Advice service consultation
Have your say in how advice services are offered to County Durham residents in the future. These services include managing money, debt management and access to benefits, as well as welfare, employment, housing, consumer rights and health and social care.
Background
We know the difference receiving information, advice and guidance in the right place and at the right time can have on a person, on families and on the wider community. For many, getting the right support can reduce fears and financial worries. It can also help people to access benefits they did not know they were entitled to or make a case for extra financial support.
We are committed to helping all residents in County Durham access support across a range of issues including managing money, debt management and access to benefits, plus a range of other areas including welfare, employment, housing, consumer rights and health and social care.
We do this through our Welfare Rights Team, and by funding services delivered by local charities such as Citizens Advice County Durham, who provide free, confidential and impartial advice and support to residents.
Good advice matters, but what people need and the way that they access it may vary and over the last 10 years we have seen a change in the types of advice that residents of County Durham are asking for. The 'cost of living crisis' has led to an increase in residents who are in work and just about managing their finances, reach out for help. Because of that we want to make sure that the advice services we fund continue to meet your needs.
How you can help
We are currently reviewing our information, advice and guidance services. We want to continue to provide the most effective services for you, make it easy for you to know where to look for them, and get the best support in the way that suits your needs. By better understanding your needs, we can contract with the right organisations, offer you the right services and measure the difference it makes to you and your community.
We need you to tell us about:
- your experiences of looking for and using information, advice and guidance, good or bad
- the reasons you have not used information, advice and guidance services when you needed support
- how you would like to get information, advice and guidance in the future, such as appointments, telephone calls, online help or other ways
- the types of advice you would like to see offered in the future
Have your say
The closing date for comments was 5.00pm on Friday 20 September 2024.
AAP | Location | Date | Time |
---|---|---|---|
3 Towns AAP | Crook Civic Centre North Terrace Crook DL15 9ES | 11 July 2024 | 5.30pm |
Bishop Auckland and Shildon (BASH) AAP | Bishop Auckland FC Ltd Heritage Park Stadium Way Bishop Auckland DL14 9AE | 19 September 2024 | 4.00pm |
Chester-le-Street AAP | Parish of Saint Barnabas 75 Saint Barnabas Bournmoor DH4 6ET | 22 July 2024 | 6.00pm |
Derwent Valley AAP | Salvation Army Hall Sherburn Terrace Consett DH8 6ND | 17 July 2024 | 6.00pm |
Durham AAP | online - contact Contact Area Action Partnership - Durham | 8 July 2024 | 6.00pm |
East Durham AAP | Eastlea Community Centre Seaham SR7 8DX | 11 September 2024 | 6.00pm |
East Durham Rural Corridor AAP | Fishburn Youth and Community Centre Butterwick Road Fishburn Stockton-on-Tees TS21 4ED | 16 July 2024 | 5.00pm |
Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership | Newton Aycliffe Youth and Community Centre Burn Lane Newton Aycliffe DL5 4HT | 10 September 2024 | 6.00pm |
Mid Durham AAP | New Brancepeth Village Hall 17 Rock Terrace New Brancepeth DH7 7EP | 17 July 2024 | 6.00pm |
Spennymoor AAP | Kirk Merrington Community Centre Front Street Kirk Merrington DL16 7HZ | 25 July 2024 | 6.00pm |
Stanley AAP | Morrison Busty Building Morrison Road Annfield Plain Stanley DH9 7RX | 9 July 2024 | 5.00pm |
Teesdale AAP | St Mary's Parish Hall Newgate Barnard Castle DL12 8NQ | 11 September | 6.00pm |
Weardale AAP | St Thomas Centre Wolsingham | 19 September 2024 | 6.00pm |
What happens next
What you tell us will help to inform the services we fund from 2025/2026. It will be used alongside information we have gathered from the advice services we provide / fund and information from other partners, to deliver effective advice and support services in the future.
- Email consultations@durham.gov.uk
- Telephone 03000 263 593