 Mon-Thurs 09.30-17.00 and Fri 09.30-15.30. They will confirm an appointment date, give immediate advice about how to deal with bailiffs and give advice on other charities that will offer help if there is no local service. Unfortunately the appointment might be a number of weeks in the future due to shortage of trained debt coaches in each area. They run CAP Money Courses across West Midlands.
- Community Money Advice. This national group support a number of local charities that offer Debt Advice. Your local centres can be found here
- Citizens Advice. An online database of practical articles on all aspects of Debt and Money management. The Sandwell (Smethwick) office is based at 370-372 High St., Smethwick, B66 3PJ. Ring the information helpline on 0300 330 9017 Mon-Fri 09.00-15.30 (Tues till 19.00). Their are a number 0f offices across Sandwell
Other national organisations
- National Debt line Call on 0808 808 4000. Open Mon-Fri 09.00-20.00 and Sat 09.30-13.00
- Step Change debt advice charity. They will offer a debt plan online
- Debt Advice Foundation Call on 0800 043 4050. Open Mon-Fri 08.00-20.00 and Sat 09.00-15.00
- Debt Support Trust Call 0800 085 0226 or make an enquiry on line
- Debt Advice Forum where you can post anonymous queries and get advice from debt experts, as well as view responses to other people’s queries
If you’re elderly, or caring for someone who is:
Age UK have offices across the region where they can offer advice and guidance tailored to your needs.
Places of Welcome
Places of Welcome are run by local community groups who want everyone in their neighbourhood to have a place to go for a friendly face, a cup of tea and a conversation if and when they need it
This network is growing in Sandwell and their are a number of places you can go in Smethwick and local areas. See the current Places of Welcome by clicking here.
We hope this information is of help and hope to you.
DON’T FORGET: You’ll need a voucher to access Smethwick Foodbank and receive food
Not only will you be able to access help and advice through these agencies, but if they think it will help, they may issue you with a voucher for the Food Bank.
Please contact us if your circumstances are not covered to find out about an agency that may be able to help you.