Welcome to the Cotgrave Advice Centre website
Latest News :-
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Temporary Closure of Advice Centre
The Advice Centre will be closed on Tuesday 20 June and Monday 26 June.
We apologise for this but we do not have sufficient volunteer staff to cover these sessions during this holiday season.
The Advice Centre will be open as usual on Monday 19 June and Thursday 22 June and then on Tuesday 27 and Thursday 29 June as normal.
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We provide advice on:
Benefits
Benefits are changing for most people at the moment. If you are worried regarding claiming ESA, PIP, Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit we can help you. We also have software that enables us to check that you are getting all the benefits you are entitled to and to predict the changes to benefits that would happen if your circumstances were to change; come in and see us, our services are entirely free.
Help is also available from these websites:
- CAB Benefits fact sheets
- Gov.UK Benefits
- Concessionary travel passes
- Blue Badges
- The best place to find government services and information
- Turn2us Benefit Calculator
- New Care Act 2014 Changes
- Mandatory Reconsideration Process
Consumer
Know your rights, if you are not happy with something you have purchased we can help you negotiate with the supplier; drop in to see us, our services are entirely free. If you wish to complain please also look at the “Help with Complaints” tab at the top of this page. This will help guide you through the process.
Help is also available from these websites:
Debt
Debt problems that are ignored just get worse. The first thing to do is make a financial statement showing all your income, outgoings and debts (we will help you do this). Once you have done this we can help you to manage your money and negotiate with creditors on your behalf. Unlike commercial debt advisers, we are independent and all our services are entirely free.
Help is also available from these websites:
Employment
Employment law continues to change and expand with the introduction every year of new legislation and judgements that introduce new rights that affect the way that preexisting rights operate. Recognising the many changes in employment law, Cotgrave Advice Centre are in a position to offer up comprehensive specialist employment advice in all areas of employment;
- Employment Law System
- The Categories of a Worker
- Starting Work and the Employment Contract
- Rights to Pay and Conditions
- Union and Collective Organisations
- Discrimination
- Sick Pay and Sickness Absence
- Leave for Working Parents
- Industrial Action
- Dismissal
- Redundancy
- Business Transfers and Contracting out
Cotgrave Advice Centre as well as having in depth and comprehensive employment expertise can also access Professional Legal Employment Advice via our visiting Solicitors (see below).
Help is also available from these websites::
- ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)
- CAB Work fact sheets
- Help with transport to work
Family
Family issues are always very worrying and distressing and you may need to speak to our solicitor. However, first drop in and see us and we will see what we can do to help, our services are entirely free.
Help is also available from these websites:
- Child Maintenance Options
- Child Maintenance Service and Child Support Agency
- Domestic Violence
- CAB Relationships fact sheets
- Free School Meals and Milk
- Men’s Advice Line
- Rape Crisis
- ISAS (Incest and Sexual Abuse Survivors)
- Childline
- 24-Hour Domestic Abuse help
- Family Fund – Grants for Disabled Children
- Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) (Police run)
- Nottinghamshire Help Yourself
Housing
We are able to mediate for you with housing issues and can help you claim the relevant housing benefits; come in and see us, our services are entirely free.
Rushcliffe also send a housing expert to the Cotgrave Police Station on Wednesday mornings.
Help is also available from these websites:
- CAB Housing fact sheets
- Rushcliffe Housing
- Rushcliffe Council Tax and Benefits
- Metropolitan
- Waterloo
- Homesearch
- Parking Permits
- Severn Trent Water
- Bin Collections
- Register your car to use Nottinghamshire recycling centres
Legal
Appointments with our solicitor are for half an hour. Advice given at the advice centre is free. However, if you decide you need the solicitors to act for you will need to pay for their services.
Before we book you an appointment with our solicitor please drop in and see us so that we can do what is needed, in advance, to make your appointment fruitful.
In circumstances where mediation is suitable, our solicitors also offer a mediation service as an alternative means of settling disputes (without having to go to Court). For people on low incomes they would offer this on a pro bono (free) basis.
These solicitors support our Advice Centre, their website is:
Also here are some useful, related web links and places where you can download court forms that you may need:
- Justice
- Court Forms
- Appealing a parking ticket
- Make a lasting power of attorney
- Information regarding Annuities to cover cost of care homes
- Nottingham Law School (Free Appointmants)
- Nottingham Law Centre (Free Clinics)
- Help with Court Forms
Pensions
At our Centre we can not provide financial advice. However, the following links provide information in relation to the new pension laws that have come into effect in 2014 -15.
- Pension Changes – Pension Wise
- Pension Flexibilities and DWP Benefits
- Tax Help for Older People (also see out Tax support below)
- No Desire to Retire
Tax
We have an income tax specialist. However, he only comes when needed and an appointment is therefore required. Please drop in so that we can make the appointment and prepare your paperwork etc for his visit, our services are entirely free.
Help is also available from this website:
